Over 325 leaders were equipped in the over 150 hours of training offered at the 2013 CPI National Conference near Mount Fuji. This conference was the 4th largest CPI conference (just slightly smaller than 2011). About 80 children also participated in a Kids’ Program.
Over ½ attending were new people! So CPI continues to grow by attracting new and younger people, this all keeping CPI fresh. There seems to be a developing interest in missions to Japan (specifically from Singapore this time) mainly from growing interest after the triple disaster. God is stirring up Harvest Workers.
We are pleased to announce that the “Walking in the Gospel: for Life and Ministry” curriculum project was published for the conference. This published version was used for training trainers and also to train many attendees in spiritual renewal. Two World Harvest Mission team members worked with us on the curriculum and helped train others in gospel discipling. We added another training team to meet the needs of those we anticipated wanting to take this course. John and Elaine taught 3 of those 4 sessions. Probably one half of all attendees took the English or Japanese “Gospel Track.” Much life change was reported. Next year we will release a final version of the curriculum and have regional seminars to equip people and to equip people to train others.
John never taught more at a national conference. John opened the session on training in gospel-centered discipleship. He also taught a new Japanese Church Leadership course, and participated in 3 sessions of the “Gospel Track.” The highlight for John was the leaders’ dinner where several key leaders shared with the entire group the strategic nature of CPI in envisioning for church multiplication and spiritual renewal in the church in Japan at this time. Elaine besides training, led a table group, and the women’s luncheon was great blessing. Main session table group time was exciting as many shared about connecting and being healed by this process.
At this conference were 23 students from Christ Bible Seminary. They were taking the CPI Conference along with reading and writing assignments to complete a two credit course in church planting. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a seminary course has been offered in church planting in a Japanese seminary. We are hoping other seminaries will be interested in using CPI training events to offer courses in church planting.