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Global Impact Report
2020

Let’s Celebrate our Shared Impact in 2020

Working together to make Jesus known, we saw
377 churches planted and 5,560 people baptized in 68 nations

as reported by our
89 Global Workers* and 91 National Leaders


Facilitating mission engagement among U.S. and Canadian churches, we saw

463 people participate in mission and discipleship training
12 Global Partnership video calls, with an average of 58 participants
279 churches involved in global mission through Multiply

*Global Workers refers to Long-Term Missionaries sent from North America as well as International Partner Missionaries.

Financial Overview

Fiscal Year in USD: June 2019 - May 2020

Ongoing Operations

Revenue:        $  9,785,509

Expenses:       $  9,846,776

Net:              ($        61,267)

Includes one-time internal restructuring expenses related to our ongoing Short-Term Mission Programs.

 

Discontinued Operations

Revenue:       $ 397,483

Expenses:      $ 800,917

Net:              ($ 403,434)

Refers to de-merger revenues and expenses. Not shown in pie chart below.

 

How Your Gifts Were Put to Work

Cross-Cultural Mission Activities | 59%

Central & South America | 7%

East Asia | 6% 

Europe & Central Asia | 14% 

Middle East & North Africa | 3%

North America  | 3%
(Indigenous & Immigrants)

South Asia | 2% 

Southeast Asia | 15%

Sub-Saharan Africa | 4%

Worldwide Initiatives | 5%

27% | Church Mission Engagement

16% | Church Partnership Support

11% | Mission & Discipleship Training
(includes Short-Term Mission programs)

5% | Missionary Care

Equipping & Team Health

9% | Administration 

Finance, IT, Legal & Governance

Our Generous Donors

An Exceptional Year

The past year has been exceptional in many ways, especially in regard to the massive challenges and changes that have come as a result of the global pandemic. COVID-19 has reminded us all of our vulnerability, and also our shared humanity. In the face of this, we have found hope in God through faith in Jesus Christ. More than ever, we believe the Gospel speaks clearly to our deepest needs for love, peace and forgiveness. Therefore, we are more convinced than ever of our calling as the Church to live this message of hope wherever God calls us and to boldly share the Gospel of Jesus with others.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your generous support in 2020. Despite the difficulties of this year, you gave of yourself like never before. On behalf of our mission workers, staff and the Multiply Board, I want to say how much we appreciate your support in prayer and giving. We have seen core donations increase every year for five years straight. In 2020, the increase was 6%, which made it possible for us to take new steps forward in making disciples and planting churches around the world. With our global partners, we are celebrating exceptional multiplication. This fruitfulness has not come without great cost, as we have received reports of persecution from multiple partners.

In this report, we want to encourage you with clear evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness. As we look back at 2020, we want to give glory to God and also provide you with an account of your partnership with us. As you read, I invite you to join us in praying for the various people and projects listed in this report.

In the final stages of preparing this report, I received news that a tribal district in Southeast Asia has seen a revival that has resulted in over 2000 people coming to Christ. However, the local authorities promptly arrested many of the new believers and demolished their homes. The price of following Christ in this nation is very high. Behind all of the numbers in this report is the high cost of following Jesus. He gave his life for our forgiveness and freedom, and those who share this Good News often have to pay a high price as well. Thank you for counting this cost with us.

As we transition to a new General Director this year, we invite your prayers! Over our 120 years as an organization our vision to make disciples and plant churches has remained steady. To learn more about opportunities and to hear more stories of transformation, please visit our website (multiply.net).

I value your continued involvement in mission with us. Let’s continue to work together that the world may know Jesus.


Randy Friesen
President


Regional Reports

Click to expand each report
East Asia

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Over 3,000 people in one restricted nation came to faith and 30 new house churches were started over the last year. Due to COVID-19, a key worker was restricted to this country - his home country - for six months. While there, he helped bring over 200 people to faith in Christ! 
  • In Japan, our team has been involved in bringing the Good News to the homeless and destitute through street evangelism, and a new outdoor church is underway. 
  • In the Far East, where global workers have had to move back to North America, national believers have stepped up to run scheduled outreach programs despite government opposition and the added complications of COVID-19.
  • Workers from North America who had to return home are now fully engaged in strategic partnerships for translation work in East Asian languages, preparing curriculum for online Bible translation training of the nationals who are reaching out to a minority people group.
  • In the Philippines, distribution of food to families affected by both the pandemic and by severe typhoons opened doors for proclaiming the Good News to hundreds. 

8  Global Workers

11  National Leaders in Partnership

971  People Baptized

44  Churches Planted



“God is at work, bringing individuals, families, and whole communities into his kingdom in this region. The power of the Gospel cannot be locked down by a pandemic, or by any other force! Jesus continues to bring his light into some of the darkest places on earth!” 

BOB DAVIS
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER
(East Asia and parts of Southeast Asia)

CORY IN JAPAN

Have you ever seen a church without walls or roof, springing up without any previous planning, and thriving without...
Europe & Central Asia

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Despite COVID-19 restrictions, all summer camps we planned in our region took place as envisioned and, in some places, were even supported by officials in local government administrations! 
  • National leaders in Eastern Europe and Central Asia gratefully report that they have been able to produce new media and literature, do renovations, purchase new equipment for their ministries, and even go on discipleship retreats!
  • One Lithuanian couple is now taking our FOCUS training to launch a new church plant in their homeland. 
  • There is a growing family of faith in one Central Asian country. Three new church plants and five existing churches are choosing to work together and to resource each other. Our shared compassionate COVID-19 Relief Response has changed the way our churches are being viewed in their communities and by local authorities.

29  Global Workers

10  National Leaders in Partnership

66  People Baptized

6  Churches Planted



“Some see the pandemic as being from the Enemy, while others experience it as an instrument of God. It has forced us to depend even more upon the Holy Spirit. Following the prompting of the Holy Spirit we were able to travel to be with our teams in Portugal, Lithuania, Ukraine and Central Asia, just before it became legally impossible to do so. Moreover, we were able to send our first long-term workers from Germany to Southeast Asia right before the borders closed. In all our uncertainties and disruptions, our desire is to continue to serve Jesus during this unique season.”  

JOHANN MATTHIES
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

One of our global workers in Central Asia related to us this story of a passionately devout Muslim who came to faith...
Central & South America

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Latin American Church grew more in this last year than in all of the last five years. Our missionaries have mobilized through social networks and churches have rapidly adapted to new ways of living out the Gospel during a pandemic. 
  • Restructuring is happening within our MB conferences and institutions, opening the doors for many more young people to get involved in training projects, mission mobilization, church planting and evangelism. 
  • COVID-19 brought many problems to the surface, including leadership conflicts. In the midst of this, we experienced a time of deep reconciliation, making space for new leadership.
  • Colombia saw tremendous missionary and evangelistic movement, and Brazil had the highest number of baptisms - in churches that historically had long ago stopped growing! 

17  Global Workers

16  National Leaders in Partnership

71  People Baptized

24  Churches Planted



“During 2020, the phrase ‘the difficult art of finishing well’ came to me. Not only was I challenged to help other leaders end their terms and pass their projects on to others, but I also lived this out myself as I transferred the leadership of the Brazilian MB Conference over to another leader. It hasn’t been easy but I’m excited to see what this next year brings, with new roles and fresh perspectives.” 

EMERSON CARDOSO
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

Emerson Cardoso, our Regional Team Leader for Central and South America recently travelled with a team down the Rio...
Middle East & North Africa

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Having worked with Multiply for 5 years, Nasser al’Qahtani became the new Regional Team Leader for North Africa and the Middle East in 2020.
  • Ministry there has shifted from being primarily about communication of the Gospel through media to catalyzing disciple-making and church planting movements. This is being done by coming alongside national leaders and equipping them to reach their own people with the Gospel. 
  • The spread of COVID-19 caused many house churches to go from in-person gatherings to online, which actually enabled more people to attend and made it easier for seekers in restricted nations to join while still maintaining anonymity. 
  • The pandemic has spurred unparalleled church growth, with more Muslims coming to Christ in the last six months than in the last six years combined.


1  Global Workers

25  National Leaders in Partnership

71  People Baptized

34  Churches Planted



“This has been a year of shaking, where false idols and false hopes are being exposed and dethroned throughout the world. Yet there is a kingdom that cannot be shaken and its king, Jesus the Messiah, is inviting those who seek to find him, and those willing to lose everything to gain eternal life.”  

NASSER AL'QAHTANI
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

Nasser al’Qahtani, our Regional Team Leader, tells the story of Musa (not his real name), who grew up being prepared...
Southeast Asia

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Northern Thailand saw over 60 baptisms along with many healings in the Chiang Mai, Lanna region.
  • Central Thailand/Isaan saw 50 baptisms and 2 new churches planted. Thai pastors are meeting regularly and leading their own conference with vision and unity.
  • In Myanmar and among Myanmar migrant workers living in Thailand, we saw 168 people baptized, 2 new churches planted, 4 new children’s outreaches and 4 new factory outreaches started.
  • Every Christmas our Myanmar church-planting partners bring Buddhist migrant workers from all over Thailand to a hotel for 3 days of Gospel proclamation. This year, 50 people put their faith in Jesus Christ, were baptized and adopted into the family of God.



24  Global Workers

4  National Leaders in Partnership

225  People Baptized

7  Churches Planted



“The challenge caused by COVID-19 isolation became an opportunity for tremendous growth. With the amazing provision of a matching grant at the end of 2020, Pastor Isaiah had the means to reach his church planting goals more quickly than he had ever imagined possible! Despite having to close down the Bible schools, Isaiah was able to continue to equip young leaders through satellite discipleship schools in each of our church planting clusters. Young leaders have now begun leading teams of their own, with even greater faith and courage!” 

LOUISE SINCLAIR-PETERS
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

Uncle Nong and Auntie Em are church planters in Thailand. We have worked with them closely for several years and they...
Sub-Saharan Africa

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • In 2020, one of our key national leaders, Nzuzi Mukawa, was invited to lead 97 Congolese denominations in mobilizing for mission. 
  • The country of Malawi was officially welcomed into ICOMB, and five national missionary families were equipped and released to take the Gospel to different parts of this country. 
  • Burundi saw the commencement of an interdenominational mission agency, and active engagement in building relational bridges through Kingdom business ventures.
  • In Uganda church leaders began implementing income-generating projects to enable ministries to become self-sustaining. 


4  Global Workers

14  National Leaders in Partnership

3659  People Baptized

102  Churches Planted



“In the midst of increased economic pressures due to COVID-19, we are seeing two exciting trends: an increased movement towards mission being from Africans to Africans, and a growing vision to empower nationals to be self-sustaining. All of this is unto greater Kingdom fruitfulness, both personal and regional.” 

DOUG HIEBERT
REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

Pastor Sam simply wanted to love others in Burundi. Now his initiatives are having a huge impact, not only in the...
South Asia

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Collaboration between several partners has resulted in a strong and established missional presence in the region. A church planting network in the north grew to fifty-nine church planters working across twelve states and in two neighboring countries. 
  • Two new churches were built among an unreached tribal people group in the south.
  • Outreach efforts in a large city in the north have seen several new fellowships launched and multiple families coming to the Lord despite COVID-19 lockdowns and widespread hostility toward Christians. These challenges are being faced with courage and perseverance.
  • The good news is reaching and transforming the most unlikely communities, but the many encouraging stories cannot be made available publicly. Please continue to pray.

6  Global Workers

11  National Leaders in Partnership

497  People Baptized

160  Churches Planted

“God is using the COVID-19 crisis to deepen relationships within churches and to open doors for the Gospel through providing practical relief for those impacted by the pandemic. What seems like a difficulty and restriction is being used by God as the very means through which he is strengthening his Church and spreading the good news of Jesus.”  

REGIONAL TEAM LEADER

STORY

Pastor Ashok (not his real name) shared his recent experience. When a local woman began attending his church, her...
North America

Multiply is engaged in cross-cultural ministry in North America, making Jesus known among immigrant and indigenous people groups in collaboration with local churches, provincial and district leaders and national MB conferences.

CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Training was hosted for followers of Jesus from an unreached Buddhist people group in a major urban center, which built faith to pray for God to reveal people of peace and equipped these believers to reach out to their own community with the Gospel. 
  • Our First Nations Ambassadors have engaged churches, organizations, and people across Canada by offering them a seat at what they call “the table of uncomfortableness” and inviting them to enter into the story of right relationship with the Host Peoples of the land.
  • Twelve training sessions were held to equip believers in making disciples cross culturally, which led to people being launched into mission in their own backyards. 
  • Many churches were invited to engage in prayer for the Punjabi diaspora in order to break down barriers and walls to share the Gospel with neighbors and see churches planted among this people group.




“In 2020, God opened a door for awareness and engagement with mission directly in North America. This year has allowed for the development of networks, training and the launching of new workers all focused on unreached people groups in North America. In addition, through creative use of technology, more remote and marginalized communities have been engaged with the Gospel.” 

DEREK PARENTEAU
TEAM MEMBER

STORIES

What Does it Mean to “Live on Mission”?

BY RANDY FRIESEN

I was recently asked that question by someone. It’s worth explaining, because we use the term a lot. 

When Jesus called his disciples, he called them, first, to himself. Second, he sent them out with authority to pray for people and to share the good news of the kingdom.

Today, Jesus calls all of his disciples to those same two things: first, to be in relationship with him and walk with him as an apprentice, and second, to be engaged in mission, listening and responding to him every day, doing whatever he asks. This call to live on mission is normative for every Christ follower, not just for those who get on planes and go to exotic locations. It’s a way of life for every one of us, no matter where we are. 

We see this theme throughout the Gospels and the Book of Acts: Jesus invites his followers to be fully engaged in his mission. The call of Jesus to make disciples of all nations is normative for the whole Church. In the Book of Acts, we see particular people being set apart for specific assignments, but the whole Church is involved in the mission. Some people receive assignments to live cross culturally in least reached parts of the world (and we are praying for more to receive this call!), but each one of us has a role to play. Whatever we do, and wherever we do it, we live every day with that sense of mission.

Living on mission is only possible when we consider our primary job description to be living in unbroken fellowship with Jesus all day, every day through the Holy Spirit. Our secondary job description flows from the first. Whatever our specific mission assignment is, it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to empower us and live through us. This Spirit-filled life, which is accessible to every Christ follower, is a life lived on mission.

Jesus gave his life for us, and he invites us to do the same for him. Being a disciple is about total surrender to Jesus as Lord. To live on mission, then, is to live as a disciple of Jesus in constant relationship with him and in full obedience to his mission. 

What is Jesus’ mission assignment for you?

How can we help? 

North American Mobilization

IN 2020, WE FACILITATED CHURCH MISSION ENGAGEMENT THROUGH:

  • Short-Term Mission Programs. Although most of our programs were either cancelled or significantly modified due to COVID-19, we still saw some creative online initiatives that have borne fruit and we love to see how God uses the short-term mission experience to transform the lives of young leaders.
    • For example, our SOAR Heartland program in Winnipeg, Canada became SOARvivor, and drew 116 participants from 6 different countries (in March-April 2020). One Youth Pastor said, “SOARvivor was really timely in helping to engage students at the beginning of COVID. It helped start the conversation about their spiritual journey during this unique season.”
    • Our TREK program forged ahead in Central Canada with 16 participants, while TREK-BC made the decision to relocate temporarily in the Midwest USA (Kansas) and began in January 2021 with 9 young adults eager for discipleship-in-mission. TREK is all about discerning one’s call and ministry vocation in the midst of leaning into faith, community and identity in Jesus.
    • Mission Summit in the Midwest USA adapted their program to feature online small groups and registered 37 hub leaders and 103 participants, with 5 hubs in Kansas, 3 in Colorado, and one each in Tennessee, Ohio, and Washington. The purpose of the Summit is to call people to live on mission, locally and globally. In general, the organizers found that there was a high level of engagement in the new format. One participant said, “Coming into this weekend, I was confused and discouraged; now I have direction and hope.”
  • Global Partnership Calls. Between May and November of 2020, we hosted twelve live online video calls with key global partners in order to nurture partnership connections between sending churches and global churches. Each interactive call introduced viewers to one of our Regional Team Leaders as well as national leaders, pastors and church members on site. We saw an average of 58 people participate in each of the 12 calls. A highlight of each session was the time we spent agreeing together in prayer, with voices from all over the world, yearning for kingdom advance in that region. One pastor said, “These calls have been such a blessing in the midst of the pandemic. Each call was a reminder that God can turn a difficulty into something good for his kingdom.”
  • Online Course: Living on Mission in Times of Crisis. During COVID, this online course saw 53 participants from churches across the USA and Canada resourcing alongside our global workers and staff. 


98  Churches in the USA involved in global mission through Multiply

181  Churches in Canada involved in global mission through Multiply people participated in mission and discipleship training.

463  people participated in mission and discipleship training.



“We continue to be encouraged as we see healthy church-to-church partnerships develop between North American churches and the emerging churches among our global community. Even in the midst of restricted travel, our churches continue to encourage and support their partners through focused prayer, relationship development via social media, and mutually beneficial ministry projects. We are grateful for the Church’s demonstration of its love in generosity and continued engagement.” 

GALEN WIEST
US REGIONAL MOBILIZER

STORY

In the 1970s, Vince Balakian’s family started a fruit farm in Central California. The farm thrived and the business...
ICOMB

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • The past year saw the MB Church of Malawi welcomed into full ICOMB membership. This is a cause for great celebration. 
  • Despite COVID-19, water shortages, dwindling food rations and respiratory infections being rampant, the network of churches within the refugee camps has been expanding at an astounding rate. 
  • The Multiply-ICOMB Global Scholarship Fund has had the privilege of investing in over 160 missional, pastoral, medical, and engineering students from eight different countries.
  • Missional Leadership Training is the new non-formal curriculum for training workers around the globe. It is a partnership between ICOMB, Multiply, and MB Seminary. Modules are being enthusiastically received in multiple countries to those who are hungrier than ever to study and serve.


The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) exists to facilitate relationships between global conferences (church associations), connecting, strengthening, and expanding their ministry impact. ICOMB is made up of 22 conferences in 20 countries, with emerging networks in another 20+ countries, and a global baptized membership approaching 500,000. Over the decades, Multiply has parented many of these conferences. Today Multiply continues to equip existing conferences on mission, and coach emerging networks toward ICOMB.



“Our mutual appreciation of the partnership in the Multiply-ICOMB Global Scholarship Fund continues to be healthy and robust, with fruit appearing in many parts of the world.”  

VIC WIENS
MULTIPLY-ICOMB LIAISON

STORY

During his life, Eleazar has struggled to overcome many difficulties, and suffered great grief and depression from...

From Pioneers to Partnerships

The Global Church is on a mission – God’s mission, that the world may know Jesus.

Multiply has been involved in sending pioneering missionaries among the least reached for over 100 years. Many of these global workers have formed rich and lasting friendships with both their sending churches and emerging churches among the people that they serve. When these friendships have led to the formation of healthy partnerships, their fruitfulness in mission has greatly multiplied.

As true as that is, churches around the world don’t always work well together. Perhaps you have experienced how our differences can keep us separated – different languages, different cultures, different traditions and even the physical distance between us.
Yet God is calling us to overcome our differences and to become one in Christ so that the world around us will take note and actually come to know Jesus through us. You have a key part to play in that mission!

As we have seen the multiplied impact of these partnerships, we have been increasing our focus on facilitating church partnerships all over the world. As this report can attest, we are better together and we accomplish more together.

Jesus prayed for us, “...that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them.” 

John 17:23


Yet partnerships are like friendships, they take time. They require openness, humility and trust. True partnerships have mutuality and respect at the core of their relationship. It has taken a lot of hard work for some of our churches to forge healthy mission partnerships and yet we believe the truth of the African Proverb which says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Church partnerships are worth our effort – for the sake of our identity as the Bride of Christ, and for the sake of our role as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Churches worldwide have a lot to offer each other:

As we learn from one another and embrace interdependence, we will grow in maturity and fruitfulness.

At Multiply, we love the Global Church and we are devoted to bringing different parts of the Body together for mutual learning and increased mission effectiveness. We are captivated by a vision of churches from all around the world working together on a common mission: together that the world may know Jesus.

Thank you 
for praying,
giving and serving.

Leadership

Multiply is honoured to work in close collaboration with both the US and Canadian Conferences of Mennonite Brethren Churches as their global mission agency. Our Board is made up of representatives from each conference.

For more information on our Global Lead Team, Executive Team & Board of Directors please visit: