Today on my day off I watched an old Japanese classic movie Tokyo Story by Yasujirō Ozu. This film was made before I was born in 1953 but it one of the greats. It has received the highest reviews. Not sure how I found out about it but probably reading about Japanese cinema and directors. Yes, it is plodding but that is the point. About an older couple from the country visiting their grown kids…
Two new workers arrived a few weeks ago to join the Japan team. One came for 6 weeks; one for a career. We are excited to have a new career missionary, one who felt the call to be sent, Ian Smith. Ian has a great passion for planting multiplying churches in Japan. Right now he is in full-time Japanese language studies, essential for in-depth ministry in Japan. Pray as he builds relationships with Japanese and…
GOD ANSWERED Thank you for the many people that responded to our financial appeals last month. Several increased their regular giving and many others sent in a one-time gift. We figure this will make up at least 1/3 of our deficit. More information is at GospelRest.com/give. The SOMA Seminar last month was great. Several are already applying the concepts. At John’s visit to Kansai (9/11) more showed up than expected. Things worked out in…
Normally in Japan they start numbering typhoons (hurricane, cyclones) at the beginning of the season. In the Caribbean they give them names like Hugo and Katrina Well this year I never started counting. Either we were gone for most of them, ignored them, or there just were not too many typhoons this year. Tonight a typhoon downgraded to a tropical storm will wend its way pass Tokyo up north. At most we will have 20-30…
Many of you probably know him by his writings and Desiring God ministry. John Piper is probably the most widely known pastor in our Converge Worldwide association of churches. He has served on our mission board. He is a Biblical scholar, a mission’s statesman, and a pastor of an exemplary missional church. After the tsunami his church Bethlehem Baptist church sent several teams to work with us in Ishinomaki among disaster victims. John Piper will…
Did you blink? Then you probably missed us. We were in the US this summer for a working vacation visiting supporters, friends, family, and doing some personal business. We had a great time visiting both Elk Grove Baptist Church and Temple Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. You can hear or download both of US SHARING THE MESSAGE “Click Send”. We also dropped in to Meadows Baptist Church, our home church and saw some personal supporters.…