Seth Kim, regional director for East Asia at the Lausanne Movement and co-founder of Arise Asia, recently shared in the Lausanne Movement podcast how a new generation across East Asia is rising with a renewed hunger for the gospel. Drawing from the legacy of the Student Volunteer Movement, Kim described how Arise Asia is equipping young people to lay down their lives for missions and bring the gospel to places where it has never been heard.
Kim and his wife founded Harvest Mission Community Church (HMCC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1996, initially focusing on reaching college students. In 2015, they moved to Hong Kong to plant HMCC of Hong Kong. The church now ministers actively at six of the eight government-recognized universities in the city.
Reflecting on ministry to youth, Kim highlighted a major challenge: many churches try to mimic the world in order to appeal to young people. In his view, this is not only ineffective but also misdirected. We won't be able to compete with the entertainment and distractions of the world, Kim said. Instead, he urged Christians to offer what the world cannot—something truly supernatural and transcendent, emphasizing the need to recover a sense of awe and mystery in the church that draws young people into a deeper encounter with God.
In an age of AI and hyper-digitalization, Kim noted that young people are increasingly seeking authenticity and truth. We have what they're looking for—if we're truly living for Christ, he said. He challenged churches not to settle for surface-level engagement, such as merely involving young people in weekly meetings or worship teams. Instead, he believes they must be called to a higher purpose: to live for something greater than themselves. Kim sees this desire for purpose reflected in the way many young people embrace causes and social movements. "We have the greatest cause: to go and make disciples of all nations," he said, urging church leaders to preach the whole truth and challenge youth to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel.
In many churches, young believers grow up loving the church but lack a strong connection to missions. His advice is to immerse them in global missions work. Today's young people, he said, are global citizens—deeply aware of what is happening around the world. By involving them in missions, they come to see that the gospel is not only about proclamation but also about demonstration—about reaching people in both suffering and prosperity with a message that transcends circumstance. If we can help them see this, they won't just be involved in youth group or discipleship conferences—they'll become part of what God is doing globally, he said.
This vision is at the heart of Arise Asia, a missions movement Kim co-founded in 2023. The initiative seeks to inspire young adults across Asia and beyond to bring the gospel to those who have never heard it. The movement continues the legacy of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions (SVM), which was launched in 1886 to mobilize university students in the United States for overseas missions. Kim recounted that in that early movement, 251 students gathered at Mount Hermon for Bible study and left with a commitment to global missions. D.L. Moody challenged people to give their lives to missions; 100 gave their lives for cross-cultural missions. Ultimately, the SVM sent over 20,000 young missionaries around the world.
There was a generation of young people in history who longed for God and wanted to experience Him—while also recognizing the urgency of bringing the gospel to places where it had not yet been heard. Kim believes that God is doing something similar now in Asia. This conviction was a key motivation behind the launch of Arise Asia.
The idea for Arise Asia was born in 2019 over a conversation between Kim and David Ro at a Starbucks. They noted that many missionaries had been deeply shaped by the Urbana student missions conference in North America—but there was no similar gathering in Asia. In 2022, during the Asia World Congress in Bangkok, the idea took firmer shape as various leaders discussed the potential of mobilizing youth for missions.
Later that year, two Chinese churches donated $50,000 to initiate the movement. Arise Asia was formally launched, and by July 2023, the first major conference was held. The event drew 1,800 participants from 37 nations across Asia. Kim described it as a powerful encounter with God and a unifying moment for the Asian church. Many students were deeply moved and returned home to share the vision with their leaders, he said.
Since then, momentum has grown, and Arise Asia has expanded into 20 cities across nine countries. At these gatherings, participants are challenged to consider where the gospel has yet to be heard—and to respond. Kim noted that about 15–20% of attendees at each conference express a willingness to go to unreached areas. He emphasized that a mission doesn't always require traveling thousands of kilometers. For example, in Bangladesh—where over 90% of the population is Muslim and there is tremendous ethnic and linguistic diversity—sharing the gospel within the country itself can be a cross-cultural experience.
While enthusiasm is growing, Kim acknowledged that the movement faces challenges. Chief among them is building unity across different churches and organizations. Divisions, denominational barriers, and competition often hinder collaboration. To address this, Arise Asia brings together leaders from various denominations and networks to cast a shared vision. The message is clear: the movement is not about taking over existing work but about connecting what is already happening and offering a broader platform for cooperation.
A key phrase they use is "locally rooted, globally connected." Kim emphasized that Arise Asia doesn't aim to replace or duplicate local efforts but rather to amplify them through global partnerships. Backed by relationships with groups like Lausanne, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), and the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), Arise Asia serves as a bridge linking local youth movements to the wider missions world.
Kim noted that many of the challenges they face can be worked through by building trust and relationships. As leaders observe their lives, work alongside them, and are invited to the table—not just to participate but to lead—trust begins to grow. "We're just here to serve," Kim said. "And we've already seen some good fruit come out of that."
To young leaders, Kim offers this charge: "Don't live for yourself—live for Jesus and his Kingdom." Quoting John 12:24, he reminded them that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone. "But if it dies, it produces many seeds," he said. He encouraged youth to dream of a future in which every tribe, tongue, and nation gathers before the throne to worship Jesus. "That's the greatest thing we can live for."
