How should churches make decisions?

This year I am putting together a study programme, a series of 6 big questions to look at, research, thinking through, and then produce a paper on.  Here is the first:

Title: How should churches make decisions? What models does the Bible give us and which is relevant and applicable to the church today?

Brief: Most churches would maintain that their decision making processes are congregational and that this is the biblical model, basing this on the model of Acts 6, but is this an oversimplification of what happens in that passage, and is it applied as normative elsewhere in scripture? What other models of leadership is there biblical warrant for which may also be applicable to the church today? And what shape does that translate into in today's church? What would it look like structurally and functionally? Should churches be democratic, autocratic or team led? And if so what will this look like practically in terms of decision making?

Plans

For the next two weeks I've been freed up from the demands of preaching to take some study time.  My plan is to try and get a grip on Ezekiel - a book I've never studied before - in the mornings.  Then in the afternoon work through the Proclamation Trust Preaching and Teaching Old Testament DVD and workbook, before after a quick coffee break concluding by catching up on some general reading - starting with Everyday Church - and then trying to produce some outline plans for Exodus in the autumn term.

I started on Ezekiel this morning looking at the background and the history of Judah that leads them to Exile and Ezekiel to be commissioned to preach oracles of judgement against Judah leading up to the news of its final fall and utter destruction (ch24, and 33) before then declaring that God is not finished with his people yet and laying a new hope before them.

This afternoon I revisited some of the basics on preaching and teaching Old Testament narrative.  Its always helpful to have a refresher course as well as receive new insights.  I found it particularly helpful to be reminded to look for the crisis point or problem in narrative passages, then look for the resolution before finally seeing the outcome.  It is a simple device but it is so helpful in helping us get a basic grip on Old Testament Narrative passages.