Pan Asia (MNN) — Asian Access is expanding its leadership training program with the April launch of its fresh “Pan Asia Leader Development Program”.
New Development Program
The new program helps develop younger leaders in a context that will help them best serve their churches and countries.
“Pan Asia is unique in that the cohort will be formed by participants from different countries, representing different countries and cultures. For an example, we will have two participants from Japan and [two participants from] other Asian countries, and we create one cohort,” Asian Access’ Thilini DeVisser shares.
Thilini DeVisser (Photo Courtesy of Asian Access)
The leaders joining this program, however, are individuals who are already effectively leading in their own contexts. In fact, all participants are graduates of Asian Access’ A2 Leader Development program within their given countries.
But this new program gives these leaders the chance to interact with leaders from other countries, get a more global view of how God is at work in Asia, and provide different objectives than the core program.
“And so by the end of it, you have participants with really an expanded worldview, and expanded theological understanding of how God is working in the world. And that is very exciting,” DeVisser says.
Shifting Asia
Plus, with technology, the world has grown a lot smaller. Not to mention younger generations seem more prone to global travel than previous generations. People are now more connected than ever. And this program focuses on developing the next generation of leaders specifically for this global context.
“I think it’s necessary for church leaders to have this exposure, to have a more global understanding,” DeVisser shares.
Pan Asia Leader Development Program in session (Photo Courtesy of Asian Access)
Furthermore, a lot of Asian countries are seeing their populations grow younger. Young people now make up a large percentage of the populations where Asian Access is operating. For example, DeVisser says more than 50 percent of people are under the age of 35 in Cambodia.
With changes both in technology, global accessibility, and larger younger populations, DeVisser says the way people think and the conversations being had in churches are also changing. And leaders needed to be equipped to engage with these shifts.
“I do think it’s really important that we really invest and give the next generation leaders a really good understanding theologically, and even providing necessary platforms for them to have the exposure that they need in order to interact with those conversations,” DeVisser explains.
Be Prayerful, Be Active
As Asian Access helps train these leaders in a global context, pray for them. Pray for participants to be stretched, for opportunities, and for the countries which participants travel among to become their classroom.
Pray also for the program since it’s relatively new and for protection of the participants.
Want to get involved?
Find more info about Asian Access’ Pan Asia Leader Development program here!
