Alive: Creating the conditions for flourishing

Part of The GoHealth Way blog series

___

Medically, alive means a heart beat.

But in our Christian inheritance, what comes to mind is something much richer than a trace on an ECG. It points to life in all its fullness – the life dreamed for you by God, potential of love, and an awakening to our true purpose.

Taking the view of history, there is no stasis when it comes to life on this planet, or indeed in the salvation history of the Judeo-Christian tradition. If the book of nature teaches us anything, it is that being alive means more than sustaining and repairing. It is about renewing, adaptation, creativity, and capacity for future life – something that gives hope and energy to the present.

Regeneration is the work of creating the conditions in which people, communities and creation can flourish.

But regenerative life requires good environmental management: conditions that allow flourishing. Conditions in which ourselves, our communities and the world around us can generate life, and be connected (or reconnected) to the power of creativity, generosity and the human spirit. Regeneration is not simply about keeping something alive. It is about creating the conditions in which life can renew itself, grow and become something more.

Leaders have a particular role here – to create the kind of environment where people can flourish. But leaders themselves are caught in systems that can be anxious or overloaded. Indeed, sometimes the cultures and systems themselves have become disconnected from their purpose. In organisations, this might look like systems that no longer serve, or an over-emphasis on growth or profit at the cost of the people within them. Organisational experts sometimes describe this as an anxious organisation – where a culture becomes shaped by pressure, scarcity, overwork and relentless delivery, at the cost of the health and flourishing of those within the system.

Churches can be susceptible to this, particularly where the world is changing around them, there is increased uncertainty and numbers are declining. There can be two understandable responses: digging deeper into our traditions, or innovating new ways to be church. Neither is wrong, and neither is sufficient on its own. We are built on ancient traditions and doctrines, and at the same time we believe that God is always renewing life and that new things are possible.

The problem comes when the systems we sustain – or the innovations we create – become disconnected from the deeper purpose of the church. The question is not simply whether we are maintaining our traditions, or whether we are trying new things. It is: what is happening to people because of the life we are creating together? Are people more hopeful because of the church? Flourishing more deeply? More connected to creation? More able to care for others? More aware of God? Are our churches places where people simply consume, or are they regenerative ecosystems in which people can belong, participate and flourish?

And this includes leaders. People flourish when they are able to express God’s call on their life, and that is true for leaders too. Regenerative leadership is not about having all the answers or carrying everything yourself. It is about creating the conditions in which other people (and the leaders) can discover and live into their gifts, calling and capacity to bring life.

Within the church and third sector, burnout is a real and present danger to individuals and to the systems we work in. Burnout is associated with an imbalance between workload and capacity, and with difficulties in relationships, fairness and the control people have over their work. It shows up in the bodies and minds of our leaders. Organisational conditions such as excessive workload, lack of control, unfairness and relational dysfunction are recognised contributors. But, more importantly, burnout isn’t simply an individual failure of resilience; it can be a symptom of an unhealthy system. We cannot always solve a systemic problem by asking individuals to become more resilient.

It also shows up in the dysregulation of whole systems – clergy feeling isolated and misunderstood by senior leadership, anxiety about finances and control, people being unable to cope and cutting off or numbing, organisations employing more consultants or launching new ideas that simply add to the workload. We know what the problem is, and it won’t necessarily be solved by another new idea. Sometimes what is needed is the space and support for senior leaders to attend to what is actually happening: to themselves, to their relationships, to their systems and to their purpose.

Regenerative leadership allows things to flourish, and, just as in nature, it might mean that some things cannot continue indefinitely. That’s where regeneration happens. As tough as that might sometimes feel, it can be an act of care. Regenerative leadership notices what is giving life and what is draining it. It knows that self-care is not an indulgence, but part of the responsibility of leadership. It knows that leaders are human too, with bodies, limits, relationships and a need for rest. And it recognises that sometimes the most faithful thing a leader can do is to stop, listen, let something go, and make space for something new to emerge.

At GoHealth, we are interested in the role of organisations and leaders as agents of healing, rather than simply providers of services. We want to help create the conditions in which people can flourish, and in which leaders and organisations themselves can become healing presences.

GoHealth’s vision is of healthy individuals, healthy communities, a healthier society and ultimately the flourishing of all creation – with faith, science and community brought into conversation rather than treated as separate silos. We believe this has implications for how we lead, how we care for people, how we understand health and wellbeing, and how we shape the communities and organisations of which we are part.

We work with leaders to help them provide theological and wellbeing support to their people – whether that is through understanding burnout, becoming trauma-aware, developing healthy living, exploring health-based mission, or simply finding space to think about the ministry they have been called to. We offer coaching and support because we know how tough leadership can be. We want to support leaders not simply to survive, but to flourish. The world needs regenerative leaders who have the capacity to create the conditions for others to flourish too. We are here to support you.

The GoHealth Way is that we are connected with one another, and this means that healing happens in relationships. Therefore, the way we live and lead affects the life around us. We cannot flourish alone, and neither can our communities. And regenerative leadership asks something more of us: not simply to keep things going, but to notice what gives life, what needs tending, and what might need to change. Read on below to explore the other blogs in this series and discover more about the GoHealth Way.

___

Your next step

• Join The GoHealth Community for resources
• Add your name to our Leaders’ Network
• Listen to a podcast on Regenerative Leadership
• Explore how we can support your organisation

Go to the next blog in The GoHealth Way series

Go deeper into The GoHealth Way with our reflective online course

The GoHealth Way is our shared way of living, leading and working for healing, hope and belonging. It grows from a simple conviction: we are not meant to heal alone. We become more attentive to ourselves, to one another, to our communities and to the world around us – and, in doing so, we can join in with what God is already doing.

This course introduces the vision, values, theology and practices that shape the GoHealth Way. It explores our story and history, the change we long to see in the world, and what it means to nurture flourishing and reduce suffering. It also recognises that this way of living can be costly, so we explore the importance of rest, renewal, community and the things that bring us alive.

This isn’t simply a course to complete. It is an invitation to a way of life we are learning together.

Along the way, you’ll be invited to reflect on your own life, the difference you want to make in the world, and whether you might want to join us in building a movement of healing, hope and belonging.

What you’ll explore

• The story and vision of GoHealth
• Our theology of Christian health and healing
• Belonging and why it matters for healing
• The values and principles that shape our work
• What it means to be a healing presence
• Our approach to health, wellbeing and flourishing
• Our history and the impact we are seeking to make
• How you can join in