Reflections from the A3 Global Leaders’ Summit — Kuala Lumpur
There are moments in the life of a movement when you sense God is inviting you to go deeper—not wider.
Our summit in Kuala Lumpur was one of those moments.
Yes, A3 continues to grow. New leaders are emerging. New regions are opening. Multiplication is accelerating. But as we gathered, one truth surfaced again and again:
The growth of the movement will never outpace the growth of the leader.
Or simply:
Movements don’t drift into renewal—they are led there by renewed leaders.
Abide First
We began with a simple but searching question:
How is it with your soul?
In a world driven by outcomes, it’s easy to lead from activity rather than intimacy. But Psalm 63:1 calls us back:
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you…”
Leadership in God’s kingdom begins with thirst.
Personal renewal is not a one-time event—it is a lifelong journey of abiding in Christ, being transformed from within, and bearing fruit over time.
If we lose that, we may still build—but we will not sustain what God intends.
Formation Over Information
Throughout the week, we were reminded that leadership development is not primarily about what we know or even what we do.
It is about who we are becoming.
The heart is the command center of leadership.
This is why A3 continues to invest deeply in formation:
- Prayer and Scripture
- Silence and solitude
- Honest, grace-filled community
- A posture of learning, unlearning, and relearning
We’re discovering again that transformation doesn’t happen through information transfer—but through encounter with God and one another.
Grace Is Already on the Move
One of the clearest reminders this week was this:
We are not the initiators of mission—grace is.
Before our strategies, before our structures, before our efforts—God is already at work.
We don’t bring Him to the nations.
We join Him where He is already moving.
And in that movement, each leader carries a unique measure of grace—something the rest of the body needs. This is what makes a polycentric movement flourish: not a dominant center, but a shared Source.
Learning Posture: Humble Curiosity
In a complex and rapidly changing world, we don’t need more certainty—we need more humility.
This week challenged us to listen differently:
- To learn from those who see the world differently
- To notice what surprises or unsettles us
- To hold our convictions with both clarity and openness
Humble curiosity is not weakness—it is a pathway to deeper wisdom and stronger unity.
We’re learning to become leaders who don’t just speak well—but listen well.
Finishing Well
We also faced a sobering reality: not all leaders finish well.
Often, it’s not a failure of calling—but a slow drift away from ongoing renewal.
What we hide in weakness can quietly shape our future.
The invitation is not to project strength—but to walk in honesty, humility, and dependence on Christ.
This is how we endure.
This is how we finish well.
Formed in Community
None of this happens in isolation.
Transformation takes place in what we often call a climate of grace—spaces where leaders are known, challenged, and supported over time.
Across the week, we saw this again:
- Leaders sharing stories of both scars and breakthroughs
- Peer relationships deepening across cultures and generations
- A willingness to be honest about where we are—and where we need God to meet us
This is not just a value of A3.
It is a core mechanism of how leaders are formed.
A Community, Not Just a Network
We also marked meaningful transitions.
We honored Kyle Becchetti for her faithful service as she prepares for her next season. We prayed over leadership transitions, including Mary Jo passing the baton to Robert in serving our Missional Partners. And we welcomed Janelle into this shared calling—not just as a role, but as a steward of what God is building.
These weren’t just organizational moments.
They were deeply relational ones.
Because A3 is not simply a leadership platform.
It is a global community—learning, growing, and seeking God together.
The Way Forward
As we look ahead, our focus is clear:
Personal renewal fuels movement renewal.
We will continue to invest in leaders who:
- Abide deeply in Christ
- Lead from transformed hearts
- Practice humble curiosity
- Engage in authentic, formational community
Because in the end, the future of this movement will not be determined by strategy alone—
but by leaders who are being renewed by God.
Lord, renew us again.
And through renewed leaders, renew Your movement.
Rev. Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D.
CEO, A3
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@jwhandley
@JosephWHandleyJr
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