Worldwide 2016

Your prayers can change the world page 14 A fresh perspective on India page 18 Room for Jesus in 21st Century Japan page 22

WORLDWIDE E UNREACHED THE MAGAZINE FOR REACHING TH 2016 VISIT US AT

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Friendship opens a door for the gospel page 10

INSIDE 576 2016

EDITOR’S DESK

God, you and WEC Wars, international terrorism, famine and peoples on the move ... we are surrounded by bad news on a daily basis.

Yet God has not abandoned his creation.

He is fulfilling his promises; building his church; drawing people to himself from every tribe, nation and tongue.

FRONT

02 Editor’s desk 03-07 World A round-up of mission news from WEC FEATURES

14-17

You can change the world with prayer 50 years of answers 18-21 Hope for India Some surprising facts and open doors in India 22-25 Believing in Japan Challenges and opportunities in Japan

Worldwide gives you a snapshot of what God is doing, and how he is using WEC missionaries to bring life and hope to men and women. In this issue you have stories from Japan, India, Spain, Mexico and many other places. I recommend you read carefully Patrick Johnstone's summary of the amazing changes over the last 50 years in answer to prayer, and let it inspire you to prayer and to action.

REGULARS

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10-11 27

Guest column But what can I do?

by Glenn Myers How to ... share God’s love with an asylum seeker 60 secs Bethany Waugh

Opportunities for christian service still abound. Why not join a WEC team, either short-term or long-term?

By the way, the door to mission work in India is not closed (see page 18). Or pray with us to see Japan's strong spiritual forces loosen their hold so that the church might flourish?

Yes, you too can change the world!

ABOUT WEC WEC UK exists to take the good news to the peoples and nations who have yet to hear it: the good news that Christ came to bring forgiveness of sins and peace with God, and to displace hatred with love.

Want to know more?

Please visit wec-uk.org

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Flora Davies Editor

GET CONNECTED wec-uk.org facebook.com/WECUK twitter.com/wecuk instagram.com/wecuk issuu.com/wecuk WEC-UK.ORG

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£1.67 billion

* In the UK in 2015 was made through sales of Fairtrade products, and four in five people in the UK trust the Fairtade mark. flickr.com

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Betel

Betel celebrates 30 years

SPAIN

Milk delivery saves more than the day

➜In 30 years Betel has helped 200,000 men and women In 1985, a man asked a group of Christians for help with his addiction to heroin. This proved to be the beginning of Betel, WEC’s ministry to addicts. Betel’s workers are celebrating the ministry’s 30th anniversary and, as they do so, they can look back on tens of thousands of changed lives and several churches planted through their work. By the grace of God, Betel now reaches 100 cities in 25 countries around the world.

Pray with us The work goes on … ask God to rebuild ➜ the lives of those living in Betel right now, and to bless leaders with love, wisdom and perseverance.

Hurrying to prepare for a church service, and with no milk for the pre-service coffee, WEC’s Les and Fiona Cowan asked a friend to help. What happened next was a wonderful surprise. Maria, who lives above the church, brought down a litre of milk and decided to stay for the service. At the end, Maria responded and became a believer. She still has many questions about God but is keen to learn and grow.

EDITOR Flora Davies email worldwide@wec-uk.org WRITER Simeon Whiting ART EDITOR Chris Lawrence email design@wec-uk.org TO SUBSCRIBE email magazine@wec-uk.org write to WEC International, Springhead Park House, Park Lane, Rothwell, Leeds LS26 0ET. Worldwide is published once a year and sent free of charge. To order multiple copies contact us at Springhead Park House. Donations towards the cost of production and postage are gladly received.

Worldwide is produced by WEC Media & Communications Office, Leeds.

Printed by Custard Apple Print, Bradford, on responsibly sourced paper. ©2016. Please recycle this magazine.

WEC International is a registered charity in England, Wales & Scotland, numbers 237005 & SCO37715.

WEC International (UK HQ) Bulstrode, Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross SL9 8SZ email info@wec-uk.org

wec-uk.org l facebook.com/WECUK l twitter.com/wecuk l instagram.com/wecuk l issuu.com/wecuk *Top of page source: Fairtrade Foundation

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42%

* In a survey on christian leadership of evangelicals name passion for God as the most important quality of a leader

»

WELSH BIBLE APP The app was launched at the 2015 Eisteddfod in Wales. Arfon Jones who produced ap beibl says it is intended to be an easy-to-use Bible for people with no internet access, encouraging young people to engage with scripture.

PERSECUTION Global persecution of Christians is more extreme than ever before, according to the 2016 Open Doors World Watch List. Over 7,000 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons in the last reporting period, more than double the figure for the previous year.

ETHIOPIAN FAMINE A humanitarian crisis has developed in Ethiopia.

Severe drought has led to a failed harvest, resulting in shortage of food, and forcing many to kill their animals and eat the seeds they had saved for planting.

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UK

Peace on Earth all year round unsplash

IN BRIEF

CHINESE COMMIT TO MISSION Mission China 2030’s aim is to see 20,000 Chinese missionaries sent out by the year 2030. Its first conference, in 2015, was attended by 900 people from mainland China.

200 delegates committed to serve in mission.

WEC workers have contributed to Peace on Earth, a new multilingual tract. Available in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali and English, Peace on Earth covers the theme of peace and especially peace with God through Jesus Christ. This thought-provoking resource will reach speakers of any of the four languages who are looking for peace with God and is ideal for evangelistic purposes. *Top of page source: Barna Group

»trends

Sharp rise for a post-christian worldview 2015 has seen a sharp rise in 'post-christian' worldview among Americans, according to recent research.

A study conducted by the Barna Group investigated the religious beliefs and practices of over 60,000 US citizens.

The results suggest that, although 78% of Americans describe themselves as 'christian', nearly half (44%) qualify as 'post-christian' because of their beliefs and practices. This represents

an increase of 7% over the last two years.

Post-Christians tend not to believe in God or the accuracy of the Bible, usually claim faith is unimportant to their lives, and are unlikely to pray, read the Bible or attend church.

Barna concludes: “Whether one believes this decline of ‘Christian America’ calls for a time of lament, or presents great opportunity for the church, one cannot help but accept the changing landscape.”

WEC-INT.ORG.UK WEC-UK.ORG

Every year

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£1.2 million

* children are trafficked

DR CONGO

John Hamilton

Hundreds of lives changed through catechism

➜Congolese church-goers excited by the catechism When WEC workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo partnered with local church leaders to write a new discipleship resource, they had little idea of the impact it would make. The new catechism (an update of a 1930s resource) is designed to help people grow in their faith through a series of questions and answers. Copies have been supplied to church workers throughout the country and stories of its effect are coming to light.

WEC missionary Stephen McGoldrick tells us: “A local teacher started using the catechism for personal devotions. He’s now used it with his family, young people in his church, in the local Bible school, and in the secondary school where he teaches. I don't think we’d realised the impact this book would have. The truths in it are touching literally hundreds of lives, just through one man.”

Pray with us: Please pray that the catechism will fulfil its potential to change people’s understanding of the gospel, and challenge them to live in a way that transforms their communities.

➜

»my mission...

Hannah Johns recently returned from a solo Trek in Brazil: My mission was to work at a children’s centre in one of the slums of Belo Horizonte.

I’d felt God wanted me to go to Brazil one day, ever since a missionary came to my home church to speak about Latin America, when I was just a little girl.

In my second year at uni, the same missionary came again!

I decided now was the time to pursue the calling God had given me.

I spent a month at the centre, helping out in classes and playing with the children.

Spending time with the kids was a real highlight, and the Brazilian people are so friendly and welcoming. It was challenging travelling to a new continent on my own, especially since I didn't speak the language, but I believed God would be with me and he definitely was! The whole experience is something I’ll never forget.

Go to wec-uk.org/trek for ➜ more info on Trek.

*Top of page source: UNICEF

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According to Operation World unreached by the gospel

»the least first...

WEC is focusing prayer on 33 people groups which have no indigenous church. Some of them are the last to hear the gospel because they are hard to reach! Will you join us in praying for God-inspired strategies and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

Kurd, Bahdini speakers

Country: Iraq Population in country: 3,068,000 World population: 14,525,000 Main language: Northern Kurdish Bahdini Main religion: Islam Christ-followers: less than 2% Bible: New Testament only

>> Photo credits: jan Sefti; AZ Kilan; Jean-Pierre Dalbéra. All flickr.ccom

Karakalpak of Kazakhstan

Country: Kazakhstan (found across Central Asia) Population in country: 1,700 World population: 696,000 Language: Karakalpak Main religion: Islam Christ-followers: less than 2% Bible: New Testament only

25%

* of the population of Norway are

MEXICO

Brain tumour healing brings opportunity for testimony Paty, a member of staff at WEC Mexico’s training centre, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in June 2015. By September, the tumour had been shown to be malignant.

Surgery was impossible and chemotherapy was not going to eliminate it, so 29 year-old Paty declined treatment.

Doctors gave her between three and six months to live.

Shortly after deciding against medical treatment, Paty had a dream in which she had completed chemotherapy. On the following day, her persistent headache was gone. At her next examination, the tumour had disappeared! The only explanation Paty can offer is that God has healed her.

As a result of her testimony of her hope in Christ, her saviour and now her healer, Paty’s doctor and another cancer patient came to the Lord. She has had many opportunities to share this testimony since the healing.

Praise God for his miraculous work in Paty’s life!

Pray with us: Give thanks to God for this incredible healing. Pray he will draw many people to himself through Paty’s testimony.

➜

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Gypsy, Domari

Region: Central Asia Population in country: 2,014,000 Language: Domari Main religion: Islam Christ-followers: less than 2% Bible: none

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➜The tumour disappeared - our God is amazing! *Top of page source: Operation World

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66%

Of US adult churchgoers connection with God at church

*

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have experienced a real and personal

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & VENEZUELA

Graduating ready for mission WEC Latino prepares Spanish-speaking Christians for mission. In November 2015, 23 students graduated from the Senderos School in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, many of them going on to mobilise local Christians for mission. Meanwhile, the Senderos School of Missions in Venezuela celebrated its first graduation in December, with 25 students receiving their diplomas.

Training here included a week in the jungle ministering to indigenous people, preparing students for long-term missionary service.

»op world...

The population of Saudi Arabia

The estimated number of evangelical Christians in Saudi Arabia

Pray with us: Pray for wisdom and courage for the new graduates as they each commit themselves to serving God and seek his will for their future.

➜

*Top of page source: Barna Group

The percentage of population of Saudi Arabia living in urban areas

likeunlike 1.3 million people fled 12 Mexican Protestant their homes in 2015 in families have returned to their homes after being forced search of safety, as a result of the conflict in Yemen. out in 2010 for leaving the Catholic Church.

An anti-conversion clause has been inserted It is predicted that, due into Nepal's new constitution, to world crises, the sparking concerns over number of migrants and religious freedom in the refugees coming to Europe country. could increase ten-fold in 2016.

14 years after being destroyed in the 9/11 Burkina Faso's coup leaders agreed to a peace attacks, St Nicholas Church deal with the regular army to in Manhattan is finally avoid an outbreak of violence. being rebuilt.

The number of languages spoken in Saudi Arabia

is Saudi Arabia’s rank, out of 182 countries, on the Human Development Index

The percentage of Saudi Arabian people groups unreached by the gospel

Operation World is the research ministry of WEC International. Available from worldmissionbooks.com

Sources: Evangelicals Now, BBC, Feba, Christianity Today, Christian Today

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ENGAGE

To subscribe

email magazine@wec-uk.org

Guest column

But what can I do?

Anyone got a duvet? Faced with opportunity, challenge and busy lives, we can feel like we need somewhere to bury our heads... How does one gain a godly perspective? Three thoughts:

1. Get a big vision of what God intends for his universe. Ephesians 1:10 is a good start:

!!

Where could you help out? Pray for

opportunities to serve at your church. Ask the Lord to give you courage to volunteer where the needs are: perhaps at a local drop-in centre or foodbank.

Is the Lord calling

!!

“to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Or Habakkuk 2:14: “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

2. Help out. I love being part of the christian church. So many people, so many gifts. A distinguished Old Testament scholar recently cooked my breakfast at a cafe run as outreach to a poor community. He was taking his turn on the rota.

3. Follow your heart. The theologian Frederick Buechner wrote that we should look for our calling in the place “where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

This is different for everyone: caring for children, balancing a spreadsheet, befriending people from another culture, seeking God's face in solitary prayer, helping others walk with Jesus in their problems or hopes.

you to serve him

overseas? Follow your heart! Get in touch if WEC can help you take your first

When we get the big picture, support our friends, and follow our passion, I think life falls into place.

step into mission.

Glenn Myers Glenn is a writer for WEC and is in the process of simplifying his life after three recent near-death experiences. He is author of numerous books including the Briefings series, two novels and the apologetic More than Bananas. His website is glennmyers.info and he blogs at slowmission.com.

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“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17:26-27)

With the nations now at our doorstep, many of us have opportunity to share the gospel with people who have never met a Christian before. If God has brought them here so they might ‘seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him’, what part do we have to play in this? How can I share God’s love with an asylum seeker? l Be a friend. Be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and

cross barriers of language and culture! l Get to know individuals and families – build relationships

with them one at a time, not in groups. l Look for opportunities to show God’s love in practical ways

– they may need clothing, food or possibly even a bed. l Offer help with form-filling – this is a scary business,

especially if your English is poor! l English lessons cost. How about getting some friends

together and running a conversation café where people can come and practise their English for free?

Illustration by Charben Alilio

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HOW TO

“Use prayer, faith, evangelism, social aid and much love …

History will witness one day that God in his wisdom sent to you the hungry to give him meat, the thirsty to give him a drink, the stranger to take him in and the naked to clothe him.

How will you respond? Some will take advantage of you for sure, but others will fall in love with your God.” From a pastor in the Middle East, writing to pastors in Europe

Amin had only been in the UK a few weeks when his brother was killed in an aerial bombardment in Syria.

Concerned that he might be alone in his grief, we invited him to our home that evening. Some days later he thanked us profusely: in his culture the custom was to eat and fellowship with family and friends in memory of the deceased … we were unaware of this, but God had prompted us to show love and create space for him to remember his loved one.

l Help them to connect with a local group

such as the City of Sanctuary* that provides help and practical support for asylum seekers and refugees. Get involved yourself as a volunteer. (*cityofsanctuary.org) l Appreciate the good things they bring to us, such as a culture of hospitality and strong ties to family and community. l Open your home to a stranger – the Bible has much to say about welcome and acceptance. l Invite/take them to a church. Let them see the real face of Christianity and be ready to answer their questions. l Give them the gift of a New Testament in their language, or download one onto their phone from worldbibles.org. l Don’t be afraid to talk about what you believe. They will be very open to discuss beliefs and to hear what you have to say. l Offer to pray with them. l Ask God to show you who you should be journeying with – he is already preparing hearts to receive the gospel.

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In April 2012, three Iranian men came to our church. They had very little English and knew next to nothing about Christianity. I invited them to my home to study the Bible. From this small beginning, more than 100 Farsi speakers (Iranians, Afghans and Kurds) now meet at our church. 86 of them have professed faith in Christ and 47 have been baptised. All these men and women have come from a muslim background. Before this I had never been involved in outreach to Muslims but I was encouraged by a course called Friendship First. I have discovered that while I might not know Farsi, or much about Islam, I can still be a friend.

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MOBILISING FOR MISSION

Patrick Johnstone, Author Emeritus of Operation World, reflects on major spiritual breakthroughs in answer to prayer, seen over the course of his missionary career.

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MOBILISING FOR MISSION

“Ask of me and I will give the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.” (Psalm 2:8) od used these words to confirm his call on me to go to Africa – as the Father challenged his Son to pray for and claim the nations, so Jesus has bequeathed that challenge to us! This has defined much of my life’s ministry. I served for 16 years with the Dorothea Mission – an agency dedicated to soul-winning and prayer for the nations. Operation World was compiled to bring people together to pray for the nations. The research and vision for this resource

G

brought my first wife Jill and me into the leadership team of WEC International in 1979.

Jill had long desired to write a similar book for children (completed in 1992, just before she went to be with the Lord). The first country covered was Albania. Jill ran a children’s prayer group at the WEC headquarters. In 1989, when the country was closed to the gospel, the children prayed earnestly, and later, to their delight, Albania’s atheist rulers were overthrown and missionaries allowed in. One of the girls declared, “We’ve changed Albania!” Hence the title of Jill’s book, You can change the world, and this article.

What a privilege to document the massive changes in our world in answer to prayer. Here are six of them:

Rea Finlay

Sixth Evangelical Awakening The first edition of Operation World was published in 1965. This was at the beginning of the Jesus Movement, the charismatic surge and global prayer movements across the world.

The following 50 years have witnessed the greatest turning to Christ the world has ever seen. Yet, the world’s press has ignored this fact.

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MOBILISING FOR MISSION Wynand van Poortvliet/flickr.com

THE HOUSE OF ISLAM In his book A Wind in the House of Islam christian researcher and strategist David Garrison documents his findings relating to the current move of God among Muslims.

Movements to Christ in the history of Islam CENTURY MOVEMENT 10th 13th 16th

KEY A movement to Christ = at least 1,000 baptisms or 100 new church starts within a people group or community over a 10-20 year period Source: David Garrison

19th

Collapse of EuroCommunism In 1983

Brother Andrew challenged the christian world to a sevenyear prayer war to tear down the Iron Curtain. Six years later the Berlin Wall (above) came down, followed by the fragmentation of the USSR. Today in Central Asia there are indigenous churches with possibly 100,000 believers – there were none in 1990.

20th 2000-2012

The 30 days of Prayer for the Muslim World project began in 1993. Could this have something to do with the great number of Muslims coming to faith in recent years?

The Miracle of Iran There were fewer than 500 Iranian believers from a muslim background when the Ayatollahs set up an islamic theocracy in 1978. This led to much prayer for Iran. This revolution was disastrous for the country, and, not liking what they had, many began to seek the Lord. There may now be 500,000 Iranian followers of Jesus across networks of illegal house churches, and many more worldwide.

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Breakthrough in Algeria For a century intercessors prayed and missionaries toiled.

Charles Marsh, the great missionary to the Kabyle people, said that he had to bury nearly everyone he led to Jesus (they were martyred). Thirty years ago a few Kabyle were discipled by foreigners; the start of a movement to Christ in the midst of violent civil war. Today we estimate that there are over 300,000 believers.

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MOBILISING FOR MISSION Shutterstock.com

Believers from a muslim background For a century or more a

great volume of prayer has gone up for breakthroughs in the world of Islam. The rise of jihadist Islam has been one of many factors leading to this turn-around. There were less than 200,000 believers from a muslim background in 1960, but today there may be 10 million (see boxout, p16).

Aikawa Ke/flickr.com

You + WEC

HOW CAN YOU PRAY WITH US? ENGAGE May these changes encourage you to engage in prayer for further long-awaited breakthroughs among people clusters in their homelands and diasporas around the world – the Fulbe of West Africa (WECers have laboured here for 80 years with meagre results), the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula, the war-ravaged Somalis with few Christians and one church, the vast populations of North India, the Tibetans of the Himalayas and China...

Let us mobilise an army of intercessors to change more of our needy world!

The Church in China

Hudson Taylor’s mobilisation of Christians to pray for China is being answered – but the unlikely ‘evangelist’ was the communist Mao Tse Tung. The million evangelicals in 1949 has grown to 100 million or more today.

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RECEIVE You can also get our prayer magazine WorldwideXtra by post.

Email magazine@wec-uk.org to subscribe (for free) to this quarterly prayer resource.

JOIN a WEC prayer group. Email us for details of your nearest group: prayer@wec-uk.org

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REACHING PEOPLE

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REACHING PEOPLE

The vast sub-continent of India is often presented as an overwhelming task for mission. Flora Davies has uncovered another side to this story.

Where is God at work?

While some areas of ministry are more fruitful than others, the basic answer is ‘everywhere!’ Many low-caste Dalits have become Christians. At the same time, and at the other end of the caste spectrum, Brahmins are responding to the gospel. Numbers of born-again believers are very difficult to ascertain.

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The figure of 6% of the population is sometimes mentioned, but no-one knows for sure. Indian Christians are praying that this will rise to 10%, bringing their number closer to that of the India is seeing church muslim population. growth such as Persecution of never before. This is Christians does take India’s time! place, but I am told this is not as common as one might expect from reports. One thing is clear: India is seeing church growth such as never before. This is India’s time!

This is the most ethnically diverse nation on earth, with over 2,500 distinct people groups, many of them still unreached with the gospel.

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REACHING PEOPLE

74% of Indians are Hindus Hinduism, with its many idols and rituals, has strong spiritual and cultural dynamics which influence every aspect of life. Yet in their search for fulfilment and purpose, many Hindus long for true communion with the creator. Pray that Indian Christians (often thought ‘Western’) may find ways of demonstrating, in authentic Indian cultural expressions, true spirituality and the transformation Christ brings.

Uttarakhand, a state in North India, has 350 least-reached peoples (below 0.1% Christian). The teeming metropolis of New Delhi has around 20 million inhabitants, including 15 least-reached people groups. While urbanisation is growing fast and cities are seeing much church growth, the challenge of reaching India’s least-reached is still a rural one. Recent years have also seen the rise of indigenous mission agencies such as the

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Christianity in India The gospel was first preached in India by the apostle Thomas, who baptised some believers in about AD52.

Thomas is believed to have been martyred just outside of Chennai (Madras).

In 1605 the first Jesuit priest, Robert de Nobili, arrived in Goa. Catholic missions have left an abiding mark on India and have maintained contextualising and social aspects to their works.

William Carey (left) went to India in 1793. He translated the Bible into Bengali, the language of Kolkata (Calcutta). This is, perhaps, the foundation of evangelical missions to India.

Since the first war of Indian independence in 1857, Christianity has been viewed as the religion of colonialists.

Indian Evangelical Mission, the Indian Missions Association and GS/OMI (OM India), all contributing to the growth of the church.

Is India closed to missionaries?

Since the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, changes to Indian immigration laws have made it increasingly difficult for expatriates to obtain visas.

This is a major obstacle to

foreign mission activity.

Politics have not changed the great commission, so for us the real question is “Is my heart closed?” If my heart is responsive to the commands of God, then the size and shape of the doorway merely presents challenges to my own level of creativity. It may be impossible to gain a missionary visa, but mission is not limited by this. Like William Carey, we need to walk boldly in the commands of God, showing courage and WEC-UK.ORG

flexibility, asking for guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit to do the work of the kingdom.

Opportunities are as varied as our creativity allows.

Evangelism continues to be high on the agenda, with a need for church planters and those who can shadow and mentor church planters. Yet, the greatest current demand is for disciplers who can focus on equipping and empowering the growing number of believers.

It has been said that India has more human need than any other nation. Mission can therefore be expressed in a host of ways: through medical resources, sport, intellectual activities or focusing on areas of social need such as drug rehabilitation, human trafficking, and children in crisis.

As in Carey’s day, mission work in India requires people who can persevere and give their lives to it! It also needs people who will engage through intercession and pray for the ongoing harvest.

Could God be calling you to India?

Contact us: enquiries@wec-uk.org WEC-UK.ORG

Joanna Curley

The greatest current demand is for disciplers who can focus on equipping and empowering the growing number of believers.

Fascinated by Jesus “My parents are from Kolkata, India. They were practising Hindus, belonging to the Brahmin caste. Brahmins are right at the top of the caste system and belong to the priestly order. Naturally, for our family it was a matter of great pride and prestige to be born Brahmins. We had a purpose-built shrine in our home where we regularly worshipped our many gods. Our Hindu neighbours would come to us for help and advice on spiritual matters because we were considered to be the holy people.

“I first heard the gospel at university and I remember being deeply offended by it! But I never forgot it. The truth hit me so hard, it stayed with me, and years later would prompt me to go to church and do an Alpha course.

“I was fascinated by Jesus, particularly the way he treated sinful women. I’d never met a god like him before. Gradually it became clear to me that Jesus was the one true, living God.”

SHELY GANGULY is a second-generation British Indian, born in Kingston, Surrey. She serves on the WEC UK Leadership Team.

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CHURCH PLANTING

Urban, ultra modern and largely non-religious, Japan is a difficult place to start a church, but God is at work there, as Matthew Cummings reports.

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CHURCH PLANTING

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STORY

Nick Mason (above right) spent his shortterm elective from Bible College working with young Japanese in Kyoto, where he helped with English lessons and outreach from one of WEC’s new church plants. Nick chose to return to Japan.

After two years of language study and a training placement, he now faces a choice: join the church planting team he helped during his shortterm mission, support an existing church led by a Japanese pastor, or form a new team for fresh outreach?

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O

n arriving in Japan in 1549, missionary Francis Xavier enthused about its ‘superior’ people. Two years later he left, calling its language ‘an invention of the devil’. Today, missionaries trying to reach the world’s largest unreached nation (0.4% evangelical christian) sympathise with his frustrations. Japan has been a difficult soil for gospel seed.

While buddhist temples and shinto shrines lie everywhere, over 70% of Japanese claim no personal religion. Most have never heard of the Bible’s God, or its doctrines of creation, human sin, and the cross.

Most consider Christianity one religion among many, and have no idea of its claim to exclusive truth.

The Bible is a foreign book.

A different definition of sin presents a further challenge. Polite, hardworking, law-abiding, and extremely rule-conscious, the Japanese have defined ‘sin’ to mean ‘crime’. Since they can avoid such behaviour most of the time, they do not understand when told they are sinners in need of a saviour.

Finally, strong spiritual forces bind Japan and hinder missionaries each step of the way. While Buddhism in Japan is largely nominal, many Japanese wanting to know God express reluctance to abandon its demands, especially ancestor worship. In the cities, where traditional ties are weak or

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CHURCH PLANTING

STORY

non-existent, people view religion in general with a suspicious eye. Although Christianity has a positive public image, most Japanese prefer to simply live their lives without getting too involved with religion.

In spite of these obstacles, several mission strategies are bearing fruit and show promise for the future.

Some of the most thriving and reproductive churches in Japan today spring from a team church planting model. This offers support and companionship for the church planter, brings together a variety of giftings and a display of christian unity to the watching world.

Gospel-driven churches see the gospel not only as a message of salvation but of christian joy and growth.

Christians are motivated to serve not with guilt but with a joy that springs from belief in grace. Such churches

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Charlotte accepted Jesus as her saviour several months ago. She devours scripture and enjoys talking to God in her prayers. Recently she joined a market outreach, enthusiastically distributing tracts and chatting to interested strangers. On her way home, she was involved in a head-on car crash. Miraculously, she made a full recovery, her faith being a real lifeline during that time.

On her discharge from hospital, her grandmother performed a ceremony to invite Charlotte’s ‘spirit/ personality/self’ back again, believing that it left after the shock of a near-death experience. A white cotton thread was tied around Charlotte’s wrist.

Charlotte could see no conflict between a belief in one’s spirit coming and going and that of God’s Holy Spirit residing continually. l This story from another Asian buddhist context demonstrates the pressures that come from non-believing family members and the strong hold that traditional beliefs can have on a believer. An essential part of discipleship is to help new believers put aside their traditional beliefs and place their full confidence in Christ.

multiply well, and their largest congregations range from 100-300 members.

Thriving churches exist in major metropolitan areas.

Japan is overwhelmingly urban and the cities are hubs of political and cultural influence. Just as Paul went to the urban centres of his world, missionaries are realising that if the cities can be reached, so can the rest of the country.

In our own ministry we have seen several WEC-UK.ORG

CHURCH PLANTING

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To reach Japan HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? ASSIST Many short-term opportunities exist in Japan, with a variety of organisations. Take a week, a month, a summer, and taste the joy of reaching the Japanese. conversions in response to prayer, and I am reminded of another missionary’s story. He and two others committed to praying every day for three months for revival in their town. They valued unified prayer, but found that personal animosities and differences got in the way. As they resolved their conflicts, God began to answer. After three months an evangelist came, and at one revival meeting the Spirit fell on 40 people, convicting them of their sin and causing them to believe in Jesus that same day. Surely the power of consistent, unified prayer will also tear down strongholds today?

GIVE Mission here is expensive. Remember your missionaries in your giving.

PRAY The forces of spiritual darkness will only be bound and overcome through intercessory prayer. Will you pray, or join with others to pray, for gospel breakthrough in Japan?

You can find prayer information on Japan in Operation World. The WEC Japan website (www.wec-japan.org) also has monthly newsletters and items for prayer.

l The son of missionaries, Matthew Cummings grew up in Japan. He now serves as a missionary with WEC.

Could God be calling you to Japan? Email us for info: enquiries@wec-uk.org WEC-UK.ORG

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Q&A

How or when did you become a Christian? I grew up in a christian family and accepted the Lord as my own personal saviour at age nine.

How did you become part of WEC? I had just returned home to NZ after an amazing year at Capernwray Hall Bible School (near Lancaster) and was seeking the next step, when a retired WEC missionary at my church gave me a WEC magazine. This advertised different needs and positions in WEC. I went onto the website to have a better look, and found the job I'm currently in.

What does your role involve? The aim is to inspire, encourage and equip students and young people in the UK for cross-cultural mission. This involves speaking at Christian Unions, attending youth events as a WEC representative, and meeting and connecting with amazing young people all over the UK. What's been your most surprising moment in mission so far? When people tell me that something I've said (usually to a wide audience) has really impacted them or encouraged them! It just amazes me to know that God is using even the insignificant things in my life for his glory. I love how he works!

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NAME Bethany Waugh NATIONALITY New Zealand (NZ) PLACE OF RESIDENCE Bulstrode, Gerrards Cross ROLE WITHIN WEC Youth Mobiliser

Who or what has most influenced you? The writings of JRR Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia and other books) have had a huge influence on the way I perceive the world. Through their imagined worlds and stories, I have been inspired and encouraged to live fully for God, and to admire the beauty that exists all over the world.

Do you have any hobbies? I enjoy playing music on my Irish tin whistle!

I also enjoy playing and learning instruments in general - my latest project is the violin. I have a particular love for ancient languages, medieval manuscripts, and exploring new cultures.

What music most influences you? I love the beauty of good folk music, especially Irish and Scottish. It can make you shiver with awe, weep for the mournful wail of it, or dance with delight, depending on the tune. I also love folk-flavoured worship music; Rend Collective are a big favourite!

What do I expect to be doing five years from now? Serving the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength in whichever corner of the wide world he calls me to.

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