SIX COMMON THEMES FOR A TRINITARIAN APPROACH TO LEADING MISSIONS

By Joseph W. Handley, Jr.

Polycentric—Why? And, what’s that?¹

As the world grapples with ongoing tensions, polarities, and ever-growing challenges, I am convinced that we need a new approach to leadership. It was this concern that compelled me to study global leadership and see if another form of leadership could prove pivotal to the world in which we lead for this era of God’s mission.

Happy Easter from Asian Access! Joe Handley, current president of Asian Access, joins two of his former predecessors to share Easter greetings for all friends and supporters of Asian Access. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Together, we celebrate our risen Savior, for whom we are all co-laborers.

Polycentric Leadership: a leadership model for a polarized world 

The past thirteen months have been one of the most disruptive seasons in my lifetime. A global pandemic, one of the worst economies of the century, and a divisive political environment were all contributors. We have faced lock downs, loss of incomes and jobs, and the disease itself—as we still do at this time.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
— Hebrews 10:24-25

A2 Prayer Meetings

This past year, our Asian Access family has been meeting monthly for prayer in addition to our online cohorts and those few countries who are actually able to meet in person. In the face of the pandemic, we are learning to live out the wisdom of this passage from Hebrews as we are such a community-driven ministry.

The last few years, the idea of leadership has taken a beating. Whether it’s the critique of “elites” in our cultures or the overuse of the word leadership by various training and educational institutions. In many ways I agree with these concerns and it is why Asian Access does what it does in focusing on Christ, Character, and Servant Leadership.

Today, I mourn the loss of one of my mentors and friends, Jon Wallace. As you'll see in this wonderful tribute by his children (below), Jon was a special man of God.

I am so thrilled to join the board of a great ministry birthed from my home church, ReIGNITE Hope. Several years ago, seeing the plight of the homeless and the prisons of LA, my former colleague Steve Bunyard launched this ministry and now he’s serving with them full time. I joined the board last fall because I’m so proud of what they are doing and because we have a mutual interest in partnership.

Momentum

/mō-ˈmen-təm/ noun
PHYSICS the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity.

This month only, the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication is offering their recent plenary sessions available for free. Asian Access president Joe Handley was asked to share a plenary address on night two and you can watch these sessions here...

Devotional for Day 20            

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch...

Polycentric Leadership: a New Theory for Global Leadership 

As our world struggles with tensions, polarities, and what feel like perpetual challenges, I am convinced that we need a new approach to leadership. This conviction compelled me to study global leadership to see if a new type of leadership might better fit current realities. My reviews of a variety of leadership models brought Polycentrism to my attention....

Over the past eight years I have been researching various aspects of leadership to gain a deeper understanding of how to lead mission movements within the globalized ecosystem in which we now live. This article presents a new theory on polycentric leadership to help missional leaders...

How important is ‘charisma’ to leadership?

I posed this particular question to two national leaders from different countries in South Asia recently. I want to share some of their reflections here. The first leader responded: "Joe...

CHARISMA includes a strong foundation and a strong set of core values. Charisma is more than just having charismatic personality. It involves strength of character, trustworthiness, and a faithful presence. Charisma is vital to effective...

RELATIONSHIP—spending time with one another, getting to know one another, and going beyond just working together—is imperative. Leading well involves a depth of relationship that goes beyond...

COLLABORATION includes working together in a shared participative manner. Effective leaders must be collaborative in their approach, willing to work in team-centered paradigms where...

Leading through COMMUNITY is integral to polycentric leadership. In the fellowship and family-like atmosphere of serving together, leaders gain perspective and insight from one another and are better able to function through...

Self-governance and freedom are crucial for local teams to operate effectively. ENTREPRENEURIAL FREEDOM engenders effective leadership. This is especially true for successful startups that thrive in a culture of risk-taking, entrepreneurship...

Leaders who value and recognize DIVERSITY are able to work across regions, networks, and cultures. The diversity of leadership gifts described in Ephesians 4 is paramount. For diversity to be fully employed within a...

We are gripped with the current protests going on in the U.S. and also now in other countries. With the strain of COVID-19 still evident, the protests against racial injustice have created an important conversation. We welcome this conversation and long to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ lived out in our midst. Yet, during this season, we have a responsibility to report on the mission God has called us to serve—developing leaders who first experience personal transformation and then extend the transforming power of the gospel to those communities around them. We strive to change the few who change the many. And you help us do that!

breakthrough / ˈbreɪkˌθruː /

noun “a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.” – Oxford English Dictionary

At the end of 2019, Silk and I felt led to choose a word that would be the focus for the new year. I had just completed a quasi-sabbatical to finish my dissertation and we were looking forward to what was in store for 2020. And, 2020 was sure to be spectacular: Asian Access was...