Items for Prayer for Japan and our ministry.
Our US tour is extended. We heard last week that due to a deficit in our support we will have to delay our departure to Japan until probably October. Pray for opportunities to increase our partnership base. Praise to God for many encouragements while at the Converge Worldwide Biennial meeting June 27-30. John’s mother’s house went on sale a few weeks ago. Pray that it sells quickly. Pray as we continue our “Eastern Trip” and…
In Japan nearly 100 people commit suicide everyday. This has been continuing at this pace for over 14 years. After the 3.11. disasters there were reports of suicide doubling among disaster victims. Fortunately in May that number dipped. Pray for each Christian and every church to be available to share with hurting people the hope and compassion of Christ.
A government survey showed Thursday that 52.6% of Japanese people responding to a survey said it is easy for them to have and raise children in their home country, up 5 percentage points from the previous poll in 2005 but considerably lower than the United States and European countries. According to the five-nation survey by the Cabinet Office on a society with fewer children, the figure stood at 97.1% in Sweden, 75.5% in the United…
We have been encouraged by new partnering churches and individuals joining our financial support team. Many churches and individuals have increased their support. However, we are still about $300 per month behind in our needed support. Even though we are so close, without a miracle it looks like we will be delayed in departing on schedule in early August. We will have to delay returning to Japan for our leadership training, church planting mobilization, spiritual…
After well over one year, the tsunami disaster area still has houses needing to be cleaned up. Our partners are saying that there is still so much work to do. One team from Hawaii and Bethlehem Baptist just returned to the US after cleaning several damaged homes and conducting community outreach ministry. Another team from Hawaii June 30-13 will use the newly setup Samaritan Purse base at Morigo. Then on their heels a combined team…
Last month the Japan Church Planting Institute (CPI) had two seminars in Tokyo on multiplying viral churches and church driven mission. At the last minute Dr. Ed Stetzer had to cancel coming to Japan due to his daughter’s sudden hospitalization. Instead of cancelling the seminars, several visiting American pastors “pinched hit” the training from Stetzer’s book Viral Churches. The seminar reports from the nearly 60 attending were awesome because these were pastors reproducing their churches…
Let me introduce our Japanese partners. The churches that grew out the mission efforts of the Baptist General Conference (now Converge Worldwide) formed the Japan Baptist Church Association. In Japanese “association” is “Rengo.” This is a growing group of 62 churches mainly in the Tokyo and Osaka areas. Our Japan Mission works closely with the Rengo for evangelism, leadership development, and church planting. One of the key Rengo churches in the Kokubunji Baptist Church in…
Intensive Prayer Letter June 2012 John and Elaine Mehn Converge Worldwide Missionaries to Japan Praise and Thanks The memorial service for John’s mom was great time of the family gathering together. We heard the second grandchild that is due in September is a boy. All are excited. Several churches/individuals have committed to take on our support. One church doubled its giving, several individuals started giving for our work. John’s presentation at the Rocky Mountain Evangelical…
John’s Mother Home with the Lord John’s mom suffered a massive stroke and passed away on April 14th. At the time, we were on our way to Colorado for a 6 week tour of our partnering churches there. The memorial service held last Saturday, May 19th was well attended and celebrated 90 years of Alma Mehn’s life. John shared in the service of the confidence that she was in heaven. Continue to pray as the…
Uplift John as he grieves the heavenly home going of his dear mother Alma on April 14th. Especially pray for strength as he preaches a Mother’s Day sermon. Thank you for praying for travel safety out west and please continue. Ask God to give us His words as we speak both in public forums and in private conversations. Pray for wisdom and creativity as we seek to get up to full financial support. Pray that…