We believe God has already appointed leaders to each area of the world. Our vision is a partnership between those leaders and those serving in other parts of the world where each serves in unity lending the assets and abilities each possesses. Our mission is to identify gifted leaders engaged in holistic ministry and support them in unity. The heart of holistic ministry is meeting physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter with sharing the gospel; the grace of giving joins the sharing of the message.

Leadership

We seek partnership with indigenous leaders for model ideas, ideals and impact. By idea we mean that our partners have ideas relevant to their community, not those adopted from the West. By ideals we mean that our partners demonstrate the highest integrity. By impact we mean that we work with proven leaders with a record of accomplishment. We partner with those who use help ministries to change lives for the better.

Partnership

Partnership is informed unity. It is deeply modeled and encouraged in scripture. The goal is not for one to help another but for both to become more powerful in service to the Lord: The church must be seen as the base from which mission moves out into the world.

Holistic/Incarnational Ministry

Those involved in holistic incarnation ministry emulate Christ by serving in relationship with those in need, rather than solely preaching to them. “Evangelism, and even the notion of mission itself, has sometimes been reduced to words we share with another person, telling them about Jesus, salvation or eternal life. Words are important, but they’re also cheap,” writes Chris Heuertz and Christine Pohl in Friendships at the Margins. “If we use words and get words in response, sometimes we think we’ve done mission or evangelism. Ministry among poor and vulnerable people reminds us that words are rarely enough . . . they need to see what love looks like.”

Serving as part of a Movement

A movement requires gifted people with a known goal sharing a common vision, values, ideas and assets. It occurs when the lost are connected to Jesus life-changing discipleship, a multiplication of leaders takes place, and those involved are generating the resources they need to be effective. Asia Rising will be a movement, unconstrained by organization structure and positional leadership. Rather gifted leaders will act freely within the limited confines of our mission, vision and values.

Humility

To serve effectively and in compliance with the bible we must serve with humility. “Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less”, as C. S. Lewis so memorably said. It is no longer always noticing yourself and how you are doing and how you are being treated. Serving with Local Leadership Church planting in Asia must take place within its own cultural and sociological environment. The Church planting school will help students be cognizant of and equipped to plant churches in midst of these realities.

Contextual Theology

Contextual theology is applying the truth of the Bible to social realities. It is simply “faith seeking understanding.” Refusal to engage with the local culture and to bring about a change will only result in the Church becoming a westernized alien model to our people or a highly syncretized extra biblical community. The Church in Asia cannot abandon the local culture but rather should be committed to using it as a vehicle to communicate biblical truths.

Focusing on Reconciliation

It is love that is the true evidence that we belong to Jesus Christ. The command to love one another has been seriously violated within our communities today – ugly competition within the body of Christ has been a barrier keeping unbelievers in Asia from considering the claims of Jesus Christ. Asia Rising will encourage national unity and reconciliation within the Christian community in each participating Asian country.

Featuring Prayer

We believe with Dr. Robert Coleman: “Prayer is striking the winning blow, and evangelism is the gathering of the harvest” We have big dreams, bigger than any one individual or one church can complete in their lifetime. This is a God-sized dream, which requires, godly men and women of faith and prayer who will plant healthy, reproducible, Churches across Asia.