Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE AMAZING GRACE Thank you so much for your prayers for CPI Grace Week, February 4-8. There were 26 attending including a surprise visit from a leader from India. At this intensive spiritual renewal experience, we heard truth from the Word of God and many stories how the Gospel is working in people’s lives. The Holy Spirit was very evident working in our hearts and the entire group. Some of us…
WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR? John will be meetings 2/13-14 with the Vision Festa planning team in Kobe. We will be doing long-range planning into 2023. Ask God for bold faith, vision, and clarity of direction. Elaine continues her classes, Bible studies, and project work. Pray for openness to the gospel. John will be meeting at the Rengo Pastors’ Seminar 2/25-27 where he will also be meeting with the Rengo Mission team. After the end…
John started the new year by going with Dan Iverson, Pastor Makoto Fukuda, and Shohei Ueki to Hiroshima for the CPI church planting Next Steps seminar. About 30 gathered from that region to consider the how-to’s of church planting. John shared about vision in Japan, contextualizing for the Japan soil, conflict in ministry, and finishing well. He also was on the two panels on leadership development and nuts and bolts of church planting. This seminar…
Thank God for Elaine’s Christmas team which was warm and significant. Her dear friend warmly shared the gospel of Jesus with all the women. We both enjoyed our time in the US for Christmas with our family and relatives. Elaine has started up her classes again for 2019. Grace Week English is February 4-8 in Nara Prefecture. Last time it sold out but we still now have room for 25. Pray that people would register.…
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A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU! We both appreciate each of you so much. Thank you for your continuing desire to see the Christ of Christmas shared with everyone in Japan. We pray for you that during the busyness of this season the joy of knowing Christ would expand your hearts. May you have time to enjoy the decorations and reflect on the tremendous plan of God to reconcile us all to Him –…
WHAT DID GOD DO? November was an amazing month as John took part in key six events all over Japan and even into China. Some highlights were: one of the largest CPI seminars ever in the Osaka area. John left Macau with some bold plans for developing church multiplication vision in Japan. Times were filled with challenging messages and practical tools to move ahead in Japan ministry. It was awesome! WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR?…
Since last month’s Church Multiplication Vision Festa I have been encouraging many people. A president from one mission organization was very inspired by my words “This was the best Vision Festa ever and I believe possibly a key watershed event.” Let me share with you my impressions, thoughts, and feelings about Vision Festa. The atmosphere was refreshingly extra-ordinary. Instead of workers discouraged or doubtful this event was full of faith, belief, and hope in God,…
In October 2018 about 100 Japanese leaders gathered in Nagoya Japan for the 5th Church Multiplication Vision Festival (Festa). I really feel that this meeting was a watershed event. What made this Vision Festa a defining moment in the church in Japan? I share with you my impressions. Centering on God and His Might Throughout Vision Festa the message was clear. What we want to see happen in multiplying the church in Japan is not…
At the 2018 Church Multiplication Vision Festa in Nagoya (October 16-17) three testimonies were shared during an evening session of prayer for Japan. These three concrete examples show how vision for church multiplication coupled with targeted outreach and training of people can lead to new churches and multiplication. 1. Kochi Prefecture Church Multiplication Kochi Grace Church due to mobilizing their lay people has multiplied to 3 houses churches and three outreach centers in their area…