A Silver Lining in 2020's Dark Clouds

What a year this has been!  As most of us look back on 2020, I’m sure it’s been challenging—whether it’s the impact of COVID-19, the economic collapse or the ongoing polarization in our society and world. It often feels crazy to me. One of the silver linings in the dark clouds of this year for us at Asian Access though is the blessing of going digital. I’m sure you’ve heard of our Digital Platform project and the corresponding matching gift by now. Through your participation, we’ve been able to start three new countries in what we are calling a soft launch. In one of those countries, we are starting both our pastor and business cohorts simultaneously... 

Happy New Year, Friends!

Looking forward, it's an exciting year as we enter this new decade. 2020 is ahead of us folks and I am super excited because a lot is on the horizon....{addthis off}

There is no greater Return on Investment than discipleship and investing in other people.
– Mike Duke (former CEO of Walmart) 

A few weeks ago, Asian Access had a wonderful gathering in Tokyo with marketplace leaders. Edwin Keh, former Senior Vice President at Walmart and Professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania joined us utilizing a 4-hour video interview he conducted with Mike Duke, quoted above. They taught on discipleship as an opening topic for the orientation and launch of Asian Access/Business (known as A2.business) for Japan. As Mike’s quote suggests, far more than his investment in...{addthis off}

Yesterday I posted that I recently sat down to interview Terry Looper about his new book SacredPace which was released on February 26. It’s a book laying out several great principles that align with our core focus at Asian Access. I know you’ll enjoy the book. You can learn more about it here: Sacred Pace. And I had shared two clips from my interview with Terry Looper here, but these are two additional clips that I want you to see... {addthis off}

Recently, I was able to interview Terry Looper about his new book SacredPace being released today on February 26. It’s a book laying out several great principles that align with our core focus at Asian Access. I know you’ll enjoy the book. You can learn more about it here: Sacred Pace. Here are a couple clips from our interview that I want to share with you. Terry talks about his relationship with God highlighting some of the themes from the book. It’s a terrific reflection on Asian Access first outcome, Living in a Love Relationship with God. Enjoy! I hope it inspires your walk with Jesus... {addthis off}

Haslam on the mystery of God weaving together his tapestry of our lives

Most recently we had the privilege of interviewing Governor Bill Haslam, who recently finished his term as Governor of the state of Tennessee. Pastor Scott Sauls from Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville did a remarkable job of interviewing the Governor. And, the wisdom flowing from Governor Haslam was immense. Here are a few brief video snapshots of our interview in which the Governor speaks about God’s Tapestry. I’m sure you’ll enjoy watching these brief clips and learning from them...{addthis off}

Happy New Year from Asian Access!

Hear from President Joe Handley as we look ahead to 2019 seeing how the Lord might be directing our movement. Building on breakthroughs in 2018, the horizon looks bright...{addthis off}

Reflections from David Kim

A journey that began four years ago as a half step, an R&D effort, is bearing fruit with vibrant communities in the marketplace and among entrepreneurs in Asia with several potential new country launches on the horizon.

Facing Today's Unique Challenges

We are living through a season where there is more and more change, hate and reactionary times. The set of circumstances and events that challenge every believer and church lead many followers of Jesus to ask, “Why Lord?” {addthis off}

Graduation & Traction in Seoul

A2.business has graduated its second cohort in South Korea, and the traction that is gaining in the marketplace there for missional leaders is exciting! The cohort calls itself “Barnabas” because they develop lifelong relationships in which they encourage each other to be Christ-like leaders who multiply disciples in the marketplace. For the final session of “Barnabas 2” Phil Foxwell,... {addthis off}

A few weeks ago, renown venture capitalist Promod Haque shared with one of our A2 cohorts for marketplace leaders. What a profound week we had learning together! Promod prompted some significant dialog and conversation as he shared his own life story and how he integrates the Bible and Christian worldview into his life, business, and philanthropy. My colleague Elliott Snuggs who has been spearheading our work with A2.biz as we call it shared the following...

A2.business trains leaders to work in the marketplace

East Asia (MNN) — Asian Access has been training pastors and Christian leaders for over three decades in 12 countries with great success. Their programs set up small groups of pastors to take classes that promote Christlikeness at home, at work, and in their daily lives. “This model of developing pastoral leaders through a cohort program has been very successful in developing Christlike leaders who have a vision to reach their cities and transform their communities,” said Brother Jake. “With this being so successful, Asian Access came up with the idea that the same program could be run for business leaders as well, and that’s how A2.business has come about.” Brother Jake is a regional coordinator of Asian Access in his country, and he hopes the program will do the same thing for the business world of East Asia that it did for ministry. In fact, the two systems are so similar they even have the...

Not long ago I was in Hong Kong and the talk of the town was China’s One Belt, One Road plan to catalyze business ventures across Asia and into Europe. For those of you never hearing of the idea, check out this interview by McKinsey & Company: China’s One Belt, One Road: Will it reshape global trade? It’s certainly a breathtaking economic initiative and many wonder if it’ll come to fruition because of the massive infrastructure costs it will take to pull everything together. One thing we can say, China is ambitious! For me, the talk was all about how important this enterprise will...

Our capstone day for Asian Access Jubilee in Jakarta focused on the perfect theme: The Future is Now!

Dr Ajith Fernando led us in another in-depth devotional focusing on one of the core components to the fruitfulness of Asian Access. He called it "Spiritual Parenthood" but others may call it mentoring or discipleship. It was a powerful metaphor for me given the history and trajectory of our week. You see, Asian Access holds something unique for an organization. Every leader we’ve had within the movement invests in me as the next generation leader. They stand beside me, behind me and support me along the way...

A2.business Enterprise: Starship Log – Entry 2017-0321-09:33

I grew up watching the TV series, Star Trek. I was recently reminded of the opening of that show at a session of A2.business in South Asia. Star Trek opened every show with Captain James T. Kirk saying,

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

After spending the weekend together one of the CEO’s shared this A2.business group...

2017 holds a lot of promise for us this next year. Asian Access is really thrilled with what’s in store, and I'm excited to just share with you a few of those ventures that are upcoming. First and foremost is our 50th anniversary—our Jubilee in Jakarta. I hope you'll join us for that. As a part of that celebration, we're showcasing a new series, and their first volume will come out in Jakarta called, "Eastern Voices". We’ll share more with you about that soon. We will be opening the country of the Philippines, and we're exploring several new countries. Many of them are unreached areas for the gospel; some of them are completely closed to the Gospel's advance...

“I’m bullish on Asian Access for 2017.” is what I told our Japan board just a few weeks ago. Traveling around Japan the last few months have been nothing short of inspiring. God is doing something new and it’s exciting to live in Japan during this unique moment of opportunity. For a tiny glimpse, not even a tip of the iceberg, check out this post I recently made: Hope is Rising. Beyond this, Asian Access is opening our 12th country on January 17-20: the Philippines. The National Church is looking to unify and invited us in to help foster that unification and they have a God-sized church planting goal for 2020 which they believe we can help with. Praise God! Over and above, we just opened a new region in...

What a thrill to be part of a new venture with Asian Access. A few weeks ago we graduated our first group of business leaders in South Korea and last weekend, we launched the first group in South Asia. The quintessential message of this venture is a focus on God verses Self. As Daniel Fong, Founder and Teacher of Million Dollar Baby, suggested: “Life on earth is an Epic Battle between a Focus on God or a Focus on Us!” Daniel co-taught with renowned author and thought leader Skye Jethani highlighting much of what Skye addresses in his book With. I would highly recommend this book as Skye so compellingly articulates one of the most important core values of Asian Access: ALL IN with God! Time and time again, we are tempted to...

In God’s kingdom our work becomes a manifestation of his love for the world.
— Skye Jethani

I was inspired by this recent quote from my friend Skye Jethani. If you don’t read his devotionals, they are fantastic. This one is linked here. They are not free but very affordable! I firmly believe this and it’s why Asian Access has jumped into the business space to help develop marketplace leaders... 

Continuing to prototype its A2.business ministry to marketplace leaders in Seoul, South Korea. Just recently 9 CEOs and entrepreneurs gathered for the second ever A2.business session. In session two, the nine participants wrestled with the second outcome: becoming a Christ-like leader. In particular, this session...

"There's a desperate need today for business leaders to become Christ-like transformational leaders. That's where A2's marketplace training fills a strategic niche. A2.business is building on a proven track record in empowering leaders for over 35 years. Now they are investing in business leaders who want to transform their communities and nations."