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Linda,

I like consensus models. But (and maybe it is a male thing) but unless you have a small enough group that the whole group can get together for consunsus decisions all the time, I don't see how you run the day to day operations of a church with no one in charge of anything. I know an office can't work very well that way. Also larger organizations (and I'd place church with over 100 members in that category) need some form of accountability. If no one is in charge and everyone is in charge who gets to say that the lone ranger member can't do certain things on behalf of the church.

We have a lot of women in the UMC who have no problem being in charge including several women who are Bishops.

As you probably all know, the Evergreen Region is run on a consensus model (doesn't mean we don't have an Executive Minister!) and we work very hard on learning to use it properly. Our annual meeting is coming up in a few days, and I'll probably report back on how it went; will try to keep this topic in mind for an update.