A little more history:Six months before we first came to Japan in 1976
The hope-filled promise
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV).
The Church of God in Japan celebrates its 100th birthday in August 2008. A century ago, a Japanese Presbyterian minister, A. U. Yajima, was traveling in California when he found a copy of the Gospel Trumpet on a train seat. His heart was touched as he read, leading him to contact the paper’s publishers, the Church of God. Eventually he felt called to start the Church of God in Japan. Arriving in Tokyo in 1908, he began visiting homes, conducting evangelistic meetings, and printing a paper called Pure Gospel. Soon needing help, Yajima wrote to America and asked for missionaries to come, and in 1909, J. D. Hatch and W.G. and Josie Alexander responded. In the intervening years since, more than 100 career and special assignment missionaries have assisted the Church of God in Japan, some in church work, but most through education. (We’ve done both.)
So what does all of this have to do with God’s hope-filled promise in Isaiah? Much! While we can’t speak from experience about the Church of God in Japan prior to 1976, we are well acquainted with what’s been happening since then. To be honest, the church isn’t much different today than it was in 1976 in terms of membership and numbers of pastors and congregations. (If anything, membership has declined as the church has aged along with the general population.) How we wish it were different! Only two things keep us going: the hope-filled promise from God of a harvest and his call upon our lives.
Does Japan need the gospel?
This was the question Grace Alexander addressed in the February 2, 1922 issue of the Gospel Trumpet. Raised in Japan until her parents completed their missionary work in 1920, Grace could write eloquently on the subject. Excerpts of her appeal for prayer and funds to support the mission in Japan follow:
“An old man living in the country wants to show the missionary his god—a seashell with the painting of some form inside. The heavy-hearted missionary trudges on toward the distant village where hundreds of souls are in great darkness. He wonders how to get the light to them as he walks along, passing [pagan] images, small shrines, and people he longs to help. Perhaps he will meet a young man and in answer to what the missionary tells him concerning the gospel says, ‘If you have known Christ for so long and he does so much for you, why didn’t you come to help us long ago?’
“Japan is looked to as a civilized nation, and indeed she is moving forward. Christianity has gained great headway. As late as 1872, all prominent crossroads of the empire still bore the old edict-boards proclaiming death to everyone who accepted the Christian faith, while now there are many Christians serving God unmolested; but still idolatry abounds on every hand, and we must give the gospel. We must grasp opportunity by the forelock.
“It is easy to show the reasonableness of Christianity, but to instill the true Christian spirit into hearts is not an easy task. It requires a long time to build up a true Christian church. Unless a great many precious lives be spent, unless many a sincere prayer ascends to God’s throne, and unless you give of your means for this great and difficult work, we cannot expect many great results. Japan is included in ‘all the world.’ She does need the gospel, and it is our duty to take it to her.”
Still in need today
Eighty-six years have passed since Alexander issued her appeal for earnest prayer and sacrificial giving for the sake of missions outreach in Japan. We feel she was pleading for us before even our parents were born. While this nation is today a strong world leader, Japan still needs the gospel. And missionaries still need your faithful prayers. May we count on you? The Lord has called us, but he has not called us alone. We could not be here without your prayers and finances, especially those of our 30 Living Link supporting congregations, two supporting couples, and one supporting state association.
This year the Church of God in Japan is looking back to the future. Please pray for fresh vision and unhindered enthusiasm for all God wants to accomplish in the next 100 years. Pray also for our missionary staff of ten people, each of whom longs for the Holy Spirit to move in Japan and in our churches to bring revival like we have never seen before. Especially pray for renewal for each one of us during our spring staff retreat, March 25-27, and for Rod Stafford, pastor in Fairfax, Virginia, as he leads us.
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV).
The Church of God in Japan celebrates its 100th birthday in August 2008. A century ago, a Japanese Presbyterian minister, A. U. Yajima, was traveling in California when he found a copy of the Gospel Trumpet on a train seat. His heart was touched as he read, leading him to contact the paper’s publishers, the Church of God. Eventually he felt called to start the Church of God in Japan. Arriving in Tokyo in 1908, he began visiting homes, conducting evangelistic meetings, and printing a paper called Pure Gospel. Soon needing help, Yajima wrote to America and asked for missionaries to come, and in 1909, J. D. Hatch and W.G. and Josie Alexander responded. In the intervening years since, more than 100 career and special assignment missionaries have assisted the Church of God in Japan, some in church work, but most through education. (We’ve done both.)
So what does all of this have to do with God’s hope-filled promise in Isaiah? Much! While we can’t speak from experience about the Church of God in Japan prior to 1976, we are well acquainted with what’s been happening since then. To be honest, the church isn’t much different today than it was in 1976 in terms of membership and numbers of pastors and congregations. (If anything, membership has declined as the church has aged along with the general population.) How we wish it were different! Only two things keep us going: the hope-filled promise from God of a harvest and his call upon our lives.
Does Japan need the gospel?
This was the question Grace Alexander addressed in the February 2, 1922 issue of the Gospel Trumpet. Raised in Japan until her parents completed their missionary work in 1920, Grace could write eloquently on the subject. Excerpts of her appeal for prayer and funds to support the mission in Japan follow:
“An old man living in the country wants to show the missionary his god—a seashell with the painting of some form inside. The heavy-hearted missionary trudges on toward the distant village where hundreds of souls are in great darkness. He wonders how to get the light to them as he walks along, passing [pagan] images, small shrines, and people he longs to help. Perhaps he will meet a young man and in answer to what the missionary tells him concerning the gospel says, ‘If you have known Christ for so long and he does so much for you, why didn’t you come to help us long ago?’
“Japan is looked to as a civilized nation, and indeed she is moving forward. Christianity has gained great headway. As late as 1872, all prominent crossroads of the empire still bore the old edict-boards proclaiming death to everyone who accepted the Christian faith, while now there are many Christians serving God unmolested; but still idolatry abounds on every hand, and we must give the gospel. We must grasp opportunity by the forelock.
“It is easy to show the reasonableness of Christianity, but to instill the true Christian spirit into hearts is not an easy task. It requires a long time to build up a true Christian church. Unless a great many precious lives be spent, unless many a sincere prayer ascends to God’s throne, and unless you give of your means for this great and difficult work, we cannot expect many great results. Japan is included in ‘all the world.’ She does need the gospel, and it is our duty to take it to her.”
Still in need today
Eighty-six years have passed since Alexander issued her appeal for earnest prayer and sacrificial giving for the sake of missions outreach in Japan. We feel she was pleading for us before even our parents were born. While this nation is today a strong world leader, Japan still needs the gospel. And missionaries still need your faithful prayers. May we count on you? The Lord has called us, but he has not called us alone. We could not be here without your prayers and finances, especially those of our 30 Living Link supporting congregations, two supporting couples, and one supporting state association.
This year the Church of God in Japan is looking back to the future. Please pray for fresh vision and unhindered enthusiasm for all God wants to accomplish in the next 100 years. Pray also for our missionary staff of ten people, each of whom longs for the Holy Spirit to move in Japan and in our churches to bring revival like we have never seen before. Especially pray for renewal for each one of us during our spring staff retreat, March 25-27, and for Rod Stafford, pastor in Fairfax, Virginia, as he leads us.
