Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
We are not yet used to Thanksgiving or Christmas traditions in the US. But we are anxious to set new traditions during this transition to living back in the USofA. The decorations are already up with lights soon to illumine our house on John St. in Pecatonica, Illinois. This Saturday the city has a Christmas parade that goes right by our house. Pray as we share this global Christ with our new friends in our…
PRAISE God for the great trip to see all our friends at Fox River Baptist in Appleton last month. We enjoyed sharing updates from our lives and ministries. PRAISE God for the over 120 people that took part in the 2021 Church Multiplication Vision Festa online 11/27. So many great stories of church reproduction, training in disciplemaking, and new initiatives for growing the church in Japan. Pray that next year there will be an face-to-face…
“John, you cannot retire”, I was advised by several people that I admire. They saw my role in ministry in Japan and beyond as being too crucial to just abruptly stop. My family also knew that I could not just stop working and tinker with my hobbies. So we prayed and God led John to this new ministry of continuing many of our connections and John joining the Converge’s Asia Impact Team to broaden the…
PRAISE We have been really encouraged in locating a home church this month. Nothing but good news. PRAY Several weeks ago John got an invite to attend the Global Church Planting Network (GCPN) global facilitators gathering in London this month. John will be representing the East Asia region which includes Japan. This came as a short notice as travel is now starting to open up. This will mean more ministry opportunities. Our partner is South…
Psalm 1:2-3 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. This summer we transplanted several plants including 2 trees to make a small Japanese garden. The trees were very healthy. One had a fairly large root ball while the other had a…
Has the pandemic got you down? Normally you would think to simply wait out the pandemic and then REALLY START new ministry when it was over. Well God has not called us to that but to be as proactive and engaged as we can despite Covid restrictions. We have been praying, preparing, and expecting and God has been working in very amazing ways and actually sending us global contacts during the pandemic. The process took…
John has been involved in global and regional networks for church multiplication for several years. Now with his new role in the Asia Impact Team these connections become even more crucial as we seek to mobilize leaders to planting churches among Asia’s Unreached People Groups (UPG). October is a crucial month in seeing the big picture and properly aligning for the future. Global Alliance for Church Planting (GACX) Global Forum, September 28-30. The Global Forum…
FOCUS ON JAPAN – COVID, and Churches News from Japan is more encouraging as Covid emergency orders will probably end this week. Vaccinations are accelerating over 50% now. This month brings CPI Grace Week Japanese Online. John has been involved in the training for mentors and small group leaders. Pray as the sessions begin October 15th and run for 6 weeks. Some participants will request ongoing mentoring after the sessions end. Elaine and John continue…
We are back on the road, big time. In August we made a road trip east to Berean church in Mansfield, OH and First Baptist in Cincinnati. We also saw old Japan colleagues Bob and Nancy Sorley in Columbus OH and visited Elaine’s sister in Kentucky. We took a quick road trip over Labor Day weekend to far northern Minnesota for the Ellen (Ellisons) Schuster wedding. She is kind of an adopted niece as her…
FOCUS ON ASIA Each week we see encouraging progress and we need your prayers for John’s Asia Impact Team (AIT). PRAISE We are potentially adding some new team members this fall but we are still seeking a team leader. PRAY for wisdom regarding a significant Indian partnership with connections in many countries and a possible connection in Practical Theological Education in a Muslim country PRAY for the preparations for our Strategy Summit in Portland Oregon…