50% watershed


Martyn Atkins, principal at Cliff and president designate of the Methodist conference gave an inspiring overview of Historic Models of Church and Leadership. While reflecting on the way the bottom has and is dropping out of denominational structures he talked about the dissatisfaction experienced by many Methodist ministers. He put forward the view that maintaining the circuits as they are currently configured with their emphasis on personal chaplaincy to its members, was disaffecting many ministers. He suggested that when 50% of ministers stood up to their disbelief in this system of organising church it would set in process an unstoppable chain of events. Superintendents would be unable to chide ministers back to their roles as half of them would be among those who believe the system has to change. The recently published book of statistics about what ministers think about things like itinerancy and connected issues would suggest that we are not so far from realising this 50% level of disaffected ministers. If you take those statistics along with those who have already voted with their feet the situation is one that cannot be ignored.

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