Joseph W. Handley, Jr.

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Joseph W. Handley, Jr.
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Born
Southern California, United States
NationalityAmerican
OccupationMission executive, educator, author
TitlePresident and CEO of A3
Spouse(s)Vasilka "Silk" Handley
Children3
Websitepolycentricleadership.com

Joseph W. Handley, Jr. is an American mission executive, scholar, author, and global leadership catalyst. He is best known as the President and CEO of A3 (formerly Asian Access), a Christian leadership development movement focused on empowering indigenous leaders to initiate Christ-centered movements across Asia and beyond. A pioneer of polycentric mission leadership, Handley has devoted his life to nurturing leaders who will transform their communities and the world through the gospel.

Early life and education

Joseph Handley was born and raised in Southern California, USA. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (1987) and a Master of Arts in Religion and Theology (1993) from Azusa Pacific University[1] where he also met his wife Vasilka ("Silk"). He later completed a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies with a concentration in Global Leadership (2020) from Fuller Theological Seminary, [2] with a dissertation titled Polycentric Mission Leadership.

Career

Azusa Pacific University (1989-1998)

Handley's ministry journey began at Azusa Pacific University, where he became the founding director of the Office of World Mission. In this role, he mobilized thousands of students annually for global mission engagement and led major mission congresses - including one of the first multi-national high school mission events in Mexico City in 1996.[3]

Rolling Hills Covenant Church (1998-2008)

In 1998, Handley transitioned to Rolling Hills Covenant Church in California, where he served as Global Outreach Pastor and later as Associate Pastor for Outreach Ministries. There he oversaw the church's $7 million global missions budget, led large-scale disaster relief efforts (including Hurricane Katrina, and helped develop partnerships in over 70 countries.[4]

A3 / Asian Access (2008-present)

In July 2008, Handley became the fourth president of A3 (Asian Access). Under his leadership, A3 expanded beyond Japan to multiple countries across Asia and launched several key initiatives:

  • A2.business – empowering marketplace leaders for kingdom impact[5]
  • Nozomi Project – a social enterprise aiding disaster survivors in Japan by teaching them to make broken pottery jewelry[6][7]
  • Pan Asia Leader Development - A continent-wide leader multiplication platform[8][9]

A3 additionally played a notable role in relief and spiritual recovery following Japan’s 2011 tsunami.[10][11] He also helped facilitate A3's inclusion in strategic partnerships recognized by Missio Nexus and publications such as *A Disruptive Generosity*.[12]

Today, A3 works to equip, unify, and multiply Christ-like leaders for mission movements across the globe, particularly in high-impact regions of Asia and the Global South.

Polycentric Mission Leadership

Handley is a leading voice in the global conversation around polycentric leadership - a model of leadership that emphasizes distributed influence, mutual submission, and collaborative authority. His doctoral work at Fuller Seminary laid the foundation for his widely respected book:

  • Polycentric Mission Leadership (Regnum Press, 2022) - explores how leadership functions across diverse cultural and geographical centers fo influence.[13][14] His book of the same name was published in 2022 by Regnum Press.

He continues to write, teach, and speak globally on the topic, advocating for leadership models that reflect the global nature of the Church in the 21st century

Academic and missional influence

Handley is a Global Catalyst for Leadership Development with the Lausanne Movement,[3] a faculty member at Fuller Seminary[15], and a tutor with the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. He regularly teaches at theological institutions and global forums and serves on boards including:

  • BliblcalTraining.org[16]
  • ReIGNITE Hope[17]
  • DualReach (Advisor)[18]

https://www.asiamissions.net

He has delivered keynote lectures at the Evangelical Missiological Society[19], Asia Missions Association[20], Missio Nexus[21], and more. His work has appeared in journals such as Global Missiology, Evangelical Review of Theology, and International Bulletin of Mission Research.

Selected publications

  • Polycentric Mission Leadership (2022)
  • Leading Well in Times of Disruption (Langham, 2024, co-editor)
  • "The Great Collaboration: Catalyzing Disciple-Making for the Global Church" - Evangelical Review of Theology (2023)
  • "Digi-Learning during COVID-19" - Global Missiology (2021)
  • “Leader Development and Orality” – *Mission Frontiers* (2014)
  • “From Generation to Generation” – *Lausanne Global Analysis* (2023)

A full list of his academic work is available via Google Scholar,[22] ResearchGate,[23] and Academia.edu.[24]

Awards

  • Excelerate Award for Excellence in Mission Communications – Missio Nexus (2019)[25]
  • Excelerate Award for Partnership in Mission – Missio Nexus (2012)
  • Recognized in Today's All-Star Missions Churches by ACMC/Baker Books (2201)[26]

Personal life

Handley met his wife Vasilka ("Silk") at Azusa Pacific University. They married in 1990 and have three adult children: Rebecca (married to Lowell), Rachel (married to Quan), and John, who resides in London. The family has lived and ministered in Los Angeles, Istanbul, and Tokyo. Handley currently resides in Torrance, California.[27]

References

  1. ↑ Jon Wallace (2016). "Class Notes". APU Life. Azusa, CA: Azusa Pacific University.
  2. ↑ "Joseph W. Handley Jr. - Author Bio". Langham Literature. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Joseph W Handley, Jr. - Lausanne Movement". Lausanne Movement. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Rolling Hills Ponders Ways to Meet Needs in Congo". Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  5. ↑ "Asian Access". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  6. ↑ "Shards of Hope: Jewelry made from pottery broken by Japan's tsunami". Treehugger. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  7. ↑ "Nozomi Project founder reflects at 9th anniversary of disaster". Asian Access. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  8. ↑ "Asian Access and SIM USA Partner to Send More Church-Planting Missionaries to Japan" (Press release). Asian Access. 2011-11-11. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  9. ↑ Mary Kay Palguta (2012). "New Dawn in the Land of the Rising Sun". eXcelerate. Missio Nexus.
  10. ↑ "Tsunami Aftermath: Second Chances in Japan". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  11. ↑ "Asian Access". Japan Harvest Magazine. Japan Evangelical Missionary Association. 2014. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  12. ↑ Mac Pier (2017). A Disruptive Generosity. Baker Books. pp. 23–27. ISBN 978-1-4934-1232-7.
  13. ↑ Tom Steffen (2011). The Facilitator Era. Wipf and Stock. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-60899-537-0.
  14. ↑ "Polycentric Mission Leadership". Retrieved 2025-04-17.
  15. ↑ "Joe Handley". Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  16. ↑ "BiblicalTraining.org". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  17. ↑ "ReIGNITE Hope". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  18. ↑ "DualReach". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  19. ↑ "Evangelical Missiological Society". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  20. ↑ "Asia Missions Association". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  21. ↑ "Missio Nexus". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  22. ↑ "Joseph Handley Google Scholar Publications". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  23. ↑ "Joseph Handley ResearchGate". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  24. ↑ "Joseph Handley Fuller Academy". Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  25. ↑ "SIM/Asian Access Honored". MNN Online. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  26. ↑ Tom Telford (2001). Today's All-Star Missions Churches. Baker Books. pp. 145–146. ISBN 0-8010-6381-7.
  27. ↑ "Joseph Handley". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2020-05-21.

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