GospelRest

JAPAN was privileged to have Dr. Dan Maxton pastor of LifeBridge church in San Diego visit us last month. He ministered at Field Council along with Roger Inouye (from Wisconsin). The rest of the time Dan met with Rengo pastors and stayed at the Mehn guest house. Some highlights were meeting with members of the Rengo National Mission Department, where we discussed assessment processes for church planters including a new tool translated into Japanese on church planting risk assessment. Dan also met with our local church planting network where he shared about 3 mistakes in daughtering churches. Already those translated materials and the audio podcast are being distributed beyond that meeting.

IN SPITE of key leadership meetings last month, including the most relaxing Field Council in recent memory, John staying overnight 10 nights, and lots of English and Japanese interpretation, John was able to move ahead on some key projects. They all need your prayers.
1. John is writing a Japanese syllabus and bibliography for a church planting seminary class to be part of our CPI Conference this November. This will be the first seminary course on Church Planting in Japan! Pray for progress on the project and for key seminaries to send students to the fall CPI conference.
2. Along with World Harvest Mission, John is coordinating a curriculum project to develop a 4 lesson curriculum in Japanese and English on spiritual transformation for pastors. We hope to introduce this at the fall CPI Conference and conduct training for future trainers.
3. John is also preparing small group training curriculum employing a model small group to develop small group leadership in Rengo churches.
4. John completed his seventh article on Japanese leaders reproducing churches to be published in the Japan Harvest magazine. Later this year a similar article will be published by the Evangelical Missiological Society.
5. John assisted a Cambridge-trained anthropologist in updating his book on Japanese religious behavior. John’s analysis of Japanese church growth information is citied several times in the book.
6. Elaine’s Lessons for Spiritual Growth needs another round of field testing in a local church. She is working on a similar series on Esther to be used in local churches.

The Seattle area ADELPHIA BIBLE SCHOOL sent 7 students and the academic dean to work in Ishinomaki in the disaster area. The team made John feel young again. Usually our teams are mixed age from 16-73. This team averaged about 20. The team worked between some key community events one with 130 people. The team aided with two different families in helping get their yards cleaned up along with several other projects. In visiting a Temporary Housing Facility they distributed rice to families as part of Converge Worldwide Disaster Relief. The overall goal is share the love of Christ in word and deed in the disaster area leading to planting churches where historically there has never been Christians or a church. Pray for our ministry partners that they may have boldness, sensitivity, and creativity see a church born in this area.

1. Thank God for his strength, wisdom, endurance, faith, and orchestrated surprises during “non-stop” April. Again a full schedule of classes, key meetings, events, and projects. Keep praying!
2. John & Elaine are off to Yamagata prefecture on May 24-29th to spend time with Mr. and Mrs. N in her parent’s home. We have been sharing the gospel with them locally for several years. As we have built this relationship, pray for natural opportunities to share Christ with them.
3. The South Kanto Church Multiplication Network is in the second year of a three year program to see each of the 6 churches daughter its own new church. Crossroad, where John & Elaine attend, is involved. Ask God for wisdom as Crossroad is developing their vision and plan for a new church.
4. John will be developing small group leaders in two churches (Crossroad and Nerima) at the beginning of June. Pray for preparations this month.
5. Former Rengo Chairman & Nerima Baptist Pastor Dr. Akira Izuta is recovering from a mild stroke and partial paralysis in his right hand. Pray for his recovery.

Items for Prayer April 2013
1. Ask for God’s blessing as Roger Inoye and Dan Maxton come to Japan in March and April to visit Rengo churches and pastors. Pastor Dan Maxton from LifeBridge church in San Diego will stay with us April 5-13.
2. Ask God to bless our April 3-5 Field Council with his presence love and vision.
3. Thanks for praying for John’s ministry of training small group leaders. John will launch a ministry in the Nerima church in May.
4. A disaster response team from the Adelphia School in Seattle arrives April 23rd and stays to May 1. Pray for each of the 7 students and the school dean, Sean Post. God seems to be orchestrating things for this trip.
5. Continue to pray for the developments for the CPI National Conference in November including speakers and promotion. We will also be having a Church Planters’ BootCamp in Nagoya early next year.
6. Pray for our April schedule. Both Elaine and John are non-stop with ministry and key events. Ask God to grant us good health, strength, endurance, peace, joy and faith that God will use us for His Glory.

The Unreached of the Unreached
The Japanese are the second largest unreached people group in the world. Over 1,500 towns and villages (and 36 cities) in Japan still do not have churches. Because of this burden, a rural church planting seminar was held in early March in Sendai City attended by 25 missionaries and Japanese from all over Japan. John represented CPI by presented two seminars on the Heart of the Leader and Effective Models for Church Planting. Continue to pray that more new churches will be started in Japan, especially in these unreached rural areas.

Touching Women’s Lives
On March 25th, Mrs. Yoko Saito, a certified British tea master, came to our home to explain British afternoon tea. There were 12 women who participated. Elaine keeps deepening and broadening her contacts with women almost all are pre-Christians. Pray especially that God would send more women to her Thursday cooking class. Pray too that God’s Spirit may touch their hearts through the Word of God.

Reaching Disaster Victims
For the first time, John stayed in the disaster area being a house guest of Linda and Dean Bengtson one of our ministry partners. John met with Mr. A one afternoon. The cleaning of Mr. A’s was started by our Team Ohio back in November and the work completed by Team Illinois in January. It was a great privilege to tell Mr. A that we had some funds to buy materials for the rebuilding of his home. John also met with Mr. and Mrs. M. and also explained we wanted to help with the rebuilding of their house. Mr. M. said, “It’s a Dream.” Their house should be completely remodeled by the end of March.

Thank you for allowing us to be “your touch” to the unreached people of Japan.

Just returned from Tohoku yesterday. Several memorable items stand out

Telling two homeowners that we have some funds for materials to rebuild their homes.
Reviewing 2 years of God’s faithfulness to my ministry partners Dean and Mr. Abe.
Meeting a man who described how he saw his mother die right in front of him.
Praying for peace and blessing with so many disaster victims.

Tomorrow we are participating in a 24-hour prayer day for the people of Tohoku. Special things we want to pray for are:
* That God can work mightily in Japan, and people’s hearts will be turned to Him, and that burdened and hurting hearts would be healed.
* That churches and individuals will boldly proclaim the gospel.
* That Satan’s hold on the people, the culture, and the country will be loosened and fall.
* That God would raise up more workers for His kingdom.
* That we can see more churches planted and flourishing in the disaster areas.

As we approach the second anniversary next Monday, please join us in special prayer for Japan.

PARTNERSHIP
March 2013 – Ministry Updates and Prayer

JOHN
John departs for Tohoku tomorrow. The Church Planting Institute (CPI) is endorsing a seminar March 4-5 in Sendai. This could be the largest seminar on Rural Church Planting with 24 workers gathering! There are still 1,500 towns and villages and 36 cities in Japan still without churches. Please pray that more churches will be started in these towns and villages! At the seminar, John will be facilitating two training sessions and sharing the Word in one worship session.

John continues from the seminar by car to Ishinomaki. PTL, in February our ministry partners, Dean and Linda Bengtson, moved into the Urayashiki neighborhood of Ishinomaki; the area where we have been providing relief and also sharing the gospel. Now more deliberate development of churches can take place. Last month more relief came to people living in temporary housing through Mr. Abe and his church. As we approach the 2 year mark after the triple disaster on March 11th, pray for those affected. John will be sharing with the Rengo Tokyo pastors that day about a two year reflection on the disaster and ministry to victims.

The CPI National Conference planning is well underway. Already we can feel the enthusiasm. Pray for decisions about the speaker line up and team building. We have already received great interest on having a CPI Church Planters’ BootCamp in another region next spring!

John just had key meetings with some Rengo pastors about training lay people in their churches for small groups. Pray as these plans unfold.

ELAINE
Elaine’s many ministries are primarily focused on women. Through our home she has weekly Western cooking classes, needlepoint classes, and Bible studies. Continue to pray for the spiritual impact and discussions with these women. Pray that God would send more students to one Monday cooking class.

On March 25th Mrs. Saito will be coming to our home to host a English Tea Ceremony. Mrs. Saito is a certified Tea Master. Pray for chances to gossip the gospel at this event.

Last month Elaine was asked to speak to a luncheon of about 40 women at a local church. Even weeks later some ladies were sharing how they were impacted by what Elaine said about our relationships with our Heavenly Father. Thanks for praying.

Elaine also mentors missionary and pastor’s wives in spiritual renewal. Pray for opportunities.

Elaine had a great celebration for her 60th birthday on February 19th.

PARTNERSHIP
John and Elaine do a lot of ministry together.
Pray for preparations this month as in April, both Elaine and John are non-stop with ministry and key events.

Thank you for your partnership with us in Japan.

People of Hope
February 2013 – Updates for Prayer

At the Ishinomaki church one woman came up me after the sermon and said, “Sensei, I suffer from depression.” I was a bit shocked by her directness but said in at least six unique ways that “Jesus loves you.” She began to smile and tears ran down her cheek. There is much power in the Name of Jesus and in His Gospel!

DISASTER AREA IN JANUARY – Joel Erickson from Bethany Moline church joined John for a trip to Tohoku Jan 4-13. Thanks for praying. Tohoku was cold but the weather was good, very little snow. We had no trouble getting around in “snow country.” 1) We completed the last section of Abe’s house started by Team Ohio in November. 2) We developed a deeper relationship with the Shojis. They are the same family I shared about at the Converge Worldwide Biennial meeting (http://www.gospelrest.com/a-story-of-one-family/). Mrs. is reading Christian author, Miura Ayako’s, novel Shiokari Pass I gave them for Christmas (last Christmas was a Bible). We rejoiced with them in the progress made on their property since the tsunami.

CONNECTING WITH JESUS
1. Elaine will be the main speaker at a women’s luncheon at the Tokyo Horizon Chapel on Saturday February 9th. Pray that both pre-Christians and Christians would be reminded of the great love of the Father.
2. We have a Valentine’s Dinner with the Agape Group on 2/10. Pray that God would speak to their hearts.
3. Elaine’s Birthday is Tuesday February 19th. She will turn 60. Help her celebrate!
4. Elaine continues to minister weekly with women through her classes and mentoring. Pray for each woman. The Bible studies are phenomenal as each person goes home changed each time.

BUILDING FOR IMPACT
1. The Church Planting Institute (CPI) is endorsing seminar March 4-5 in Sendai on Rural Church Planting. There are 929 towns and villages in Japan without any church. There are also 41 other areas unreached and 11 cities still without churches. Please pray that more churches will be started in towns and villages of Japan! John will be facilitating some training sessions.
2. Thank you for praying for several key meetings with JEMA and CPI leadership for the CPI National Conference this November. We are moving forward to DO MISSION. Pray more as we work more!
3. Japan Disaster Response teams are still needed through December. Pray as John develops our response to planting churches where we have worked. PTL! Partner Dean Bengtson moves into the neighborhood February 7th. This will develop the permanent presence we have worked for.

Thanks for praying for John’s greeting to the Tokyo young people becoming adults on 1/15. John shared with them the need of hope in Japan and challenged them to be a People of Hope because we have a God of Hope (Romans 15:13). Continue to pray that Elaine and I do exactly that each day.

1. Ask God for good weather and good opportunities as John takes a trip to Ishinomaki from January 4-13 with a member of Bethel Moline IL. We hope to begin introducing Bible studies to our many contacts.
2. Ask God for wisdom at key CPI meetings in January as we set the pace for the year, prepare for the national conference in November, and beyond.
3. Continue to pray for effectiveness as Elaine expands here ministry to women.
4. On 1/20 John gives a greeting to the young people recognized at the Rengo Coming of Age Ceremony. Pray for encouraging and challenging words.

John and Elaine had a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas. There were several key events to end the year.

CHRISTMAS TEA – For Elaine’s Christmas tea 20 women came to celebrate Christmas together. John shared about one disaster victim’s family that was helped and ended up having a Christmas music concert in their home. God is able to change disaster to celebration. Many women commented on the story and how it parallels the first Christmas story.

CHRISTMAS IN TOHOKU – John and Elaine were in Ishinomaki Dec 15-19 to visit 20 families and share Christmas greetings. The timing for the trip was excellent as just a week before on December 7th, there was a large earthquake and then tsunami warnings. Many were very concerned and some were still frightened. They all remembered Elaine’s homemade Christmas cookies from last year and were delighted to get more. Significant conversations were about Christianity and the possibility of starting some Bible Studies. We prayed with each family.

The trip began with a Christmas Concert for 60 people at the neighborhood center. Even though it has not been completely repaired, without electricity, heat, and toilets, people came for the event. Many were encouraged by the music and being able to gather together. Many were relieved to hear John, and sometimes Elaine, will be coming monthly throughout 2013 to help. Thanks for your prayers. One church made a large contribution to the Japan Disaster Response fund, underwriting these trips.

“HOME” FOR THE HOLIDAYS
We were back in Tokyo for Christmas. This was the first Christmas without our children (and grandchildren). We did have the opportunity to Skype the family, Tim & Beth, Molly & Dawson and others as they gathered at Beth’s house. Then we had our own celebration in Tokyo.

Today at 17:18, as people were heading home from work and preparing for dinner, a strong earthquake hit along the same fault that caused the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and large tsunami last 3.11.11.  This earthquake was 7.3 and prompted tsunami warnings throughout the area. It is believed that this earthquake is another of thousands of aftershocks from last year’s major earthquake.

Most of our friends headed to higher ground and were all reported safe. All our Converge Worldwide missionaries are just fine.

After 6pm a 1 meter tsunami was reported to hit Ishinomaki at 6:08 but with no reports of major injuries or damage. Fortunately also the nuclear power plants in the area especially the Fukushima #1 plant have reported no damage.

Elaine and I were planning a trip to the area on December 15-19. Continue to pray for our preparations. Please pray for the victims of last year’s disaster who were already fearful, susceptible to flashbacks, and panics.