Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
Why Japan needs 50,000 churches Only God really knows exactly how many churches will be necessary to fulfill the Great Commission in Japan. But if we look to mission experience and put our thinking caps on we can determine an effective goal for saturating Japan with churches. The number 50,000 has emerged from several sources and I have written that it “is serving as a rule of thumb for the dream toward a national church…
Just last month John wrote you about his impressions in training people for church planting throughout 2018. God seems to be sending a new wave of people to Japan to plant vibrant churches. Vision seems to be expanding for a Japan national goal for planting churches. Some feel we have entered a new season of church planting in Japan. Well there is no doubt about it now! The 2018 Church Multiplication Vision Festa was a…
WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR? November is probably the busiest month for John’s ministry ever. (And we are supposed to be pacing down as we get older 😊). In November, John has 6 out-of-town meetings, meaning 19 days away from home. These events are all strategic and important or he would drop them. Days at home now are spent in preparation, communication, project work, and resting. Prayer for the Month As John attends these events,…
HELP MAKE MORE VISION A REALITY Thanks for praying for our financial support shortfalls. We have been encouraged by people increasing their regular support and others with special gifts. Though there is a lot of encouragement, we continue to several hundred dollars short each month. Please continue to pray for this need and whatever you can give now – or maybe before the end of the year – would be appreciated. Personal Support: These funds…
Wow! Thanks for praying for the Hiroshima church planting First Steps seminar. We had 38, one of the largest regional seminars this year. Some key Japanese pastors also attended and encouraged us. Every time John does these seminars he comes away with a renewed hope for church planting in Japan. We are so excited for the growing vision for church planting among Japanese. Japan has many challenges for church multiplication at this time, but then…
HOW DID GOD ANSWER? John has recovered from bronchitis. Thanks for your prayers. He was able to train in Hiroshima. Elaine’s classes are going well. Continue to pray as Elaine makes deep connections with so many Japanese women in her classes. Pray for opportunities to listen, help, and witness for Christ. We are seeing significant change in the couple we are mentoring in spiritual renewal. Continue to pray for this Japanese pastoral couple. WHAT CAN…
FALL INFLUENCE The weather has turned to fall which is a great relief as the end of summer was hard with both the heat and many uncompleted projects. Fall will bring more seminars and training events. We hope these will bring greater influence of the Great Commission. We feel maybe still young enough to accomplish all this. I guess we are really a kind of a new “thirty-something” 39 years married, almost 33 years working…
GOD ANSWERED We had an excellent CPI Leadership Team Retreat on Sep 4-5. A record typhoon kept three members stranded on the bullet train for over 10 hours. We planned for our next national conference in 2019 (our 25th anniversary!), brainstormed developing leaders and training, and other expanded ministry in the months and years ahead. Keep praying. The registration for the Global Church Planting Network meeting in Macau in November is up. This is the…
Here is Elaine and John sharing a late summer early Fall update on ministry. This video is embedded live here. For a link here it is: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvOH5EYmrVaqgwU5gdw578E82T-9
How does God use you? Last month, Elaine published her second book, More Thoughts Along the Way: Grace-based Devotionals for Spiritual Nourishment. This follows up her first book Thoughts Along the Way published in 2002. Elaine’s writing has been a blessing to many people, especially in the area of spiritual renewal. We are so delighted to have this book now available. But we have more writing projects planned and summer is a good time…