Our God, Eager to Save

Posted January 10, 2010

Tomohisa had reached a coveted status in Japan’s vertically-ordered society: medical doctor. Along with the status came wealth, which he used to buy the affection of women…and lots of booze. His selfishness blinded... [Read More]

The Humbled Tsunami

Posted December 2, 2011

When the warning sirens went off, residents in a south Sendai neighborhood fled to the local school. Together with panicked children still in class they climbed to the rooftop. Some 600 altogether... [Read More]

Japanese Get "Bach" Hope

Posted September 21, 2011

Who would have thought Bach would be involved in 21st century mission work in Japan? I have frequently read with interest of the strong connection between classical music (particularly J.S. Bach) and Japanese interest... [Read More]

Tsunami Ground Zero

Posted April 7, 2011

I still haven't returned from tsunami ground zero. That is to say, although I've been back several days already, the reality of the scene is still with me. The incredible amounts of mud in once beautiful homes... [Read More]

"Nice Try, Kevin" File

Posted February 9, 2011

This one goes into the "Nice try, Kevin" file. I just thought it was a nice-looking bunch of flowers in the storefront and, on the spur of the moment, decided Kaori deserved to enjoy them. Chrysanthemums, however, are... [Read More]

The Gulliver Complex

Posted November 9, 2007

I'm a giant again. Well, not really. But it sure feels like it again since returning from the States. The first sign was bumping my head in the shuttle bus from the airport. By habit, I normally duck my head through any... [Read More]

Foreigners Don't Get the Point

Posted January 31, 2010

I'm standing in line at a drugstore with other shoppers. The woman in front of me has just pulled out a business card file. Hurriedly she flips through at least a hundred or more cards searching for the right one. It's a... [Read More]

More Powerful than Bombs

Posted July 5, 2008

Fuchida grew up loving his native Japan and hating the United States, which treated Asian immigrants harshly in the first half of the twentieth century. Fuchida attended a military academy, joined Japan's... [Read More]

Ready?

Posted September 14, 2010

I'd been putting it off. Although I knew it was important, taking inventory of our earthquake and disaster gear just wasn't getting done. Japan rests along the "ring of fire" in the Pacific ocean, a stretch of area that is... [Read More]

150 Years Later

Posted March 17, 2009

This spring marks the 150th anniversary of Protestant Christianity in Japan. The first protestant missionaries set foot in the port of Yokohama back in 1859. Now they were real church planters -- overcoming all... [Read More]

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I for Japan. Japan for the World. The World for Christ. And All for the Glory of God.

— Kanzo Uchimura, Japanese Evangelist

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Rambling Notes from Japan

Here are some blog posts that we hope will make you feel a part of things, and help you understand how to pray better for us and Japan. Please see our external blog in Blogger, if this page does not display correctly.

Beautiful Harmony

Have you heard about Japan's BIG CHANGE? It's a new era! Emperor Akihito has abdicated. His son, Naruhito, succeeded him to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1st. Along with this imperial change, the Japanese calendar is reset to Year 1, Day 1. Heisei Era gives way to the new "Reiwa" Era. "Reiwa" means "beautiful harmony." The Japanese have decided that beauty
[Read More of this Post]



On a Wing and a Prayer

Legend has it in Japan that a prayer can be answered when a 1000 origami paper cranes are folded and strung together. So today, on the 8th anniversary of 311, in community centers, temporary housing and public schools throughout northern Japan, chains of a 1000 origami cranes are displayed, the tedious effort of hundreds of fingers. Their prayer is simply this: "Recovery, restoration, and return
[Read More of this Post]



Tiny Chapel Designs

The tiny house craze may be the new thing in the States, but it is a common thing in urban Japan. Everyone's house is already a tiny house. With MuKo, we've been reminded of this once again.With the land purchase completed, and builder contracted, the last few months has involved us working on the design aspects of the church facility for MuKo. We've learned a bit over the
[Read More of this Post]



Japanese Puzzler

Here’s a JAPANESE PUZZLE BOX for you: (brought to you by the space constraints of urban Japan.) We returned back in Kawasaki to a completely dead car. It turns out that power locks don’t open without marginal battery power. But without being able to unlock the car, there is no way to open the hood and recharge the battery. WHAT TO DO? Use the hideaway key in the key fob to open a manual lock
[Read More of this Post]



UNFINISHED

Musashi-Kosugi, Japan  (new church plant location) I had no idea things would pile up so fast. Wasn’t it just Christmas? In the thick of church outreach activities, message prep, meetings, people needs, and countless Bible studies, I ignored the growing stack of unfinished work on my desk. “I’ll get around to all that when things settle down after Christmas,” I figured. But the stack
[Read More of this Post]



A "Barky" New Year?

Wan Wan!     Ah, 2018. The year has only begun and it's already going to the dogs! Today, January 1st  (1/1), can be pronounced “wan-wan” in Japanese. “Wan-wan” happens to be the way that dogs bark in Japan. (And all this time you thought they said “woof-woof,” right?) Perhaps it’s appropriate that the year begins with a couple barks.
[Read More of this Post]



Central Reason & Theme

They must have felt the curious stares of a thousand kimono-clad Japanese as they stepped off the ships at Yokohama port (photo today at left) in conspicuous western dresses and suitcoats. I wonder if the first Protestant missionaries to Japan didn’t silently ask themselves the question... "What am I doing here again?" It wasn’t really the ships that brought them in 1859. Just like it wasn’t
[Read More of this Post]



Powerless!

I felt ridiculous. A white foreigner in Japan, shirt stained with engine grease, standing next to my disabled vehicle, in the traffic lane, waving an emergency flare. Only a police car’s flashing lights could have drawn more attention to my predicament. Oh, wait...he stopped by, too. Sigh... Last week, what was intended to be a family break along the Yokohama bay, turned into a frightening breakdown
[Read More of this Post]



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We serve with WorldVenture, an evangelical faith mission. Our sending/home church is Cornerstone Church of Lansing, Illinois.
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