In recent years, men and women among evangelically minded Friends Churches have begun to rediscover that there are many others who share their dream of making disciples and starting new churches. In May of 2013, the first National Friends Church Multiplication Conference was born out of a deep desire to gather together with those who share this dream. Leaders from the six yearly meetings of the Evangelical Friends Church-North America (Alaska, Eastern Region, Mid-America, Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Southwest) and three evangelical yearly meetings from Friends United Meeting (Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina) began monthly online gatherings to encourage one another and to plan the 2014 National Friends Multiplication Conference. Believing that their role is to act as catalysts in a movement to make disciples and start new churches, the Apostolic Leadership Group chose the collective identity of Friends Multiply. Friends Multiply is led by four focus catalysts and regional catalysts representing the nine yearly meetings involved.
Earlier this summer, this renewed emphasis on church multiplication among Evangelical Friends in North America led to the establishment of Multiplication Catalyst Ministries (MCM). A governing board for MCM was established in June, at which time Randy Littlefield was appointed to serve as the new organization’s very first director. A native of southwest Kansas, Randy and his wife, Charlene served for many years as pastors and church planters among Evangelical Friends in Mid-America and Eastern Region. Following several years of church planting experience with the Evangelical Free Church, Randy returned to EFC-MAYM in January of 2011 to serve as Director of Church Planting, and then Associate Superintendent of Multiplication Ministries. During this time, Randy has gradually developed a broad network of contacts with a wide variety of church planters and missional church leaders from across the country. Based on his personal background, extensive experience and extraordinary passion for church multiplication, Randy is uniquely qualified to serve in this particular leadership role with MCM.
On a practical level, Randy’s expanded responsibilities with MCM will require him to alter his role with EFC-MAYM. He will continue to serve as our full-time Associate Superintendent of Multiplication Ministries through the end of the current calendar year, but beginning on January 1, 2017
, Randy will move to part-time (25%) Director of Multiplication Ministries with EFC-MAYM, and his financial support will be adjusted accordingly. In his new role, Randy’s primary responsibility with Mid-America will be to serve as a “catalytic coach” for our regional multiplication leaders (Area Superintendents, Plant Advisory Teams, Missional Support Teams, etc.) as they seek to encourage, equip and empower each of our local church planters and missional leaders for their critical, front lines ministry of evangelism, disciple-making and church multiplication.
On a personal note, I just want to reaffirm my enthusiastic support for Friends Multiply, Multiplication Catalyst Ministries and the National Friends Church Multiplication Conference. At the 2014 Multiplication Conference in Haviland, EFM missionary Bob Adhikary addressed the gathering via Skype from Nepal and issued a challenge to North American Friends that I found to be surprisingly prophetic:
“I would challenge Evangelical Friends in North America to consider planting one new church for every 100 of its church members.”
While there was nothing magical about the particular numbers, there was just something about this specific challenge that resonated deep in my spirit. When I shared this with others from Mid-America who were in attendance at the conference, I found unanimous agreement. If this is truly a word from the Lord, then I believe we can anticipate that at least 30 new Evangelical Friends churches will be started here in Mid-America in the next decade or so. In fact, since this challenge was first issued two years ago, we have already witnessed the birth of several new churches and/or missional communities among millenials (and others) in Lawrence, the homeless in Wichita, refugees in Forth Worth and Hispanics in Houston. Additional conversations are currently taking place among Mid-America Friends regarding potential church planting partnerships in the Texas panhandle as well as metro Kansas City and Minneapolis.
As church multiplication pioneer Bob Logan reminded us at the 2016 Multiplication Conference, nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to “plant churches.” It is Christ alone who has the power and authority to “build my church,” and He has promised that the “gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). But as Christ followers, we are clearly commanded to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28) and to “make disciples” of all nations (Mt 28:19). Not only is this in keeping with fidelity to the timeless, written word of Christ, but it is also in keeping with fidelity to the timely, living spirit of Christ, as illustrated in the good and beautiful dream that has been entrusted to us as a family of Friends here in Mid-America.
Having recently completed 33 years of vocational ministry on behalf of Christ and His church, I am increasingly convinced, and I believe the history of the Christian movement consistently demonstrates, that when we are faithful to do our part, Jesus is always faithful to do His.
Grace and peace,
– David O. Williams, General Superintendent
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