Reflections from the A3 2025 Spring Retreat
This spring, leaders, families, and friends of A3/Japan gathered once again for our annual retreat — a sacred space for reflection, renewal, and restoration. Amid the breathtaking backdrop of blooming wisteria, moss-laden trees, and sun-dappled streams, we explored the theme:
Cycles of Grace: Breakthrough through Holistic and Experiential Processes.
It was a unique week — a tapestry of worship, nature, prayer, dreaming, and remembering.
Beloved: Created and Loved by God
Our retreat began with a return to the very foundation of our faith: Acceptance.
Through Scripture, we were reminded that our identity is not defined by our performance, or our achievements. As we read portions of Jeremiah 17 and Ephesians 1, we were reminded that we are created, chosen, wanted, and adopted by God Himself.
In the early morning stillness, we were sent out on a silent nature walk to the Tama River. As we wandered by the water’s edge, each person was invited to find a stone which we later inscribed with our name and the word "Beloved." This simple act became one of the most powerful symbols of the retreat: a tangible reminder that long before we achieved anything, we were loved.
As the stones piled up, so did the evidence:
We are His.
We are wanted.
We are beloved.
During a time of reflection, we were asked to ponder:
- When have I most deeply felt loved and accepted by God?
- How do I live differently knowing I am lovingly created, wanted, and chosen?
In the beauty of creation and the intimacy of Scripture, we were invited to rest in that deep assurance.
Space to Dream
Another powerful moment came as we explored the gift of daydreaming — something that often gets lost in the noise of leadership and ministry. We learned that allowing space for imagination and quiet reflection actually nurtures creativity, reduces anxiety, and strengthens resilience. In the stillness, God often speaks in ways we can hear only when the clamor of urgency falls away.
This reminder challenged us: leaders are not merely called to do more, but to be more attuned to the movements of the Spirit.
- When there’s too much input, it’s hard to process.
- When we slow down, our souls finds space to breathe.
Sustenance: Come to the Waters
Later in the retreat, we turned toward sustenance — asking the vital question:
What truly sustains us in ministry and life?
Drawing from Isaiah 55 (“Come, all you who are thirsty…”), we reflected on God's generous invitation: to come freely, to be nourished by grace rather than striving.
As participants shared testimonies of God’s past faithfulness, Psalm 77 came alive:
"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."
Stories poured out — of provision, healing, guidance, and hope. In remembering, our faith was rekindled. In sharing, our hearts were knit more closely together.
These moments reminded us that sustenance doesn't come from ministry outputs or performance metrics. It comes from living connected — to the Vine, to one another, to the sustaining love of God.
Dreaming Toward 2030 and Beyond
The retreat was not only about looking back — it was also a time of dreaming forward.
We envisioned A3’s future:
A vibrant community accelerating Christ-centered movements around the world.
Our core commitments ring loud and clear:
- ALL IN with God
- LIVE Community
- ACCELERATE Kingdom Leaders
Though we often serve in regions where the gospel presence is small, God has allowed A3 to become a leader in spiritual formation, resilience training, and leader development across Asia and beyond.
There is a holy irony at play — God delights in using the seemingly small to accomplish great things. We may be small in number, but His Spirit moves powerfully through surrendered hearts.
Our dream is not to build monuments but to raise up living stones — leaders rooted in Christ, resilient in hardship, humble in spirit, and bold in mission.
Significance: The Message We Carry
We continued our journey through Cycles of Grace by exploring the theme of Significance.
Drawing from Psalm 22, we were invited to ponder:
- What does my life signify?
- What message does my life carry to the world?
- What song does my life sing?
Significance isn't about fame or impact in human terms. It’s about reflecting the Son the way the moon reflects the sun — pointing others not to ourselves, but to Christ.
We don't create significance.
We carry it.
We reflect it.
Each person, uniquely crafted and called, left the session with a renewed sense of purpose: to live lives that signify the love, truth, and hope of Jesus.
Living Stones: From Darkness to Dawn
Saturday evening, we entered the shadows of Good Friday with a moving Tenebrae Service.
We remembered Christ's suffering, His death, and the long silence of waiting.
But on Sunday morning, joy broke through as we celebrated the Resurrection under the theme "From Darkness to Dawn."
The stones we carried throughout the retreat became markers of the empty tomb. Just as the stone was rolled away from Christ’s grave, so too we are invited to let go of fear, shame, discouragement, and doubt.
Drawing from Joshua 4, 1 Samuel 7, 1 Peter 2, and Ephesians 2, we remembered:
- God invites us to have stones of remembrance.
- Christ is our Cornerstone.
- We are being built into a living spiritual house.
The quiet Communion that followed was not somber, but full of resurrection joy.
We came to the table as beloved sons and daughters, not out of mourning but in celebration of new life.
Fruitfulness: Abiding in the Vine
On our final morning, we came full circle — completing the Cycle of Grace, a theme inspired by the book The Cycle of Grace: Living in Sacred Balance (Upper Room Books). While we followed its basic flow, our retreat unfolded more like a jazz suite, with each session riffing off Spirit-led melodies — each leader contributing their own voice, style, and insight.
The final movement? Fruitfulness.
Reading from John 15:1–8, we reflected deeply on the words of Jesus:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”
Every part of the retreat was echoed in this passage:
- Acceptance: we are grafted into the vine.
- Sustenance: our life flows from staying connected to Christ.
- Significance: fruitfulness brings glory to the Father and shows we are His disciples.
We also reflected on the necessity of pruning — those painful seasons where God lovingly trims our lives for greater fruit. True fruitfulness, we were reminded, isn’t born from effort alone, but from abiding. The Spirit bears the fruit; we simply remain rooted in Him.
To close, we formed a prayer tunnel, each person walking through as the community laid hands and spoke spontaneous blessings and words of encouragement. Then, in unison, we proclaimed Numbers 6:24–26 in both English and Japanese — a benediction of peace, favor, and divine presence.
Each participant received back their stone — the one inscribed days earlier with their name and “Beloved.” Now it bore even more meaning: a physical sign of our identity in Christ and a reminder of our calling to bring His love to the lost and broken places of the world.
Final Reflections
As participants packed up their stones and memories, the atmosphere was thick with gratitude.
The sessions were full but never frantic.
Worship was heartfelt and familiar.
Meals and laughter flowed easily.
Long-time pillars of the faith and new leaders connected, weaving stories of grace, courage, and faith into the larger tapestry of A3’s journey.
There was a quiet sense of awe:
We are not here by accident.
We are not building our own kingdoms.
We are responding to the call of the risen Christ.
This is the life we are invited into — a life marked by acceptance, sustained by grace, oriented toward significance, and fueled by resurrection hope.
Next Steps
If your heart stirs reading these reflections, we invite you to take your next step.
Join the journey. Discover what it means to live as a beloved, called, Spirit-empowered leader.
Come visit us at go2japan.org and explore how you might be part of this unfolding story.
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
And so we go — living stones in a world longing for resurrection life.
Rev. Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D.
President
@jwhandley
@jwhandley
@JosephWHandleyJr
@jwhandley
More Information
- This feature article was originally published here on go2japan.org on May 15, 2025.
- Image credits: photos courtesy Roberta Adair, Sterling Miller, Joe Handley, and Jeffery Sonnenberg
