It’s easy when we lift our heads up from our local and classical ministries, when viewing this thing way off in GR to ask “how did that happen?” The ED position, together with the BOT emerged and was shaped by a long history of structural development. I know some of the story but there are others who know it better than I.

Stage 1: Synod, Classis, Council: The main ecclesiastical structure that we recognize in Reformed polity. CTS and the beginnings of Calvin College are formed to train pastors and Christian School teachers.

Stage 2: Agencies and Boards begin to emerge: Starts with “heathen missions” to Navajo and Chinese. Dutch immigrants with missional hearts trying to give shape to their mission through a collaborative agency. Through Johanna Veenstra from Hopper St. Paterson NJ (I say proudly) imaginations energize and people organize. CRWM and CRHM will emerge from this.

Stage 3: Institution Building: The middle of the 20th Center will find the CRC affluent and growing, employing new wealth, new learning, new skills to and other good ideas like media ministry (BTGMI) and diaconal ministry (CRWRC-World Renew), Pubs, and plenty of other efforts either within or outside the organizational structure come along side the church to strengthen the community and organize it’s impact into the broader world.

Stage 4: “Why can’t we work better together”. Rumors of CRWM and CRWRC not being able to fully collaborate overseas begins a process of asking whether we an work more effectively and efficiently by having these agencies work together. There are some obvious overlaps that can be address administratively. Synodical Interim Committee gets morphed into the BOT. General Secretary model gets morphed into ED. Through this process it’s clear that the CRC has some reluctance about consolidating power.

Stage 5: “One Board to Rule Them All”: Agency boards have classically based boards where all agencies are expending resources on holding 2 large meetings a year, lodging, travel costs, etc. on these large boards that function partly as donor bases, somewhat as governing boards. Who really rules these agencies? Board downsize and get more energetic in governance. How do these boards relate to the Synod-BOT-ED line of authority and how do they relate to delegated classical (now regional) authority? Agency directors are appointed jointly by agency board and BOT? Where does the ED fit? Jesus says “no one can serve two masters” but “Jesus” speaks through Synod and the agency board?

Today: The obviousness of boomer style management recedes as that generation enters retirement. Busters begin to challenge boomer models. Questions emerge about structure and culture. How can this be church when it feels so much like business? ED candidate withdrawing heightens the conversation.

Others can tweak or improve this little narrative. We have the structure we do because of our culture and history. What will the next steps be? We inherit these things from those who came before. They changed what they received to give us what we have today. We will change what we receive and turn it over to those who follow. What shall we do?