Mission1

Find Your Place in Missions亞洲的未得之民要禱告 Asia UPG Prayer MissionaryCare Person

2009年10月1日 星期四

An Update on Chinese Churches in Japan 2009

Lausanne World Pulse - By Huang An Shi

Unsettledness
In recent years, the frequency of natural disasters and human-made tragedies in Japan has noticeably increased. Abnormal weather phenomena such as the typhoon or the seven-magnitude earthquakes in Niigata, Hokkaido, and Sendai have caused great loss in human lives and countless damage in personal properties. Moreover, there have been social problems, such as innocent school children being kidnapped and killed and adolescents killing their parents or family members. There have even been a few cases of killing or hurting innocent bystanders without any motive.


There are now twenty-four Chinese churches in
Japan—about 1,400 Christians total.


The world has also been heavily hit by the financial tsunami—and each country has faced its own economic crises. After the economy collapsed in 1995, Japan learned its lessons. For the past decade many large companies have tried to keep their profit margins by laying off employees. Many young people have not been able to find suitable jobs, thus losing hope for the future. They have either lived in fear or dreamed of gaining wealth without hard work. The situation had been causing many social problems.

In spite of the unstable economy, the Japanese are people who care about the details, and they put great consideration into planning their work ahead of time. Many high-tech industries hold unique and superior technologies. Therefore, the common assumption is that Japan’s economy will gradually recover and people from other countries will again flow into Japan. This will also bring in more Chinese people from China, Taiwan, and other neighbor countries. It is our duty as the Chinese Church to be ready to share the gospel to this new group of Chinese.

Openness to Christianity
Today, the Japanese younger generation is more willing to accept Chinese culture and to learn Chinese than they have been in the past. This is because many companies have moved their manufacturing section to China. However, the changes in the economic situation have created many job opportunities for Chinese here as well. And because of their hard work and perseverance, they can be found in many work fields.

According to immigration statistics, in 2007 there were 606,889 Chinese living in Japan (including 42,124 people from Taiwan and 3,567 people from Hong Kong). Compare this with 2006 and we see an eight percent increase in numbers. In 2007, more than seventy-three percent of people lived in or near a large city; sixty-nine percent were between the ages of twenty and thirty-nine.

Recently, the number of churches has increased. There are now twenty-four Chinese churches in Japan—about 1,400 Christians total. Each church has an average of fifty people (the biggest has about four hundred people). Most are either in or near a big city, such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, or Kobe. There are also a small number of Chinese-speaking congregations in churches established by westerners, Koreans, or Japanese. But the number is unconfirmed.

The reason for the growing number of churches is that both existing churches actively involved in spreading the gospel and many foreign missionaries put their efforts into this mission field. Other people organize Bible studies in their homes or workplaces.

It has become clear to some churches that it is not easy to find suitable pastors. About four to five years ago some churches began to co-work with a local seminary which shared the same vision and beliefs. The extended seminary classes were created for people who were called to work in the mission field in Japan.

Challenges Lie Ahead
Due to high living costs, there are only a few overseas missionary organizations here in Japan, and their major target is the Japanese. Therefore, the responsibility to spread the gospel to the Chinese is placed upon our own shoulders.

國際差傳協會10月份Intercede & SEND代禱信

1 加拿大:今天是加拿大辦公室新的會計年度的開始。感謝主在過去這一年裡豐盛的供應;我們除了滿心盼望新年度裡主對我們的帶領,也把每位同工財務上的需要,交託仰望主。
2 哈薩克,薩蘭 :新會期的全國訓練師培育大會(TNT)課程於今日開始。求聖靈作工在參與課程中的學員,幫助他們勇於接受新裝備的挑戰並且能致力於把所學的傳承下一代,以養成有紀律的神國子民為目標。
3 東亞:一位台灣的牧師正在這地區拜訪交流。這次參訪及也可能為兩地的教會合一與連結打開了一扇大門。請代禱。
4 台灣,潭子:長久以來祖先崇拜一直是華人社會中重要的文化,台灣也不例外。請為以下的慕道友禱告:Awei, Pamela, Allison,Maggie, Florence, Tony Naomi及Grace。求主帶領他們能勝過這樣的家族壓力。
5 俄羅斯,柏力市: Ken Guenther 將從10/5-23在位於柏力市的東俄聖經書院任教。請主賜下智慧以及敏銳的靈在與學生溝通上;另外,Ken也期望可以順利賣出差傳協會所持有在此地的公寓。
6 北差傳協會: 10/6-8位於白馬鎮,將匯聚及來自育空地區及阿拉斯加西北部的北差傳協會宣教士。這場聚會的主要目的是希望透過代禱來互相鼓舞與會的弟兄姊妹,並且激盪出策略性的計畫。請為大家旅途平安代禱,並有敏銳的心思跟隨聖靈。
7 科索沃:感謝主差派許多團隊來幫忙夏季營會的活動。他們已完成恩典小屋的建造,以方便迎接將於冬天時進駐的較大型團隊;也感謝讚美主透過這些團隊所彰顯的愛,願他的話語成為這地區人的的盼望。
8 西班牙,Azuqueca: Azqueca教會的秋季活動即將展開,包括兒童主日學校以及週五夜晚兒童俱樂部。請為Cindy及Becky Nordgren的返國述職代禱。他們此行返回美國的目的,是要向所贊助的教會報告他們在此地及全西班牙的事工。
9 俄羅斯,烏蘭‧烏德: 救贖教會的建堂需要充足的財務以及人力來完成,求主賜福。
10 日本,涉谷區,:Paul和Carol Suzuki 將於每週六為東京地區高中生舉辦HiBA訓練。求主能興起日本新生代來快跑跟隨祂,並且在日常生活中勇敢為主做見證。
11 日本,Ome-shi,東京:今天是多摩聖經研讀小屋歡慶49週年的紀念日。求主繼續以祂的大能賜下恩膏在「基督的新世代」的事工中;也求主祝福這項事工所需的一切資金。
12 東亞,東亞團隊: Barry 將於本月開始教學事工;另外,Eva與她在澳門新教堂的會址正在進行整修。他們計劃於11月的第一個週日搬入。 請位以上三項代禱。
13 菲律賓,馬尼拉: 包括Longs家族、Tony Book 及Melody Kuka 在內的差傳協會同工正在信心學院服事。這學院是由多元文化背景的老師、學生和職員組成,求主能在這樣的環境中,興起合一的靈來翻轉學校屬靈的空氣。
14 烏克蘭,基輔:本月基輔神學院的新生將展開基要課程的學習。求主賜下堅固的信心來幫助他們,也保守他們在遠方的家人安全。重要的是這些新生能竭力活出主的樣式
15 日本: Arthur和Meg Kraol 正要前往日本服事。求主引導已與日本教會建立關係的在美當地教會來開啟溝通的鑰匙。希望主感動這些教會的牧者、長執跟會眾一起來為日本宣教努力。
16 俄羅斯,利佩茨克: 感謝主豐盛的恩典,Blanchards、Mcbrides以及Zuks三位傳教士已順利取得為期三年的居留證。
17 波蘭,奧波萊: 第二屆福音音樂研習營與演奏會將於10/17-18舉行。這是一項結合當地福音派教會的外展活動。請為參與的未信者禱告,求聖靈透過音樂親自向他們說話;並感動他們有意願參加後續的查經小組。
18 菲律賓,馬尼拉: 差傳協會的菲律賓同工們將於今、明兩天聚集在一起。求主幫助與會者的身心靈能在主愛中獲得釋放重新得力,並且也為辦公室未來的異象一同作規劃。求主幫助同工們能有屬天的智慧作下每個決定。
19 動員行動,美國與加拿大辦公室: 這各月將有許多基督學院舉辦宣教大會,而差傳協會是負責週末學生退休會。求主賜下極美的交流在參與當中的學生以及差傳代表;此外,也求主呼招他的工人來加入屬靈的豐收的行列。
20 哈薩克,薩蘭: Howard 和Joyce Botterill 在九月初接了哈薩克團隊組長的職務。求主幫助他們不但在生活上能適應良好,並且有屬天的智慧與異象來帶領團隊的方向。也求主繼續做工在哈薩克的屬靈復興上。
21 日本,國分寺市: Jonathan和Maki Robinson 正在Tama Plaza教會服事;Jon的服事對象主要是青少年,求主賜下諸般智慧與長久耐心來與他們相處。另一方面,Maki也將在12月生下他們的第一個孩子,求主保守在這期間母子均安。
22 烏克蘭,基輔:由基輔神學院為學生舉辦的女性特會,將於今日開始。請為與會的姐妹們禱告,願他們可以在主大能中重新得力,與主的關係可以更穩固,並把這樣火熱愛主的心帶回她們所在的社區,來激勵更多人親近主。
23 台灣,台中: Brenda Chan 是一位香港來台的宣教士。求主幫助她在生活的適應上可以順利,包括找合適的公寓、學習中文以及熟識環境。
24 捷克共和國,布拉格: Mike和Cindy Yurkovich 正負責設立一所位在農業大學裡的語言中心。這間中心的成立是包含於名為開拓新教會計劃的一部分;其宗旨是把中心當作和當地未信者的橋樑,帶領他們認識救主耶穌。
25 中歐南部: Andrew和Alanna Brown 現正打算回美國幾個月。此行是希望透過參訪及研究能有新的策略,並也藉機與當地教會建立關係。更要緊的是,能有機會與差傳的教會進行更深入的溝通。請為此禱告。
26 克羅埃西亞: 請為Justin與Beth Ortiz 禱告:他們需要主的智慧來引導,有能力與這地區的人民互動,可以把文化差異的溝通不良降至最低;並且也求主幫助他們可以用流暢無誤的當地語言溝通。
27 西班牙,瓜達拉哈拉:感謝主METAS團隊終於有屬於自己的大樓可以使用。請持續為剩餘的款項禱告,也求主幫助我們能善盡好管家的職分, 有效且忠心的使用這棟充滿祝福的新大樓。
28 烏克蘭,克列緬丘格: 克列緬丘格聖經學院正歡慶其建校15週年。在這榮耀的時刻,學院同時完成興建一棟新學生宿舍、幾間辦公室以及一棟藏書豐富的圖書館。感謝主豐盛的祝福,也期盼主更大大使用聖經學院來培育更多神國的工人。
29 穆斯林事工: 感謝主的恩典,日間照顧中心已完工且正式啟用。希望透過許多的照護以及教育活動,來彰顯神的愛。最近有許多的弟兄姊妹因研讀啟示錄而被主挑戰,要求他們能學習把主放在生活中的第一位。請為賜代禱。
30 東亞: Kimmy 正在從事語言和文化研究;請求主賜下智慧與耐心在她學習的過程中。並且有從神而來極大的愛來服事當地人。
(31) INTERNATIONAL, Ken Guenther, Next month our Area Directors meet 11/9-13. Our training topic is spiritual discernment as we make decisions corporately. Pray that our ADs will grow in their ability to lead their councils to discern God’s will in all ministry decisions they face.

Choosing the Right Focus to Serve in the Kingdom

Welcome to pray with us and hear more! Contact: send.ea.cm@gmail.com or find us on facebook.