A message from our Board Chairman

Dear friends and supporters of Friends Network,

I’m writing to you today to bring you up to date about a change in leadership at Friends Network. Our current Executive Director, Aaron Wakeman, has accepted a new ministry opportunity with Concordia University - St. Paul.

Aaron Wakeman has long been a pillar of Friends Network. He has been at every meeting, in every decision, and has been involved in every effort of this ministry for many years. All of us have been blessed by his wisdom and spiritual leadership. We are grateful for Aaron’s years of faithful work and eager to see how God will use him, Cora, and their whole family to build his kingdom in their next chapter.

As I have talked with Aaron about what needs to happen next, Aaron shared this:

"It has been an incredible honor and privilege to serve with Friends Network over these many years. My transition to a new ministry prompts a change in leadership, but this ministry has always been the Lord's. He leads his people to global missions, he supports this ministry through faithful givers, he prepares hearts to receive his gospel message, and he builds the church. This will not change, and I am so thankful to rest in that peace and confidence. I am also remarkably thankful for our dedicated board and staff that will capably and faithfully lead Friends Network into the next phase. God's richest blessings to you all as you continue to serve him.”

First, we want you to know that the entire staff has proactively reached out to our missionaries with support, encouragement, and an open door to ask questions about the leadership transition. I have seen incredible efforts to continue to put first our 36 missionaries with their 18 family members across seven different countries, and that will remain our priority through this transition. We continue to exist to support cross-cultural evangelism.

Additionally, the staff and board are taking on our new task of planning for the future. Aaron is working with Friends Network staff on an orderly transition over the upcoming weeks, and our staff (Suzy, Gwen, Jill, and Stephen) are in regular communication to support this transition. The Executive Team has met to frame the Board’s work as we meet this week to discuss the transition and begin the process of finding our next Executive Director.

Here’s where you come in: first, please keep our missionaries, this ministry, and the Wakemans in your prayers. Your intercessions have been and continue to be the wind of the Spirit in the sails of ministry. Second, consider how the Lord might be moving you to offer additional financial support to Friends Network and our missionaries. Could this be a season of generous offerings that go above and beyond? I ask that you prayerfully consider this opportunity.

The God and Father of us all has appointed our days and times. We rest in his perfect plans, trusting that all he does is better than anything we could have asked or imagined. We know that his mission is that all nations come to trust in his Son: a mission which Friends Network has lived out from the earliest days of Friends of China: a mission we are committed to stewarding until God gathers every nation, tribe, language, and people.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We will continue to communicate updates with all of you. We are grateful for your grace and patience as we pursue the Spirit’s wisdom on who will serve this ministry as Executive Director.

Ben Workentine

Chairman of the Board

Aaron, Cora, Will, Anna, and Andy Wakeman