One Belt, One Road… Implications for Mission

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 become for the Gospel’s advance. Christian business leader after Christian business leader were extolling the potential, saying we must capitalize on this moment because the potential is too big to miss! And, the timing is interesting in that the country’s Church has laid an ambitious plan to repay the debt they owe God be sending 20,000 missionaries from their country across these belts and roads by 2030: see Vision 2030 and Asian believers cast vision for massive outreach.

The idea is not without its critiques either: Check out A3's Council of Reference Member and ChinaSource CEO Dr. Brent Fulton’s reflections—One Belt, One Road, One Mission?

Certainly, the extraordinary plan will be something to watch in the upcoming decade. And, regardless of its success, the implications are enormous and worth thinking about. For A2, we will continue coming alongside leaders in this country to fulfill our founders dream, “My Vision is to Empower your Vision!” and one new way we are approaching these throughout various sectors of society is our new business venture. Check it out: A3.business

We used to see our role as exclusively coming alongside emerging young pastors, leaders of leaders who have potential to influence their cities, regions and countries. Now, we realize that in order to fully fulfill our vision, we also must come alongside emerging young leaders in the business sector as well. Together, we aspire to see the Church overcome the “Sacred/Secular Divide” and catalyze a movement “to see a vibrant community of servant leaders… leading the Church across Asia… to unite the Church, multiply leaders and congregations and extend the transforming power of the Gospel.”

Joe Handley

 jhandley@asianaccess.org
 @jwhandley

More Information

• A3.business – A3's leader development for the marketplace

• A3.business article by David Kim: Sense of calling diminished by sacred/secular divide
• McKinsey & Company: China’s One Belt, One Road: Will it reshape global trade?
• Video clip: (6:29)

• Dr. Brent Fulton’s reflections—One Belt, One Road, One Mission?

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Joe Handley

President at A3.business

Dr. Joseph W Handley, Jr. is currently president of A3.business. Joe was born and raised in Southern California. He attended Azusa Pacific University (APU) where he earned a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in Theology. Joe served nine years at APU where he was the founding director of their Office of World Missions and leader of one of the first multi-national high school mission congresses in Mexico City in 1996. The Lord then called him to Rolling Hills Covenant Church in 1998 where Joe served as the Global Outreach Pastor and later the Associate Pastor for Outreach Ministries. In 2008, Joe answered the call of God to become the president of A3, a leader development movement that began in 1967 which launched A3.business in 2015. Recently, Joe completed his Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.

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