Here’s What I Saw God Doing in Asia (and Why It Matters)

Two weeks. Five countries. Twelve time zones. And more stories of God at work than I could possibly fit into a single update.

When Peter Hone (our National Director of Development) and I landed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we went straight from the airport to the Man in the Mirror Asia office. Robert Lim—our MIM Asia Director—met us with his board. Before we touched a spreadsheet or an agenda, someone pulled out a guitar, Robert grabbed a tambourine, and these brothers led us in worship. Jet lag faded, and the Lord met two weary travelers right there. Then they surprised me with a biscotti cheesecake for my birthday. It was a small act, but it captured the spirit of MIM Asia: joyful, hospitable, and serious about Jesus.

Malaysia gave me a front-row seat to the fruit of long obedience. Over the last several years, Robert has faithfully built a network of men’s groups across the city—dozens of small bands of brothers meeting around Scripture and our My Journey curriculum (drawn from selected chapters of Pat Morley’s books). Those groups aren’t “tick marks on a page”; they’re real men with real leaders, times, and places. The lesson: the consistent efforts of a faithful man will bear fruit—in Kuala Lumpur, in Orlando, and everywhere in between.

From there we flew south to Surabaya, Indonesia. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and while there’s less overt persecution, there’s real social pressure. Yet the church is vibrant. We met a beautiful, multigenerational coalition: an older statesman named Sindu, a successful businessman named Peter, and a young father named Tim who has stepped up to serve as the MIM leader on the ground. Sindu has been raising up leaders for years; Man in the Mirror provides the practical, relationship-centered content those leaders can use. Peter is underwriting the start so Tim can focus on ministry while he builds a local base of support. The lesson from Indonesia was simple and powerful: when spiritual fathers, generous stewards, and young builders partner together, men’s discipleship accelerates.

Our next stop was in a large Chinese city. Out of respect for brothers and sisters there, I’ll be brief and careful. Christianity can be costly in that context—pastors and believers navigate complex realities with wisdom and courage. Yet what we witnessed was joy. We shared meals, met men who love Christ, and heard how God is using quiet, steady community to form character. The lesson: following Jesus may cost more in some places than others, but the joy of the Lord really is strength. Our role is to pray, encourage, resource wisely, and never take for granted the freedom we enjoy.

In Seoul, South Korea, I encountered something I didn’t expect: a futuristic, highly modern city with deep gratitude for the gospel’s history—and a fresh hunger for practical discipleship. We visited a remarkable prayer park where the entire Bible is etched across a shimmering, wind-stirred wall. In a venerable Presbyterian church, more than 80 leaders came to hear about Man in the Mirror Global, MIM Asia, and how My Journey groups work. When we asked who wanted to participate, about 35 hands shot up. Many stayed for a long Q&A. One man spoke with passion: “I’m tired of being told that if I just pray and fast more, my life will be okay. I need help applying the gospel to my real life.” Heads nodded across pastors and congregants alike. The lesson: men everywhere crave authentic conversations about real issues—marriage, fatherhood, calling, integrity—and they want roadmaps that connect head, heart, and hands.

Finally, Nepal captured my heart. Our MIM Nepal leader, Sher Thapa —who also serves as the national director for Evangelism Explosion—has woven evangelism and discipleship together beautifully: “EE brings men to faith; Man in the Mirror helps them grow.” In Kathmandu and beyond, he’s launched My Journey groups in Nepali (yes, it’s translated!), pastors a small church in a flood-prone slum, and serves with contagious warmth. We worshiped with a congregation where most women sat on one side and men on the other; many husbands work abroad for long stretches to support their families. The economic challenges are real, yet the joy is palpable—complete with choreographed tambourine worship and big smiles.

Before we arrived, we sent a modest gift to help Sher’s church recover after floodwaters ruined their space. With roughly $500, they repainted, replaced the floor, built a small platform, bought their first pulpit and guitar, and placed Nepali Bibles into many hands. Five hundred dollars. Think about that. The lesson from Nepal is twofold: first, small investments can have outsized impact when placed in faithful hands; second, the gospel’s power shines bright where resources are few and dependence on God is great.

Across all five countries, I kept hearing the same heartbeat:

• Men’s issues are men’s issues. Culture shapes the surface; the core is the same—identity, calling, marriage, fatherhood, purity, purpose.
• Relationships change lives. When men meet consistently, speak honestly, memorize Scripture (often haltingly but together!), and hold one another gently accountable, transformation happens.
• Content matters, but not as much as connection. Our My Journey pathway works because it’s biblical, practical, and conversational. It helps men talk about what’s true and then live it.
• Perseverance pays off. What starts as two or three groups becomes 20 and then 50—not through splashy campaigns but through steady faithfulness, leader by leader, city by city.

And here’s why I’m writing.

Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity are multiplying across languages and borders. My Journey is now available in English, Bahasa Indonesian, Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Nepali—with Vietnamese coming online and other translations underway. Behind every translation is a board that worships on Mondays, a young dad saying yes to leadership, a businessman underwriting a launch, a pastor opening his church, and a circle of men showing up every week or two to walk with God together.

I left Asia grateful, humbled, and hopeful. Grateful for faithful partners like Robert, Brian, Sindu, Tim, Peter, Sher, and so many others. Humbled by believers who joyfully endure more than most of us will ever face. Hopeful because I saw, again, that when men pursue Christ together, families change, churches strengthen, and communities flourish.

Thank you for helping make this global work possible. The impact is real, the stories are many, and the best chapters are still being written.