The first era of consolidation in GMKI included efforts to stabilize its internal structure and reconcile Christian groups outside GMKI. This era began with a national study and leadership conference in 1960 held in Lawang, East Java, and the eighth congress of GMKI in 1961 in Surabaya. The congress restructured the leadership of GMKI by centralizing it. Before the congress, GMKI was led through a decentralized system that included a general board formed from a federation of GMKI branches. After the centralization, GMKI was led by the central board. The congress also began to organize its branches to ease the expansion of the movement.
