It's been awhile I know, but here's my January update! Before I go ahead with the update, I just want to say Happy new year for anyone I had missed. It's 2013 already, time moves by soo fast, and I have already been here for more then a year! God has been doing great things in that past year and I'm very humbled to have gone through it all through his power. Makes me excited for the rest of this year coming! Part of December and January were very busy months. J-house had 2 big Christmas events and January we saw 2 short term mission teams come and go from Korea. Just now has everything kind of calmed down.
Campus Ministry
This month marked the end of the semester for the university campuses that we go to on a weekly basis. The students have 2 months of spring before the new year begins, but during that time, it is My team and I's responsibility to keep up with the students that we have befriended and are sharing the gospel with. During the last month before the spring break, we had help from the 2 Korean teams that had come to J-house, it was like mini Korea in J-house lol, but they were very helpful for us in bringing the students out to j-house with events.
Right now, I'm caring for 7 students in sharing the gospel and it seems that all 7 are doing well in wanting to understand the bible and the gospel. I'm hoping and praying that God will open their eyes to Jesus more and more. One of them said that his goal this year or new years resolution was to "become christian", it was encouraging to know that God is working in the hearts of the students, and I want to do my best to share Jesus' love as much as I can and with whatever abilities and gifts he has given me.
J-House and J-Soldier Ministry
I have suddenly become a lot busier in terms of my duties within J-house. The main part of my duties as a J-soldier still remains to be campus evangelism and discipleship, but serving within the church is also up there and it prepares me for what I will face out there. I have been leading worship now monthly, and even the past Christmas/New years holiday, I have led 3 times in 2 weeks :S. Not that I mind of course, I still like to lead worship, and even though its a challenge having to lead worship in sometimes 70% Japanese, its a good experience. Also a lot of things will be changing within J-House which has my team and I more busier then usual. 2 J-Soldiers will be finishing up their term in March and one will be coming during that time also from Texas. Our leader also will be moving out to live with his in-laws, so there will be a lot of transitioning on the way we do things. I hope everything is smooth though.
Also, remember how I was talking about a J-house Extension back in my last update? it was just supposed to be a kind of extending ourselves to people in we know in other cities without being planted because they couldn't come to J-house on Sundays or Wednesdays? Well, Pastor Katsuya has changed his mind, he decided that if we're going to do this, we will go all in! So it is now an official church plant! The first place we will be focusing on is Kobe. Pastor Katsuya and some of the J-Soldiers and I have scouted the city to look for a venue, and God showed us the perfect place on the first place we have scouted! It's not too far from the train stations, its big enough to hold about 30-40 people and it has a sound system we can use, so we don't have to get our own lol, all for the price of about 40-50 dollars an hour. We're still planning other logistics, but as of now, we are starting this March 22nd. I'm excited and nervous at the same time, but I'm very happy to be apart of this and I have faith God will use this for his glory and bless it! and if it goes well in Kobe, we will also start one in Kyoto as soon as we find a place to hold it in. That one will probably start in June, so basically 2 church plants this year lol. Please pray for these 2 plans that God will really bless and use it all for his glory!
Other Activities
I am still learning Japanese and trying to use it when I find that I can. The possibility of me staying here for a very long period of time is highly inevitable (at least right now that's what I'm seeing) so I want to be able to speak as much Japanese as I can.
My english classes on Tuesdays are going really well, they have now changed into an english/bible study/evangelism tool class lol. Many of the church members that have become my english students bring in their friends and colleagues, so my colleague and I have decided to use it to teach the gospel to the new ones that come in, and to teach biblical values and reading to the church members when there aren't new people. I'm happy to see that God has been evolving the class to glorify Him in the end.
I have still been discipling some church members. I do admit, it is a little frustration. Japanese tend to prioritize their work and other "important" things first. So I kind of get the short end of the stick sometimes. I've been learning patience and humility ever since I have started here, so its my responsibility to exercise them. I do have hope still that those who are being discipled will be strong committed christians though. So I will continue to be faithful to them just as God is.
Upcoming events:
February will be a month of many events, the next weekend from the 8-10 we will be having a retreat for the students. we're hoping that we'll get a good amount of students that weekend. Also another Korean team will be coming to J-house for short term missions. Upcoming in March, I will be going to Korea from the 1st to the 4th on a special missions trip for the J-Soldiers and members. We will be scouting for new recruits to be a J-soldier lol.
Prayer Requests
- for the students that I have met and befriended the last semester, that God will continue to reveal Jesus to them. Pray that God will use his Spirit to lead them to Christ and Pray that God will Continue to use J-house and each member to do so.
- For My colleagues and I to continue to be faithful to our jobs as missionaries. and to grow with each other through the Spirit and grace and love of Christ
- For those members in J-house to grow spiritually, there are still a lot of baby Christians in J-house, pray for spiritual growth and maturity in the Gospel and for those to put the Gospel first over everything.
- For the church plants that we are going to do. Pray that God will lead us and help extend his church to other cities so that the Gospel will exponentially grow within Japan! We REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT! We need all the spiritual support we can get on this one, because we know we cannot do this on our own for sure! and if you are moved to want to support financially also, you make donations at the J-house website: J-House website. We want to be able to partner with all of you Spiritually and prayerfully through this!
- For a revolution in Japan! for spiritual eyes to be opened in Japan and that the 0.5% of christians will increase!
- For God's plan in my life, that things will be revealed for me in the upcoming future
I think that is all for now. Also J-house is always looking for missionaries, workers that are willing to give their lives to evangelism and discipleship for a year or 2 (preferably 2 lol). So if you like to joint us here (or know anyone that would be interested) please check out the J-house missionary application site: http://www.comejapan.org/ if u have any questions, or interest, also let me know so I can put in a good word
Thank you again for all of your support! I am really thankful for having a supporting church in missions with me on this. Please continue to pray for me and my colleagues as we work here, We are continually always feeling the urgency and the need of the Gospel and the Love of Jesus for the Japanese people.
ありがとうございます！！！
私たちはイエス様に礼拝をささげましょう！！！
