Where there is no vision...

For most of the first year or so since our return to Japan to start a church from zero, we have been thinking and praying about the vision of this new church. What are we about here? What are we aiming it? What are our values? How is God leading? These and many other questions have been on our minds. A couple of months back it was great to be able to agree on our vision and values. So far it is just in Japanese, but an English version should appear at some point. Actually it is not so easy to translate something which is thought through in another language and designed for a specific context. We have worked with five keywords as we have considered this new church plant. Biblical - perhaps obvious, but what does the Bible really say about church? Indigenous - in effect, we want to be a church which is rooted here, in this community, among the people who live here. Equipping - a church where each person learns from one another and is equipped and built up to be the person God has made them to be. Holistic - perhaps a word that needs explaining, but the key idea is that being a follower of Jesus is something which takes in all of life, anywhere, at any time, words and deeds. And reproducing, looking to make and nurture disciples of Jesus who bear fruit as they live their lives for him. How God will build a church in this community among these people is something we don't yet know and can't yet see - but it is exciting to be here to watch and be involved in its outworking.