For a rapidly growing division like East Global, having additional assistance in the right places is paramount to effective and life-changing ministry. The division, which encompasses East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and South Pacific, has pressed its attention on growing support staff to bring operations and communications throughout each region as well as over the entire East Global Division.

“They’re there to help you with ministry advancement, talent advancement and helping execute all the dreams and plans you have for your divisions, region and country,” said Kathryn Coster, East Global Director of Operations. “We now have six field support managers in different countries at the national levels, and one to two support managers in each region.”

Divisional Vice President, Global East Jin Kang echoes Coster’s benefits of support staff development, adding it’s a big win for everyone to hire smarter to fit the most pressing needs of areas.

Coster shared a few stories of personnel and ministry expansion into new countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia. One country specifically is very missional minded to the unreached, trekking hours by boat and plane to rural villages, bringing the good news of the Gospel along with a soccer ball. A young leader in Southeast Asia is eager to learn more about FCA’s mission and take it back to his home country and begin training local leaders.

What the East Global division has seen come out of this last year among COVID-19 is even more connection, between local leaders in their respective countries, but also staff among the regions. Zoom calls have increased as staff find the online platform a great connector to support one another, share ministry best-practices, and encouragement. It’s even provided the opportunity to reach across cultural barriers, where within some regions, ethnic, religious and geographical borders have kept people from knowing one another.

“It’s a great chance to know you’re not alone in the pandemic, and to celebrate what God is doing,” said Coster. “Our leaders are going to them and saying, ‘We’re the body of Christ; we love each other.’”

East Global has also worked with the U.S. to realign and more deeply connect regions for longer, more effective partnership in prayer, serving and support. It’s creating more clarity within roles and diving into relationship development between staff around the world.

Southeast Asia Regional Vice President William Chang believes linking states and regions together is a strategy to concentrate one state from the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region to one or two countries in Southeast Asia that narrows for deeper ministry impact.

“When we began to connect one state to two of the countries, people get more connected. We’re spending more time with each other and strong bonding develops,” Chang said. “When connections form and friendships are built, it’s no longer, ‘I have to do this,’ but a desire. They want to help a friend in the ministry out. Now, it’s ‘I GET to do this!’ and what a blessing that is.” 

Chang added that the FCA Pray Give Go method makes more sense now, going into areas of ministry where needs and situations are understood, because staff has taken time to get to know one another. “Giving becomes clearer- you know who and the needs. And going makes more sense because you are sending the right people into specific countries.”

The development of global leadership in East Global continues to be about connection, and equipping leaders and support staff in personal ways to effectively understand ministry needs. God is just getting started in the division, and Kang and his team can’t wait to see where He takes the ministry for His glory.

Pray for God to raise up more leaders in East Global and for FCA staff to grow. Pray for key relationships to continue to build, for wisdom and discernment.

Get involved with East Global here and visit fcaworld.org to learn more about what God’s doing around the globe through FCA.

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