The Power of the Gospel in Japan
Scotte Staab
The 50th anniversary of a church is an incredible achievement! But in Japan, it is almost unheard of—a country of less than one percent believing Christians, this is a miracle and what happened fifty years ago, can be a template for the future. Our story started with a missionary and a call to plant a new church.
The Ron White family had arrived in Japan and were faced with a decision about where to plant a church. After much prayer, they were led by the Spirit to focus their evangelism in the community of a western suburb of Kobe City. They passed out thousands of fliers and tracts and the result was just a few curious attendees. One of these “seekers” was a young college student, Hiroyuki Omote. This young man heard the Gospel and was changed. He accepted Christ and was baptized, but not without persecution.
Hiroyuki’s father was devastated and angry at the news that his son had become a Christian and would no longer follow the ways of his ancestors. He would no longer worship the family idols or carry on the worship of his family members who had died. This angered Hiroyuki’s father so much that he chased him out of the house, threatening to kill him.
Ron was now faced with a dilemma with his young disciple. He opened his guest room for Hiroyuki and soon he was enrolled in the newly formed Kansei Independent Baptist Bible College. He grew in the Lord as he served with the Whites in the church plant, Nishimaiko Baptist Church, and in knowledge as he studied in Bible college. Eventually, Brother Omote became this pastor and has continued to multiply disciples since the fall of 1966. Even his father and mother accepted Christ.
In a recent interview in November, Ron White stated that “God did something supernatural in the first four years of our ministry in Kobe. The keys were evangelism and when God gave us the new converts, discipleship, and then leadership training through the Bible college. In the first four years, four of our converts became the pastoral foundations for the four churches that are now celebrating their 50th anniversaries. It was truly amazing!”
This longevity in ministry is based on the biblical principles laid out in the Great Commission and what Source of Light desires to mirror for God’s glory in Japan. Pastor Takuji Yamazaki and his wife, Hiroko, have carried this pattern of ministry in the Toyohashi Minami area. God has brought new believers into their church and in working in the prisons. They have even recently begun sending SLM discipleship materials in Japanese to a pastor in Michigan who is working with Japanese workers in the auto industry. Our God is still calling “Sons and Daughters from the Land of the Rising Sun to Himself.”
Here are some of the challenges facing God’s servants in Japan.
- There is an indifference to the gospel. A popular belief in Japan is that monotheism is bad and causes problems in the world. An example of this is Islam. Christianity has been lumped into this current cultural thought.
- Family opposition continues to be rampant in a culture that is polite but does not want to “go against cultural, Japanese religions and tradition.” Shame is a powerful motivator for the denial of the gospel.
- Persecution is felt in many forms. Families ostracize their children and disinherit them. Employers overlook them for promotions and advancement. And churches struggle with buildings that are too small and give little hope for growing building projects.
- There is a lack of pastoral leadership and the culture of the “Japanese male” is hard to break into.
- Pray for: The expansion of SLM in Osaka and Kobe. Also, that the Lord will bring us a network of Japanese pastors who will partner with the Yamazakis and the work in Japan.
