My name is Yū Sunagawa. It has been three and a half years since I enrolled at CBS in September 2022. Looking back on these few years—which have felt both long and very short in different ways—I would like to share the grace that God has shown me through CBS.
I grew up in a Christian home and attended an international Christian school in Nagoya. I had known of CBS’s existence since my school days. After graduating from high school in 2016, I had the dream of studying theology at a seminary overseas, but I had to give up this dream because of the financial hurdle involved. Instead, I worked in a secular job for five years. While working, for various reasons, I left the church I had previously attended and began going to a nearby church. That is Nisshin Christ Church, which I currently attend.
After I had attended Nisshin Christ Church for two years, I decided to become a member. After that, I started a new job that involved a lot of business travel, and I was no longer able to attend Nisshin every week. Owing to the nature of my job, I could return to Nagoya only about once a month. It was during one of those precious Sunday services at Nisshin that I heard a sermon delivered by Rev. Matt Newkirk, the president of CBS. After the sermon, the pastor introduced me to Matt, and I learned that the bachelor of theology program had been launched at CBS. It was the perfect program for someone like me who hadn’t completed university. After giving it some thought and taking time to pray, I applied to CBS. Following discussions with Nisshin, it was decided that I would receive financial support from the church, and I enrolled in September of that year.
I had originally considered studying theology abroad, but God opened a path for me to study theology in Japan, in Japanese. Having attended an international school since primary school, I had never had lessons in Japanese. When I first enrolled, I was discouraged by the difficulty of both theological terminology and the Japanese language. The feeling that “perhaps I am not cut out for seminary” dominated my first year. To be honest, there were times when I thought of giving up, but thanks to the support of the people at Nisshin Christ Church and the faculty at CBS, I was able to continue my studies.
God protected even someone like me and nurtured my intellect and spirituality through my studies. While taking numerous courses—including systematic theology, church history, Old and New Testament, Hebrew and Greek, discipleship, and counseling—I learned, above all else, what kind of God he is and what kind of relationship we have with him. It was by no means an easy journey, but looking back now, it was an incredibly beneficial experience. Those three and a half years were filled with various obstacles, but with hindsight, I realize that the trials we face are part of the grace God has given us. What is guaranteed in the Christian life is not ease but the salvation, peace, and joy that come from Christ.
If I were to summarize what I learned at CBS in a single phrase, it would be “a gospel-centered life.” I want to proclaim the gospel to myself every day and share that inspiration with those around me. This gospel is my vitality and the source of my joy. Through seminary, I have come to deeply realize that there is nothing of greater value than this gospel.
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 16:24–25, ESV)
The life given to me is not my own; it belongs to God. My studies at CBS were not something I earned but a grace given to me by God. In response to this grace, I will now serve the churches in Japan.
In conclusion, the following are the blessings I received through CBS: I am deeply grateful to God for bringing me into contact with the people of Nisshin Christ Church, the CBS faculty, the CBI staff, and each and every seminary student I studied with.
Yū Sunagawa graduated from Christ Bible Seminary in March with a bachelor of theology.
