Most significantly, he was four times chosen to be president of the Conference (heading the ruling body of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion) in 1820, 1828, 1836 and 1844.

[2] Vickers (2008) states that Bunting was "the epitome of 'high Methodism', which stressed the Connexion, the national, the international (including foreign missions).

"[3] As the Methodist Conference convened only a few days annually, and most attending preachers lacked business experience, real power rested with a standing (permanent) executive body, which was largely under Bunting's influence.

When Bunting was absent from the Conference sessions, it became evident that the body struggled to conduct coherent or effective business.

This centralisation of power left little room for opposition or autonomy, with the Conference generally deferring to the executive's proposals.

[note 1][4] Bunting was satirized in Wesleyan Undertakings – a collection of critical sketches of Methodist leaders published in 1840 – which depicted him as intolerably autocratic, "a monster of greatness".

It had a ring of authority and decision, though not of harshness, and it was at the same time flexible and persuasive… His fame was based rather on his abilities as a tactician and organiser, in short, he had the qualities of a statesman; and he did for Methodism what Bishop S. Wilberforce did for the Anglican Church.

[8] The resolutions encouraged class meetings and catechesis, and set out the working principles by which the Methodist leaders present at the conference sought "to cultivate more fully the spirit of Christian pastors".

[9] Methodist researcher Andrew Stobart states that the resolutions were adopted at a time of crisis when the recently established Wesleyan Methodist Connexion was struggling to maintain membership numbers in its early years: the movement had recorded a net loss of 4,688 members during the previous year.

[12][note 2] As President of the Conference, he supported the transportation of the Tolpuddle martyrs despite the fact that they were closely linked to Methodism, their leaders being local preachers.

His eldest son, William Maclardie Bunting (1805–1866), was also a distinguished Wesleyan minister and minor hymn writer.