Public Statement: For Immediate Release (09.30.07)

Bruce Johnson Assumes Interim Presidency

New Asian Access Leader Continues Mission and Vision of Developing Leaders and Multiplying Churches

SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 | GLENDORA, CALIFORNIA (A2)

Bruce R. Johnson is Asian Access' VP for Leadership Development and becomes Interim President on October 1, 2007.

Bruce R. Johnson is set to become the 4th president of Asian Access. At its June 5 meeting, the Asian Access board named Johnson as Interim President, effective October 1, 2007. Johnson, who joined the organization in 2004, serves as Vice President for Leadership Development. He will carry both roles, and his responsibilities include overseeing the design and implementation of the Asian Access leader development model across twenty countries of Asia.

Johnson said, "I am eager to take on this new role at this time. The mission and vision of Asian Access have crystallized to the point that everyone in this organization understands where God is leading us. We have excellent people in the right places.  But we need more resources to continue moving this ministry forward with momentum across Asia."

The new president has been involved in missions and ministry since 1974.  Before joining the staff of Asian Access he had a full-time consulting practice as a leadership, boards and directional strategies specialist for ministries and churches. He has also served as chief operating officer for Arrow Leadership Ministries and served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Over the past 10 years Johnson has helped design three leadership development ministries. He has developed strategies and programs from the ground up, including serving as interim president for an international ministry, taking it through a leadership transition, redefining its strategic direction and hiring his replacement -- experience that will no doubt benefit him in this latest role. Assignments have taken him throughout North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He is faculty for the North American Arrow Leadership Program and has conducted workshops at the national conventions of U.S. and Canadian Christian ministry associations. In addition, he has authored resources and presented interactive workshops that have trained thousands of Christian leaders. 

Bruce and his wife, Mary, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.  They have two grown sons, Luke, soon to serve with World Harvest Mission in Ireland and Olin, an officer in the U.S. Air Force.  Bruce is an elder in his local church, Christ Covenant (PCA) in Charlotte, NC.

Rev. S. Douglas Birdsall,Asian Access' third president in 40 years steps down after 16 years.

Johnson replaces the current president, Rev. S. Douglas Birdsall, who steps down at the end of today, September 30, 2007.  Birdsall, who became Asian Access President in 1991, is also the Executive Chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE). He cited the need to focus exclusively on the Lausanne movement as the primary reason for stepping down as president of Asian Access.  However, he will continue on as an Asian Access missionary, seconded to LCWE and will also continue as a member of the Asian Access board of directors. The board also has established a search committee and a process to find a permanent replacement. 

Asian Access, based in southern California, assists Asian leaders in the training of exceptional pastoral leaders and multiplying churches. The mission has expanded beyond Japan into several nations across Asia, with plans to establish work in 20 countries by 2012.  Current countries include Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and closed countries whose identity must be guarded. These networks have grown to include hundreds of leading pastors across Asia who have been trained by Asian Access.

Asian Access is a member of Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies (EFMA). 

For more information, log on to www.asianaccess.org.

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Press Contact:
Jeff Johnston, Vice President for Communications
Asian Access | P.O. Box 200 San Dimas, CA 91773 USA
telephone: 626) 914-8990, ext. 240
email: jjohnston-AT-asianaccess.org
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