MAF International CEO Donovan Palmer writes a series of short articles exploring what we can achieve as an integrated organisation as God positions us to respond to major humanitarian crises.
Nearly two years ago, leaders from the entire MAF International family gathered in the town of Apeldoorn in the Netherlands to make a bold, costly, and unanimous decision. We recognised that it was time to change our approach.
Our fragmented structure threatened our long-term sustainability and, more importantly, limited our ability to reach more isolated and cut-off communities. That moment of decision was remarkable because every leader was willing to give up their role, title, and ministry to create something new. I will never forget the sight of our senior leaders raising their hands with courageous vulnerability, saying, ‘We are all in, even if it costs me my job!’
In some places of Scripture, writers use the Greek word ‘kairos’ to describe a moment in time which is opportune or critical.
We believe we are in a once-in-a-generation moment that has been signposted for us in many ways. At the 2023 Global Forum, in Maidenhead near London, our leaders asked where we would be by our 100th anniversary. Rebecca Hansen, board chair of MAF International in Norway, shared her impression that we were in a season of peace and that we needed to take action to pursue something new.
Amid the series of unanimous decisions to follow made by our board chairs, Dave Fyock, our CEO at the time, shared from 1 Chronicles 12:32, where leaders from the tribe of Issachar ‘...understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take,’ affirming that the unity we were experiencing was not accidental, but Spirit-led clarity about our future.
To underscore this, for many months we have been in a remarkable season of grace, seeking God earnestly, as our boards and leaders have consistently covered our processing with prayer. Søren Filbert, our newly appointed board chair of MAF International, has faithfully led a weekly early-morning prayer gathering on Mondays, inviting leaders and board members to join him.
He has stated that even if no one attends, he will continue praying, and the video link remains open for anyone to join. Our global All Hearts staff gatherings have aimed to communicate and nurture a growing vision of an organisation that is united and integrated, legally lean and coherent, and relationally strong, both globally and locally.
So, one might ask, why? Is this move towards integration about MAF International being a great place to serve? That would certainly be encouraging and wonderful on many levels! Or is there more to it than that? How might God want to use our vulnerability and unity to serve in a world which is divided in so many ways?
What kind of impact could our Vision for Integration, which aims to connect the most isolated and disconnected communities on Earth in Jesus’ name, create? Could it create a new space for us to believe in new beginnings?