Empowered change and the boringly decent strength of Presbyterian organising
I recent attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
I’ve often joked how boring it is to be part of a Church that is named for its structure!
Presbyteros means elder. Elders are local leaders in a congregation, Presbyteries are regional councils of elders, and the General Assembly is a nationwide gathering made up of elders who are commissioned by Presbytery to attend and participate in the discernment and decision making processes.
It sounds unbearably dull, yet it is actually a very empowering model for sustained organisational change.
We do not have a Bishop, or a CEO, or a top dog who calls the shots. Instead we have power distributed and deployed through various roles, councils, teams, committees, and offices that, at their best, sync up and work in unison.
Often, this make us slow. And that can be frustrating. But many people get involved. And that is a strength.
Being at GA, as its affectionately called, is super intense. I think it’s fun as well, actually. I’ve always enjoyed meetings, because I like doing meaningful things with other people. Call me a geek.
Joining the discussion groups, voting on the motions, reading the the loooong reports, asking questions about a proposal, observing and engaging in debate… I feel that you can actually see collective intelligence being put to work.
You can pretty much hear the Assembly thinking as you go. (A little creakily at times, perhaps, usually around 3:30pm.)
For all our inadequacies, I do think that the Presbyterian approach to organising and governance is extremely good.
There is so much opportunity for people to share their voice and be heard.
There is space for new ideas.
There are processes that empower positive change.
And there is strength in collective wisdom and intelligence.
Reflecting on my time at GA 2025 has me considering what great opportunities we all have for vigorous and transformational change in our churches, and/or communities, and/or society.
If you can bring productive change in an organisation like the PCANZ, then you can do it elsewhere. What is our politics based on if not the potential of people to speak up, get organised, and make a difference?
I love how being at the General Assembly models so clearly for us the dynamics of change and the opportunities for involvement.
So, I reckon that if you see something that could improve things, you should share it. It might inspire people, and you might be able to do something about it.
If you see something that isn’t healthy, talk about it. You might be able to find a way to bring some change.
There is a lot to be said for our Presbyterian way of doing things. It might not be the most dynamic system in the world. But it allows for many voices to be heard, runs in a way that promotes trust and accountability, and seems to help by consistently awakening gifts in people.
And we sure need those gifts to be awakened.
We need those voices to be heard.
And we long to see our communities become more and more alive with that which Jesus brings: life overflowing, life abundant, and life pouring out – to the glory of God and for the sake of all the world.
This post was original published on Facebook, 5 November 2025