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.

Easter Kids Outreach

Chocolate eggs and easter bunnies aren't unique to America. The "whipped cream" part of most American holidays have found their way to Japan. Easter goodies can be found in department stores here with very little searching. The Christian meaning of the holiday is completely lost on Japanese kids. What an opportunity for the church in Japan to introduce the resurrection story! We really enjoyed having
[Read More of this Post]



Bath or Baptism? (Part 2)

We had a great celebration today. I was privileged to baptize one of the young believers in our church, brand new in his faith and eager to use his life for God's glory. Baptisms in Japan, let alone decisions for Christ, are still too few and far between. The challenge of reaching even a small percentage of this country for Christ has been one that deeply discourages many a missionary. Recently I read
[Read More of this Post]



WANTED: God's Light in the Dark Places

The change with Daylight Savings Time is probably a good time to be reminded of the many countries that remain in darkness. I am speaking, of course, of spiritual darkness. Japan would certainly rank among them. Its tiny, struggling church (less than 0.5%) faces the overwhelming task of being a light to the remaining 99.5%, or 126.5 million people in the country. Missiologists will tell you that believers
[Read More of this Post]



Bath or Baptism?

You have to be creative as a Baptist church planter in Japan. There aren't a whole lot of options for a baptism, particularly this time of year. We've no church facility yet with a baptismal. Outdoor pools aren't going to work in early spring either, even if one had exclusive access. Rivers and lakes are out. The best we could come up with was using another church facility and a borrowed tub. But even
[Read More of this Post]



Vending Machines in Japan

Estimates suggest there are 5.6 million vending machines, which works out to be one for every 20 people in Japan! If you are hungry, for a few coins in a slot, you have a choice of quite a range of hot food like hamburgers, french fries, hot dogs and dumplings. Are you in a rush to get to work or school? How about having some soup from a Cup-a-Noodle machine on the way? In less than three minutes you
[Read More of this Post]



Bowling Japan Style

Once in a while it's important to come together as church family for something fun. Seeing each other outside of the church context can be a healthy change. Today ten of us got together for a bowling and dinner party. Our home is a stone's throw from one of the largest bowling alley's in Kanagawa, so the place was a easy choice.We discovered that none of us has much of a latent talent in this sport.
[Read More of this Post]



Tiny Spaces

We are thankful for the house in Kawasaki our mission has purchased for us to live in. But there is one tiny problem: it's TINY. As with all Japanese urban living, it offers VERY compact living space. Some might say a little too snug for comfort. But as the picture on our wall says, "With love, even the smallest house can become a mansion."But sometimes because of the tiny space, one wonders what to
[Read More of this Post]



Thanks from Navotas to Denen

Although the church in Japan is a fraction of the size of those in neighboring Asian countries, Japanese Christians are blessed with economic resources. We been trying to encourage our church to look at the needs of their fellow brothers and sisters in Asia. This Christmas we were able to send eight large boxes of clothing, toys, and gifts to a church in the Philippines that ministers to a squatter
[Read More of this Post]



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7-30 Imaikami-cho, Nakahara; Kawasaki,
Kanagawa JAPAN 211-0067
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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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