Why Japanese?

The Largest Unreached People Group (Joshua Project, 2005)

Only 0.04% Christians!

Annual Suicide Rate: >30,000

100-300 new religion registered each year (Operation World, 2000)

The battle is fierce, Time is SHORT! Please RESPONSE, Please PRAY!!!



Wednesday, April 30, 2008

45 Victims Caught in Demonic Suicide Influence in last 20 days

This piercing pain pierced me deeply at my soul, and I felt limp for a moment while I was writing this. 

At least 45 victims were caught in this demonic scheme just within last 20 days, hurting many more bi-standers and innocent people. 

Let's call for intercession!

Pray for:
1. The Lord to intervene.
2. Break the bond of the devil.
3. Wisdom and protection of the Japanese police officers who invest this case.
4. Peace and hope for the bereaved family members.
5. Wise and immediate action from Christians groups in Japan. 

Feel free to add more and comment on the intercession point! We will love to hear from you, if you had heard His voice about this. 



Sunday, April 27, 2008

What is Urgent?

Japan needs Jesus. And Japan needs experts in web-base technologies, social science people, medical people, teachers, businessmen, artists who are Christians, to be there in their societies. I always believe that the Kingdom is about "life impacting life". 

The story that Shane picked up at CNN news report on April 24, last Thursday, had been a disturbing one.

A 14 years old girl killed herself by mixing detergent and cleanser. And it seems to be another one encouraged by internet sites. It is not that we were not aware of the high number of suicides in Japan, but it is the extend of the internet suicide influence had gone far worse these days. The international art-festival celebration had highlighted and celebrated the production of people like Ryo Nakajima and Shunji Iwai, where some of their productions had been hard to swallow. "This World of Ours" and "The Story of Lily Chow" will perhaps lead you to a fantasy of hidden dreams and sadness of hidden reality in this society.

Please, seriously think this over. If you have the talent, if you have the skill, if you like to be a tentmaker, please consider Japan. If you are thinking of supporting the mission field, please consider Japan. Japan had always been left out from the 10/40 windows for reasons, either intentional or unintentional. Many had been set back because of the high cost, and low response rate. Perhaps, it could be the feeling of the "proud and ego" needs no healing. Perhaps it could be "hatred". Perhaps, it was BLINDNESS.

If you think there are more "urgent place" than Japan, I'm not sure about this. I had never see the Kingdom is "urgent" at one place, and "no urgent" in another place. 

But I do agree that there are many urgent needs of healthcare aids and human rights aids. And we feel good, because we fulfilled a good Samaritan duty. People feel good when they have something to give! Honestly, we might not be be proud or sensing urgent to tell people about Jesus, but we are good in giving money to the poor and needy. 

I just wish to make these facts clear to you: 

Japan has 128 million people, and you probably have more than 30% of them are above 50s. We have around 100 people suicide in a day. The common suicide group was the middle age group, but now we observe school children. Violence and crimes, homicides by children or teenagers. The economic setback had not turned well. A report of 1 million of missing youths. People are dying because of aging, or suicide, or living in grief because of lost of someone. We are losing this group of people! 

If you need to feel good in missions, you can give Japan something too. Give them your love, your thoughts, your prayers! Give them friendship, tell them about Jesus, tell them how to live! Give money to the one who is going to Japan to be a missionary. Don't just hang on to your tithe, or established mission organizations. There are many places where people are dying, and there is not a single church or a single presence of mission organizations!

Pray, and ask God to lead you to this person!
Pray, and ask God to show you this place, and the needs of this people!

Do not brush off Japan from your mind, because it appeared to be "rich", and not as "urgent"as other lands! I don't think this is what the Lord has in His mind. 

Be sure, be encouraged! The Lord had called a team! You are not the only one, if you had been yearning for the Salvation in Japan for long. Take courage! 



Spiritual poverty is no better than physical poverty. I know every place is sick, but be clear about this: JAPAN  is sick,  too. 

Bless you!


Roseline

Friday, April 18, 2008

三自之说

原来日本也有三自教会之说:自治、自养、自传。

这个三自的定义和中国的三自定义一样,同样是提倡本土化色彩的教会,不依靠外来宣教士,不采用外国的教材,乃是度身订做自己的教材。但不同的是,日本的三自是民间教会运动,中国的三自是政治运动。

那么,日本的三自教会在教义上与传统教会有何不同?这一点就要多方考究了。但是的确有些三自教会到最后是与基督教义貌合神离的。除了挂上个十字架、谈信神、也谈爱邻如己,却在本质上有许多不同和相冲的地方。到底为什么会这样呢?

再看清楚的时候,这个“原始”和“外来”的冲突早已在1890年,内村鑑三早已提出,直至在1901年的时候创办了“无教会”。

因此日本化的福音不是个新鲜的题材 -- “道会” 和“基督心宗教团” 早在20世纪初期已经在传,期待用日本的视窗去理解福音,可惜却与真道大相挺径而。而无教会、无藩篱的论调更不新鲜。今天在宣教里我们还是一样会谈这个,但是我们必须理解别人抗拒和赞同的原因。

这些资料却告诉我们日本人很早就希望拥有完全属于自己的教会,一个不吞没自己传统和民族色彩的教会。于是当我们今天再谈救赎文化的时候,面对冲击的时候,面对不被谅解的时候,我们也可以从历史里知道问题的所在。日本的福音的领土上不仅仅只占一小片土地,所占的这一小片却有着无数的心酸、牺牲、争拗、苦痛和逼迫。仅仅地那1%,却被看似基督的异端瓜分了超过七成。难怪日本教会总是小心翼翼,时而比外邦人更会挑剔、更不合作。

为日本的这样一个景象要多祷告!我们出去短宣的时候所看见的是絢烂和绮丽,但愿这些热情不限于一刻,乃是持久有力。

Re: Mark Mullins. Christianity Made In Japan - A study of Indigenous Movements



Monday, April 14, 2008

Woman's hour

If you remember in 2006, when many were expecting and predicting a change of the Japanese women status quo and power in the future, Princess Kiko had gave birth to a boy in September that year. BBC host Jenni Murray had a interesting conversation with Kuniko Inoguchi, Dr. Lola Martinez and Lynne Nakano at the beginning of the year. 

Though the issue of empress or emperor no longer exist, the issues that had been discussed in this program perhaps are still the very core issues today: opportunities for women in work, opportunities for women in education, low birth rate and high 1st married age.

The link to this audio record is still available in BBC. Please click on the link below and check it out. It's kind of interesting perspectives of three different women at different side of the world. 


I will urge you to pray before you listen to this program. Also, if you are interested in women ministry, you might get some light of what is awaiting for you, and how your gifting is going to be useful in the field. :-) God bless!