If someone was to ask me a year ago, or even just a few months ago, what I thought a short-term mission trip should consist of, I am quite certain that I would have given them a significantly different answer than I would give them today. My time on Missions Reality, back in March and April, was the first mission trip that I had ever been on, and so my perspective on missions was altered a good deal then. But, that was only ten days, and this trip is two months. Consequently, my experiences here in Japan have differed greatly simply due to the extended length of my stay, but there are many other things that are different than I had expected.

It was established beforehand that the primary purpose of this trip was for Adam and I to experience the mission field of Japan, for the purpose of considering the possibility of being future missionaries here. Because of this, the nature of our trip has naturally differed a great deal from someone who may have planned on going to simply serve short-term in a foreign country. While we have been involved in a variety of different ministries, the focus of our time is on much more than merely helping out. All of our experiences are helping to provide us with an understanding of what long-term life and ministry in Japan looks like.

A big part of the time we have been spending here has been devoted to learning about the Japanese people and culture, as well as understanding what the total picture of missionary life looks like. Kazu and other missionaries have spent a significant amount of time helping us understand both of these things. We have studied the present culture of Japan, both in a classroom setting, as well as by traveling around the city. During this time we have learned a lot about what the Japanese people value, how they think, and how they differ from our typical Western mindset and lifestyle. We have also learned a great deal about their history, and about how all of these different things (lifestyle, mindset, history, etc.) play into their response to religion. This introduction to religion has been a very eye opening experience, as it presents a mindset totally foreign to anything I have ever heard of before.

Although I won’t go into detail about how Japanese people relate to religion, I will say that they are very closed to any form of organized religion. This isn’t just Christianity, but any creedal religion that they would have to adhere to. Because of this, along with many other aspects of their culture, ministry in Japan must be relationally based. Open air evangelism, and many other avenues of ministry that are effective in Western countries, produce little, if not counter-productive, results. So, rather than focusing on large, program based evangelistic outreaches, much of the ministry we have been a part of involves a much longer investment. 

During our time in Tokyo, we were able to participate in various ministries held by Tokyo Kirisuto Dendoukan Church. One of these is an outreach to high school and college age students with a title that in English literally means “a little serious,” where members of the church bring their unsaved friends to spend time discussing topics from a biblical worldview. This program, along with other programs at the church, are not the backbone of ministry, the relationships they are built upon are, both the relationships between people, and those between God and His people. The programs only provide a catalyst for these relationships, so that unsaved people can be introduced to believers, and to God’s Word. Other things we’ve been a part of have been helping out with the church services, and joining in various other ministries that the church offers.

Honestly, the ministries that we have been involved in have been a lot lower key than I had expected. I am so used to Word of Life ministry style, and various other American ministries that are so hands on and intense. But here, ministry involves a much longer term investment and focus. It depends a great deal upon building relationships. This, along with the language and cultural barriers, have been significant challenges. But, as these relationships have been deepening, more opportunities for being an influence in Japanese people’s lives have opened. But it takes a lot more time to build trust here, and that trust is essential.

After having spent all of that time in Tokyo, experiencing such a different culture, being limited by the language barrier, and seeing how different ministry was there as opposed to the States, it was a refreshing change to spend these past two weeks at SYME. Although many of the students here come from the same Japanese culture that we were immersed in, in Tokyo, the atmosphere here provides an incredible new dynamic of ministry. It has been incredible building relationships with the students here, and having the opportunity to teach them both English and the Bible. It has been a lot of fun, but it has also been clear that we have been blessed to be part of a powerful ministry here at SYME.

Through both ministries, those we were involved with in Tokyo, and those we have been involved with here at SYME, we have been blessed with the opportunity to serve God and others while also learning a great deal about what being missionaries in Japan looks like. I don’t think that we can ever really measure ministry here on this earth. We never know what God is doing in and through us, but we must always examine our hearts to be sure that we our surrendering ourselves as instruments for God to use for His glory in this world, remembering that it He who changes hearts and lives, not us.

Overall, I would say that our time here has been much different than I had expected, but that it is fulfilling the intended purpose of introducing us to what it means to be missionaries in Japan while providing us great opportunities to serve. I have learned a great deal, and have been stretched in ways that I never expected. In two days we will be back in Tokyo again, and I am excited to see all that God has in store throughout the rest of the summer for us.  Thank you again for being such a big part mine and Adam’s time here in Japan through your prayers, encouragement and support. 

God bless!