Milwaukee Mennonite Church makes significant decisions about congregational life by consensus. In choosing this model we have been guided by Article 16 ("Church Order and Unity") in the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995):
Decision making by consensus is a way of coming to unity in the church (see Acts 15:22). Consensus means that the church has together sought for the unity of the Spirit. The church listens carefully to all voices, majority and minority. Consensus is reached when the church has come to one mind on the matter, or when those who dissent have indicated that they do not wish to stand in the way of a group decision. Consensus does not necessarily mean complete unanimity.
We recognize that achieving consensus requires a high level of trust, skillful leadership, and time. As a general guideline, we utilize a three-step process (which may necessitate three separate meetings) in order to:
Define the issue or problem and give background information.
Explore options, hear concerns and affirmations, and prioritize desirable solutions.
Move to a solution and implementation of the decision. Depending on the nature of the decision, a review process may be specified.
