A few incredibly significant milestones happened last month. Our focus has always been to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches. Missions is relationships and our ministry is always to move people to their next stage of development both in ministry, character, and skills. But as a resident missionary we know we cannot be in a context, such as Japan, forever. We have to build things and people that will outlast our tenure in a place. Over the last 40 years we have heard phrases about the role of missionaries like: “Work yourself out of job.” “Pass on leadership to others who share your vision, values, and impact.” Work toward success in leadership as “there is no success without successors.”
Many of you know that John has been involve in leadership with the Japan Church Planting Institute since its inception in 1994. John was the team leader for the leadership team for 25 years. John left that position in 2020 when we relocated to the US. In 2022, Elaine and John attended the conference, which was the largest ever, though we just participated in a few training seminars. This year the Renown conference was held, and we chose not to attend nor participate in any way, including advising. The 2024 conference was the biggest church planting conference in Japan ever with over 800 people, a large number of volunteer short-term workers, and some of the best speaking and worship ever. We were not involved but God continues to bless CPI. God had passed the baton on to the next generation of leaders. One of them wrote an encouraging note saying. “Thanks for all the work you did to get this off the ground and growing!”
As we near the end of the year it is always good to look back and evaluate what God has done and lessons going forward in the future. During the same week in November as the Renown conference, the Global Church Planting Network global facilitators were meeting in Turkey. Normally John would have participated but a Japanese leader went as a representative of ministry in Japan. This Japanese leader met with other global leaders and from East Asia such as Mongolia, and S. Korea. John was so thrilled to be able to encourage other leaders to take the roles that he had just a few years ago. Thanks for your investment in us. We have striven to invest in others and that is paying off. John’s continuing role with the Asia Impact Team is to come alongside local leaders to equip them to multiply movements of disciples, leaders, and churches. We continue this baton passing through the dozens of leaders we connect with every month.
FOCUS ON JAPAN
Also Asian leaders come visit us in the US. Last month one of the brightest church planters, Shohei Ueki, came to Chicago to visit us, one of our partnering churches, and other supporters. I was just with Shohei at the National Roundtable in Tokyo in October. He had a very enjoyable and relaxing time in our home. Along with our Life Group that meets in our home, we also visited the Village Point church in Elk Grove where I introduced him, and he shared the vision for a new church in Tokyo Bay where no church has ever existed. Pray for him, his family, and ministry as they plan regular worship services sometime in 2025.
