More than 20 years before CBI opened its doors, pastors in Nagoya had been praying that God would provide more opportunities for theological education in their area.
A variety of opportunities existed in both the Kanto and Kansai regions, but even though Nagoya is the third largest metropolitan area in Japan, compared with these other areas there were fewer opportunities for theological education. Moreover, of the major metropolitan areas of Japan, Aichi prefecture had the lowest church-to-population ratio, falling at nearly 50% of Tokyo, making Nagoya a particularly strategic location to raise up and equip future leaders for the church in Japan.
In an effort to serve and join others in meeting this need, in 2004 Michael and Pearl Oh arrived in Nagoya and founded CBI, a ministry designed to equip Christians in Japan for the work of gospel ministry. In May 2005 the flagship ministry of CBI—Christ Bible Seminary—held its first convocation and began operations at Nisshin Christ Church in the suburbs of Nagoya.
