Unreached People Group Project: Japanese People of Japan GLST 500 LUO (Summer 2013) Global Missions Study Instructor: Dr. Jim O'

Unreached People Group Project:

Japanese People of Japan

GLST 500 LUO (Summer 2013)

Global Missions Study

Instructor: Dr. Jim O'Neill

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Travis L. Nowell (ID# 24558139)

June 29, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 1

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ...... 2 Modern History ...... 2 Language and Culture ...... 3 Economy ...... 5 Religion ...... 6 Family ...... 7 Geographical Information ...... 8 Map ...... 8

SURVEY OF MISSIONS WORK ...... 9 Status of the Church ...... 9 Ongoing Missionary Work ...... 11 Difficulties in the Region...... 13

PROPOSED STRATEGIES ...... 14 Missionary Strategy...... 14 Missional Organization Strategy...... 15 Sending Church Stategy...... 17

CONCLUSION ...... 18

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 20

INTRODUCTION

Scripture is clear that God desires worship from all nations, races, and tongues (Ps. 96:3;

1 Chr. 16:23-24; Mt. 24:14). Sadly, many contemporary Christians do not feel as though these

Scriptures pertain specifically to them. Often times, Christian Americans have a selfish attitude towards world missions. Some American churches rarely (if ever) send out their own missionaries or financially support others willing to go. Though there are lost souls in every nation, studies clearly prove that many nations have a dismal Christian presence, while others have no Christian evangelism at all. K. P. Yohannan found that there is a full-time Christian leader for every 182 people in America, while there is only one missionary for every 78,000 people in other nations around the globe.1 To this writer, ‘world missions’ is wherever the Holy

Spirit leads – one’s next door neighbor or a small village in Timbuktu.

One such foreign nation that is struggling for lack of Christian presence is Japan.

According to the Joshua Project, of the 127 million Japanese living in Japan, only 1.2 percent are

Christian.2 The major religion in Japan is Buddhism, and many of the natives are very skeptical of organized religions. The purpose of this unreached people group project is to survey the

Japanese people of Japan, which is a threefold approach. Firstly, I will present the proper background information including family structure, religion, culture, etc. I will then review all missional efforts currently taking place in Japan. Finally, I will provide present-day strategies for potential missionaries, missional organizations, and sending churches.

1 K. P. Yohannan, Revolution in World Missions: One Man's Journey to Change a Generation (Carrollton, TX: GFA Books, 2004), 49.

2 "Japanese of Japan: People in Country Profile." Joshua Project -Unreached Peoples of the World. http://joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=12322&rog3=JA (accessed June 15, 2013).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Modern History

Japan’s history is extremely complex consisting of myths, legends, wars, and noble family clans. According to legend, Japan was created by the sun goddess with the first emperor

Jimmu ascending the throne around 660 B.C.3 Though many years had passed, revolutions had come and gone, outside influence from other countries had pressured change, and countless wars had been waged, Japan still held her customs, culture, and rule tight to her bosom in 1932. The regimes that lingered included “an imperial court, which traced its mythical origins to 660 B.C.; an aristocracy dating from the eight century; and a military led by descendants of the samurai, warriors who first appeared in the twelfth century.”4 Clearly Japan is a country and culture that is extremely faithful and proud of her origins, background, and history.

Though contemporary Japan has the world’s third largest economy, Japan was “a relatively poor agrarian society with most people residing in farming villages” in the 1930s.5

Both the agricultural and industrial depressions that had plagued Japan came to an end around

1932. The surrender of Japan to the United States in 1945 and the subsequent Allied Occupation also had a big influence on the evolution of Japan’s history. Specifically, Japan turned their armed forces from war to defense, focused on labor-management relations, incorporated

American economic policies, and implemented a constitution stressing liberal democratic

3 Edited by Stephen Neill and Gerald H. Anderson and John Goodwin, Concise Dictionary of the Christian World Mission. (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1971), 302.

4 Gary D. Allinson, Japan's Postwar History, 2nd ed. (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2004), 11.

5 Ibid., 1.

methods.6 Today, Japan is a thriving economic power. Though Japan has had some influence from other countries, “racially, culturally, and ethnically, the Japanese are one of the most homogenous people groups in the world.”7

Language and Culture

Of the 127 million living in Japan, 98.5% are Japanese.8 It is little wonder that the national language is Japanese. The Japanese have an overall pride in their language and culture that is not easily equaled by other nations. Japan, though recently somewhat affected by outward influences, is very unique, isolated, and homogenous. Japan has a long history of

Shinto/Buddhist beliefs that are all but impenetrable. Also, no other country shares their native tongue. Geographically speaking, besides a few trade routes, wars with nearby countries, and occasional passing missionaries, Japan has always been on its own little island and has generally preferred to keep it that way.

Though American culture places a high value on the individual, Japanese culture places a greater worth on conforming or adapting to the group. While Americans strive to ‘be all they can be’ and become an ‘army of one,’ the Japanese usually do not stray far from their proverb stating

"the nail that sticks up gets hammered down."9 Traditionally, the Japanese identity is found not in the person but in their family, village, or corporation. Furthermore, the Japanese are expected

6 Ibid., 8-11.

7 "Japanese of Japan: People in Country Profile." Joshua Project -Unreached Peoples of the World. http://joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=12322&rog3=JA (accessed June 15, 2013).

8 “World Factbook: Japan.” CIA. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html (accessed June 22, 2013).

9 Timothy C. Tennent, Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think About and Discuss Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007), 81.

to show ‘wa’ (harmony) as they cooperate within their group, while any thought, spoken word, or action that disrupts the harmony is a wrong offense. Furthermore, children are taught to downplay individualistic thought. Instead, those who tend to stick out can be excluded from

Japanese society or forced to conform to the overall group.10 This cultural stigma can be an extreme hindrance to gospel acceptance. After all, why would a teenager become a Christian when all his friends and family are Buddhists? The teen is much more likely to remain a

Buddhist to stay in the good graces of his family and avoid being ostracized by their peers. While harmony with one’s society, government, and family can be a great quality, Japanese pressure to conform can have its negative effects in schools, legislation, innovation, and design.

Another cultural stain in Japan is the extremely high suicide rate. The rate of suicides has skyrocketed following the economic crisis that hit in the late 1900s. For over a decade, Japan has seen at least 30,000 annual suicides while the country desperately struggles both politically and socially to adequately confront this tragedy.11 While roughly 70 percent of suicide cases are adult males, it appears that when men lose their jobs or become highly unsuccessful in life, they can easily feel unworthy to the community or their families.12 Sadly, Japan has come to be known as the suicide capital of the world.13 Culturally speaking, Japan unfortunately has a long history of

10 A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee, Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 273.

11 Andrew Chambers, "Japan: Ending the Culture of the 'Honourable' Suicide," The Guardian: London, August 3, 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/03/japan-honourable-suicide-rate (accessed June 22, 2013).

12 Ibid.

13 Eric Prideaux, "World's Suicide Capital — Tough Image to Shake," The Japan Times, November 20, 2007. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/11/20/news/worlds-suicide-capital-tough-image-to-shake/#.UcZO kazFZpg (accessed June 22, 2013).

condoning suicides in war or to preserve honor for one’s family. This has caused mixed feelings among the Japanese with some who seem tolerant of the horrible act, while others still view it at times as a morally responsible act.14 The Japanese must be taught that the God of the universe created them in His image, Jesus can set them free from the bondage of sin, and the Holy Spirit can guide them to repentance, sanctification, and eternal life in Christ.

Economy

According to the 2013 results, Japan has the third largest economy in the world when considering gross domestic product.15 Apparently, shortly after WWII, “government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP)” quickly aided Japan into becoming a leading world economy in technology.16 Today, Japan has a booming technological market and is well known worldwide for its electronic and automobile industry, such as: Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon, Fujitsu,

Hitachi, Sharp, NEC, Epson, Toshiba, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki,

Nintendo, PlayStation, and Subaru. With $130 billion (USD) spent on over 600,000 researchers, it is little wonder that Japan has the third largest budgets for research, technology, and development in the world.17 It appears Japan is also ready to join forces with other countries to share ideas, innovation, and design in the scientific and technology fields. Contemporary policy

14 Ibid.

15 “World’s Largest Economies,” CNN Money. http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/world_economies _gdp/ (accessed June 23, 2013).

16 “World Factbook: Japan.” CIA. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja. html (accessed June 22, 2013).

17 Sunami, Atsushi; Tomoko Hamachi, Shigeru Kitaba, "The Rise of Science and Technology Diplomacy in Japan," Science & Diplomacy, March 14, 2013, 2 (1).

makers and scientists in Japan have focused on “a primary objective of Science and Technology diplomacy to tap into the growing science base beyond a nation’s borders including research facilities and human resources.”18 This is a wonderful shift in cultural outreach that could someday aid in religious diplomacy as well.

Religion

According to Article 20 of the Japanese Constitution, Japan is entitled to religious freedom. Article 20 reads as follows:

Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. No religious organization shall receive any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority. No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious act, celebration, rite or practice. The State and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity.19

Today, religion in Japan is primarily thought to be Shintoism, Buddhism, or a mixture of both.

Christopher Goto-Jones reports that “contemporary Japanese society has a complicated relationship with religion.”20 His findings are that “80% of Japanese observed Shinto rituals and ceremonies and that nearly 70% considered themselves to be Buddhist.”21 It seems the overall religious beliefs of the Japanese vary between studies. One study found that “only 30 percent of the population identify themselves as belonging to a religion.”22 Additionally, another study

18 Ibid.

19 “The Constitution of Japan.” http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/constitutionandgovernmentofjapan /constitution_e.html (accessed June 23, 2013).

20 Christopher Goto-Jones, Modern Japan: a Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 147-48.

21 Ibid.

22 Robert Kisala, The Logic Of Nothingness: A Study of Nishida Kitarō. (University of Hawaii Press, 2005), 3-4).

found that approximately 75% of Japanese natives say they do not feel they are a part of a specific religion.23 While most research does list Shinto and Buddhism as the primary religious beliefs of the overwhelming majority of the Japanese, it is clear that many are simply confused where their loyalties lie and/or confused on what a religion actually entails. Furthermore, many have adopted a syncretic approach of pluralistic beliefs that make it hard to decipher their religion from philosophy.

Family

Over the past twenty years, the Japanese family has been called “in transition,” “in crisis,” and “becoming more diverse.”24 It appears the traditional Japanese family has morphed into a more Westernized nuclear family. The ‘traditional’ Japanese family is referred to as the ie.

It is based on a patriarchal system usually consisting of grandparents, their son, and his children.

It commonly contains at least three generations and sometimes more. In the ie system, the eldest son inherits all of the inheritance, continues the family tradition, and assumes responsibility of caretaker for his parents.25 It is of utmost importance for the family to preserve the family resources, pass them down to other generations, and honor previous ancestors through religious acts within the home. However, like so much of Japanese culture, today’s typical families have begun to evolve into a more nuclear style family model. Until recently, men where the sole source of income within the home. Wives where usually stay at home moms who kept up the household and looked after the kids. However, the economic downturn of the 1990s caused more

23 Conrad Totman, A History of Japan, 2nd ed. (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005), 72.

24 Marcus Rebick and Ayumi Takenaka, eds., The Changing Japanese Family (Abingdon, Oxon.: Routledge, 2006), 3.

25 Ibid., 6.

mothers to leave the home to enter the workforce. Current trends of women in the workforce, lower marriage rates, and higher divorce rates have all added to the shift away from the traditional patriarchal family tradition.26

Geographical Information27

 Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north.  Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous.  About 73 percent of Japan is forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial, or residential use.  Total land area: 145,925 square miles.  Consists of 6,852 islands.  108 active volcanoes.

Map

26 Ibid., 3-6.

27 “World Factbook: Japan.” CIA. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja. html (accessed June 22, 2013).

SURVEY OF MISSIONS WORK

Status of the Church

Christianity in Japan is estimated to be below two percent of the population. Sadly, many

Japanese adhere to a blended spirituality of religion, philosophy, and ancestry. The average

Japanese attends Buddhist temples during funerals, Shinto Shrines during weddings, but generally has little to do with the religions as part of their daily routine.28 However, some

Japanese families still have Buddhist altars in their home where they make occasional offerings or pray on behave of their ancestors. This pluralistic religious ideology seems to be norm among the Japanese who actually acknowledge a religion. On the other hand, many Japanese are perfectly comfortable not recognizing any specific religion at all. In fact, many Japanese uphold their religious distinctions more out of habit or perceived pressure to conform from family members. David J. Hesselgrave came to understand the pluralistic mindset quite well in his missionary exploits in Japan. He writes:

They stood ready to be Christian in much the same way as most Japanese are Shintoist or Buddhist or Confucianist and soon, depending on circumstances and the applicability of these respective teachings. This mind-set—at once so deep-seated and deleterious— became for me a matter of great significance upon listening to the words of a dignified Japanese gentleman who approached me after a Sunday evening service in Urawa City. Fighting back tears that Japanese men do their utmost to conceal, he said, “Sensei, I am greatly moved by your words tonight. I and my wife and our children have always been believers in Shinto and also in Buddhism. But tonight I have made a big decision. From now on, I and my family will be Christians too.29

28 “About Japan,” OMF International. http://www.omf.org/omf/japan/about_japan/country (accessed June 28, 2013).

29 David J. Hesselgrave, "My Pilgrimage in Mission," International Bulletin of Missionary Research 35, no. 3 (2011): 162. http://search.proquest.com/docview/881649494?accountid=12085.

Hesselgrave did not become disheartened by this man’s comments. He looked at the situation as a small step towards winning the Japanese to Christ, and contemporary Christians would be wise to do the same. He believed that the family would dig deeper into the Christian faith, someday find a deeper understanding for Jesus, and recognize Him to be the one and only true God. Sometimes faith takes time to properly unfold. Many times Christians want to witness a microwavable conversion right on the spot. Believers must not forget that some beliefs may take time to totally break down the barriers that have been built by false religions. Hesselgrave’s example is actually a powerful step in the right direction.

As discussed earlier, the Japanese still collectively place a high value on belonging to groups, communities, and families. For instance, involvement in religious matters is “primarily motivated by the sense of duty and obligation that accompanied membership in a household and community, not by clearly defined beliefs or exclusive creeds.”30 Until Christians find a way to pierce the Japanese person’s die hard allegiance to the collective thought and/or the Japanese begin to think outside the cultural norm, Christianity will never yield great results. While there are reports of more and more Christian churches appearing in Japan,31 they never seem to grow beyond the 100 attendee mark. It appears that three things must occur before Japan will become a great Christian nation: the Holy Spirit must begin a powerful revival, missionaries must have

30 Mark R. Mullins, Christianity Made in Japan: a Study of Indigenous Movements (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1998), 8.

31 “About Japan,” OMF International. http://www.omf.org/omf/japan/about_japan/country (accessed June 28, 2013).

the courage to go to Japan, and the Japanese must relinquish the false beliefs of their ancestors and embrace Jesus Christ as Lord.

Ongoing Missionary Work

In the wake of the recent disasters in Japan such as the tsunami, earthquake, and

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the world has responded with missional support.32 In light of

Romans 8:28, God used the terrible effects of these disasters to bring love, compassion, and His saving grace to those effected by the trauma. Doug Birdsall, missionary with 19 years experience serving in Japan, said these events crushed parts of Japan that were already in distress. “The economy has been struggling for more than a decade, suicide rates have skyrocketed, and there's a disintegration of family structure with growing divorce rates and numbers of latchkey kids,"

Birdsall said.33 For so many years missionaries have been living with, teaching, and sharing the gospel of Jesus with the Japanese with little to no success. However, the terrible events in 2011 have given missionaries and Japanese church leaders a second chance. They quickly responded to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the precious, hurting Japanese natives. “This time there is an outpouring of love, prayer, and support," Birdsall noted. “The church has been praying for decades for a time of major breakthrough for the gospel. There is no country in the world where the church has sown the gospel so generously, yet reaped so sparingly.”34

32 Alanna Foxwell-Barajas, "Second Chances in Japan: One Year after Disaster, Sacrificial Giving Gains Churches New Credibility," Christianity Today 56, no. 3 (March 1, 2012): 15-17. ATLASerials, Religion Collection, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2013).

33 Ibid.

34 Ibid.

Despite a longstanding history of complete indifference to the Christian faith, the disasters had given the overall Japanese nation a more receptive heart to outside aid. This is when Christian missionaries and mission agencies swiftly sprang into action to bring goods, services, and the gospel to potentially receptive Japanese people. Soon after the earthquake, subsequent tsunami, and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster, the Japanese government became abnormally receptive to external aid, which included Christian based Samaritan's Purse.

This outside aid had to have a base of operations. Before the incident, local Japanese churches managed their congregations well but had “little connection between the typical Japanese church and the community at large and the community remained suspicious or largely unaware of the church's purpose or role.”35

However, the local Japanese churches quickly became valuable distribution centers that encamped evacuees, stored supplies, served meals, and become the light of the world for Jesus.

Not only did the disasters bring in missional support, but it gave new hope, faith, and understanding in the Christian ‘church’ as a whole. “There was a sense of camaraderie developing between the church and the community as they started to band together for the good of the whole—augmented, of course, by tons of aid pouring in,” said Pastor Handly. Pastor Sato added, “I thought my church died that day, but it did not. We lost four chapels and multiple organizations, but the church remains. We don't need to worry because the church is our home.

We lost many visible things, but we rediscovered the invisible power of Christ."36 Though many lives were lost and countless villages destroyed, missionaries responded generously to the call,

35 Ibid.

36 Ibid.

local Japanese churches gained credibility among their people, Jesus was shared with those who otherwise would not have heard, and God received the glory.

Difficulties in the Region

Despite these recent events that have seen growth in specific regions of Japan, the overall population is still loyal to the group mentality, engrossed in the materialistic world, and over- confident in their philosophies and spirituality. Unfortunately, the average Japanese is spiritually blind and indifferent to the gospel. “Because they are afraid of disturbing human relationships of their families or neighborhood even though they know that Christianity is the best,” said Pastor

Okuyama, who was previously of the Buddhist and Shinto religion though now Christian. “Thus,

Japanese make much of human relationships more than the truth. Consequently we can say that as for Japanese, one of the most important things is harmony; in Japanese ‘Wa.’”37 The harmony that Okuyama speaks of is a powerful notion within the Japanese that must be penetrated. So far, no widespread breakthroughs have occurred.

The conforming cultural pressures, misled spirituality, and dedication to harmony all but shut the door on Christianity. Additionally, Japan’s overall sense of growing the economy has created an intense work ethic that is literally killing some Japanese men. Many Japanese are so loyal to their companies that they literally kill themselves from overworking. It is referred to as

‘karoshi,’ which literally means “death from overwork.”38 Recently, a 30 year old man died from

37 Michelle A. Vu, “Mission Leader: Why So Few Christians in Japan?” The Christian Post, May 18, 2010. http://www.christianpost.com/news/mission-leaderwhy-so-few-christians-in-japan-45217/ (accessed June 28, 2013).

38 Martin Fackler, “Japanese Salarymen Fight Back,” New York Times, June 11, 2008. http://www.nytimes. com/2008/06/11/business/worldbusiness/11iht-11suits.13624023.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2 (accessed June 29, 2013).

the stress of working seven days a week, while another man fell into a coma.39 With such a brutal work schedule, many Japanese men work on Sundays and other weekday church services. Sadly, even if the men felt led to go to a Christian church, they are simply too tired and too busy to attend. The Lord understands the brokenness of the Japanese and is ready to accept them if they would only turn to Him. Maybe recent natural disasters, economic downturns, and political scandals will reveal the emptiness of the material world and false religions. After all, Japan does not restrict or persecute Christianity today. Christians must continue to pray for God to soften the hearts of the Japanese and continue to take the gospel to Japan.

PROPOSED STRATEGIES

Missionary Strategy

Any missionary going to Japan must understand one thing: Japanese put a high value on maintaining the harmony of the group, family, corporation, and nation. Furthermore, peer pressure in Japan can stop Christianity in its tracks. It is crucial for missionaries to Japan to understand the Japanese culture and native religions of Buddhism and Shintoism. Because the

Japanese believe Japan was divinely created by the sun god40, missionaries must teach God as the one and only Creator. Missionaries must realize the brevity of their claims. Christianity strips the Japanese of much of their culture, ancestry, and false religions. Open area preaching is probably not going to be received well in Japan. Nothing could negatively affect the community

‘harmony’ more than a fiery Baptist preacher spouting out fire and brimstone from the town

39 Ibid.

40 Jeremy Roberts, Japanese Mythology A to Z, 2nd ed. (New York, NY: Chelsea House Pub, 2010), 25.

square. Instead, missionaries must seek out and train committed Japanese disciples. They must not get overwhelmed, but instead they must believe God will lead them to the right home or situation to spark a true committed follower of Jesus. The goal, as well as the biblical model commanded by Jesus, is to have your disciple make new disciples themselves. A native Japanese

Christian is more likely to be effective at reaching other Japanese than a Caucasian American ever could.

Like any missionary in a foreign culture, they must fully engross themselves in the culture, language, and people. Obviously they will want to be in the world, but not of the world.

Furthermore, while tolerant to the native religions and culture, the missionaries must keep their

Christian reserve and remain biblically centered. They will not do any favors by watering down the gospel. C. Peter Wagner explains there are three prominent aspects of contemporary evangelism consisting of presences, proclamation, and persuasion.41 Presence is becoming like the Japanese in way that is helpful to relate yet remains biblical. It simply but importantly consists of helping physically, mentally, and spiritually. Proclamation is making known the flaws in their false religions and filling that spiritual void with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Proclamation pushes for Christian conversion. Persuasion is the deepest and most meaningful aspect of evangelism because it pushes for the Japanese to actually become committed disciples of Jesus and become disciple-makers themselves. “Field research increasingly indicates that evangelistic efforts based on presence or proclamation alone are considerably less effective in terms of resulting church growth than those seeing evangelism as persuasion,”42 Wagner wisely notes.

41 Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne, eds., Perspectives On the World Christian Movement: a Reader, 4th ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009), 575.

42 Ibid., 576. 15

Missional Organization Strategy

A missional organization has a steep challenge for reaching the Japanese because they literally have to face the entire nation. Yes, there are some Christians and Christian churches in

Japan, but they only make up fewer than two percent of the entire nations religious beliefs. Japan needs a missional organization to devote its entire budget, missionaries, prayers, and existence to

God’s beautiful people on a wonderful Island called Japan. One such missionary agency called

DAWN (Discipling An Entire Nation) is set up with a goal to provide “an Evangelical congregation for every village and urban neighborhood in the country.”43 This is an extremely tall order for the entire country of Japan, but the premise is very exciting. It opens the doors wide to all avenues, possibilities, and methods. Missionaries can move throughout the entire country, while building a network of faith based churches, organizations, small groups, and mission houses. Japan for some time now has opened her mind and heart to the western world and outside influences. They have been hurting financially, physically, mentally, and spiritually for far too long.

So, Japanese are very loyal to the group? Now is the time to make the Japanese consider joining a new ‘group.’ The missional organization to Japan must offer the natives a part of God’s family. The Japanese must be taught there is one church, one God, one family, and one group.

Brotherhood in Christ must be emphasized. The Japanese can belong. There can be great harmony found in the Christian way of life – led by the Holy Spirit and guided by the truths of

Scripture. The missional organization must be willing to completely engross itself in the day-today lifestyle and way of the Japanese. Whether through business, schools, or church related

43 Ibid., 579.

activities, the organization must get involved in the lives of the Japanese. Too many churches and organizations simply sit in their building waiting on the lost to walk into their doors. This must not be the case in Japan. Christians must actively live and get involved in the lives of the

Japanese to build trust, show compassion, keep harmony, and teach the gospel of Jesus.

Sending Church Strategy

The sending church is of the greatest importance in the missional endeavors. Those involved must be certain of their calling to commission a new church. They must fully understand the responsibility to the missionaries, as well as the native people of Japan that will receive guidance, care, and instruction. The sending church must be devoted to prayer and fasting. Starting a new church in America is an enormous undertaking. However, starting a new church in Japan is nothing short of a miracle. The sending church must also be devoted to and remain loyal to such a long-term commitment. Churches usually take time to grow and mature both financially and spiritually. The sending church must literally be committed to the new church until they are able to stand on their own two feet or until the Lord Jesus returns.44

The sending church must be a mighty support system to the missionaries and native

Japanese for prayer, spiritual guidance, teaching materials, and any other leadership needed.

According to George Miley, when sending churches properly come together to support the new adventure “their vision is refueled and the entire congregation is renewed.”45 Financial support must not be overlooked. It will take time for the missionaries to find employment, as most ministers will be bivocational. Ed Stetzer is an expert in church planting. He writes:

44 Winters, Perspectives, 748.

45 Ibid.

A new church requires a regular flow of money. It’s possible to start a new church successfully with a completely unsupported bivocational planter, but usually the congregation needs additional support for a meeting place, program, or other costs. Also, there are times in the life of many church plants that require a special infusion of funds – launch activities, outreach projects, sound and video equipment, gathering events, and the like.46 While some denominations or organizations will help financially start a church, all avenues must be considered and finalized in the planning process.

Ralph Winters once said, “The church’s highest priority today must be to cross cultural boundaries in order to win people to Christ and establish communities of Christians...we must recapture the pioneer spirit and move out to unreached people everywhere.”47 David Hesselgrave speaks of the potential of Christians to win souls for Christ and warns that “they may become ingrown and simply occupy themselves with nurturing their own faith rather than winning others.”48 The church is the greatest gift that Jesus ordained to mankind. In order to fulfill His

Great Commission, we must make disciples and mature them in His church.

Conclusion

At times it is hard to believe that a country with such a unique culture, overwhelmingly high literacy rate, booming economy, and world renowned technological achievements can be so spiritually blind to Christianity. Sadly, not many people are even aware that the Japanese of

Japan are one of today’s top unreached people groups. Christians buy their products, learn their karate, play their video games, utilize their technology, and drive their cars on a daily basis but have never once considered their eternal fate. The facts do not lie. There are over 127 million

46 Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches (Jacksonville, FL: B&H Academic, 2006), 221.

47 David J. Hesselgrave, Planting Churches Cross-Culturally: North America and Beyond, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2000), 29.

48 Ibid.

residents in Japan and less than two percent have a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Most Christians understand the Great Commission of Jesus to spread His gospel to the ends of the earth. How has

Japan always taken a back seat to missions? How do missionaries fly over Japan to Asia and other parts of the world and never notice the darkness that has fallen on the islands of Japan?

The background information shared in this essay has revealed a culture that is extremely unique yet tragically homogenous. Japan’s overall religious state is tragically misled meanwhile millions remain in spiritual darkness. The Japanese family has begun to move away from its patriarchal group mentality that may just work in the favor of one day having single generational homes accept Christianity without fear of disapproval from ancestors. The survey of missions reveals a bleak assessment of the current missions in Japan. Too few missionaries are stationed in Japan, too little information on contemporary missions is available, and too many Japanese are still worshiping false gods. The proposed strategies are simply yet biblical. The Japanese are not an enigma that is impossible to crack. God loves and cares for the Japanese and is willing to soften their hearts if Christians would only be willing to pray, go to Japan, invest their time and finances, and make disciples of Jesus to all who will accept the challenge.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“About Japan,” OMF International. http://www.omf.org/omf/japan/about_japan/country (accessed June 28, 2013).

Allinson, Gary D. Japan's Postwar History. 2nd ed. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2004.

Chambers, Andrew. "Japan: Ending the Culture of the 'Honourable' Suicide." The Guardian: London, August 3, 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/03/japan- honourable-suicide-rate (accessed June 22, 2013).

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