Lauer Update - April 2016

Dear Friends,

We are particularly giving thanks that the Lord has been working mercifully in the hearts of many. Praise God for new opportunities to introduce the gospel! This past week, we held the last meetings of several regular ministries here at Kita Numazu Chapel.

On March 24, twenty-seven gathered for our last cooking class, bringing with them a feast of delightful dishes. The purpose of this class has been to provide a friendly atmosphere for women to hear the Bible’s message without pressure. Although they have been very reticent to speak about their reactions each time, over the last few months, a number of women have said how much they appreciated learning about the Bible. This time, Laurie was asked to give a talk on the Christian view of marriage and family. After enjoying the food, each lady spoke about what the class meant to her. Mrs. K. said she wished she had been coming for at least another year in order to learn more about the Bible. Mrs. I. said she wanted to love her husband better. Mrs. Z. described how she had begun reading the Bible this year, realizing as she read that the Bible is filled with wisdom. It flows through history, is sometimes very difficult to read, but she is impressed with the wisdom. With tears welling in her eyes, she said that it is filled with power…even the power to change her. We are thankful to God that several joined us for worship on Sunday.  Please pray with us that the Lord would complete this good work in bringing these women to faith in Christ and join them to the church.

Final Cooking Class Message at Kita Numazu Reformed Church: March 2016

Thursday evening, we met for the last time with our English Bible classes. We thank God for the blessing of teaching the Scripture every week to those who have not yet made a profession of faith. In the last portion of the class, every member said goodbye. Two of the teenagers were visibly moved as they gave thanks for the Bible teaching and expressed their hope that Woody would be able to teach the Bible to many in Yamamoto. One of the women specifically asked for materials on how to raise her children as Christians. All are eager to continue studying. Please pray with us that God will provide a faithful teacher for the class after we leave and that all will profess faith in Christ.  

Friday night was set to be our last youth group meeting with a sleepover included. Although our group has dwindled in number due to family moves, they have grown close together as friends. Nevertheless, the Lord had a surprise for us. Two new high school girls were introduced via an advertisement for our “moving giveaway” on Thursday. When they came to the giveaway, they were surprised to meet some of their friends. Woody and the kids invited them for the youth group’s Friday overnight. Though they seemed reticent, explaining that they are Buddhist, they came. Friday evening, the kids really enjoyed being together, playing a game and listening to a Bible message, so much so that the older girl stayed overnight. We went to the hot springs together in the evening, and the kids went to the beach for an early morning walk before breakfast. The older girl really appreciated the Bible message on Saturday morning as well. Sunday, she attended worship and stayed all day to talk. The Lord can work even through the smallest of things. Please pray with us for the salvation of all of those who have attended youth group these past 5 years and for Y. to begin reading the Bible.  

Youth Group Overnight: March 2016

Finally, we give thanks for the fellowship we enjoyed in worship on Sunday morning and afterward together at the reception they held for us. Once again, the biggest blessing was listening to those whose lives had been changed by the Holy Spirit through the preaching and teaching of the Word. One man who has been unwilling to share his thoughts and questions, yet has been attending for several years, surprised us. He remembered coming to the church to study the Bible in English with a friend, but he gave up because it was too hard. Sometime later, he began faithfully attending worship. He said that he has now read through the Japanese Bible 5 or 6 times; each time he reads it, he wants to read more. Praise God! Many Japanese find it difficult to speak about their thoughts until they are certain they believe and are willing to stand out in the crowd. Pray that the Lord will grant saving faith and repentant hearts to the many seekers here and that they will join the church of Christ!

Farewell Worship and Reception for Lauers: March 2016

Additionally, please pray:

1. For a faithful new pastor to lead this congregation along with wise faithful men to serve as elders and deacons.

2. For Naomi and Sakura as they complete their class for profession of faith and baptism. May the Lord strengthen each to commit their lives to Christ, eager to attend worship.

3. For the family of R. whose father died suddenly.  May the Lord provide follow-up to bring the gospel to this family. Mr. R. plans to return to work near Numazu next week.

We are ever thankful for all of you who have prayed faithfully for the saints in Numazu.  May the Lord yet establish a faithful congregation here to his glory and praise.

In Christ,
Woody and Laurie

Lauer Update - February 2016

[In order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved, certain specifics have been withheld in the following story.]

Late this past Sunday afternoon after all the congregation had left, I sat down to rest and contemplate how the people had received the Word preached. The phone soon rang with an unknown foreign voice asking to visit. Minutes later, a bubbly young woman arrived and began asking questions about the church. Though her family are followers of a different major religion, she had grown up attending a Catholic mission school in her Asian country. She explained that she and her husband had been in Japan a few years, having recently moved to Numazu, and were very happy visiting temples and churches, feeling at peace when they did.  She is interested to learn more about the Bible, but indicated her husband was not. Finally, she asked if I could perform a Christian wedding ceremony for them in order to celebrate a very special wedding anniversary, but she wanted to surprise her husband (that would be a good trick, surprising the groom, right?). Naturally, I told her I always do counseling for the couples before performing weddings, so the surprise element might be a bit tough. Hmm...funny how Sunday afternoons go in Numazu. 

A few nights later, the young couple along with their toddler son came for dinner, and stayed for the English Bible study. During self-introductions, a non-Christian Japanese lady was interested to learn of their religious background and willingness to read the Bible. Despite the wife’s apprehensions, the husband was very engaged in the discussion as we read from various parables of Jesus. Though he seemed a bit uneasy, he now plans to attend the weekly 2 hour Bible class while his wife watches their son.  She now plans to attend both English and Japanese services, while he takes care of the boy. The other non-Christian woman, too, is uneasy, for she has come to see that if the Bible is the Word of God, she needs to believe it and obey the Lord.  That would change her life. So, please pray that the Lord would grant faith and salvation to each of the 12 non-Christians who attend our English Bible class! 

Looking back on life in Numazu as the end of our work in this city approaches, we remember the interesting mixture of people attending our Japanese worship services--beyond the usual crowd of Japanese Buddhists and Shintoists-- a few Muslims, a Soka Gakkai teacher (strictly a member of the English Bible class; for information on this very aggressive Buddhist sect (and others), read here: http://cultbustersgalactica.yuku.com/topic/561/Soka-Gakkai-Cult-of-Power#.Vr59ItCJVPY), a former Aum Shinrykou (you remember the Sarin gas cult? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo) member who attended worship and prayer meeting frequently for quite some time, and a Chinese woman from Hong Kong who did become a Christian! In this modest homogeneous city, we quietly marvel how the Lord has brought so many people from so many countries to this small Japanese chapel to hear the Word of God: our dear Japanese friends as well as Korean, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Peruvian, Brazilian, Canadian, German, Pakistani, Turkey, Somali, and American friends!

How we are encouraged to think that the Lord is using us even in our last few weeks here to bring the Bible to those who do not know the Lord.  God is merciful. May his glory reach to the ends of the earth!

Please also pray for:

• OPC mission work throughout Japan, keep up with the news at http://opcjapan.com/

• Faithfulness and unity at the annual congregational meeting on Sunday, February 14.

• Woody’s new class at the Reformed Presbyterian’s Kobe Theological Hall.  Beginning this year, his four NT Introduction Students will also be taking a class with him in OT Survey and Introduction.

• Two junior high girls, Sakura and Naomi, who are preparing for profession of faith and baptism.

• The women of the cooking class (Feb. 18) to believe the Bible and receive salvation in Christ.

• The Lord to provide housing near the Nozomi Center where we are preparing to move in April.

In Christ’s service,
Woody and Laurie Lauer

Yaegashi Update - December 2015

Dear Ones,

"Bless the Lord, O my soul!"  The Spirit of the living God is at work in this nation!  We are witnesses to that!

Babies and more babies!  Babies in the church and babies in the family!  In January last year, a dying man, the husband of one of our members, proclaimed his faith in Jesus and was born again just hours before he was ushered into Heaven to meet Him face to face!

In the spring, a woman who had been searching for salvation for many years, whom we met through her interest in English, and who had come to realize there is no other name than Jesus whereby we must be saved, received baptism.  She dreaded having appear before the congregation, but her testimony was sweet and powerful, a blessing to all.

Then to close the year 2015, our son David, and his wife, Amy, claimed God's promise to be God to them and to their infant daughter, Alisa Rei, and presented her for baptism.  They had moved back to Japan in May, and Alisa was born in July in Tokyo.  The day after Alisa was born, Amy developed the HELLP Syndrome and had to be rushed to another hospital.  It was a frightening occurrence, but she recovered with skillful care.  "Bless the Lord...Who healeth all thy diseases." 

How we yearn for our Japanese friends to know the love of God in church and family.  Therefore we make many opportunities to share that love in word and deed.  Besides weekly Bible studies and English lessons, Sunday School and worship, seasonal celebrations bring many non-Christians into our homes and church.  

In April children and their parents came to hear the Resurrection story and sing and play.  Many Christians in this country first heard the story of Jesus at a children's event, and remember it all their lives.

In July a mother-daughter team in our church, Shio and Aiko Akiho,  produced an outstanding three-day VBS "Prince of Egypt", complete with a baby in the bulrushes, a "burning" bush, and a hallway "sea" that parted!  They also wrote and illustrated a three-part card story.  The first day we tried something new: a sleep-over following bowling, dinner in a restaurant, and bathing at a spa!  We are hoping to do that again!

In the fall we held a bazaar to support Nozomi Center, a relief ministry begun after the tsunami four years ago.  While this is not an evangelistic opportunity, it is a chance for friends and relatives to observe the sacrificial love of the church.  The members work hard and long all year just to give away whatever money they can raise.  And they love doing it!

Christmas is the whole world's favorite holiday, so Christians in Japan finally have the upper hand.  Family and friends who have turned a deaf---or too busy---ear all year are finally ready to listen!  And, boy, have we got a story! “God made us and loved us so much that when we turned away, He wouldn't let go.  He sent His precious, irresistible, only Son to forgive our sins and make sure we would live with Him forever."  Please, please pray that the Japanese people would believe that!   

During this eventful year, thanks to the generosity of thoughtful friends, Kaz and Katie were able to go to NY tin August to see James, Tami, Samuel and Anna, Megumi, Jason and Kaila, and Emi.  Katie and Emi also got to go to NC for three days to visit Margie and Gwladys and her brood from TX.

Back to the "Babies" theme.  Morris and Yuki's Baby Boy is due any day now!  Grammy Katie will go to Tokyo Wednesday to stand by with open arms day or night for two weeks.  (Then Yuki's mother will come have a turn.)  One of the sweetest experiences of my life is when a baby is held out to me so the parents can get a bit of undisturbed sleep, while baby and I do our bonding.

Then in April, Megumi and Jason will present their Kaila, now eight years old, with a little brother or sister.  This has been a long-awaited child!  And Grammy will be called for again.  I plan to be in NY from mid-May to mid-June.   Kaz announced a "Yaegashi Baby Rush!"2016, what is in store?  "As for man his days are as grass...but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting...and His righteousness unto children's children.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

(Psalm 103:1, 3, 15, 17)

Our love to every one of you, 
Kaz and Katie Yaegashi