Supposedly, there are 1,200 organizations doing marketplace ministry. And now A3 makes it 1,201.
A3.business is a great new initiative. And here’s why:
First, it relates to A3's legacy and credibility over 56 years of ministry in Asia. A3 has trained thousands of leaders for their work in the Church. This is not to be underestimated. These leaders are bringing profound transformation into their spheres of leader, family, church, community, and even country.
Take it from Rob Martin, former director of a Christian foundation:
“If you want to change a country by strengthening the Church, look at A3. They do it right.”
Another reason is that A3 is highly experienced in leadership development and coming alongside to produce leaders who would then reproduce additional leaders. The leaders coming out of A3—and those emerging leaders mentored by A3 leaders—are not ordinary.
If there is one thing that is largely wrong today is the lack of leaders with integrity, humility and transparency—regardless of whether we are looking in the Church or outside the Church. We can see this everywhere.
Here’s what encourages me about A3. In its credible 56-year history:
There is sustainability – A3 has been ministering for half a century;
There is a consistent track record of addressing leadership development at the pastoral level, so there is that experience and wisdom;
There are now numerous case studies in leader development that that can be half-stepped over or extended over to the marketplace leaders—that is, the people in a place of leadership more from a Monday through Friday context, than on a primarily Sunday context that many pastors have.
So I think A3 is uniquely positioned to do this well because they understand the pastoral heart. I think it's applicable to not only pastors, but also to marketplace leaders. A3 knows how to come alongside and encourage leader, properly equipping them to produce effective leaders for years.
And A3 understands the today's context and has proven to be culturally relevant wherever they work.
Why is A3.business important in Asia?
It’s not a surprise that people view this century as the century of Asia. From a US perspective, I am aware of few marketplace ministries that have an international reach. For example, Christian Business and Marketplace Connection International (CBMC) started here. There are CBMC chapters all over the world, including Korea where I visit regularly. CRU (formerly Campus Crusade) also has a marketplace ministry that goes outside of the U.S. In terms of A3, because of its history and its legacy in Asia, it makes perfect sense to use that long-sustaining relationship to work within the marketplace.
Please pray for A3 as it expands into the marketplace with A3.business.
David Kim
David D. Kim is an advisor and faculty member for A3.business and former board member of A3. In the marketplace, he is Servant, Mobilizer, Founder of Telos Ventures.
David D. Kim has a corporate finance and corporate law background and has been advising and investing in startups for nearly two decades. David serves faithfully at his church, Menlo Presb. in Silicon Valley as a ruling elder, and is active in the world of global missions in partnership with various agencies. David serves as an advisor and faculty member for A3.business and a former board member of A3, offering expertise and serving as a catalyst to help launch A3.business to empower marketplace leaders.
""There are plenty of ministries to help Christian leaders develop their skills. What sets A3.business apart is a focus on the transformation of a leader’s soul. A3 holds an integrated vision of life and leadership that refuses to separate a person’s calling in the world from his or her communion with Christ. By targeting this deeper level of existence, A3.business equips leaders with a new vision of faithfulness and not merely new tools of effectiveness.""
""There are plenty of ministries to help Christian leaders develop their skills. What sets A3.business apart is a focus on the transformation of a leader’s soul. A3 holds an integrated vision of life and leadership that refuses to separate a person’s calling in the world from his or her communion with Christ. By targeting this deeper level of existence, A3.business equips leaders with a new vision of faithfulness and not merely new tools of effectiveness.""