staff

  • A3 Welcomes New U.S. President, Janelle Stoops

    Janelle Stoops joins A3, helping to build capacity and support for our expanding work

    AS A3 CONTINUES TO GROW INTO NEW REGIONS AND CONTINENTS, WE ARE STRENGTHENING

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  • stoops janelle 2026 Jan 03019 1000x563px

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    (A3) La Palma, California, USA — January 12, 2026

  • Janelle Stoops Bio Page

    Key Leaders Talk About Leadership Preparation, Calling, and A3

    As God continues to grow A3, our Board and leadership team discerned the need to strengthen our leadership structure for this new season. In response, CEO Joe Handley sought a trusted leader who could

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  • Janelle Stoops Bio Page

    As A3 continues to grow, Joe Handley has identified a U.S. President to partner with him in leading the mission. Moving forward, Joe will serve as CEO, focusing on the overall vision, while Janelle’s new role concentrates on U.S. operations and fund
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  • Background Information:

    Jack

    Jack BatchenJack was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, coming to a strong faith through his time in high school and studying Engineering and Science at Sydney University. He loves to serve his church community through music ministry—playing guitar and drums, and

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  • Background Information:

    I was born and raised in a small town in the middle part of the Philippines. In 2013, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior after my relatives came to our place to bring Jesus and relief goods following the super typhoon Haiyan disaster. Since then, I have been in a relationship with Jesus—the best relationship I have ever had! I also enjoyed a part of my life in the beautiful United Arab Emirates as a working professional for over 5 years, and it paved

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  • Background Information:

    koyama kohei and lindaKohei

    Kohei is Japanese, born and raised in Tokyo. He moved to the US after college and met Jesus through reading books written by a Japanese Christian author, Ayako Miura, and eventually the Bible. Ever since then he’s had a heart to reach the

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  • Tia B 01254 croppedBackground Information:

    Hello, I'm Tia originally from Philadelphia, PA in the USA. I am passionate about God and God's people. I am excited to work with the people and churches of Yamagata as we display God's love in action throughout the region.

    Ministry Assignment:

    Missional Partner Associate

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  • Background Information:

    I’m from Los Angeles, moved to the mountains near Fresno in middle school and graduated from Sierra High School. I attended Grand Canyon University with a BA in Digital Film w/ emphasis in Production before moving to Florida where I lived for 3 years working in aerospace manufacturing. From there I moved back to LA and attended Los Angeles Film School and graduated suma cum laude with a BS in Entertainment Business. It was while I was seeking work in

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  • Background Information:

    I was born and raised in Southern California in a church that has a strong global vision. When I was a senior in high school, I realized that I wanted nothing else than to spend my life in global ministry. I started praying, asking questions, and exploring what that could potentially look like in my life and after a few short-term trips to various countries, I started praying for a specific country, and the Lord impressed Japan on my heart.

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  • Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/Eo2VxJA4uxw

    Background

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    Background

    josh headshot 1 150x150pxJOSHUA KIDWELL grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to

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  • MJWilson 2018 lr 500pxMary Jo Wilson is Vice President for Missional Engagement. She has an MA in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary (2014). As a certified trainer in EQ through Talent Smart, she sees EQ as foundational to working well across cultures and

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  • “I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!”
    — 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, The Message

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    sonnenbergs 2023 500pxBackground Info:

    Jeffery & Akiko are a Canadian and Japanese missionary couple with tremendous missions experience. Jeffery went to Japan twice with A3 as a short-termer. Upon completion of his seminary studies, he returned to spend 3

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  • mallory jeff 2014 smBackground

    After working as a Doctor of Chiropractic in a large medical group and private practice for 15 years Jeff followed God’s leading and began serving in vocational ministry in 2004.  Prior to joining A3 Jeff served for 2 years as a pastor at Saddleback Church on the Strategic Initiatives team and

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    Background

    Eriko grew up in Miyagi, Japan and came to Christ in high school. John was born Upland, CA and saved while attending college in Tokyo. John was called into full-time ministry while interpreting a message from English into Japanese as a short-term missionary in 1979.  John and Eriko were married in 1981 and have four adult

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  • muhling fam 2021 500px

    Background Info

    Kent is a former Naval Flight Officer who felt the call to the ministry while still in uniform. He resigned his commission in 1996, spent a year and a half in Ukraine as a lay missionary, then returned to Orlando, FL to pursue a Master of Divinity degree at Reformed Theological Seminary. There

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  • Ellen Hale retirement 2024 08 29 small

    Background Information

    My mom & dad were Christians. I have one older brother. I married and raised four children. Even though I was Christian, I didn't really know God. It wasn't until I was born again that I had a hunger in my heart to know, love,

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    Background Info:

    Erik grew up in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He moved to Oregon to attend George Fox University where he met Rhonda. Rhonda grew up in Newberg, Oregon, the hometown of George Fox. After graduating in 1994, Rhonda flew off to Japan to teach English on the JET Program. When Rhonda was planning to return to the U.S. two years later, Erik decided to fly off to Japan with the JET

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  • Sue and Eric Takamoto raised their four children in Japan while serving as global workers with A3. For twenty-two years they served as church planters, and during the decade after the 2011 triple disaster they moved to Ishinomaki, one of the areas worst-hit by the tsunami, to be Christ’s hands and feet to the people there. Their family engaged in church planting and relationship building, while Sue started and directed the Nozomi Project, a social enterprise employing local women.

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  • Background Information:

    ROBERTA was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Penn State University she served for three years in Kosovo with The Christian & Missionary Alliance. After completing her term she enrolled in Wheaton College for additional studies in missions.

    ROBERT was raised in Texas and is a graduate of Texas A&M University. From 2005-2009 he served in southern Japan with A3. Like Roberta, he

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    Background Information:

    Mark is a Southern Californian native who joined Asian Access to bring his accounting and finance experience to the ministry. He holds a B.A. in Economics-Business from UCLA and is a CPA. After working in public accounting and private industry for a total of 8 years, Mark joined Asian Access in August 1999. Mark is a member of the Orange County Christian Church in Cypress, California where he is on the Board and works with

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  • Biographical Profile 

    Current Assignments

    • Noel Becchetti was named Vice President for Leader Development, effective October 1, 2012.
    • Kyle Becchetti currently serves as Administrator for Leader Development for A3.

    Previous Posts

    • Prior to this post, Noel served as Executive Director for Truthseekers International, a ministry committed to spiritual and social freedom
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  • Takazawa Family

    Background

    takazawas 2026TAKESHI TAKAZAWA was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. He became a Christian through a children’s English class held in partnership with

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  • Multiplying transformational churches among unreached people groups in the UK and beyond

    Stu & Hilary LynchStu and Hilary Lynch have served with A3 since 1989. They helped strengthen and start churches in Japan for 18 years, and resourced pastors to foster leadership training

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  • Background Info:

    We (Elliott and Lori) first met in August 1983 when both went to Japan with A3 as short-term missionaries. Now, over 30 years later, we are still serving with A3, though married and working in the U.S. headquarters office. Elliott is from Texas and Lori is from Pennsylvania. So God had to work to get us together first in Japan and now in Los Angeles. Elliott has an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA and a Masters of Management Arts from the

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  • Background Information:

    joe and silk Fall2020 webJoe and Silk (Joseph and Vasilka) met during college at Azusa Pacific University. Everyone told Silk while she was growing up that she was destined to be a pastor’s or missionary’s wife. Joe grew up in a family with a few pastors and felt called to ministry during high

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  • Background Information

    johnston jeffrey 2020 7R301940 squareJeffrey S. Johnston grew up in Wisconsin, Ohio, and North Carolina. He became a Christian through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating, Jeff

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  • Mary Raver's staff profile is coming soon...

    Background

    Mary is from Lancaster, PA...

    Ministry Assignment:

    Mary has served with Asian Access in many different roles the past three decades:

    • Missional Partner Associate in Osaka and Karuizawa, Japan from 2009-present.
    • Directions: 1990-'?? in Tokyo (Hon Atsugi), 1996-?? in
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  • A3 StaffA3 staff members are involved in a wide range of front-line ministry activities, such as church multiplication, leadership training, and evangelism. We are pleased to have highly capable national staff members in Japan, as well as our volunteer national directors in other countries.