The foundation would manage holdings such as church buildings, parsonages and real estate. GB's address book lists about 300 member congregations and 400 of NHK's 2,000 ministers. However in 1951, the NHK Synod revised its bylaws, the church order, and sought to simplify things with an uniform elder-trusteeship system. Nearly a thousand congregations complied but hardcore opponents refused to change their system which dates from the last part of the sixteenth century. By the late 1980's, NHK synods again became concerned about the lack of uniformity and brought the issue back once more.
Regulations call for a minimum of three trustees per consistory.
Opponents charge that Synod's desire to make NHK property management rules uniform is intended to accommodate the SoW-merger process and to bring property held by local congregations firmly under control of Synod. The latter usually are taken care of by specially appointed administrative committees. Last year, an independent NHK-trustees' group representing 73 congregations challenged synod's authority over the issue but lost its case. The group was supported by some GB-congregations over the principial objection of GB's board. An appeal is now pending.