Learning and growing

This past week we have had the privilege of coordinating a Training Week for 18 first-term missionaries, one of whom joined us by live link from Tokyo. It was a time of learning, interacting and sharing together as we sought to be better equipped to serve here and bring the message of the gospel to the Japanese people. Several OMF colleagues helped us understand more about the history of missions; about Japanese religions; how to contextualize the gospel to Japan; and issues relating to the church in both urban and more rural areas. We were grappling with a big question - what is an indigenous, biblical church in the Japanese context? And more than that, longing to see a movement in this land, not a church that is stagnant and static, but one which is growing, where disciples are bearing fruit and where many others are being added to the kingdom. It was so encouraging to see and hear the enthusiasm and commitment of the new generation of missionaries here. We are blessed to have many gifted people within OMF who have a passion to reach the Japanese with the gospel. We all left the week enriched but knowing that we have only just started. God is doing a work in each of us. And God is doing a work in this land. It is an honour to be part of that great work.