We’ve been back in the US for just about three months now, and have had a wonderful time reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. More than ever we are grateful for the people that God has brought into our lives to share in this work of reaching the people of Japan with Christ’s love and salvation.
We’ve also had time to slow down a little and reflect on how things have been going over the past few years in Japan, and some areas we need to grow in. In particular I’ve thought of five areas I hope to grow in this year, and I’d encourage you to consider how you might as well.
1. Personal Spiritual Life
As time went by in Japan it seemed harder and harder to find time to read the Bible and pray. Ministry and children kept us busy and often it wasn’t till the end of the day that I felt I had any time for devotions. This year I’m trying to refocus my priorities, as I’ve found that as I neglect time with the Lord my effectiveness in ministry and my ability to love my family suffers.
2. Corporate Spiritual Life
Recently God has really been impressing on me the need to be involved in the spiritual life of others, as well as allowing others to be involved in my own. This is a core part of being a part of a church that I think I have often overlooked. To that end I’m looking for chances to meet with other believers on a regular basis to talk about God’s Word, to be involved in Bible Studies, and even just being more willing to give my time to my Christian brother’s and sisters, to hear what’s going on in there lives and to think of ways I can be an encouragement to them.
3. Evangelism
One of the biggest challenges to living in Japan for me has been the difficulty in communicating in a second language. The extra courage and effort it takes to initiate any conversation, much less conversations that deal with sensitive issues, often left me just listening and nodding my head instead of opening my mouth. To help get over that, one thing I hope to begin doing more of once back in Japan is simply offering to pray for people on the spot when I hear about needs in their life, and through that look for an opportunity to go a little deeper and help point them towards Jesus.
4. Community Service
Another lesson that God’s really impressed on me during my time in Japan has been the importance of loving people without expecting anything in return, not even a chance to share the gospel with them. Don’t get me wrong, the ultimate act of love we can have for a non-Christian is to introduce them to Christ. But in a culture that is highly suspicious of religion, trust needs to be gained before they are willing to hear what I have to say about spiritual issues. If others perceive my goal is to increase membership in my religious group, I’ll be kept at arms length. But if I am able to demonstrate Christ’s love in a practical way first, even in ways that do not provide an opportunity for evangelism, that trust can be built as others come to see the genuine love that Christians have for people.
5. Global Missions/Engagement
Even though I’m going to Japan as a cross cultural missionary, I still want to be involved in what the Lord is doing all around the world. That includes ministering to our supporters in North America (and beyond!), and supporting and praying for other missionaries and ministries that are serving in other parts of the world. I also want to take advantage of all the amazing ways we can communicate in the 21st century to have an impact in the lives of people around the world through blogging, emailing, and utilizing online video.
What about you? What are some ways you can grow in these areas in 2018?