Anatomy of a journey

I compiled the following as an introduction to the faculty community of Regents Park College - the "Senior Commons Room", or SCR - about my journey and professional interests, and as groundwork for my intended research on Learning Communities. Thought it might be good to share here - as context for my time at Oxford, and also seeing as how many of you figure prominently in the narrative :-).)

Anatomy of a journey

From an early age, I've observed and been drawn to reflect on the life trajectory of leaders – in society in general, and within the Christian community in particular.  Why do some leaders “finish well”, while others crash and burn, or simply plateau?  My upbringing in a pastor/missionary/renewal leadership family provided a front-row seat to the vicissitudes of ministry, and to the enigmas as well as the rewards of leadership.  

Why is the body count so high among those most committed and courageous in God's Kingdom – those who willingly put their lives on the line for a noble cause?  After years of preparation and massive resource investment, why do so many leaders (and organizations) fizzle, or cataclysmically implode?   

What principles and practices might mitigate this, increase leadership longevity, and produce healthier individuals, marriages, families, and organizations in the field?  How – over decades and generations, in Kingdom organizations and emergent communities – might we work toward an increase in mature, lasting fruitfulness among Christian leaders?

True to my Anabaptist (Church of the Brethren/Mennonite) roots, I gathered and formed communities in high school and college almost by default, creating rather intensive life-lab experiences for myself and a core of companions – and, in retrospect, an explosion of data.  A decade in church planting and pastoral ministry followed by several years of denominational renewal leadership – along with substantial business involvement – expanded the scope of inquiry.  

Unsurprisingly, the connection between a leader's core support community (or lack thereof) and his or her health and staying power came to the fore, early and often.  Safe and enduring relationships, trustworthy outside perspective, and timely resourcing appeared to make a critical difference both for leaders and the organizations they lead.  Consistent support, encouragement, and accountability (“S.E.A.”) in the context of vigorous learning communities became a hallmark of our work.

In the early 90s my wife and I purchased an estate in Virginia's western highlands, designed to create a place of resourcing, healing, and retooling for leaders in transition.  Over the following two decades hundreds of Kingdom leaders from various spheres spent restorative time on “the Hill”, which became as well the de facto hub of a small but multi-faceted global network (Growth Dynamics International, or “GDI”).  

GDI's leaders and organizations essentially gathered around a commitment to wrestle with these core themes, share support and insights, then work together to implement learnings in an expanding array of contexts and cultures.  The most recent decade broadened the conversation to an even wider range of participants (notably including a growing number of millennials).  

Cultivation of peer and upward mentoring relationships has provided context for fruitful reflection – including substantial engagement, starting in my 30s, with Dr. J Robert Clinton (Fuller Theological Seminary, CA) and his integrative Leadership Emergence Theory.  Life- and executive coaching with clients in multiple spheres, cultures and continents continues to further expand the range of observation and inquiry.  

GDI is proliferating on three continents.  The online Lifelong Learning Community (“L3C”) has matured, providing a healthy and catalytic context for widely scattered leaders to interact virtually, sharing learnings and tangible support in the course of their journey.  And a growing pool of practitioners has embraced the inquiry, stepping up to the task of reflecting and interacting, testing and distilling, and disseminating content useful to a larger constituency.