GospelRest

In this current age of crisis, we are facing major problems in Japanese homes. Society has a major influence on couples and family sexual morals. Abuse and violence are problems in the home. Our mission is to bring recovery to family relationships and to help families grow in a healthy manner. This society does not create a healthy environment for children. While children are growing, they get caught in the pressure of competitive society and there are many bullying problems at school. These are serious social problems. There are other serious problems, including the use of cell phones and the internet for harming children. Children today are facing these kinds of increasing problems. Adults are at a loss to know how to deal with these problems. We need to review our mission to youth and help children grow up in a healthy manner, cooperating with families and schools. Therefore, we must study the problems at a deeper level and work on cooperating.

* From the Sapporo Declaration of the 5^th Japan Congress of Evangelism

We have some good family news to share with you.  Beth and Dustin are expecting a child in December!  Elaine and I will become grandparents!  The baby is expected just before Christmas. So far Beth is doing very well and dealing with all the changes. We were already planning to go back for Christmas for vacation and family visits so this is great timing.  Elaine plans to stay two more weeks and help out while she does work in the US.  We appreciate your prayers for Dustin, Beth, and the baby as they go through this exciting time in their life.

The Tokyo 2010 consultation was a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the Edinburgh 1910, the first global missions conference. The first conference was historic in many senses and sparks from that first conference continue today. Tokyo 2010 attended from delegates from over 140 countries was modeled after the original Edinburgh conference though this time a majority of the attendees were non-westerners, sending missionaries from anywhere to everywhere.  Tokyo 2010 was the first of four international mission conferences in 2010.  More information including the Tokyo Declaration can be found at www.tokyo2010.org. Thank you for praying for John’s presentation on New Churches in Japan just part of one of 17 seminars one day. From evaluations the seminar was very effective.

In Japan, abuse at home, bullying at school, unemployment problems, drug addiction, and impulsive indiscriminate killings show the increasingly serious problems of society. Moreover, the political right is gaining strength, as can be seen in schools where the national anthem and the national flag are enforced, as well as in the movement to revise the pacifist Constitution. Therefore, mission in Japan is in the midst of severe circumstances. Church members are aging and the number of young people are decreasing. Some pastors are quitting under difficult situations. Some churches have no pastors or are being closed. The influence of cults and the occurrence of various kinds of harassment are intensifying in the church.

* From the Sapporo Declaration of the 5^th Japan Congress of Evangelism