CBMC name change thwarted
Christian Business Men’s Committee is not Christian Business Ministries Canada.
By
Doug Koop
ChristianWeek staff
MARKHAM, 0N–Gerry Organ figured a name change would be part of the revitalizing process when he became executive director of Christian Business Men’s Committee (Canada) 15 months ago. Last winter Organ told ChristianWeek that "CBMC Canada is now Christian Business Ministries Canada" (Mar3/98) and, indeed, the ministry’s stationery and web site already reflected the change.
But not so fast, there. When the name change actually came to a vote at the 60-year-old organization’s annual meeting earlier this fall, a last minute lobbying effort and proxy drive by board member Jerry Webb of Winnipeg caused the recommendation to founder one vote shy of the required two-thirds majority.
 Board member Jerry Webb used this illustration in a flipchart presentation during his lobby campaign to keep CBMC’s name from being changed. |
"They jumped
the gun on getting stuff printed before the name
change was approved," says Webb. In the wake of the defeat, the board sought legal advice (the proxies have yet to be properly validated) and seriously considered asking members to vote on the issue again. But after a November 30 conference call, the board unanimously accepted a recommendation to let the vote stand. However, according to board chair Ron Holmes, the recommendation also calls for a review of the bylaws "and that a name change be revisited at some [unspecified] time in the future." Holmes, who runs a printing operation in Medicine Hat, Alberta, wearily allows that it will probably take "a different board and different chair to deal with this." Organ is philosophical, saying he has "a new appreciation for constitutional detail and annual general meeting preparedness." Meanwhile, "we’re just keeping on," he says, adding that the incident is "not costly" in the long run. "It’s history versus the future. That tension often can be healthy, but sometimes it gets difficult." |
Organ is unstintingly positive about the ministry’s current performance and potential. "There are so many positive things happening in this ministry that I can’t be discouraged," he says. "I’ll keep singing the praises of the Lord and the mighty things he’s doing across the country."
Webb sees it differently and is far from certain that his job is done. He is deeply concerned that the current administration is causing CBMC to deteriorate, rather than bringing it new vitality. "They’re trying to change the whole focus of the organization and get women on board," he alleges. "It’s all out of kilter."
Webb, who produced a series of flip charts to make his point at the annual meeting, is adamant that the ministry’s primary focus is and should continue to be men. "Every church in the world is chasing women, but they’re leaving the men alone."
Holmes denies that CBMC is changing to include women. And Organ insists that the organization’s purpose–to evangelize and disciple business professionals–has not changed. "We have put a whole new language to the vision," he says. "Instead of committees, we talk about community. Instead of committees locally, we have ministry teams. Instead of executives, core teams."
Such changes are necessary to reach a new generation of business professionals, he maintains. And despite the setback he’s content to keep plugging away. "We’re gradually changing the face and the feeling of the ministry so as to become more intimate at every level. The old [ways] served well, they’re just no longer relevant."
