Do larger structures bring problems?

Inevitably there are significant disadvantages to larger structures. Perhaps the most significant is be the loss of local influence on Missional activities. A local church is, by definition, best placed to deliver local mission: it can focus on actual needs and identify an appropriate strategy. Like any organisation, as a circuit gets larger it loses its connectiveness to local issues, while at the same time dealing with many more individual priorities and the local detail can get lost.

Read Matthew 25: 14-30. This speaks clearly to us of our duty as stewards of God’s kingdom. It calls us to be proactive in this, it might even be suggesting we take risks when investing in the work of the kingdom.

Without doubt, travel can become a troublesome issue, as people are expected to travel long distances to attend meetings or to lead worship. It is possible to reduce the number of meetings needed, choose venues and times carefully or consult electronically, but wherever restructuring has been considered, increased travel remains a concern that needs to be balanced against the advantages it brings.