Purpose of Structure?

[amiel]

Just wondering if someone could explain to me the purpose of the Adventist Church structure. It seems way too heavy to me.

General Conference
South Pacific Division
Australia Union
Victorian Conference
Local Church

So couldn't we cut at least one or two of those levels out of the middle?
Why is the church so hierarchical?


(Posted this in progressive forum but then realised you guys are the ones to ask about it!)

Thanks

 

[Cliff2]

Just wondering if someone could explain to me the purpose of the Adventist Church structure. It seems way too heavy to me.

General Conference
South Pacific Division
Australia Union
Victorian Conference
Local Church

So couldn't we cut at least one or two of those levels out of the middle?
Why is the church so hierarchical?


(Posted this in progressive forum but then realised you guys are the ones to ask about it!)

Thanks

Good question mate.

But I think you are probably asking the wrong people.

Not even sure who you should ask.

I do know that in the last few years a level was cut out here in Australia.

We had the "Trans Tasman and the Trans Australian and now we just have one known as the Australian Union.

So that is an improvement, small but on the right track.

There are not too many organisations that will vote themselves out of a job.

Perhaps I am just being old and cynical.

 

[Sophia7]

Just wondering if someone could explain to me the purpose of the Adventist Church structure. It seems way too heavy to me.

General Conference
South Pacific Division
Australia Union
Victorian Conference
Local Church

So couldn't we cut at least one or two of those levels out of the middle?
Why is the church so hierarchical?


(Posted this in progressive forum but then realised you guys are the ones to ask about it!)

Thanks

I agree. I think we could definitely cut out a couple of levels of hierarchy. My husband is a pastor, so we have some idea of what the conference does, but some of the other levels seem somewhat unnecessary. Perhaps they could be combined somehow. I don't think the Adventist pioneers ever had in mind a church that was quite so administration-heavy. They didn't even want to organize into a denomination at first.

 

[amiel]

http://news.adventist.org/data/2005/09/1129067537/index.html.en

Some encouraging news! A group is looking at ways to streamline the organizational structure.