Decades ago “Japan didn’t need answers; Japan was the answer” as the article said. The Japan which was an envy of the world is not working and becoming loathsome to the Japanese. The global decline in the economy hit Japan twice as hard than the US. Besides the overall economic situation, recently the Prime Minister quit and another one took his place. Last month’s elections proved that people are unhappy with the lack of progress. One of our friends close to some legislators agrees with us that there is not much short of a crisis that will change the situation. Michael Schuman asserts, “And yet no one in Japan is doing very much about it.” In a place with already normal crises of earthquakes and typhoons we are concerned. What will pull Japan out from under this cloud?

The church of Jesus Christ has great opportunities to bring renewed hope to people with the good news. What people are seeking in Japan is the living God that will fill their emptiness and hopelessness. Like us those short-term missionaries that have been recently working in Japan all agree that Japanese are very open right now. What a tremendous time to be in Japan! Not since the end of World War II are the people searching for answers.

Japanese culture is very concerned with saving face and will not quickly advocate risk or the possibility of failure. Radical change and models of church ministry need to be developed. What is even more concerning is that the church in Japan in some areas is equally paralyzed.

Maybe you can be involved in praying, sending, and supporting new church movements throughout Japan. Join us in praying for wisdom that the development of new church movements would be dynamic faith-driven community transforming congregations. These faith-communities can drive the gloomy clouds away and birth new hope and outlook in changed hearts.

For the full Time article see http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2005689,00.html 

For more prayer information on Japan, one of our favorite prayer mobilization sites is at the Joshua Project.

Japan suffers over 30,000 suicides annually for the last 12 years. Also it is estimated that upwards of 10 times that number attempt but do not succeed at suicide. Suicide is viewed with scorn by people throughout society.  Talk about suicide is considered taboo and people are viewed as losers who commit suicide. Those victims of suicide are cut off from help from others. One prominent psychiatrist, Hasami Hirayama, sees the vicious cycle of society pressure and emotional problems as both contributors of suicide. The means of helping people with these problems is not to ostracize them but to care for them compassionately. Japan really needs a change of heart and Christians who have the good news for people should be in the lead in providing answers. Pray and help.

I feel the real danger of the heart is when we are in a leadership position but we have allowed our spiritual and relational authority to erode. Without much heart left and diminishing trust (people notice) we then can only rely on defending our position which develops pride in its many forms and then we become uncaring and callous toward other people. That is when leadership is ugly, even ineffective as all trust has been undermined. Jesus was the best example of leadership and never lost compassion for others in the midst of leadership. He knew how to tell the truth with grace. May we always struggle as leaders and depend on him to keep and deliver us from the “dark side of leadership.”