More on Tokyo 2010

The Tokyo 2010 consultation was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Edinburgh 1910, the first global missions conference. The first conference was historic in many senses and sparks from that first conference continue today. Tokyo 2010 attended from delegates from over 140 countries was modeled after the original Edinburgh conference though this time a majority of the attendees were non-westerners, sending missionaries from anywhere to everywhere.  Tokyo 2010 was the first of four…

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Crisis in Japan

In Japan, abuse at home, bullying at school, unemployment problems, drug addiction, and impulsive indiscriminate killings show the increasingly serious problems of society. Moreover, the political right is gaining strength, as can be seen in schools where the national anthem and the national flag are enforced, as well as in the movement to revise the pacifist Constitution. Therefore, mission in Japan is in the midst of severe circumstances. Church members are aging and the number…

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Japanese Pastor Repents

At the recent Tokyo 2010 Global Missions Consultation, a highlight was one highly respected Japanese church leader who had a heartfelt and very open confession, public repentance, and an appeal for forgiveness from nations and people who had suffered during the Pacific War. He did not mince words but spoke more honestly than I have heard from other contexts. Even after 65 years this is still an emotional topic. Along with his contrition and appeal…

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More on Suicide in Japan

An earlier blog on suicide was at http://www.gospelrest.com/suicide-and-the-japan-economy/ Japan suffers over 30,000 suicides annually for the last 12 years. Also it is estimated that upwards of 10 times that number attempt but do not succeed at suicide. Suicide is viewed with scorn by people throughout society.  Talk about suicide is considered taboo and people are viewed as losers who commit suicide. Those victims of suicide are cut off from help from others. One prominent psychiatrist,…

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Reading on Leadership

In preparation for our CPI Leaders’ Summit last month on Gospel-centered Leadership I was reading and reviewing books on leadership especially the heart idols that leaders are most susceptible. (Elaine and I developed a list of heart idols that leaders often encounter). Good books have been Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby (Experiencing God fame).  Other good books have been Dangers, Toils, Snares, The Heart of a Servant Leader on Jack Miller and Overcoming…

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Our Home Town: Machida

We sure love living in Machida City Tokyo.  Within 15 minutes of our house are 5 parks well-wooded and lots of nature.  You would not think we live in the world’s largest city.  There are nearly 500,000 people living along with us in Machida (mah-chee-dah)including the creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri.  For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machida,_Tokyo.

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