Asia Comes Home
Your July 2023 Update from John and Elaine
Last month we had our first Japanese visitor to our new home in Pecatonica IL. We imagined it would occur sooner, but the pandemic slowed the globe down. One of our old church members and Elaine’s Bible study student, Mrs. Yoko Saito visited from Tokyo. It was a marvelous time of reunion on this side of the Pacific. She enjoyed visiting with our family as her mother is kind of an adopted grandmother for our two children. Our daughter, Beth, and her daughter grew up like sisters. Also we spent quality time with our church family at our home church, did some sightseeing and shopping, and she enjoyed our home and Japanese garden. From her visit John was surprised how much he is still Japanese though we have lived in Illinois over three years. More visitors from Japan are bound to come, and we also anticipate being in Japan again this year and next.
FOCUS ON SOUTH ASIA
Thank you for many who have been praying for the unrest in Manipur India. I am grateful that our partners, The Tangkhul Naga Baptist Convention (TNBC) has not been greatly affected. In developing our “TNBC 2 Mission” partnership the key problem is not being able to communicate as the government has disconnected the internet. John has been able to connect weekly by text with a key leader and awaits the possible internet meeting or face-to-face in a few weeks. Continue to pray as it is hard to work as partners if you cannot communicate. Along with the TNBC 2 Mission project another Asia Impact Team (AIT) is working with another group in another state to equip leaders to reach UPGs.
John will join several others to conduct training with several groups of key leaders in Sri Lanka in October. Pray for the planning and preparations. Also we are opening discussions with another country in South Asia for training church planters.
FOCUS ON JAPAN
John is planning to be in Japan again in September to attend the Seventh Japan Congress on Evangelism. These nationwide congresses are held every 7 years. Please pray for all the preparations for main sessions, seminars, and small groups. Just last month a new databook on missions in Japan was released as well as the Japanese version of Operation Japan prayer guide. John is looking forward to visiting personally with hundreds of leaders and plans to see in person those he is coaching and mentoring.
FOCUS ON SOUTHEAST ASIA
Also coming up in September is a trip to influence key leaders in three South East Asian countries. Some AIT members and others from the Philippines and Indonesia will form training teams to connect with key leaders and make contacts for future partnerships to reach UPGs in their countries and beyond. The training will be on 1) Mobilizing Prayer, 2) Planting Churches, 3) Coaching Leaders, and 4) Sending for Mission. Please be in prayer for all the components to come together for profound influence in the region.
FOCUS ON GLOBAL MINISTRIES
On the horizon are two key global leadership summits that will assist our AIT in meeting key leaders and potential partners for future ministry throughout Asia. Also these events will assist in defining some resources to be used in equipping more leaders. John is planning to attend these events with other AIT members and potential partners.
- In February 2024, is the Global Summit on Church Multiplication to be held in Batam, Indonesia. Other key global organizations along with the Global Church Planting Network are collaborating. John is involved with the Japan group, the Northeast Asia team, as well as the global facilitators. Pray for the development of the program as well as the recruitment of key leaders from numerous countries.
- In September, Lausanne 4 will be held in Seoul Korea in September 2024. John received an invitation and has applied to attend. Pray this major event, which happens every 14 years, would represent the global church and the mission task ahead.