1. This month’s John’s ministry at the Nerima Church picks up with a Small Group Power Up meeting on the 8th and the first class on Evangelism and Missions on the 29th. 2. Elaine will have another card making outreach class to be held at Crossroad on June 14th. 3. CPI will conduct another Church Planting Next Steps seminar in the Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto areas on June 11-13. Probably 40 will gather to learn together.…
Every tsunami-impacted town on the Iwate coast now has an established church, church plant, or home Bible study. This includes several previously unchurched rural areas that now have baby churches—including Noda, Fudai, Tanohata, Iwaizumi/Omoto, Yamada, Otsuchi, etc. There are also now over 30 missionaries working in Iwate Prefecture. In 2011 there were no missionaries in Iwate Prefecture. More information see http://rjcpn.upgjapanmissions.com/joomla/index.php
“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…