Takanori Oba
Welcome to the Joy of Japan Center for Church Planting and Development!
The following prayer was included in “Our Prayer: ‘Beginning’ from the ‘End’” of the 7th Japan Congress on Evangelism.
“The church faces a multitude of complex challenges. Many churches have aging congregations, and there is a marked decrease in the number of those committing to vocational ministry. The number of churches that have no pastors or have a pastor who serves multiple churches is increasing. Churches are merging or closing, and burnout among ministers continues unabated.”
Certainly, there are difficulties in the Japanese church. But this prayer does not end there. The prayer ends with the words, “We will gaze upon the vision of that eschatological Day, and serve you now with hope. Lord, have mercy on us.”
Where does our hope come from? It comes from the work of the Holy Spirit who guides us and the Church. Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
JOJC is committed to serving the Lord for the sake of church planting and revitalization, always recalling this promise of hope. We will develop a system to address the issue of “pastor burnout” by sharing the gospel-centered life with one another. We will build a network of church plants and foster new gospel-centered fellowship.
As we trust in the power of the Holy Spirit even during these difficult times, JOJC prays to bring the joy of living as witnesses for Christ to every part of Japan.
Takanori Oba
Director of the Joy of Japan Center for Church Planting and Development
