The Joy of Japan Center for Church Planting and Development (JOJC) in Nagoya, Japan, is a ministry of Christ Bible Institute (CBI). CBI, founded in 2005, exists to equip Christians in Japan for gospel ministry and seeks to help the church multiply and thrive for Japan and for the world. CBI’s primary ministry is Christ Bible Seminary (CBS), a school which provides theological education to train leaders in the church and other Christians for gospel ministry.
In addition to the education provided by the seminary, the leaders at CBI saw the need for a new kind of training center specifically focused on strategic training and resources for church planting and revitalization in the Japanese context. Thus, in July 2018, CBI launched the Joy of Japan Center for Church Planting and Development (JOJC).
In addition to its focus on planting new churches in Japan, JOJC also focuses on reviving older, historic, struggling churches for a renewed outlook for gospel ministry in their city. By providing additional training, the Center hopes to encourage such pastors to become revitalizers.
The name of JOJC, “Joy of Japan,” is dedicated to the Pals family, who were committed to serving as missionaries with CBI before the entire family was killed in a car accident on their way to missionary training on July 31, 2016. The Joy of Japan Center seeks to honor this family and steward their story well.
Staff
Gary Watanabe
Director
Gary Watanabe
Gary Watanabe received his Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) and Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Westminster Theological Seminary in California, and was ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in 1986. He has served as an urban church planting missionary in Mexico, Philippines, New York, and Japan. Currently he is Director of the Joy of Japan Center for Church Planting and Revitalization at CBI. He and his wife Lois have three children and five grandchildren.
Takanori Oba
Assistant Director
Takanori Oba was the first graduate of Christ Bible Seminary. From there he earned an MA and PhD in Religious Thought from Nanzan University with a specialization in patristics. He is currently a professor at Christ Bible Seminary, teaching primarily church history. He is also the Assistant Director of JOJC at Christ Bible Institute (CBI). Dr. Oba also serves as the director of the Chubu Division of the Japan Evangelical Theological Society and lectures part-time at Nanzan University.
