Pt. 1: Regionalization acknowledges reality
Pt. 2: Regionalization gives clarity
Pt 3: Regionalization promotes fairness
Pt. 4: Regionalization identifies the essentials
Pt. 5: Regionalization improves our structure
Regionalization Avoids Unnecessary Arguments While Retaining Connection
I served on one of our General Boards from 1997-2002. This was a time not long after we began to wrestle more seriously with how to be a worldwide church instead of a U.S. church with international outposts. Every meeting included conversation about how to structure every petition, resolution, or action as global instead of U.S. focused. I really appreciated this, but it was also a challenge. Some issues really are regional. One of the subgroups I worked on the marketing of tobacco to children. This is a much different and deeper issue outside of the U.S. where laws were laxer than U.S. laws. On the other hand, marriage equality for LGBT people makes much more sense in a country where it is legal than in a country where it is illegal.
These are questions we may well disagree about at a worldwide General Conference. The disagreement can limit action and, therefore, limit our impact. Regionalization will allow us to work together in the areas we can work together while working separately in the areas where either we can't come to agreement or we are more effective by acting regionally.
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