Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
“How Did the Biggest Disaster in the History of Japan Change the Church?” Reflecting on my limited observations of one JEA denomination, several local churches, and local churches in the disaster area we know. 1) I don’t think for many churches that have changed at all. Yes, they prayed, gave, even some volunteered but for most nothing has really changed. Not unlike the Kobe quake but maybe more involvement this time. 2) Also some churches…
John was in Nagoya, Japan’s third largest city, at the end of April with a core of trainers for the Church Planting Next Steps training. He gives you a personal look.
MAY PRAYER SPOTLIGHTS 1. Thank you for your prayers while Elaine’s niece visited us last month. It was a great time. 2. The Rengo National Evangelism Team meets on the 8th – Ask God for wisdom, strength, creativity and vision as we equip and support 9 current Rengo church plants. 3. For Spiritual Mentoring – Elaine is mentoring one woman, John with one man in Sonship, both by Skype as they live several hours from…
We built it, tested it, and then we were ready for the road test. This was the Church Planting Institute’s three day foundational Church Planting Next Steps seminar (formerly BootCamp). This time we did it in Nagoya, Japan’s third largest city and home of Toyota’s Lexus. There were 38 in attendance with two training tracks; one for Japanese church planting leaders and another for missionaries. Participants hailed from many parts of Japan and missionaries from…
I love Godzilla, like anyone in Japan. I remember watching Godzilla for the first time as a grade school kid on the Thursday afternoon movie, The Big Show. I am a great Sci-Fi nut and they had all the greats on the Big Show. We did not doddle home from school on Thursdays. Because in those days without VHS recorders, DVDs, etc., if you missed it you would have to wait a long time to…
“This was really good timing for me personally. I needed to be reminded of the truths of the gospel – especially the part that I am dearly loved and valued by God. I am greatly challenged to soak in these truths more.” We saw and heard a lot about heart change. Last month Elaine and I were caught up in the renewal environment we developed in 4 regional Church Planting Institute (CPI) seminars throughout Japan.…
1. Thank you for praying for Agape Kai gathering on Sat 3/29. We had a marvelous time talking about the true meaning of Easter. 2. On 3/31 John completed the small group leaders training at the Nerima church with 9 people ready to start a small group (report next month). Pray for the next steps in developing small group ministries at Nerima and beyond. 3. Elaine’s niece Gail will be coming for a week-long visit…
1. Thank you for your prayers for the CPI Gospel Renewal Seminars with the Bancrofts which just completed. All of them were full of blessings and so much was accomplished in developing systems to help more people (update next month). 2. Vision team from Converge Worldwide churches in the US arrives this week. Pray they may find key Japanese partners to work with. 3. John’s training for small group leaders at the Nerima church ends…
• Ask God to sustain the over 300,000 who lost their homes and are still living in temporary housing. The Ishinomaki house of prayer is addressing the needs of 40 families. There are many other Christian ministries doing the same. • With over 20,000 dead or missing there is still a lot of loss and grief. Loved ones, friends, classmates, neighbors. Pray that they may be comforted by the listening ear and words of Christians.…
1) John was recently sitting across the table from a Cambodian pastor that was planting 8 churches and heavily involved in preventing human sex trafficking. Last month, John was in Indonesia to meet with key Asian national leaders engaged in church planting movements. It was a week of blessing with these pastors. John’s friendship with a former Japan missionary led to this connection. 2) For Elaine’s next craft outreach meeting there was a pastor’s wife…