The first was to decentralize authority by giving church leaders in other parts of the world the right to decide what was best for them, in their respective parts of the world field. Another important decision was to bring various departments of church activity together under the wing of the General Conference Committee in order to coordinate their operations more efficiently. Still another was to increase the number of the committee to 25, in order to broaden the base of its decisions. Yes, our dream has come true. With our church membership now approaching nine million, it is appropriate to commend the church leaders of yesteryear for making some very wise decisions.
Nothing succeeds like success.
We trust that the decisions at Utrecht will be equally successful. But for us in North America, there are troubling overtones to Utrecht. The present hierarchical structure of the church means, very simply but realistically, that top-level decisions will now be made, even as at Utrecht, by people who vocally expressed their opposition to a motion designed to help the church in North America fulfill its mission more effectively. But wait a bit longer. It s a sobering thought for us to ponder and experience over the quinquennium.