Japan boasts the position as the world’s second most technologically powerful economy and the third largest economy. Of its nearly 128 million residents, 84% claim Shinto and Buddhism as their religion, while Christians account for only .7% of the population.
In Japan, Christians face strong spiritual opposition. Here, in 1992 The Mission Society's work began by introducing Concerts of Prayer to local Japanese Wesleyan Churches. As church leaders responded, God gave further vision for the organizing of the first International Prayer Summits held outside of North America. In these four-day intensive prayer times, Japanese pastors, church leaders, and mission leaders from several denominations came together. Prayer summits have led to the formation of more frequent monthly missionary prayer fellowships.
The Mission Society team is also involved in local church pastoral ministry and in The International VIP Club, an outreach to Japanese businesspeople. In one year 33,000 Japanese businessmen committed suicide. Japan's economic downturn has caused great fear. Through International VIP Clubs, thousands of Japanese businesspeople have come to Christ and are reaching out to other businesspeople. Hajime "James" Oshiro, a member of The Mission Society team in his homeland of Japan, is one of the top leaders of International VIP, which has now spread to 10 other countries. "There is no question that God is moving here in Japan," writes a Mission Society missionary. "Economic instability is being used by the Lord to shake the foundation of this nation. Hearts that have been shut to God and spiritual things are becoming open as never before."
Prayer Requests
Pray for unity in the Japanese Church. Pray that God will release a spirit of united evangelistic cooperation, which will destroy walls of indifference and bring unity between all denominations.
Pray for Japanese pastors to be burdened to see their leaders effectively trained, so their congregations will become more dynamic in their witness and outreach.
Japanese Christians are constantly being pressured by their work, family, and culture to conform to Japanese ways. As a result, quite a number of believers give in and go back to their non-Christian ways and practices. Please pray for an outpouring of God’s mercy to uphold and sustain those Japanese who have committed themselves to follow Christ.
Pray that God will send a new and fresh spirit of worship upon Japanese churches
that they may become alive, vibrant and powerful.
For many decades the Church in Japan has been stuck in a mode of being a “receiving” church, instead of a “sending” church. Pray that God will open the eyes of His Japanese Bride and give her a desire to walk in obedience to the Bridegroom and take the Gospel into all the earth.
