Recently I met a mangled, old-looking pastor in one of the small Asian Access training cohorts in Cambodia. Charya’s bones were crooked, he was missing an eye, he could barely walk. But before I get to his story in the next paragraph, I want to share some good news—the largest match challenge in Asian Access’ history is still not over. So your gift or pledge at this time can still be doubled!  Now, back to Charya… Charya (not his real name for security reasons) was convicted during the session as they talked about the apostle Paul being chief among sinners. He later confessed to the director, “I’m worse than that man.” You see, Charya was a commander...

Last week I had the privilege of visiting Pastor Youngsan Cho, a Korean missionary serving with Asian Access partner church Hongodai from Yokohama appointed to Ishinomaki. He’s the pastor I’ve been sharing about leading the Ochako “Tea” House in Ishinomaki. We’ve posted a few stories about him. This visit was quite profound for me. Cho sensei, as we call him, was his normal ebullient self. He’s the most optimistic joyful Korean missionary I’ve ever met. I love being around him!

John Worcester, Asian Access faculty from ChurchPlanting.net, recently taught for us here in Japan after teaching for us in Mongolia. The seminar here in Tokyo was done in concert with Biblical Church of Tokyo. Prior to the seminar, we had a dynamic discussion where John made a provocative statement:“It’s as if 'conversion' has become a bad word.” After reading the news and following the reports of Billy Graham’s legacy, this statement struck me even more powerfully. The essence of Graham’s ministry was all about people converting to Christ.

Navodaya conference sparks key church planting, family enrichment, and healing initiatives in Sri Lanka

Rev. Adrian DeVisser is Founder of Kithu Sevana Ministries, National Director for Asian Access Sri Lanka, and Vice President for Partnership Development for Asian Access. This past January, Adrian, in collaboration with key national leaders, organized theNavodaya (New Beginning) Conference at the Ape Kadella Camp and Conference Center outside of Colombo. The Conference brought together leaders from throughout Sri Lanka. As Adrian shares here, God moved powerfully through the Navodaya Conference.

“The Navodaya conference was organized in January 2018 to fulfil a threefold objective...

Not long ago I met this pastor in one of our Asian Access cohorts. His name, face and country are hidden to protect him, his family, church and the work of God in his community. What a story though! As he was sharing, I learned that he was formerly a Hindu Priest. He came to the capital of his country to seek a better life because he was on the brink of disaster—close to suicide because his life was so bad. Along the way...

When I joined Asian Access just over 9 years ago, one of the motivating factors was their focus and success in reaching the unreached people groups of the world. That’s why I so enjoyed spending time with a colleague in one of our sessions recently in a country that must remain unnamed due to security concerns. My colleague wrote this follow up report that so encouraged me. I trust it’ll encourage you as well:

“One of the most exciting things for me about the pastors in these two classes is the dedication that they show toward...

Not long ago, one of my doctoral committee members suggested that the core of my dissertation research was very much in line with some new thinking related to the concept of the Medici Effect. You can learn more about this through Frans Johansson’s book of the same title linked above. Wikipedia describes this approach as:

“In the book, Johansson argues that innovation comes from diverse industries, cultures, and disciplines when they all intersect, bringing ideas from one field into another. He also recommends assembling diverse... 

The story of this lady was amazing. She lived just 1.5 kilometers from the ocean (about a mile) and the tsunami took everything. Soon after, the gentlemen standing next to her, started a house fellowship not too long after retiring from work. He was inspired by his church to start another church after he retired from a great career. Did it matter that he is not a pastor? No. Did it matter that he had received no significant theological training? No. Rather, his pastor saw his gifts and invested in him for years. From the Asian Access training, he developed a plan to empower lay leaders to start churches so that they could reach the Japanese people. He knew there was no way you could reach Japan through just the clergy alone. So, he raised up several business leaders to begin starting house churches in his region.

One of the principles in Asian Access is that healthy churches grow. It’s why we spend so much time investing in key leaders’ personal walk with God and their growth in him. Because, when we are deeply embedded with Christ, we are naturally very fruitful. Many of those leaders were on display in Tohoku (Northeast Japan) for a few days at Vision Festa, a gathering of pastors, missionaries and NGO leaders coming together to share God’s vision for Japan. I was deeply touched by them and many pictured in these photos are key partners of Asian Access/Japan. They shared about Strawberry Patch Evangelism. That even small little strawberry plants are quick to reproduce because they shoot stems into the soil nearby and next thing you know you have an entire patch. And, they shared about Pomegranate church planting where a single fruit has hundreds of seeds to spread around and start new fellowships...

I’ve been inspired by pastors in Japan this past week. 70 or more gathered in Northern Japan for a movement called Vision Festa. It’s a movement of people with a passion for church planting and I’m eager to share their stories… Those will come later though. For now, why is church planting so important? When so many people are down on the local church these days, why would I believe church planting is so important and why are these leaders coalescing around this fresh vision? Missiologist Peter Wagner once said, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.” Pastor Tim Keller picked up on this theme as well. Check out his post on the same subject, Why Church Planting? Everywhere I have gone, I’ve seen these truths displayed...

“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” - Matthew 13:31-32 Pastor T from a restricted access and persecuted country recently shared in Japan a concept behind a key principle of Asian Access: Small is Big! He shared that he learned in bible school and seminary (bachelors degree to doctorate) to have a huge megachurch from schools in India, Korea and America. However, his world was turned upside down when he attended Asian Access leader development...

The church in Mongolia is growing rapidly, mostly due to church planting. When I arrived in 2000, the pastors were a divided and competitive lot. Each was hoping to build a mega-church. My first trip was a tug-of-war for four out of five days. Out of 25 pastors, three were former Soviet Army officers. Two of them loved communism while the other hated it. The real struggle, though, was against level 3 megachurches. Everyone in the room clamored to pastor the largest church in the nation. After four days of arguing, they finally got the message about making disciples and multiplying churches. Every pastor in that group planted multiple churches in the next 12 months...

Asian Access utilizes an interwoven curriculum that focuses on fourteen strategic areas of leadership and church health. These strategic areas are covered in a variety of ways depending on the needs and situation of the participants and on the availability of faculty.

There are four categories covered:

1. Developing the Leader
2. Reproducing Other Leaders
3. Multiplying Churches
4. Expanding the Kingdom...

Japan (MNN) -- It's not easy reaching the Japanese for Christ. According to Asian Access, Japan has some of the toughest spiritual ground around. But that was before the triple disaster of 2011. Now, hearts have been softened and many are ready to hear the Good News of Jesus. In order to reach them, Asian Access is investing a half-million dollars...

Japan (MNN) — If you’re going to dream, dream big. That’s what Asian Access is doing with their 2020 Vision campaign: a million new believers, a thousand new churches and missionaries in Japan in five years. Impossible? Not in God’s economy. In fact, President Joe Handley says God is moving, and it’s possible they could EXCEED the goal. A partner...

This has been an extraordinary year in the life of the Church of Asia. Every day, we hear of political tensions, natural disasters and religious intolerance. But in the midst of disturbing news, the church of Jesus Christ is on the move. And you can help to move the spiritual needle in Japan! My predecessor Doug Birdsall recently reminded me of how the 2020 Vision for Japan came to be. Back in 1986, Doug was sensing the Lord might be...

Cambodia (MNN) -- In Cambodia, streams of grace are replacing Pol Pot's killing fields. Asian Access is teaching believers like Meng Aun Hour how to share their faith. "Cambodia is really open for the Gospel of Jesus. We can go out and preach the Gospel, do church planting." As a result, Cambodians are coming to Christ in droves. One of them used...

Recently I met with a Japanese Christian leader to catch up on each other’s lives, to discuss the challenges of the spread of the gospel in this nation, and to dream a bit about how to build upon the many partnerships that have been developing between Christian groups in Japan. During our conversation, he surprised me with an unexpected  comment: “The leaders of the church community in Japan need to come from outside the church community!”

“What do you mean?” I asked...

The new year is a natural time for deeper reflection setting ambitious goals. Here are some thoughts I've been mulling over. As the year began, I was reminded of something Nehemiah said when he was nearing completion of his building project, the wall around Jerusalem—clearly a work God had called him to. In chapter six, two men, who were feeling threatened by Nehemiah's success, requested he come to a meeting. But he saw through their invitation and instead replied, "I am about a great work and will not come down" (v. 3). My husband, Mike, and I...

At Asian Access’ fall board retreat, Doug Birdsall shared the powerful story of how the 2020 Vision for Japan emerged. Listening to Doug share is always an inspiration! He spoke about how he was sensing the Lord might be calling him away from the mission of Asian Access—but one night woke up and all he could see and hear was the phrase “Plant Churches… Plant Churches… Plant Churches…” over and over again!

Listening to A3 alumni in this country share how their ministry is doing...

Mary Jo Wilson shares why she is proud that A3 applies its four outcomes to women leaders...

During this holiday season... Joe Handley thanks friends of Asian Access who have generously supported the ministry with their prayers and ongoing financial gifts. Thank you to those who have contributed to the current matching gift challenge for Japan. Asian Access has until December 31 to match a $200,000 challenge gift...

“I don’t see a lot about ‘Church Planting’ mentioned in the Bible. Do you?”

An interesting question, given that it was being asked to a room full of church-planting pastors. Takeshi Takazawa was leading this group of pastors from throughout South India in the sixth of the eight training times they will spend together over a two-year period. They are the latest group in a series of cohorts Asian Access is conducting in India under the leadership of A2 National Director David Dayalan.

The pastors looked quizzically at Takeshi...

Great news! The matching gift from the The Maclellan Foundation, Inc. has been extended to December 31, 2013. This campaign is targeted for church multiplication and leadership development in Japan. Every dollar designated toward this effort will be matched dollar for dollar if it is received before December 31, 2013. Please click here to double your gift.

When fully matched, The Maclellan Foundation, Inc. grant will become $400,000, which will give Asian Access the resources to...

“Why do we so often exaggerate our ministry ‘results’?  And why do we so often hear about pastors mishandling finances?”  Pastor Bobby Cherian put these questions to a group of pastors from North India.  They were together for the sixth of their eight gatherings as part of Asian Access’ North Indian 2012-13 cohort.

These are tough questions. I’ve heard them asked before in India, but usually as a private aside, in a low voice, with averted eyes. Yet Bobby put these questions straight to the group in a discussion regarding the role of integrity in the ministry of...

The last few weeks, I have been powerfully struck by hearing several amazing stories of what God is doing across Asia through leader development alumni of Asian Access. As you have heard, the triple disaster that hit Japan two years ago brought about a spiritual hunger like I have never seen before there.

I have heard many firsthand stories from Japanese people who have had dreams and visions about Jesus—similar to the Muslim world. People are coming to Christ in handfuls because of their spiritual searching. Often God leads them to talk with pastors and missionaries in surprising and miraculous ways.

Let me tell you about Pastor Ichio Kishinami, an alumnus of A2’s leader development program...

Church Multiplication in Japan Made Easier

Rev. Jiro Chida, leader of the Church Multiplication project Asian Access initiated in Yamagata, Japan was in a network with four other Japanese pastors. Each pastor intended to multiply his own congregation. Midway through the three year project, he pronounced to his fellow colleagues... "Mitsu no kyokai ga areba, kantan ni dekiru!...

What do we want to see as the result of our work in the life and ministry of each leader?

A3 seeks the following outcomes of our work in the life and ministry of every participant.  We feel we're successful when the leader is...

1. Living in a love relationship with God.

Effective ministry flows from our relationship with God—from the inside out. After 10-15 years in ministry, leaders can begin to lose their connection to the Lord—relying more on their strengths and experience. This brings trouble and weakens the impact of their ministry.  In contrast, leaders who continue to deepen their love of God are transformed and can bring powerful change to their sphere of influence.

2. Growing as a Christ-like leader.

Effective leaders who abide with Jesus, lead more and more like Jesus. Flowing out of transformed hearts, they exhibit fruits of the Spirit and grow in Christlikeness. If leaders are not growing in Christlikeness, ministry can get off track and they are more susceptible to spiritual plateau and abuse of power.

3. Reproducing disciple-making leaders.

Fruitful leaders say, “Follow me as I follow Jesus”. They live out that truth by reproducing themselves in others and equipping those new disciples to follow their example to make more disciples. This is the heart of the Great Commission to make disciples who not only follow Jesus but also make more disciples.

4. Accelerating Christ-centered movements.

Fruitful leaders build kingdom movements to expand the reach of their ministries. Starting new witnessing communities for spiritual growth, outreach, and multiplication gives more people access to Christ’s life-changing power. Launching new missional businesses brings about God-honoring change. Catalyzing movements advance the kingdom and bring momentum that transform people, families, cities, and countries.

The fifth unspoken outcome of launching a church multiplication movement is entirely up to God. Yet, with His blessing, the first four outcomes can actually result from specific steps A3 takes. In other words, there are practical things we can do in structuring our program in order to help achieve these outcomes.

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OUR ESSENCE | Outcomes | Leader Development Model | Sustainability

• Our Distinctives
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Download the A3 Essence PDF...

An Effective Model to Build a Movement

A3 has developed a proven model in Japan to help launch a church multiplication movement across that nation.

Link Between Leader Development and Church Multiplication

A3 starts with developing leaders. Why? We foster a vision for church multiplication as we develop pastors in the context of a learning community. Over the two-year in-service leadership development sessions within regional training networks, pastors begin to see the need to be church multipliers. Often they come into our program with a mega-church vision, but they graduate with a multi-church vision...

A2 launches a strategic partnership with SIM USA to bolster the work in Japan

The last few years, many of you know, that Asian Access has been exploring a strategic partnership to strengthen our ministry base, leverage our resources and catalyze a fresh move of God in Japan. If you are new to our journey, you can learn more from the partnership...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 11.11.11

A3 and SIM USA partner to send more church-planting missionaries to Japan

GLENDORA, CALIF. (A3) — A missional partnership uniting A3 and SIM USA is aimed at sending more church-planting missionaries to Japan. By leveraging the strengths of the two mission-sending agencies, they hope to...

This post is a compilation of wisdom from church multipliers all over the world. It appears in a book I was invited to contribute a case study from Japan for church planters. Once again, it proves the wisdom/value of being a God cooperator relying on the sometimes serendipitous grace of God. As you read these numbered points, which ones do you resonate with? Best Practices of Successful Church Multipliers...

Pastor Ariunbold of Mongolia expanded his vision tremendously through A3...

A3 seeks to multiply leaders and congregations. More leaders plant more churches—hopefully churches that plant churches that plant churches. Help A3 train leaders with an emphasis on multiplying reproducible churches.

Vídeo: ¿Qué es A3? COMING SOON

Descripción general de A3

MARCELO PAZOS HERNÁNDEZ

La Visión y Misión de A3

Nuestra Visión

Una comunidad vibrante que impulsa movimientos cristocéntricos en todo el mundo.

El motor divino que impulsa a A3 es la comunidad. A medida que los líderes rompen barreras, se conocen, confían y se aman mutuamente, y juntos aprenden a desarrollarse a sí mismos y a sus ministerios, todo se acelera. Los líderes prosperan, las familias se unen, las comunidades de fe florecen y movimientos centrados en Cristo de todo tipo y tamaño nacen, crecen y se multiplican en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad.

• • [22] Yo les he dado la gloria que me diste, para que sean uno, así como nosotros somos uno: [23] yo en ellos y tú en mí. Permite que alcancen la perfección en la unidad, y así el mundo reconozca que tú me enviaste y que los has amado a ellos tal como me has amado a mí.
    — Juan 17:22-23 NVI
  • [11] Por eso, anímense y edifíquense unos a otros, tal como lo vienen haciendo.
    — 1 Tesalonicenses 5:11 NVI
  • [24] Preocupémonos los unos por los otros, a fin de estimularnos al amor y a las buenas obras.
    — Hebreos 10:24 NVI
  • [6] ¡Estos que han trastornado el mundo entero han venido también acá
    — Hechos 17:6 b NVI

Nuestra Misión

Equipamos y unificamos a líderes visionarios cristocéntricos para influir en el cambio guiado por el Espíritu.

Nuestro Dios es un Dios creativo. Su Espíritu inspira a líderes a explorar nuevas maneras de conocer y experimentar el Reino de Dios aquí en la tierra. A3 invierte a profundidad en los líderes que Dios nos ha confiado - desafiándolos a profundizar su carácter y capacitándolos para una mayor efectividad, en consonancia con la visión de un Cuerpo de Cristo unificado, para que se conviertan en los agentes de influencia divina que Dios los ha llamado a ser.

• • [72] Y David los pastoreó con corazón sincero; con mano experta los dirigió.
    — Salmo 78:72 NVI
  • [6] Así que el ángel me dijo: «Esta es la palabra del Señor para Zorobabel: »“No será por la fuerza ni por ningún poder, sino por mi Espíritu —dice el Señor de los Ejércitos—.
    — Zacarías 4:6 NVI
  • [28] A este Cristo proclamamos, aconsejando y enseñando con toda sabiduría a todas las personas, para presentarlas completamente maduras en su unión con Cristo. [29] Con este fin trabajo y lucho fortalecido por el poder de Cristo que obra en mí.
    — Colosenses 1:28-29 NVI
  • [12] a fin de capacitar al pueblo de Dios para la obra de servicio, para edificar el cuerpo de Cristo. [13] De este modo, todos llegaremos a la unidad de la fe y del conocimiento del Hijo de Dios, a una humanidad perfecta que se conforme a la plena estatura de Cristo.
    — Efesios 4:12-13 NVI
  • [25] Si el Espíritu nos da vida, andemos guiados por el Espíritu.
    — Gálatas 5:25 NVI

4 Resultados

Enfoque en los resultados

¿Qué queremos ver como resultado de nuestro trabajo en la vida y el ministerio de cada líder?

A3 busca los siguientes resultados de nuestro trabajo en la vida y el ministerio de cada participante. Sentimos que tenemos éxito cuando el líder está...

1. Viviendo en una relación de amor con Dios.

Un ministerio eficaz fluye de nuestra relación con Dios, desde adentro hacia afuera. Después de 10 a 15 años en el ministerio, los líderes pueden comenzar a perder su conexión con el Señor - confiando más en sus fortalezas y experiencia. Esto trae problemas y debilita el impacto de su ministerio. En cambio, los líderes que continúan profundizando su amor por Dios se transforman y pueden generar un cambio poderoso en su ámbito de influencia.

2. Creciendo como un líder semejante de Cristo.

Los líderes eficaces que permanecen en Jesús lideran cada vez más como Él. Fluyendo de corazones transformados, exhiben frutos del Espíritu y crecen en semejanza a Cristo. Si los líderes no crecen en semejanza a Cristo, el ministerio puede desviarse y son más susceptibles al estancamiento espiritual y al abuso de poder.

3. Reproduciendo líderes que hacen discípulos.

Los líderes fructíferos dicen: «Síganme como yo sigo a Jesús». Viven esa verdad reproduciéndose en otros y equipando a esos nuevos discípulos para que sigan su ejemplo y hagan más discípulos. Este es el núcleo de la Gran Comisión: hacer discípulos que no solo sigan a Jesús, sino que también hagan más discípulos.

4. Catalizador de movimientos Cristo-céntricos.

Los líderes fructíferos construyen movimientos del Reino para expandir el alcance de sus ministerios. Iniciar nuevas comunidades de testimonio para el crecimiento espiritual, alcanzar y multiplicar, brinda a más personas acceso al poder transformador de Cristo. Lanzar nuevos negocios misionales genera un cambio que honra a Dios. Los movimientos catalizadores hacen avanzar el Reino y generan impulso que transforma a las personas, las familias, las ciudades y los países.

El quinto resultado tácito de lanzar un movimiento de multiplicación de iglesias depende completamente de Dios. Sin embargo, con Su bendición, los primeros cuatro resultados pueden derivar de pasos específicos que toma A3. En otras palabras, hay medidas prácticas que podemos implementar al estructurar nuestro programa para ayudar a lograr estos resultados.

Related Information 

• Redes Internacionales A3
• Líderes de A3
• Processo A3
• Sesiones A3
• Comunidad A3

Changing the few who change the many.

A3 nurtures intentional learning communities to build and sustain Christ's leaders around the world. We are a leader development group that accelerates the capacity of leaders. We equip and unify leaders through a deep learning community, so they experience change from the inside out and hopefully make a significant Kingdom impact.

What does it mean to change the few who change the many?

A3 intentionally focuses on a small number of proven leaders with potential, providing a transformation process that then releases them to change the many. You might ask, "What is a small number of leaders?" A3 creates cohorts of 12-15 leaders, not 25 or 250. Some leader development programs, in an effort to have big results, do offer training for larger groups of leaders. But to us, small is big; less is more...