Over the next few weeks we are not really sure what to expect because God is doing so many things to further a national Church Multiplication vision. Last week John was with a network mobilizing to reach the key cities of Japan. That was one of several key events going on so please join us in this journey.
Monday 10/26 – I am riding the bullet train heading to Ikoma Nara for the 2nd Church Multiplication Vision Festival. I am not sure what to expect from God from this event. Last year 65 people gathered for this Japanese-led movement for new churches (see our blog) . Today I will meet 180 leaders from all over Japan.
Tuesday 10/27 – We heard from 15 church practitioners from all over Japan how God is blessing in evangelism and developing leaders and churches. One speaker said that if this meeting was held 10 years ago probably only 30 would have showed up. Just in time for this meeting one of our partners, OC International, developed several maps on the challenge of church starting in Japan, the second largest unreached people group.
I was truly amazed in what God has done in the last year, a growing vision and passion for church planting. For me key partnerships and CPI tie ups have grown. This time I made some more connections with key leaders in the Kansai area and deepened several relationships. And meeting two seminary students excited about graduating to start a new church!
Many of these leaders will also be at the CPI National Conference in just a few weeks. Several of them will be training. We look forward to once more locking arms together for Christ’s Kingdom and his Church. God whatever it takes!
Wednesday 10/28 – Registration closes for the CPI Outward Conference today and we have upwards of 400 adults and over 120 children, one of the biggest CPI Conferences ever. We only meet every two years but the interest this year has caused our heads to spin. God kept sending us more helpers, now we know why.
God has lined up an amazing collection of training, trainers, and topics for this 2015 conference. Elaine and I will teach 3 seminars. One group, the Global Church Planting Network, will be having some unique national training and networking. We will be dreaming from those maps to what the possibilities could be for the church to saturate Japan.
Oh, the Rengo Association 50th anniversary celebration is next week. What new vision and initiative will God develop?
And we also have the Japan Congress on Evangelism September 2016. What might God be doing in Japan during this season?