Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
We have some good family news to share with you. Beth and Dustin are expecting a child in December! Elaine and I will become grandparents! The baby is expected just before Christmas. So far Beth is doing very well and dealing with all the changes. We were already planning to go back for Christmas for vacation and family visits so this is great timing. Elaine plans to stay two more weeks and help out while…
The Tokyo 2010 consultation was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Edinburgh 1910, the first global missions conference. The first conference was historic in many senses and sparks from that first conference continue today. Tokyo 2010 attended from delegates from over 140 countries was modeled after the original Edinburgh conference though this time a majority of the attendees were non-westerners, sending missionaries from anywhere to everywhere. Tokyo 2010 was the first of four…
In Japan, abuse at home, bullying at school, unemployment problems, drug addiction, and impulsive indiscriminate killings show the increasingly serious problems of society. Moreover, the political right is gaining strength, as can be seen in schools where the national anthem and the national flag are enforced, as well as in the movement to revise the pacifist Constitution. Therefore, mission in Japan is in the midst of severe circumstances. Church members are aging and the number…
At the recent Tokyo 2010 Global Missions Consultation, a highlight was one highly respected Japanese church leader who had a heartfelt and very open confession, public repentance, and an appeal for forgiveness from nations and people who had suffered during the Pacific War. He did not mince words but spoke more honestly than I have heard from other contexts. Even after 65 years this is still an emotional topic. Along with his contrition and appeal…
An earlier blog on suicide was at http://www.gospelrest.com/suicide-and-the-japan-economy/ Japan suffers over 30,000 suicides annually for the last 12 years. Also it is estimated that upwards of 10 times that number attempt but do not succeed at suicide. Suicide is viewed with scorn by people throughout society. Talk about suicide is considered taboo and people are viewed as losers who commit suicide. Those victims of suicide are cut off from help from others. One prominent psychiatrist,…
In preparation for our CPI Leaders’ Summit last month on Gospel-centered Leadership I was reading and reviewing books on leadership especially the heart idols that leaders are most susceptible. (Elaine and I developed a list of heart idols that leaders often encounter). Good books have been Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby (Experiencing God fame). Other good books have been Dangers, Toils, Snares, The Heart of a Servant Leader on Jack Miller and Overcoming…
We sure love living in Machida City Tokyo. Within 15 minutes of our house are 5 parks well-wooded and lots of nature. You would not think we live in the world’s largest city. There are nearly 500,000 people living along with us in Machida (mah-chee-dah)including the creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri. For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machida,_Tokyo.
Today I was pruning our hedges and two women came by and asked if I would like to read a book on the Japanese Buddha. I commented that I can read Japanese but I am not interested in the Japanese Buddha but I am interested in the creator of the universe. I think it caught them by surprise. Buddhism does not have a concept of a creator in which we are accountable. I am not…
April 2010 Both of us have been on a busy treadmill since we returned to Japan early last July. So much has been accomplished and God continues to bless ministry on many fronts. Last November we had one of most successful CPI National Conferences as we touched the younger generation, saw more indications of life transformation, and renewed ministry vision. God blessed and we also made money in this difficult global economy. CPI is basically…
I was recently visiting a downtown Machida music school building: POP. Outside was an inventory of what music and instruments they could teach. As expected there was piano, guitar (all kinds), trumpet, trombone, clarinet, cello, electric bass, and drum. Also listed was GOSPEL CHORUS. Since the big hit and subsequent boom in Black Gospel Music after the movie Sister Act, Black Gospel music as become part of the culture. Many churches and ministries have ministry…