Multiply Update from Don Morris

To all USMB pastors, leaders and churches:

This letter is to keep you informed about important things that have occurred with the Multiply Board of Directors. In short, David MacLean, recent board chair, has resigned his position on the board effective immediately. To be fair, David’s resignation comes as a result of three separate communications sent from the USMB Leadership Board petitioning for him to resign. The reasons behind that request are not due to any inappropriate behavior by David. This petition for resignation was the result of long conversations in the past (last fall) and now recently about the position held by the USMB Leadership Board along with the Canadian Conference of MB Churches Leadership Board that a complete Multiply Board reset was expected last fall, but never did occur. There is strong opinion among USMB Leadership Board members that in order to attain a complete reset of the culture of the Multiply Board and Multiply as a whole, and to adhere to the decisions made by USMB and CCMBC—agreeing that a complete board reset must occur when the new Multiply Board was being established last fall—that David MacLean, the last remaining previous Multiply Board member, should resign. This critical piece had not been realized or completed due to David’s continuing presence on the board. This situation was deemed unacceptable by the USMB Leadership Board in light of the board’s ultimate responsibility for assuring that all of the necessary elements were in place for facilitating recommended Multiply cultural shifts—the shifts that were addressed and revealed in the Multiply Task Force Review’s Report and subsequently discussed at length among USMB and CCMBC leadership.

David has many leadership gifts, provided a lot of passion in his board role and has a genuine desire to see Multiply flourish. Those qualities are not questioned but are affirmed by both the CCMBC Board and the USMB Board. But, again, the desire to create a completely new Multiply board culture, with a complete board reset, was deemed essential. There were also concerns expressed by USMB leaders who felt that some unhealthy aspects of the past Multiply culture were being perpetuated in the way Multiply Board communication reports were crafted. Thus, the petition to seek David’s resignation from the Multiply Board was unanimously determined by the USMB Board.

To be transparent, this petition did not have support from CCMBC leaders. However, USMB leaders felt strongly that in order for USMB churches and leaders to have full confidence in the new path forward for Multiply, this detail, of a complete board reset, needed to have resolution—even though the USMB Board acknowledges that it has been 9-10 months since this issue was first addressed and much Multiply Board activity, under David’s chairmanship, has occurred during that period of time.

In order to allow for unimpeded progress and to alleviate further tension among leadership boards and national entities, David agreed to resign, for the good of the mission, during a Multiply Board Zoom on July 6. The Multiply Board agreed that accepting David’s resignation was deemed best for moving things forward. To David we say, “Thank you for serving Multiply, and may you be blessed as you serve Jesus in the future.”

Please pray for all of the leaders who have a part in overseeing the mission and health of Multiply, including the two national leadership boards who represent the owner conferences and especially the Multiply Board of Directors, including our four U.S. representatives. There are good people on these boards who love Jesus and love being a part of His mission.

Leaders sometimes have to make difficult and even painful decisions. Difficulty and pain have the potential to divide us. The enemy would love to use this as a wedge of disunity. However, we believe the conflict surrounding this decision presents a real opportunity for our national conferences to forge a closer, more unified partnership as we process through our differences together, seeking to better understand one another and creating new, stronger pathways for connection. USMB is absolutely committed to this ongoing collaboration, believing it will help sustain Multiply for flourishing well into the future. Our prayer is that even though this was a challenging season, that we come together in unity, prayer, trust and resolve to move ahead together with Jesus as King!

Don Morris