one of our worker, Hongyun’s ministry is at Kakogawa church. Here is she introduce the church. By the way from March this year she went to Korea for her family member in Korea is very sick. Please pray for her and her family in Korea.

Please pray that God provides our needs; WEC Japan Headquarter will be set at a new property. Membership Department needs to be set up this year so please pray for all the process.

Here is the church

Kakogawa, one of local town which an hour away by train from the well known cities of Osaka, Kobe. There is Kagawa Baptist Church , a little away from the city center, where rice paddies and bush trees are set back and forth. Every Sunday, about 350 people from the various age groups of children, youth, young adults, adults, seniors come together for worship service.

As usual, the pastor asked at the end of the service today. “Is there anyone who wants to believe in Jesus, and wants to get baptized?” One lady stepped forward with the guide of the church volunteers. The pastor questioned her. “Do you admit that you are a sinner who lived against God? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins? Do you believe that Jesus was resurrected in three days after death? Do you want to be baptized and live together as a member of the church?” The lady firmly replied to every question, “Yes”.

Like so, 15 people were baptized through this church last year. The church is still working hard to spread out about Jesus through various evangelistic events, and some new seekers are doing Bible studies for baptism. Japan’s average rate of baptism in 2016 is 1.3%(「Data Book on the Future of Evangelism in Japan」). In fact, the Japanese churches that I worked with before coming Kakogawa had rarely one baptized for several years. In the church where a German missionary had been a pastor about 20years, two long-term attendants decided to get baptize,when the missionary was about to return to his home country. It took more than 10years for those two finally got baptized. But what a surprising that more than 10 baptized arise, not one a year in such spiritual situation in this country, besides in a local areas church.

What brings these fruits? Of course the Lord is doing it. However, we could also see the principle of centering the gospel and lay Christians working together with the ministers for evangelism. Any church in the world, although there are various differences, teaches the gospel-centered discipleship and lives out witnessing the gospel, then the Lord is giving a birth to the new life through them, such an ordinary people, rather weak people in this world.

In Japan, even though the Protestant gospel has been passed for 170years, this country is still called one of the unreached people, even the grave of the missionaries, and still struggling with the rate of Christians less than 1% of the population. The Lord’s churches exist. The Lord has been eagerly working through them. Even today, He is working through those who confess Him as the only true God, the Lord of human being, the only hope, and our Savior of the world, and they fight for His Great commission. It has been already 15years past since I am here as a missionary. Yet, it is still hard to find the opportunity to share the gospel, and I feel easily tired of weak response of people. Despite of all situations I go on in His passion, as our God is working hard, His salvation work has not finished, and the birth of the new life is taking place here in this land.“The Lord All-powerful will do this because of His strong love for His people.”(NCV, Isa9:7).

Please remember us for this land in your prayer. And, we welcome you all to serve His precious people here together for our dear Lord