Dear Friends,
Many in the community think of church attendance: “Shiki ga takai.” That is, it is difficult to step up into the high level of a church. They are not good enough and need to be morally better before they enter. If they only understood that God alone is good; they need to be concerned not about the group around them, but about God who calls them to live obediently and joyfully in covenant with Him. Some think they won’t understand this foreign religion: a personal God who has revealed himself to men. Others think, “ I am Japanese. My family, my friends, my co-workers will not accept my coming to a church. I can’t enter because, to become a Christian, I would have to give up being Japanese (yes, that thinking really exists).
In Jesus’ day, was it any different for Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews? He risked his reputation and his position to come to see Jesus at night. In his heart, he knew that Jesus had “come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (Jn. 3:2) So, he sought out the words of eternal life. It is the same today in Japan for those whom the Lord is calling to be his own.
At Nozomi Church, we are thankful that many in the community are willing to come to activities: to talk, to relax, and to listen. Genuine concern and continuing love, is that not what draws us to trust the word of others? Yes, it takes a lot of time to understand the message of the Bible which is so contrary to Japanese culture. But, many now in the surrounding community are willing to listen to God’s Word.
We thank God for a wonderful 2 weeks with counseling professor Dr. George Scipione and his wife Eileen. They shared their teaching and wisdom about forgiveness, depression, LGBT, obsessive recluseness, and other extreme problems at a joint conference of the Reformed Presbyterian Church ministers and the OPC Japan Mission. George also preached or taught seminars for several congregations of the Covenanters, the Brazilian church near Nagoya, and all three OPC in Yamagata, Sendai, and Yamamoto. In each place, the Lord was pleased to encourage and strengthen the believers as well as challenge the inquirers to a deeper trust in God and his Word. We thank the Presbytery of Ohio for sending them to minister to our mission and our congregations.
Please pray with us:
- That God will open the hearts of Yamamoto to know their Creator and understand who they are before him.
- That the Lord would use the efforts of the team from Singapore in early May. They will hold a neighborhood barbecue as well as an English Café with music and testimonies.
- That regular visitors would have courage to attend worship and that they would understand Jesus’ total sacrifice for those who would believe.
- That the morning sermon series on Matthew and the evening series on the Apostles’ Creed will bear the fruit of faith in those who hear.
- That the Lord will provide opportunities for us to build relationships with kids in order to begin a kids’ Bible class in the future.
- That through the regular activities the Lord would make us a blessing and encouragement to the community and enable us to develop friendships and provide opportunities to share the gospel. Pray for fruit from the weekly Bible study, monthly Friends’ Lunch, cooking club, Hiyoko (mom and tots) café, weekly café, kids’ playtime, English classes, and weekly morning worship and bimonthly evening worship.
- For our home service (aka. Furlough) visiting churches this fall.
Thank God:
- For 6 inquirers who come frequently to worship and for the 2 who come morning and evening.
- For Mrs. U. and Mrs. I. who are in an inquirers’ class. With no prior knowledge of the Bible, much time will be required to help them understand the Bible.
- For the 2 new piano classes on Wednesday afternoons. Many people are signing up for the group class, and the teacher plans eventually for Woody to teach a short Bible message after each class.
Thankful to share in this ministry with you,
Woody and Laurie Lauer
