Today is my first official day as president of A3. And with this post, I enter the blogosphere.
I am grateful to God for what He has done in my life to get me to this pivotal point. And I am humbled to be in this position. I am also thankful for my time at Rolling Hills Covenant Church and Azusa Pacific University and what the Lord taught me through those roles and, more significantly, through the people I served alongside. I hope I can apply those lessons in this whole new ministry context. And now I, along with my wife Silk and kids Rebecca, Rachel and John join a new community — the A3 (or "A2") Community.
There are many things running through my mind about this new role God has called me to in this season of my life. As I embark on this new journey. . .
I have great faith, anticipation and excitement for what God will do. I know it will be challenging; it will be adventurous; it will be difficult; it will be rewarding. To be sure, I am so glad that my family is completely supportive of this transition; they are walking with me in this journey. They are the best and have always been a bedrock of support and I need them.
As I write this, I am missing my family because I am in Japan. Yes, my very first week on the job, I’ve jumped right in by going to Japan for 10 days. How appropriate that I spend my first days as president in Japan, where A3 started 41 years ago. From Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, I am now visiting our A3 missionaries and meeting the visionary Japanese pastors we’re partnering with in the effort of church multiplication. I want to get to know our staff, hear their stories listen to their vision, and also encourage the people I meet. I believe that I, too, will be encouraged as a result of my time here.
With this weblog, I hope to share some stories that highlight the essence of A3. From our vision and values to our strategy and ethos, I want you to know about our mission and what God is doing in and through our community. I realize that our work is but a small corner of all that God is doing in the world, and we are striving to be faithful with that which God has entrusted to us. At the same time, I feel that it’s humongous! It’s bigger than all of us. It is a high calling and privilege to identify, develop and release emerging kingdom leaders across the great continent of Asia, where 60% of the world’s population lives and where—according to MARC Research—85% of unreached and unengaged people reside!
When Silk and I started getting to know A3, we thought that in some ways it was one of the best kept secrets in missions. Now that I’ve accepted the call to join the mission as its fourth president, it’s part of my job to share this secret with the North American Church—so that it would engage in this strategic ministry of developing leaders and multiplying churches across Asia.
Please join me regularly on this blog to hear stories of what God is doing in and through the A3 Community. I trust you will be encouraged. More importantly, I pray you will engage the work. . . compelled to pray and even to give toward this vision:
"To see a vibrant community of servant leaders with vision, character and competence leading the church across Asia."
For His Kingdom,
Joe Handley, President
A3
