The cross at Tamagawa Seigakuin Walk the high places
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19).
Thank you for praying for Tamagawa Seigakuin, the girls’ junior/senior high school where Bernie is principal. As with all Japanese schools, Tama Sei began a new school year at the beginning of April. One month later, we can say that things are off to a good start with 1,080-plus students and more than 100 faculty and staff. Activities for 2007-08 are being planned around the theme, “Walk the high places,” based upon the above verse.
Within this first month of school, Bernie already has been reminded several times about what an amazing mission field Tama Sei is, one that reaches not only students, but also their families. At the first PTA meeting, for example, Bernie spoke from the Habakkuk verse to some 900 parents. Days later, at the school’s annual Sports Day, he brought a gospel message to more than 2,000 people. When we remember that the average-sized Japanese congregation is around 35 people and that a church of more than 200 in Japan might be compared to a mega-church elsewhere, we are overjoyed and occasionally even overwhelmed by the privilege of proclaiming the gospel at Tama Sei.
Tarumi Church in Kobe
Bernie baptizes Fujita-san We were also overjoyed to spend Easter with the people of Tarumi Church in Kobe, the congregation we pastored for 20+ years. Not only did we rejoice in the risen Lord, but Bernie had the privilege of baptizing two new sisters in Christ, Kaori Fujita and Teruko Mizutani. Fujita-san first started attending worship services after being introduced to the church through the English-Bible classes that are taught by the Kansai-based SAM (special assignment missionary). In Fujita-san’s case, SAM Randee Doe picked up with the English-Bible program where Stephen Stull left off when he completed his assignment in 2004. Lots of loving care by Randee helped to bring Fujita-san through the unexpected death of her teenage son and to accepting Christ as her personal Savior.
As for Mizutani-san, Cheryl was especially thrilled to learn in her baptismal testimony that it was Cheryl’s Christmas Eve message at Tarumi Church last December that finally helped Mizutani-san decide to hold back no longer and to accept God’s gifts of forgiveness and salvation. (By the way, these testimonies are a wonderful tradition in Japanese churches that we think would greatly enhance the celebration of baptism in the U.S.) The only thing Cheryl can remember about that message is that her tongue was tied in knots and her language ability that night was poor. Thus, Mizutani-san’s testimony was a wonderful reminder of the truth of the Lord’s challenge in 1 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Praise the Lord!
Please pray for Fujita-san and Mizutani-san as they seek to grow in Christ. Pray also for Tarumi Church as it continues to struggle without a pastor. On June 1, it will have been four years since we left Tarumi. During this time, there have been four pastoral candidates who haven’t worked out—two by the choice of the congregation and two by the decision of the candidate. Needless to say, the church is both discouraged and tired. They are especially needy in the area of pastoral care, which is why we began visiting Tarumi one weekend a month from March. We will continue this pattern through March 2008. Please pray for safety on the road as we travel generally the second weekend each month and also that God will encourage the people through us. More than anything else, please pray that God will bring a Japanese pastor to Tarumi Church during this time.
Other ways to pray
In addition to the above and the specific requests of last month’s newsletter—which still need your faithful prayers—here are some additional ways for you to pray:
►That God will call some youth to full-time ministry at the national youth convention, May 3-5, in Okinawa;
►For safety in travel for Cheryl as she goes to Lebanon, May 17-24, to participate in the dedication of the Johnson Chapel at Mediterranean Bible College; and,
►For God to begin to reveal the specific ways he wants us to become more involved in church work after Bernie steps back from some of his responsibilities at Tamagawa Seigakuin from April 2008. Pray also for God’s wisdom for the school’s executive committee, of which Bernie is chair, in creating a new leadership structure for the school.
Food for thought
“Beware of harking back to something you once were when God wants you to be something you have never been” (Oswald Chambers).
As for Mizutani-san, Cheryl was especially thrilled to learn in her baptismal testimony that it was Cheryl’s Christmas Eve message at Tarumi Church last December that finally helped Mizutani-san decide to hold back no longer and to accept God’s gifts of forgiveness and salvation. (By the way, these testimonies are a wonderful tradition in Japanese churches that we think would greatly enhance the celebration of baptism in the U.S.) The only thing Cheryl can remember about that message is that her tongue was tied in knots and her language ability that night was poor. Thus, Mizutani-san’s testimony was a wonderful reminder of the truth of the Lord’s challenge in 1 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Praise the Lord!
Please pray for Fujita-san and Mizutani-san as they seek to grow in Christ. Pray also for Tarumi Church as it continues to struggle without a pastor. On June 1, it will have been four years since we left Tarumi. During this time, there have been four pastoral candidates who haven’t worked out—two by the choice of the congregation and two by the decision of the candidate. Needless to say, the church is both discouraged and tired. They are especially needy in the area of pastoral care, which is why we began visiting Tarumi one weekend a month from March. We will continue this pattern through March 2008. Please pray for safety on the road as we travel generally the second weekend each month and also that God will encourage the people through us. More than anything else, please pray that God will bring a Japanese pastor to Tarumi Church during this time.
Other ways to pray
In addition to the above and the specific requests of last month’s newsletter—which still need your faithful prayers—here are some additional ways for you to pray:
►That God will call some youth to full-time ministry at the national youth convention, May 3-5, in Okinawa;
►For safety in travel for Cheryl as she goes to Lebanon, May 17-24, to participate in the dedication of the Johnson Chapel at Mediterranean Bible College; and,
►For God to begin to reveal the specific ways he wants us to become more involved in church work after Bernie steps back from some of his responsibilities at Tamagawa Seigakuin from April 2008. Pray also for God’s wisdom for the school’s executive committee, of which Bernie is chair, in creating a new leadership structure for the school.
Food for thought
“Beware of harking back to something you once were when God wants you to be something you have never been” (Oswald Chambers).
