The Tears. The Gratitude. The Burden.
These responses are overwhelming as our flight departs from Japan.
Why?
Because we have seen and we know.
What have we seen?
The lostness.
It’s everywhere, I know. Spiritual lostness engulfs us no matter where we live or where we visit. However, over the last 10 days, our team from Hope Church has walked the streets of Yokohama, ridden the trains and buses of Tokyo, visited stores, restaurants and communities across the region and we’ve encountered the kindest, most hospitable ‘strangers’ we’ve ever met.
Strangers who welcomed us like
family—And yet something is missing.
We’ve seen, behind the generous gestures, a people who haven’t heard of the One who gave everything for them. We’ve seen masses of people navigating their way to school and work each day but lacking true direction because they don’t know the One who gives true purpose.
We’ve seen people we’ve grown to love gather around the table and hear the good news of the gospel, while learning and contemplating how to respond.
Japan has nearly 122 million people as of January 2024, and studies show that 99% of them are spiritually lost. The need for the gospel in this beautiful country is great.
The laborers.
While spiritual lostness abounds in Japan, there are people who are laboring day by day for the glory of Jesus and the advancement of the gospel.
We’ve seen ministry partners, who have become dear friends, serve relentlessly and joyfully to make space, and provide opportunities for their community to hear the hope of the gospel. We’ve seen church planting teams engaging their city. We’ve seen laughter, love, and enthusiasm radiate as the body of Christ, the Church, uses their individual gifts to encourage and invest in families while pointing them to Jesus.
There are incredible people throughout the country of Japan who have given their lives to knowing Jesus and making Him known. As I think of them, I can’t help but to think of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:3-6,
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
What do we know?
The way.
Our group only had ten days in Japan. Other than a few words like “arigato” (thank you), we don’t know the language. We don’t know the cultural norms. I found out after hugging nearly every lady at the church for a week that they don’t typically hug. 😅 (Don’t worry, by day five our new friends were initiating the hugs.) And we don’t fully know the common ways of daily life.
But we do know the need every person has for Jesus. We know the good news that “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
We know the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus is available to every person. We know the joy that comes from a relationship with Him. We know the hope, purpose, and fulfillment that is found in Christ alone. We know Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)
We know what the 99% of people who are spiritually lost in Japan need to know.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.””
The reward.
During our short time in Japan, we received special gifts from the people we served with. Gifts that symbolized friendship. Gifts that came from the heart of the giver. These gifts we received are priceless, but the rewards we have received during our time in Japan are even greater.
We know the joy of serving King Jesus alongside one another. We know the shared hope we have in knowing Jesus. We know our final destination of Heaven, where we will spend eternity together in the presence of Jesus.
These are rewards that far outweigh any earthly gift. They are rewards followers of Jesus receive and rewards that those who do not yet know Jesus can receive.
We depart from Japan with a deep love for the people of this country and thankfulness for our friends who are leading, serving, and giving all they have for the glory of God and the advancement of the gospel.
So it makes sense: The tears. The gratitude. The burden. It’s for the people who need to know Jesus, the brothers and sisters who know Him and are making Him known, and the deep desire for Jesus to continue changing lives and eternities. We pray for this; not only in Japan…but where He has each of us at any given moment.
“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”