April 20 update: The deadline for applications for the position of Multiply general director has been extended to May 28, 2021.
In a March 24 letter to Mennonite Brethren pastors and leaders in the U.S. and Canada, the Multiply Board of Directors announced that the search for a new general director is now public and that as of April 15, Randy Friesen will conclude his transitional leadership role with the mission agency. These leadership decisions were made by the board at their March 8-9, 2021, meeting.
The deadline for applications for the position of Multiply general director is April 23, 2021. David MacLean, Multiply Board of Directors chair, invites those interested in the position to read the position posting at https://multiply.net/GD.
“We are looking for a … committed servant leader with cross-cultural intelligence, global mission and disciple-making experience, who fosters healthy stakeholder relationships with authenticity, inspiration, integrity, wisdom and humility,” MacLean says in the letter.
In addition to having a strong commitment to Jesus, God’s Word, prayer and discipleship, the general director should have “strong organizational and strategic leadership gifts as well as solid business acumen and a deep appreciation for the power of networks and interdependence.”
Friesen has served as the general director of the North American MB mission agency for 17 years.
“The board and Randy recognize the need for a clean transition process that allows the new General Director to orient well to the Multiply family without distraction,” MacLean says.
Veteran missionary Vic Wiens, who currently serves as the Multiply liaison to the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB), will provide interim coordination to the Multiply Executive Team and serve as a liaison to the Multiply board.
The March 24 letter quotes Friesen as saying, “I want to thank the incredible team of Multiply staff, board, missionaries and national partners for their support, dedication and example to me of what it means to ‘live on mission.’ I also want to thank our MB church family in North America and ICOMB for your ongoing investment in mission through sending, receiving, praying and giving.”
MacLean thanks Friesen for his commitment to “walk in submission to the Lord and the authority of the conferences” and for his godly character.
“We want to commend Randy for an extraordinary career spent investing in the lives of countless people around the world,” MacLean says.
March 26, Multiply announced an online Celebration of Service event April 11 at 4 p.m. PDT to recognize Friesen’s contributions. Details of the event can be found at multiply.net/randy.
The current Multiply Board of Directors was installed at the end of 2020 and has spent the past five months striving to “understand more about God’s heart for Multiply and all the various aspects of our role including the implementation of recommendations that the Task Force presented last year,” MacLean says in the March 24 letter.
The Multiply Task Force presented 18 recommendations related to leadership, governance and culture to the Multiply Board of Directors at its Nov. 9-10, 2020, meeting. The Multiply board approved the recommendations, including the transition in leadership of Friesen as general director position. Friesen, who has served in Mennonite Brethren mission work for more than 30 years, stated that he supported the discernment of the group.
“The Board is continuing to walk out the Task Force recommendations in ways that honor God and strengthens the foundation for the continued growth of church planting and mission partnership,” says MacLean. MacLean concludes his letter thanking Multiply’s partners and churches for their support of the ministry’s work. “The organization is fruitful, stable and in a good financial position moving forward,” he says.
Read the March 24 letter here.
Connie Faber joined the magazine staff in 1994 and assumed the duties of editor in 2004. She has won awards from the Evangelical Press Association for her writing and editing. Faber is the co-author of Family Matters: Discovering the Mennonite Brethren. She and her husband, David, have two daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law and three grandchildren. They are members of Ebenfeld MB Church in Hillsboro, Kansas.
