News > Asia

Remain in Jesus, the vine

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

1. Japan Report

Japan is a great country in many ways. Japan is economically a world super power nation. Japanese people are great, especially because of their hard work, kindness, faithfulness and loyalty. However, spiritually speaking, Japan is in utter darkness. Only 2% of the population are Christians. The Japanese people seem to need many things. But the only thing they need is the light of Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus' light dawned in this dark country through Japan UBF.

The pioneering of Japan UBF began with its first worship service in Tokyo in Feb 1988. In 1989, we officially started campus pioneering work. Many students began to study the Bible through one to one. Among them, several shepherds grew up and later were sent out as missionaries, including Mari Yonemoto to Los Angeles and Matthew Bai to Papua New Guinea.

At late 1989, Dr. John Jun visited Japan and gave us direction to pioneer the renowned private university, Waseda University. It was a great challenge since we were pioneering small colleges. It seemed to be impossible for lowly Korean student missionaries to find an office for 30 worshipers to rent. We searched near the campus every day over one month, but we could not find any office. One day God spoke to us through Joshua 6:5: “…then the wall of the city will collapse…” As a last resort, we marched around the campus and prayed every day for 7 days. On the last day God miraculously provided a rental office. We experienced the power of prayer. We began to pioneer the campus earnestly, working hard for raising disciples while holding minimum wage jobs. Three shepherds were raised, forming Mustard Seed Fellowship. Two of them were sent out as missionaries. After this, Matthew Fellowship, John Fellowship and Pioneer Fellowship were formed and several shepherds grew through their common life and training.       

In the late 1990’s, many missionaries finished graduate courses and obtained secure jobs. However, in the time of security, they became worse spiritually. In 2001, Satan attacked through CMI and half of our missionaries left the ministry. In 2002, M. John Kim resigned his leadership and M. Daniel Chung took over. Many missionaries were wounded and hurt through this division. But in 2003, the first missionary conference was held. Mother Barry, Dr. John Jun and Dr. Joseph Chung attended the conference. We were largely healed and restored and engaged again in campus mission, discipleship and world mission. 

In 2007, we built up a new center based on Acts 2:22, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” God gave us a 4 story building near the campus of Waseda University as the headquarters of Japan UBF.

Native shepherds are currently in charge of stewardship for Japan UBF. Shp. Abraham Noji, director of Western Japan UBF, is faithfully serving gospel ministry, co-working with Korean missionaries. Shps. Naomi Ooyi is serving music for JBF and conducting the orchestra. Shps. Isihara is serving CBF and JBF, playing piano for SWS. Recently several shepherds have been growing in Japan, including Monica Nakamura who is going to pledge as a shepherd in Tokyo UBF, Suzki Hiromiz, Hisamoto, Gotto, Sindomaya, Danaka Akiko, Saziko, and Isida Norihiko. Japan UBF is currently composed of 56 missionaries in 15 chapters, 6 native shepherds and 5 missionaries from Japan. 

2. Remain in Jesus, the vine

I was born in Hiroshima as the eldest of three brothers on September 20, 1968. I was introverted, quiet, and shy. I preferred to stay home rather than go out. Therefore, I could not adjust myself to the school atmosphere. I was a loner.  I felt miserable since I had no friend whom I could open my heart to.

In 1988 I was enrolled in the history department of Korea University, thinking that changing the environment would change me. However, the expectation soon turned into despair. Since I had never studied Korean history before, I could not keep up with my classes. I was confused.  I could not make even one friend to talk with and spent my time alone in my dormitory. But God led me to Anam UBF where I studied Genesis.  I learned about God who created the heavens and the earth, the garden of Eden, Noah’s ark, etc. But I could not understand it all. Yet because of my shepherd’s deep love for me I attended the Summer Bible conference. In spite of the language barrier, on the last day of the conference Matthew 27:46 came into my heart, “Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? –which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” I began to accept Jesus in my heart who shed his precious blood on the cross in order to save me. Jesus loved me so much that he was abandoned by God. Later I experienced that God answered my prayer. Because of my poor grades I was kicked out of the dormitory. But through prayer God provided me an apartment. When I prayed to conquer the Korean language, I could write a testimony in Korean and share it every week. Through prayer I could study my major and graduate. My one to one Bible teacher gave me direction to remain in Jesus continually even after graduation.

In 1992 I returned to Tokyo but I had no one to depend on.  I had no family, no job, and no money.  I was tempted to leave UBF and go back to my old way of life. However, when I struggled to remain in Jesus who is the vine, God blessed me in many ways. In Tokyo UBF I could enjoy fellowship with Japanese students and shepherds and serve them as well. Furthermore, God blessed me to marry a woman of faith, M. Mary. However, for 6 years we had no children. But we kept on praying. Finally God gave us a child in the 7^th year of our marriage. Through this I  experienced the power of prayer. Also through prayer, God gave me a job even in the midst of recession. I could serve God’s work as a self-supporting shepherd. One of my jobs is to translate the Korean daily bread into Japanese and publish it. I also mail the published daily bread to other Japanese chapters and post it on the internet homepage. Whenever people told me that they received God’s grace through the daily bread, I was so happy.

However, I faced a crisis through Satan’s attack at the end of 2000. It was because some coworkers left the ministry. At the moment God urged me to make a decision, asking “Do you want to leave me, too?” I remembered my vow which I made during my senior year. I also remembered that I felt so miserable when I returned from Korea to my home town and lived without mission. And I was reminded of Dr. John Jun’s pledge, “I will never leave UBF even if all coworkers leave, including Dr. Samuel Lee and Mother Barry.” Finally I made a decision to remain in Japan, the land of my mission. Then God blessed me to serve “Joshua team”, co-working with young missionaries. I was so encouraged through these new missionaries, loving each other and learning from them. God also blessed me to raise one Bible student, Brother Kaleb, who immigrated to Canada during his sophomore year in high school and has kept his faith. I have been serving one to one with him whenever he visits Japan. I am praying for him to get a permanent working visa.

Reviewing 20 years of my shepherd life, I have been abundantly blessed by God as an ancestor of faith in Japan UBF although my ministry was not fruitful. God blessed me to participate in the life giving work of God in Japan in the midst of struggling to remain in Jesus, the vine. I thank God who blessed me through my wife, a great woman of faith and a steward of the world mission department, and also through my cute daughter who is full of wisdom and faith. I also thank God who has used me to translate, publish and distribute the daily bread for the spiritual food of the Japanese students. I praise and thank God!

The Japanese people have been more interested in invisible things rather than visible things since the earthquake, Tsunami, and radiation disaster. They began to have a compassionate heart for needy people. I pray that they will come to God, and be used preciously by God. May God use Japan to spread the gospel to all the campuses of 47 provinces in Japan and 47 countries on the Asian continent.

One word: Jesus is the true vine