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“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)”

We thank God for his abundant blessing upon the 2014 Japan UBF United SBC. We also thank all our beloved coworkers in UBF for their prayers for us. Japan UBF held our SBC on Aug 8 – 10 with 108 attendees (UBF 64, CBF/JBF 44) from 13 out of 15 chapters. God blessed us with cool weather during the conference, even though it has been really hot in Japan, so that all programs went smoothly. We also were able to have a campfire that made all the children happy just before heavy rain. On first day, Japanese honorary director, Msn. John Kim graciously delivered the opening message entitled, “Jesus Who Came to Call Sinners” (Matt 9:1-13). All brothers and sisters opened their hearts and received the word of God through the message and wrote sincere testimonies and shared at evening program along with prepared testimony messengers.

Shep. John loved games and played until the end of his middle school years and was not prepared for the entrance exam. With his father’s reference he entered a very strict Christian high school which was located in the woods. Living in the dorm, he was disciplined and grew through stock breeding, gardening, and farming, experiencing God’s help. In college he studied as a math education major. He is challenging himself to get a certificate of teaching, holding on to the word, “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again (Proverbs 24;16a)” not giving up. Now he is participating in the praise and worship team, serving CBF/JBF worship service. May God bless his heart desire and give him victory over it.

Through Sone Sachico’s sincere confession and testimony we were very moved. She married when she was 20 and suffered a lot because of her and her husband’s sins. Through seven years’ Bible study with M. Esther Park she has experienced the work of God. When she prayed she could find a house for her family miraculously near the center. She got more than 700 points on her TOEIC test that was 175 points more than six months ago and graduated from college through the correspondence course with a full time job. God blessed her to solve her family problem and to start a new life. She made a resolution to live for Jesus only throughout her whole life. May God bless her resolution and use her as a campus shepherdess.

Sarah Kim and Samuel Jung shared representative testimonies. Sarah repented for trying to get attention and decided to live before God not before people. Samuel shared that he learned that with God nothing is impossible and repented his easy going life style. He decided to live as a believer among unbelievers.

On the Second day, Shep. Noji Abraham delivered the morning message entitled, “The Unfolding of Your Words Gives Light; It Gives Understanding to the Simple” (Psalms119:130). He has been in weakness, for he was hurt and hurt others while co-working with others. When he accepted Shep. Terasaki Abraham’s suggestion to read the Bible, he read it and God gave him a realization, and healed and restored his heart. Through his message we learned about the importance of Daily Bread, for the unfolding of God’s word gives light for understanding.

The main lecture II was delivered powerfully by M. Ezra Park with the title, “You Will Be a Blessing.” He is very busy as a professor at Tokyo University with lectures, researches, and official trips and serves the Accamon fellowship which has the most sheep and CBF/JBF ministry. However, he prepared his message with all his strength and delivered it graciously and powerfully. We repented of our unbelief and accepted God’s blessing. It is not easy to think about God’s blessing in Japan, a sterile land spiritually. A salary man should work until 10 or 11pm. For this conference, only missionary families from countryside chapters could attend. However, God called us as a blessing and will bless the whole world through us. God will bless Japan and make a great nation through us.

Sgie Ryoske shared his testimony based on the main lecture. He graduated from the Buddhist High School and entered the Christian college. He took M. Esther’s class there and loved it so much. After he graduated, his job brought him back to his hometown. Sometime later, when he came back to Tokyo again for his job, he began to study Bible with M. Ezra, M. Esther’s husband. He has received the grace of God through Bible study and experienced miraculous works through prayers. He received baptism and decided to be a professor at the Aoyama University. God blessed him to have an opportunity to attend the international academy conference and he received love and grace from missionaries in America. He is now studying at Waseda University in the MBA program making a resolution to bring family members to Jesus and to be a blessing.

Danacca Akicco couldn’t receive enough love from her parents who works a small business being raised by her grandparents. She couldn’t play with her brother who is five years older than her. So she had a hard time to build relationships with others. In 2007, she started Bible study and improved her communication skills. After graduation she got a job and leads a mini orchestra after Shep. Ooyee. Sindo Liho has studied Bible with her cousin Shep. Maya. She experienced God’s blessing who healed her body and mind through Bible study. She decided to study Bible diligently as a first priority.

M. Daniel Choi shared God’s blessing with tears. Last year his second daughter, Maria didn’t go to school refusing food and became weak. He felt powerless doing nothing for his daughter while she was receiving treatment. He prayed through the encouragement of M. Moses Hong in Ganajawa who had experienced the same thing believing God’s blessing. Then God provided her a good home teacher in her third year of middle school and is restoring her little by little. Now she can take morning classes and study for high school. God blesses us eventually even though we go through difficulties. Rebekah Choi Jr. made a decision to live as an exemplary blessing. Shep. Noji Sarah repented of her complaining spirit to serve God’s mission humbly believing God’s blessing.

Shep. Terasaki Abraham delivered the evening message titled “The Work of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-18). In the beginning he was exhausted from doing many things and message preparation along with a full time job. But when he depended on the Holy Spirit he could freely serve the conference. We pray that he may be full of the Spirit to serve God’s ministry continually.

On the third day, Shep. Sindo Maaya delivered a message entitled, “Jabez’s Prayer” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). Last year, she was in a car accident and was hospitalized. In this difficulty she prayed and experienced God’s blessing and guidance. Afterward, she got a new job with better conditions than before. Her boss recognized her faith so that she can attend Sunday worship service and have a Bible study with sheep though she is working in a beauty salon. She shared God’s protection and blessing with confidence.

The main lecture 3 was delivered by M. Joseph Choi who is pioneering Hukuoka UBF entitled,”Make Disciples of All Nations.” Jesus conquered death and was resurrected. Jesus who has all authority in heaven and on earth is with us always. We can serve God regardless of our weaknesses. M. Joseph had served God’s ministry by himself, working as a researcher while his family was staying in Tokyo for two years. Now he is able to pioneer with his family, for by God’s grace he got a position at Gyusyu University as an associate professor. He has several Bible students. Three of them are faithful to have Bible study with him and attend Sunday worship service.

God also blessed CBF/JBF conference entitled, “The Attitude of Bearing the Fruit of Peace” served by M. Ezra Park, Shep. Isihara Bryska and M. Prayer Lim. We had a time to pray for Nakasaki SBC, European IBC, CIS IBC and missionaries sent from Japan every night during the conference.

We thank God for this wonderful time to be refreshed in Jesus who came to call sinners through repentance and believing in God, the God of blessing. We also thank God for encouraging us to challenge the disciple-making ministry depending on Jesus’ power and authority. We pray that we may raise up disciples of Jesus through one to one Bible study overcoming our limitations, so that 47 provinces in Japan may be pioneered and so that missionaries may be sent to 47 countries in Asia. Amen.

By Msn. Daniel Jeong