Recent Happenings

On Wednesday I met with the Japanese pastor of the church a few stops down the train line from us in Nakatsugawa. He actually has a Masters in Theology from Calvin Seminary. He also served as a missionary for ten years in Indonesia. I wanted to go and check things out for future ministry opportunities. The churches in Nakatsugawa and in Ena are in the same area so if we advertised in community newspapers there could be cross over and it would be beneficial to work together.

Well the pastor there had heard I had moved into the area through the church grapevine and was hoping I would stop by sooner or later. We talked about how we could work together. He shared with me some struggles in the church as about 1/3 of the 45 members had left over a conflict to form another church. This often happens in Japan.

I honestly do not know what I can do for the church in Nakatsugawa. Its location is poor but there is good population density in the city. The church has mostly older people. I will probably try to encourage it and help keep it stable this next year. Keep the church in Nakatsugawa and myself in your prayers.

Blessings, John

Easter a new Beginning

Easter marks a new beginning for us. There are lot of changes going on. We are hoping to start a Mom and Kids class at church using English and Sunday School material. The goal is to make connections for a future Christian kindergarten.

We hope to launch a multilingual (English, Spanish, Japanese) Bible study using the Experiencing God material.

From Friday, I start work as an Assistant Language Teacher for the local school district. This will really network us into the community. I will visit 11 different elementary and kindergartens. It will also stabilize us financially. For this we thank God.

Currently, we are in contact with a mission agency in the states. We hope for a connection with an agency in the states and in the future to move into full time church planting support roles.

We also hope to strengthen our ties to Faith Church in Guam and start a once a year Christian retreat to Guam for families. 1 million Japanese tourists go to Guam a year and the prices are very reasonable. We will make some contacts with a target date for next spring, for this.

Above regular involvement in our local church these are our current New Beginnings.

God is in control of the details

To believe God is sovereign is to believe he is in control of the details. He has brought us here. He has opened some doors and closed others. He is casting vision and providing resources. He has brought you this very second to read these words, that is the reality of God being sovereign.

Today's Reflection from John Piper

Belief or Faith is a heart passion to find one's delight in Jesus. Seeing Jesus for all that he is. Is your only comfort Jesus? Any one who truly knows Jesus will deeply love him. And Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never hunger and he who believes in me will never thirst"(John 6:35). Faith is to find one's soul satisfaction in Jesus, is Jesus your satisfaction?

My wife a long time reader of Daily Bread

Just an interesting story. My wife is a long time reader of Daily Bread and today she was reading this month's Daily Bread translated into Japanese. Out of the blue she asked me what I knew about Grand Haven Michigan as the writer of the devotion she was reading today was from there. It is a small world and God has the whole world in his hands.