IMB President David Platt asked the trustees of the IMB to begin searching for his replacement.
I could stop there, get some popcorn, and open up the comments section. I never thought I’d outlast the Energizer Bunny. We assumed Elliff’s brief presidency would remain an aberration, and Platt would resume the tradition of long-serving presidents.
I realize you’re all waiting with baited (bated?) breath for my opinion. “Please,” you beg, “tell us all about your own personal, field-based perspective so we can assume you speak for everyone. Let the golden words drip from your lips to our ears.”
I hear your cry, my children.
++++++
We searched for the perfect hire for 6 months and got three and a half years. So…roughly seven months of service for every 30 days of searching.
I expected more.
People decry the ever-declining average tenure of an IMB worker. I believe it lies somewhere south of 7 years, a number skewed by the loss of many long-term workers during the VRI and HRO. Still – I didn’t think turnover at the top would be part of that shortening trend.
I don’t like it.
Here’s a small collection of slightly paraphrased responses from my circle of colleagues; I emphasize these are my contacts because it’s possible we fly together because our perspectival plumages are similarly colored.*
“Not even four years? Did he sign up for an apprentice term or something?”“All this talk of sacrifice and commitment for less than 4 years of service? Good riddance, Mr. Radical.”
“Oh, did the plane land? Or have we crashed in the mountains? Last I heard we were still at 10,000 feet.”
“Seems to be a bad time to leave, with the organization still in such chaos.”
*Small sample size, take with a grain of salt.
As you’ll see below, I consider Platt’s tenure to be a qualified success. Even so, I can’t avoid a sense of incompleteness, as if he’s leaving before completing the job of re-organizing. I appreciate his passion, distinct in its expression from the quiet, resolute demeanors of Rankin and Elliff.
But it begs the question: did his fervor – like Rutger Hauer’s spark in “Bladerunner” – burn brightly yet necessarily briefly?
++++++
Platt’s legacy should be his willingness to streamline the organization so it functioned in a financially sound fashion for years to come. In reality, he’ll always be the guy who brought in Sebastian “The Executioner” Traeger to trim the fat. And by “fat” I mean expenditures, which means jobs.*
*Yes, this is an overly simplistic definition of Traeger’s work. I’m truly sorry, Sebastian, wherever you are, because you deserve more. Become IMB prez and we’ll talk.
To avoid verbosity, allow me to bullet-point:
- Repaired financial damage
- Restructured organization for better efficiency
- Reduced internal, top-heavy structure
- Simplified Manual for Field Personnel (MFP)
- Rolled back rules on missionary candidates, including divorced candidates
- Changed emphasis from evaluating missionary effectiveness based on baptisms to faithful sharing of the gospel
- Improved accountability, especially of middle and upper management
- Created new pathways for partnerships and field workers
- Reorganized support positions in order to maintain field focus on missions
He hired smart people. While their decisions were painful and sometimes poorly executed, those were desperate days. The times were uncertain, and much anguish accompanied the resignations, layoffs, and firings.
Despite the pain, Platt had a successful tenure. He stood up and did what was unpopular but necessary in order to continue the work for God’s kingdom.
+++++++
I struggle with the notion that all this upheaval was worth it. I know we needed to arrange things financially, and that required a more efficient structure. I’m thrilled we’ve achieved this, and I acknowledge that a smooth system often suffers from invisibility. Giving credit is difficult when you don’t notice things are error-free.
I guess I thought my working environment would change somehow. I imagined improved supervision, more efficient affinity structures, greater transparency.
Ah, that’s a sensitive one: transparency.
We have four departments: Training, Mobilization, Support, and Global Engagement. I could not tell you what those first two are doing, despite the emphasis on greater internal communication. For all the talk of becoming a more cohesive organization free of personal fiefdoms and informational silos, from the field we seem to be just as fractured. I cannot perceive any connections with sections of the organization which are intended to be a part of the work we do. Without the ability to force anyone to talk to me, I sit back and realize I’m better off assuming they don’t even exist.
No one should shoulder the blame for this – not Platt, Traeger, or the trustees – but I wonder what changed. Are we just leaner, but otherwise exactly the same? I honestly do not know; and my ignorance certainly isn’t anyone’s fault.
Where are we on the 100,000 church planting teams? What about the global initiative cities? And those US-based guys who were brought in because they were visionary enough to help the field – how did they pan out? Are more churches supporting their own field workers?I’m not being snarky here – really, how did it all work out?
++++++
When field workers leave, gossip grows like mold in spring. The more experienced among us have learned to listen to the reasons, and respond with a certain, um, insight (aka, cynicism).
You know – the family with the straight-A, freakishly gifted athletic daughter suddenly needs to leave for “academic reasons.” Six months later the kid is at a national sports training center. Or the family with a high standard of living that an IMB wage cannot support feels called to work as a self-supported missionary. Their house in southern Asia, paid for by donors, could only be described as palatial. A family leaves for “family reasons,” but you know it’s only because both their kids are about to have grandbabies.
But the reality is that we all know sometimes you make hard decisions and you hope no one challenges you. You pray and struggle and it never seems ok and yet you realize that even if you make a mistake in following God it’s still better than never even trying to follow Him at all. People look at you and think exactly what a friend told me about Platt, “Dude came here and made a huge mess. Fine – sometimes you have to. Of course, you should have the decency to hang around long enough to clean it up.”
And you still leave because giving in to the rumors and critics would be to turn your back on what you prayerfully discerned to be the right call.
I’ve learned to trust my colleagues in matters of calling. After all, I didn’t challenge anyone’s discernment when they chose to join this frail, flawed, human organization with a noble, worthy call. I didn’t question the judgment of those who join my team or pick me as a partner. Am I going to challenge Platt just because, in this one case, his personal calling inconveniences me?
It doesn’t change my feelings. I still chafe at his short tenure and the apparent chaos still extant; but I’ll trust my brother enough to let him go without too much judgment.
I’ll leave someday, and I might need the same grace.
“Despite the pain, Platt had a successful tenure. He stood up and did what was unpopular but necessary in order to continue the work for God’s kingdom.”
Fair assessment.
William, listen to what this field missionary is saying. There are good things that have been accomplished. From the outside looking in you can see what is presented as needed accomplishments but there is much more that has happened that was not only painful but hurtful for the accomplishing the purpose of taking the gospel to the world. Limitless teams is a nice sounding phrase but it is not a strategy. There is much confusion on the field today. Thankfully there are field missionaries doing what needs to be done but not always with the leadership they deserve. This missionary mentioned Sebastian the Executioner. He is a symbol of all that has been wrong with the Platt administration.
Ron, I read the whole article. I understand that there is resentment, confusion, and other things associated with the past few years and some of the people involved. I also get that it is convenient to pile it all on a few people. Maybe you can stir yourself to explain exactly how Platt got handed massive deficits in 2014.
David Platt spoke clearly on the doctrine of the church and on a Biblical pattern of faithfulness. It was sorely needed as there was so much compromise in these areas. Many families left the field because they loved what David was saying but knew that the field leadership was not changing and did not wholeheartedly embrace a Biblical pattern of church planting. This glaring problem has existed for many, many years and continues. There must be accountability for poor leadership. Families have been treated in grossly ungodly ways for standing on Baptist distinctives and healthy doctrine. We and others have lived it.
Thoughtful, balanced, and helpful. Thanks.
Great article. Thanks for that.
But most of all, thanks for being out there doing what you’re doing.
Reading through this you speak many of my thoughts. I agree with you that I don’t even understand changes that have been made (other than losing a load of mentors) and how things have been streamlined to help us. (Maybe that is because that streamlined email is killing me…as a millennial it shouldn’t be this hard but somehow it is.)
On the positive side, I think all of us have to be obedient to follow our convictions. I was raised in the SBC. My dad was in state leadership for about 5 years before he left to go back to a pastoral role. He missed preaching and people. I can get that. I think David has prayerfully made a lot of tough decisions that many people wouldn’t be brave enough to make. I also really appreciate fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget. I remember several years ago being worried about salaries dropping or needing to go home and raise support. I’m so thankful that’s not a concern now!
On the other side, I didn’t think the plane had landed yet. We’ve made 1,000,000 changes in the last 4 years. I’m young and happy to make changes if they benefit our company but to be honest it’s all been quite conceptual to this point. I’ve been waiting for the email that says “how to apply all of this when you live in a hut in Africa.” I guess we won’t get to the point under David where we’ll see that, and to that end, we’ll probably be on the rollercoaster ride of more changes for “best practices” before our plane is landed by someone. Someone, please land the plane so we can spend less time keeping up with changes (ie. that email that is killing me) and more time on impacting the people we live among.
Moving forward I’d love to see a few things happen. First of all, we use to get these surveys all the time asking us how leadership was doing, our reaction to different events, etc. etc. Maybe people were super negative so they got tired of those BUT if leaders at RVA are reading this, please help us express to you changes that are helpful and effective and those that aren’t working on the field. We need to be able to communicate both ways so that our organization functions cohesively.
Secondly, from our side of the world, we’re seeing more trainings for leadership and less time for peer encouragement/member care/cooperate worship. Leaders are traveling away from their families many times a year to learn the “newest approach” but those moms who are homeschooling, taking care of kids while dad is gone and dealing with daily cross-cultural stress aren’t getting a lot of love. Turn over will continue to be high if “training” is pushed ahead of “care.” Again, if someone from RVA is reading this, please know that we need time with peers more than new trainings. Sitting in meetings will never do as much as hearing about a co-workers success and asking them for advice.
Lastly, not that anyone has asked, but my recommendation for the president role would be to split it and have a “face of the board” and a “president.” The face could be someone younger (like Platt) who connects with the younger generation. This person could promote giving, going and praying on social media. The reason I suggest this is I think we desperately need a president who has had field experience (not just a few years) but that person isn’t likely to connect as well with the US church. We’ve got a lot of conceptual stuff going on that could be plugged in and maybe work but I don’t think leadership at this point completely understands what questions need to be answered in order for these ideas to be implemented overseas. It seems that changes from RVA have come as re-structuring a business but have lacked wisdom in realizing that our work isn’t business like at all. In the same way we make schedules for our week, then throw it out the window when dad has an amoeba and can’t get out of bed, we need leadership to understand that sometimes trainings and best practices need to be thrown out the window because life happened and the current reality doesn’t fit with the conceptual plan. I can’t completely express all of this in a few paragraphs but all that to say from someone on the field, we need a leader who has lived in our shoes not just traveled in them.
That’s another (really long whoops) opinion from the field.
I greatly appreciate this response.
Thank you for your service.
William, as I have said before it was because the administration and trustees made poor financial decisions. Decisions were made above the field level without listening to what missionaries felt were the financial needs. There was too much money spent on needless travel, too much training and too much spent on needless media fluff.
And decisive measures were taken by new leadership to fix that. Inevitably, those who were mired in inaction, are praised and move to other things while those who make hard decisions are condemned for imperfect solutions.
I join you and any others who are willing to look ahead. The new leader will have a plate full of challenges but one of those will not be massive, crippling, dangerous deficits.
I’ve always done my part and have no plans not to continue to do so.
Amen Ron!
Hearing what this article says and listening to field workers it sounds as though the area of communication needs to be addressed. Missionaries on the field are making huge sacrifices that most of us can’t or won’t make to fulfill the great commission. David Platt was the right man for a difficult time and now is the time for a leader who can take the difficult changes he made and build a stronger IMB. Let’s begin to pray for those who are looking for that man.
I called Sebastian “The Executioner” because he was asked to swing a big ax. Platt’s team aimed to reduce costs and while sometimes we can get away with streamlining things through re-organization, most of the time you’re just gonna have to cut. We cut 20+ VP positions, combined departments, closed overseas offices, and yes – famously sought ways to reduce the size of our field presence. He gets the cognomen, but he’s the one who seemed to do the dirty work required so we could all sit back and applaud Platt for leading us out of the financial doldrums.
In hindsight, I regret not expressing sufficient gratitude for Platt’s presence, character, and accomplishments. He made some tough choices, from his hiring patterns to his support for the downsizing. He knew the blowback would come, and yet he stuck to the course. I just wish he’d stay and finish what seems to be an incomplete task.
William, decisive does not always mean the best decision. I am not trying to be too critical of those decisions I am just saying I would have made some different choices.
I forgot to add, there were too many VPs and associate VPs in Richmond trying to tell field missionaries how to do their work in areas where they had no expertise.
I’m on the road for the next 7 hours so don’t interpret my lack on response to unconcern.
Here are some other thoughts from the field. I pray that they are received well.
To counter point the opinion that we have focused on too much training. I, for one, and many others have truly benefited from the new focus on training. I have been on the field for many years, and the recently new focus on training has shown a remarkable difference in retention, focus, and intentionality in our area. Yes, I have been a part of some trainings that I have thought of as frivolous, however, the majority of those of late have strengthened teams, and increased knowledge and skill where it was lacking. I don’t believe that we can function any more with the belief that you should know everything before you get to the field. I also don’t believe that it is healthy to always put the person with the greatest amount of years on the field into leadership positions for which they are not trained and gifted for. But these trainings that have been offered have brought up the newbies and equipped them for the future, and they have elevated the skill of the seasoned veteran so that they can be successful in new areas of ministry for which they are called.
I’m in total agreement that our member care resources are lacking after the VRI and HRO. We have also lost a lot of wisdom and history. That being said, I am still surrounded by great missionaries who are representing you and our Lord well. But we are on a better financial base than we have been for a long time. I am so thankful for Dr. Platt for making the hard decisions, even though they did hurt. I lost the close proximity and companionship of teammates and friends through all of it.
In my corner of the world, and those in my circle, we’re sad and yet at the same time we know that our ministry keeps going. We are going to watch our Town Hall meeting and then we have an appointment. We are here to share the Gospel, no matter who the president is. Would it be nice if our organization had a moment of pause? Yes, but that’s okay because God is in control.
We pray for the next person to fill Dr. Platt’s shoes. We are thankful for the few years that Dr. Platt was with us. Like was mentioned above, he instigated a great many good changes. I think if the next president doesn’t have field experience that he surrounds himself with people who do and people who don’t. I don’t think it would be healthy to guide an organization like this within a bubble. We need people making decisions who know what it’s like to be out here, but also people who will question and challenge. I don’t say that in a way that belittles tradition, just an acknowledgement that we must face the future head on, not always looking behind. It’s about balance and wisdom in the counsel of many.
Thanks for the place to share. We are praying with all of you and thank all of you who stand strong for us overseas.
Thank you for your service.
I suspect that missionary opinions will be as varied as those of the people in the US.
I’m happy to hear that the training you’ve received has been helpful! My husband and I are guinea pigs on something new in our area after feeling like the same old, same old wasn’t working well. We’d so love to receive some training to help us be more effective and to learn from others who are trying things similar to us.
I suspect everyone’s reaction to the emphasis on trainings is different based on region, the team they’re on and their place in life. In our region the new training is fleshing out like this: team leader dad is flown out of country 3 times in 6 months for training initiatives leaving mom at home to homeschool while she cares for a new baby. Upon his return he doesn’t have a whole lot of new information that seems applicable to his work or his team members. Mom just heard the annual meeting, which was a huge encouragement to her, as a time of cooperate worship in English, solid preaching, learning from peers and training has been cancelled due to lack of funds. She’s super confused how team leader dad has 3x the meeting while there’s no funds to care for the flock.
In our region team members and wives of team leaders aren’t getting much training. Those are often the people who need it most as many are new- aka need support as they transition and take on a new job role that really can’t be taught- or exhausted from parenting solo.
I think like someone else said opinions from the field will be as varied as those in the US. I think doing surveys again would really help to see where each region is needing support. I believe platt did some big necessary things that were helpful. I’m bummed that he’s not seeing them through and bummed that his email about this new pastoral role about 6 months ago said it would not change his focus away from the board. But again, I’m thankful that he’ll follow his convictions regardless of whether or not it’s popular.
Voices readers should not think that David Platt is leaving the IMB because his administration developed and implemented the Voluntary Retirement Incentive. He really did not have any choice. When he took office, he inherited huge budget deficits. Personnel costs make up 80% of the IMB’s budget. Operating costs and field budgets had been cut, cut, and cut again, so the only way to decrease the budget was to reduce the number of missionaries. The IMB leaders discussed terminating missionaries who were less effective, but they decided that would be a public relations nightmare. Just imagine how a pastor and congregation would react if John and Jane Doe, missionaries from their church, were terminated. In the end the IMB leaders decided that the only workable plan was to make the retirement program voluntary. A lot of missionaries accepted the VRI offer because they thought they were helping to save the IMB from financial ruin. No, David Platt did not resign because of the VRI. I believe he missed serving as a pastor and preaching series of sermons to the same congregation.
That is what I heard.
I perhaps did not make clear, when I posted this, that Platt has done a solid job with a difficult task. He accomplished all the items I listed while in a new job for a relatively short period of time. He did so while learning on the fly, and this speaks to his intelligence, character, and drive for the job.
As well, I fear I painted Sebastian Traeger as a horrible monster when in fact he swung an necessary axe. For the part he played in the restoration of the organization’s financial health, he deserves ample credit. Sadly, I believe a good many field people envision him with horns or something simply because people viewed him – and not Saintly Platt – as the demon in the bushes.
More to come.
Sometimes his ax cut down strong important trees that were bearing much fruit. He entered his position with preconceived notions based on prejudicial information. He pushed aside people in critical positions because he had no understanding of the importance of what they were doing. He felt he knew more than those who were directly involved in ministry situations and would not listen to their advice.
As another worker on the field I would like to say that it is numbing to feel that we will go through yet another change. In the past 20 years the IMB has done “reorgs” or “resets” or whatever else you want to call it four times. No one who has not lived through these massive changes every four to six years has any idea how they affect you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and any other way not listed. It has been exhausting. The only word I have for how I am feeling and how the people I have spoken to since Monday are feeling is…Numb. We are now passed the point of being able to even care any more…at least those of us who have been on the field longer than three terms. Each time you try to be supportive. You try to be positive and cooperative and hopeful, but it is exhausting and eventually you get to the point of just hoping for the best.
We didn’t think we would live through the VRI and yet we did. We didn’t think we would live through the ’09 reorg and yet we did. We know that we will live through this one too.
But I would just like to say to everyone cheering for the sound financial footing achieved by Dr. Platt, that we have lost far more spiritually than we have gained financially. The loss of 1,200 seasoned missionaries has meant that work all over the world came to a complete halt. In many countries we have only one unit left. In my area we lost over a hundred. Those on the US side and I think even those in leadership in Richmond still don’t understand how much momentum was lost on the ground. There are souls that will never hear the gospel and churches that will never be planted and work that will never be revived because of those decisions. It grieves me so much to think about. I think there were other ways to bring the finances into balance without taking an ax to the missionary force. I know most of us would have been willing to take a pay cut. A hiring freeze could also have achieve the same results. The problem is not that they offered a voluntary retirement. It was the way that it was offered. It was very clearly insinuated that your job was not secure and you had no guarantee of a position if you did not take the VRI. I could go on and on about how people were put into a position of fear, doubt, and intimidation, and I believe many of them made decisions based on that uncertainty. I think there were a lot of other ways that reducing the force could have been done without losing that many experienced missionaries.
I also believe what the previous commenter said. Many took the VRI because they saw it as their contribution to keep the IMB afloat financially. I’m sure they never dreamed that two years later, they would still be looking for jobs and David Platt would be off to his next adventure. A lot of this has been a waste of time but most of all a waste of spiritual momentum and spiritual impact for the Kingdom. I can list hundreds of places where the work has completely stopped. There is so little leadership on so many levels because of the loss of field mentors and experienced missionaries that many people are walking around without a clue about what to do.
I can give you example after example of people who may not have taken the VRI, but they lost their jobs because their jobs were eliminated and they had to find other positions. Some gave up and left the field. Others have taken positions that they don’t necessarily like, but took them so they could at least remain on the field. One person had two jobs eliminated in six months. He is now in his third position. These are great, great missionaries who have pushed through all this craziness and remained committed to the task.
But through all of this we have learned to keep our eyes on the Lord, keep doing the task He has CALLED us to do, and trust Him with everything else. When Dr. Platt brought into question the idea of a missionary having a calling so that they could encourage folks to take the VRI, he lost all credibility in my opinion as a leader of missionaries. If he didn’t believe that missions is a calling and a commitment that does not come and go at whim, I am not surprised that he has decided to move on to something else.
One thing we have learned through all of this is that God is faithful and we have to continue to be faithful to the task no matter what and trust Him. What we need now more than anything is prayers. Prayers for the field to be protected from discouragement. Prayers for the trustees to pick the right President. But most of all prayers for this lost world that is in need of the Gospel.
May God give us grace for the days ahead. Thank you for giving the field a place to voice our thoughts.
A Missionary in Asia
Thank you so much for serving the Kingdom, “Missionary A.” I’m proud of you, and in saying so, I speak for teeming thousands in our convention.
To give thanks for the financial reset at the IMB is not necessarily to give thanks for precisely how it was accomplished. I’m thankful that the IMB has achieved (as far as I can tell) a sustainable financial situation.
What I have experienced from here is a fleeting shadow of a feeling from the VRI from which I try to imagine what it has been like for missionaries. After a lifetime of getting to know missionaries, in a space of months, I went from knowing a whole host of missionaries to knowing a number of missionaries that I could count on one hand (that’s not many, even for an Arkansan like me). That was, for me, a shock. Extrapolating from that, I try to imagine what it must have been like for you guys. And you’re not alone in imagining the talent and experience and wisdom that came off of the IMB balance sheets during that process. I’ve spoken of it with many of the same people who write here at Voices.
But I want to be careful, here. I want you to know that you’ve found sympathy and a listening ear in your brothers in the USA. Nevertheless, I want to express that sympathy in ways that are not critical of David Platt. First of all, I think the job is difficult. Secondly, I appreciate his integrity and his passion for the task. Thirdly, I just don’t know that we ever accomplish much by criticizing someone as he is leaving his post.
I think everything missionary A said was fine. Missionaries are the front line, even behind the line, part of the Southern Baptist convention. They are the sharp end of the stick. I didn’t see that the IMB gave them much of a voice when Platt was president so it seems fine they say what they want now. Maybe what they tell us will help us make a better choice for president next time.
Missionary A sounds like a soldier who is been in combat way too long but is still willing to fight.
It reminds me of a story my father told me when he was a kid back during World War II. A friend of the family in the military who had seen a lot of combat in the islands came to visit them while on leave. He wasn’t all there, I guess it was PTSD. My grandmother just let him talk all day. My grandmother was usually pretty talkative but she just let him talk and listened. The next day he was himself again and ready to go back into combat.
So yes, this criticism can accomplish a lot, and maybe in more than one way.
From reading the missionary comments on this blog it looks like Platt’s leadership was anywhere from a qualified success to a crippling disaster. It would be good if there was someway we had transparency and a lot of feedback from missionaries about what was going on during a President’s leadership. Without this, I don’t see how we will ever know what’s ever going on or how good approaches could be reinforced and bad ones corrected.