Yuta Nakayama

Pastor Yuta Nakayama Testimony

This month, our church celebrated new lives. We had a baby dedication ceremony and a blessing prayer time for a 20-year-old man who is coming of age. Many church members are young and single.

• Please pray for our church, that more families be brought to us in His call, families who love the church and build it up together.

• Pray for our Bible reading and guitar classes as we invite seekers, not-yet-believers.  
  

Visitors and Seekers

This month, several new people joined our Sunday worship services:
Mr. H. (on a business trip from Okayama), Mr. K. (also visiting from Okayama), the Y father and son (from Osaka), as well as two local non-Christian visitors, Mr. Y. and Ms. N.

Since we began our Thursday Worship Service in Tenjin (downtown Fukuoka), we have experienced increased interest from non-Christians, and we anticipate more new faces in the coming months. Please pray for these friends to be drawn to salvation in Christ.

On July 27, Ms. N and her daughter joined our worship service. 

We also had 11 members from a church-planting team that will start in September.

On August 10, Mr. T., a non-believer and a friend of one of our members, visited the church for the first time.

In July, Ms. N. and her daughter visited us from Ibaraki Prefecture.

At our Open Service, six non-believers attended—three men and three women. Three people made decisions to accept Jesus during the invitation following the message.

On May 18, a Christian man, K., attended our worship service. He is a member of another church but has been away from their services for a while. He is planning to move to Osaka in August, and until then, he would like to attend our church services. 

On the same day, another Christian man, N., also visited. He has been away from church for about a year and is looking for a new one. It seems that his previous church had some problems that were somewhat cult-like. However, he desires to continue growing in his faith, so I hope to walk alongside him with wisdom and discernment.

On June 15, a Christian man from Shikoku Island joined our worship service. His family home is in Fukuoka, and he was back visiting his family.

Prayer Requests

Starting this month, we have asked four church members to take turns leading our morning prayer meetings on Zoom. As the church grows, there are more responsibilities than our pastoral team can handle alone. More importantly, we believe this is a season for our members to grow spiritually by serving.

For a long time, my wife and I hesitated to delegate ministry roles. In the past, when we entrusted responsibilities to others, some members began to take control in unhelpful ways—even creating tension with my wife. Looking back, we realize that our lack of experience and immaturity in pastoral leadership contributed to those challenges.

However, one of our mentors recently reminded us, “A church cannot grow without delegation. Some issues may arise when you entrust ministry, but those moments become opportunities for shepherding.”
This word encouraged us to take a step of faith, and we are now joyfully entrusting more ministry to our members. Please pray that as they serve, our members will continue to grow, and that our three-person pastoral team will have wisdom to guide and encourage each one.

We recently held our second Thursday Worship Service, where a non-Christian woman, Ms. N., attended for the first time. She said she’s looking forward to coming again! In addition, about five other non-Christian friends—acquaintances of our members—have expressed interest in attending upcoming services. Please pray that God will expand His kingdom through these gatherings.

Among our youth, we’ve been blessed with more people in their 20s joining us, yet this ministry continues to stretch our love and patience. Sometimes they cancel Bible studies at the last minute, or resist Biblical advice on dating relationships. We are learning to show them that, no matter what, they belong here. Please pray that the youth at Shine Church will grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus.

Our family is doing well and staying healthy. Personally, I’ve been feeling a bit tired after several ministry trips outside the prefecture this summer. I long to rest quietly before the Lord—perhaps even taking a short fasting retreat.

This month, Mr. T, whom we as a church have been praying for over the past several months, attended the worship service for the first time. The entire congregation rejoiced at this answer to our prayer, and we desire to continue praying for him.

We also held our first Tenjin gathering, where we worshiped together. In that worship service, we strongly sensed the Lord’s leading to shine the light of Christ in this area, and we received a vision for ministry there. We are also grateful that the believers are not only willing to attend but also actively participate in these gatherings.

Recently, more young people in their 20s have begun attending church. We feel we need wisdom in how to build relationships with them. The amount of time we spend together seems to affect how open their hearts become. This past month, we had fellowship through a BBQ, going to McDonald’s, and simply spending time together. We also have one-on-one talks and Bible studies. Although young people often experience ups and downs in their emotions, please pray that we may continue to walk with them in love and patience.

This month, we held an Open Service at our church, where six non-believers attended, and we were able to share the gospel. Some expressed a desire to believe and accept Christ. We hope to continue praying for them and stay connected with them.

In the afternoon, we hosted a pizza party. Church members actively helped with grocery shopping, preparing desserts, leading the program, and setting tables. We are grateful to see everyone serving together for outreach. In the past, my wife and I carried much of the responsibility ourselves, but now we are beginning to see members take initiative in serving.

At the same time, we acknowledge areas that still require growth. While outward service is progressing, we recognize a need for development in giving offerings that are unseen. We have been discussing this within the pastoral team and are seeking God’s wisdom to help members learn to give willingly from their hearts.

We currently hold an online prayer meeting three times a week at 6:30 a.m., with about eight participants each time. Recently, members expressed a desire to have an online prayer meeting on a weekday evening as well. This is encouraging because it shows their spiritual hunger. However, we also realized that while online meetings are convenient, they require little sacrifice compared to attending in person or giving offers. As we prayed as a pastoral team, the Lord led us to start an in-person weekday evening service instead. We sensed the Lord guiding us through His Word to “add another worship service for the sake of mission.”

Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43).

As we shared this vision with the congregation, they were filled with joy, expressing a desire to invite friends and help with the new service. Please pray that many new people will come to the Thursday service in Tenjin, encounter Jesus, and find salvation.

We are continually uplifted and inspired by your prayers and support.

The weather has been extremely hot every day, but our family’s health has been well taken care of by the Lord, and we are doing well. Personally, I have been taking many trips outside the prefecture lately, so I do feel some fatigue. However, the Lord has been keeping me in good health, and I find joy in continuing my pastoral ministry.

This month, we held an Open Service at our church, where six non-believers attended, and we shared the gospel. Some expressed a desire to believe and accept Christ. We hope to continue praying for them and staying connected. In the afternoon, we hosted a pizza party. Church members helped with grocery shopping, preparing desserts, leading the program, and setting tables. We are grateful to see everyone serving together for outreach. My wife and I carried much of the responsibility in the past, but now we are beginning to see members taking initiative in serving.

At the same time, we recognize areas that still need growth. While outward service is developing, we see a need for growth in giving unseen offerings. We have discussed this within the pastoral team and are seeking God’s wisdom to help members learn to give willingly from their hearts.

We hold an online prayer meeting three times a week at 6:30 a.m., with about eight participants each time. Recently, members also expressed a desire to have an online prayer meeting on a weekday evening. This is encouraging, since it shows their spiritual hunger. However, we also realized that while online meetings are convenient, they require little sacrifice compared to attending in person or giving offerings. As we prayed as a pastoral team, the Lord led us to begin an in-person weekday evening service instead. We sensed the Lord guiding us through His Word to “add another worship service for the sake of mission.” Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43). As we shared this vision with the congregation, they were filled with joy, expressing a desire to invite friends and help with the new service. Please pray that many new people will come to the Thursday service in Tenjin, encounter Jesus, and find salvation.
We are continually encouraged and strengthened by your prayers and support.

May the Lord richly bless each of you as well.

Plans for Upcoming Months

Guitar Class and English Conversation Class.

Our third Thursday Worship Service, before the service, we plan to do outreach—handing out flyers and talking with people on the streets. Please pray that many will be open to hearing the gospel.

We plan to hold an English conversation class.

We will invite a guest speaker to share the Word.

We will hold our second outreach meeting in Tenjin (the busiest downtown area of Fukuoka).

We intend to continue our Bible Reading Group, English Conversation Class, and Guitar Class.

 We are planning to organize a gathering for women. This will be a time for the women (excluding myself—the pastor) to meet, share testimonies and the Word, and encourage each other in prayer.

We will start a weekday evening gathering in the Tenjin area, the busiest downtown district of Fukuoka. After that, we plan to hold this meeting every month.

We plan to continue our Bible Reading Group, English Conversation, and Guitar Class. We also plan to hold a gathering for women. This will be a time for women (excluding myself—the pastor) to meet, share testimonies and the Word, and encourage each other through prayer.

We will start a weekday evening gathering in the Tenjin area (the busiest downtown district of Fukuoka). After that, we plan to hold this meeting once a month.

We plan to hold regular events, including the Bible Reading Group, English Conversation Class, and Guitar Class.

We are also preparing a new initiative: Vision Sunday. During this service, we hope to reaffirm our church’s vision—where we are headed and what kind of ministry God calls us to. We pray it will be a time for the church to unite in heart and purpose.

Additionally, we are planning to host an Open Worship Service. We will invite non-believers to attend and experience what church is like. After the service, we plan to serve pizza and drinks as part of a welcoming fellowship time.

Our family took a break during the New Year holidays and gained new strength. God showed us, and we picked our theme for this year from the Psalm “Let your heart take courage – Be Courageous”. I am sure many unknown things will happen, but I am determined to work with courage in the Lord this year. My family is all doing well. My wife and I pray together every night. Our son will be a junior high school student this spring, and our daughter will be in the 5th grade.

2024 Ministry

About 20 people gathered for the Christmas service and outreach event. We had a great time together. Church members prayed together, and we experienced the power of prayer and were encouraged. We hope to continue forming our church culture of praying together as a church.  

• Please pray for the salvation of the church members invited friends who attended the Christmas events.

We are grateful for the special Christmas love gift from our friends in the U.S. The gift has greatly encouraged us and inspired us to continue to work boldly in the Lord. Due to your prayers and financial support, Shine Church is moving forward, one step at a time.

• Pray for the salvation of Ms S, who has visited our church several times.
• Pray that the Lord would send us workers to join us in the ministry team in our church.
• Pray for the increasing number of youth who attend that they will grow in their love of the Lord.
• Pray that our Sunday School and youth gatherings will be blessed and the next generation of believers will increase.
• Pray for my spiritual and physical health that the Lord will grant me endurance in church-planting.
• Pray for me to have the wisdom to balance my pastoral ministry schedule with occasional and adequate rest.

I had the opportunity to attend the KDK retreat, and the teaching reminded me once again that choosing the right people is very important in building a team. I was reminded of the importance of looking not at a person’s abilities but their character and whether or not they can unite their hearts with the pastor. As the number of church members increases, it will not be possible for a single pastor to do the church’s work, and I hope that leaders will be raised from among the congregation. I would be grateful if you would pray that the Lord would give us such believers.  

We started a prayer line group in our church, and many people actively participate. In the group, we pray for the salvation of our family and friends.

In small groups, we have been studying the gospel and how to walk as a Christian using a single text. We have this time monthly with newly saved people and church members. We have a similar study with prospective members, hoping to confirm their faith. 

• Pray that the Lord would give us the right people to help build a ministry team.
• Pray for the physical and spiritual health of those who cannot attend worship services or meetings due to illness during the season changes.
• Pray for our outreach to the community and those who have visited our services.
• Please pray for the Lord’s guidance as a church building as we continue to search for a property and church building.

At the Fall church meeting, we shared the Lord’s vision to the Colosse church. We studied the words from Colossians 2:6,7 and shared the vision of ‘walking in Christ.’ Some members used to go to different churches, each coming from a different culture and way of thinking.  God reminded me during my devotions of the need to unify our church members with a shared vision among the congregation as a church. We are slowly coming together in unity as a church, even after some painful experiences.

I have recently been facing the issue of how to entrust members of the congregation with ministry responsibilities. I have had problems in the past when I allocated some ministry responsibilities to core members, and they failed to continue with the tasks I had given them.  I am finding it challenging to allow members to take on responsibilities now. Yet I believe that without delegating ministry activity to brothers and sisters in Christ in the church, the church will not mature. I need to move from the phase where a pastor does everything alone to a new phase where a pastor delegates ministry assignments to members. Please pray for courage and wisdom for me.  

My family is doing well. My son is on the autistic spectrum and has difficulty attending gatherings in larger groups of people. Therefore, my wife has been unable to attend any pastors and pastors’ wives meetings with larger gatherings, even when she wanted to. However, my son is gradually adjusting (although he still gets tired afterward), and my wife can attend such meetings lately.

My wife has been praying for a good mentor who may also be a pastor’s wife with whom she can consult on family matters, but she has not met one for quite some time. Recently, she has been able to meet with someone and another one who could be a potential mentor with whom she feels safe enough to share her life. I am thankful for that. I know how vital it is for pastors and the pastor’s family to continue serving without feeling alone. 

Ms. M., a woman in her 30s, received Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized this month after completing our baptism study. Thank you for your prayers. Our prayers were heard. When she was baptized, Ms. M. testified that she did not intend to believe in Jesus when she attended her first Bible study. As she continued her study of the Bible, she learned through the Word of God that the cross of Jesus Christ was for her sins. When she believed and received Jesus’s Love, the emptiness in her heart was filled.

Ms. M was first led to our church due to the Bible reading we started earlier this year. Through our prayers last year, my wife and I decided to start a Bible reading group. We started with the idea of continuing it steadily, even if there may not be very many who would come at first. At that time, a church member received a call from Ms. M. saying she would like to know more about the Bible. We invited her to the Bible reading, and she attended our second reading session. We then started an individualized Bible study with Ms. M, and she expressed the desire to be baptized. I am amazed by God’s timing and His way. 

There were hardships within the church as we approached the baptism due to emotional and physical illness. But we are thankful that we, as a church, overcame them all with the grace and support of the Lord so we could celebrate M.’s baptism ceremony together.

• Pray that my wife and I can continue our work with faith, no matter the situation.
• Pray for Mrs. M’s spiritual growth in the Lord.
• Pray for the salvation of Ms. Y., who has been coming to our guitar class. Y. has not been to a worship service yet; we know she relies on various non-Christian spiritual things.

Recent contacts

This month, Mr. M.’s mother, a visiting member of Shine Church, came to the Sunday Service. Mr. M. ‘s wedding was just around the corner, and she came from Tokyo to attend the wedding.  

Update and our plan for the coming month

Another guitar class is planned for next month. Ms Y., a non-Christian woman in her 50s, continues attending. Please pray for her salvation. Your prayers can be that the Holy Spirit will draw her to ask questions or respond to the seeds of the gospel we try to share in the guitar class. This relationship is an opening to develop Ms. Y’s confidence that we are representing Jesus Christ and that she will see our compassion and concern for the whole community.

We are also planning to hold a church meeting next month. We hope to share the church vision and discuss Christmas outreaches. We are also planning to renew the church website soon. Many people in Japan enjoy the decorations of Christmas, but we want to inform them that Jesus, the Son of God, was born and draw them into a Bible study so they will know why Jesus came to earth. Your prayers can help.

Prayer Points 

• Thank you for your prayers. I recently contracted COVID-19 and was in isolation for a week. My wife is also infected, and she still has a cough and phlegm tangle and has difficulty breathing. She is taking her medication, and I think she is getting better day by day. We would be grateful if you could pray for her speedy recovery and that she will not have any aftereffects. 

• Every Sunday, we have a worship service at Clover Plaza, a facility run by the prefecture, and I have to carry sound equipment and musical instruments from my house, as well as other things needed for the church, every week. This task is very difficult, as we must carry the equipment, set it up, take it apart after the service, and carry it back to the car. Then we arrive home and unload them. We are praying for a new base of operations. If we have a permanent hall, we can have a prayer group meeting in the morning, we can use it as a place for evangelism, and the members can feel a sense of home. Of course, considering our financial needs, it seems almost impossible, but we would be grateful if you would remember us in your prayers, believing in what the Lord will do. 

• I have recently been involved in three Bible study groups. I think we have been able to have good fellowship and challenge ourselves to grow. We have a family who is thinking about transferring their membership to Shine Church, so we are planning to have ongoing pre-transfer studying sessions to teach them the doctrinal emphasis of Shine Church.
  
• I feel the importance of small group sharing and preaching messages from the pulpit. I am thinking that I will not be able to teach all the small group fellowships alone. I would appreciate your prayers as we develop leaders who will become the teachers of small-group Bible studies.  

The challenges of the church are always present, but I want to look to the One who is righteous and true. I desire to do what I need to do faithfully. May the Lord richly bless all of you who pray and support us. 

Testimony Continued:

I was envious of my friends who fell in love, dated and had fun just fooling around on Sundays. Because I knew the Word, I felt guilty about my own sins. I would think, “What a rotten family I was born into!”

Despite all these internal conflicts, I attended church meetings and never missed a Sunday service. That made me proud, and I started judging other people! So, on Sundays, I lived as a Christian, and the rest of the week, I lived like a man of the world. I became a nominal Christian and started making lots of mistakes that I was uncomfortable admitting to the people at church.

When I was 20, we were given time to pray in response to the sermon at a meeting. For the first time, I was given the desire to respond to Jesus’ words, “Follow Me.” The Cross appeared in front of me, and I knew that Jesus was in front of me. I experienced His presence for the first time. Surrounded by the love of Jesus, I could only shed tears. When illuminated by the light of Jesus’ love, it also brought my dirty heart into the light, and for the first time, I realized what a ridiculous sinner I was. In my heart, I asked Jesus, “Do you love me even though I am so dirty?” He said, “I love you and was crucified for you.” He spoke so kindly. With that one moment, I understood the meaning of the cross, that Jesus did give up his life for such a ridiculous sinner. This was the moment when my faith became my own, true, genuine faith. Then Jesus told me something else. “You will be happiest working for me for your entire life.” It was an invitation to dedicate myself to Him. I was surprised at this sudden development, but I confessed to Him that I would obey. So, my encounter with the cross and my call to ministry happened at the same time.

More than 15 years have passed since then, and I can say what the Lord said was true. Working for the Lord brings many hardships, and it is a good reminder of my weaknesses. But it is the best way to know and rely on the Lord. And now I can confess that there is no happier path than being one with the Lord and serving him with my life.

Ongoing Ministry for Your Prayers:

We reported last time that Ms. M, a non-Christian woman in her 30s, came to a Sunday service in April. She also participated in our monthly Bible reading on May 10 and said she enjoyed it. She plans to come to the Bible reading in June. Please pray for her salvation. Another guitar class is scheduled for next month. Ms. Y, a non-Christian woman in her 50s, continues to attend. Please pray for her salvation as well. Pray that more seekers will attend and be saved. Your prayers lift Shine Church and move us forward. Thank you very much.

On May 12, Pastor Philip Tan, a pastor in Singapore from an organization called Love Singapore, came and gave a message. When I learned he would be giving a Sunday message, I took two days off on Monday and Tuesday of the week before and was spiritually and physically refreshed. My wife also took time off to visit her parents’ home in Yokohama for five days, and she returned to Fukuoka refreshed and reenergized. It was a needed time for my wife, who had been diligently helping me pastor the church. I anticipate having some quality downtime to relax and pray next month. I hope to be well prepared for the busy and hot summer by being still before the Lord. Thank you all for your precious prayers. Please continue to pray for our family and our church.

We are beginning to see signs of glimpses of the new salvations we have been praying for.  Quite a few people have unexpectedly come to worship services and church events. The Lord gave us the vision and the idea of opening a new door for missionary work. When we decided to have a guitar class, a non-Christian interested in playing the guitar showed up. When we were about to start a Bible reading session, people interested in the Bible came to the Sunday service. We are pleasantly surprised by God’s timing and believe a new season is coming to Shine Church. However, I often feel that attacks by the enemy are trying to keep the church from being mission-oriented. I desire to continue doing mission work while standing firm in the Word of God and building up with prayer. Please pray for the church and our family.  

This month, four non-Christian family members of Mr. A, a friend of a church member from work, came to the kids’ Easter service. They participated in the kids’ programs, such as games, Bible messages, and praises. All church members were overflowing with joy, having this family join us. 

On the following Sunday, Ms. M., a non-believer woman in her 30s, came to join the church service. She is a church member’s friend and contacted her friend the previous Saturday to share her desire to learn more about the Bible. After the service, M. and I talked about the Bible, and I prayed for her for God’s blessing. I believe that the Holy Spirit touched her heart. I am praying that she will be led to study the Bible more.

We plan to hold another Bible reading session and distribute flyers about it to our community. We will also continue to hold more guitar classes. We have held three guitar classes, but we know building good relationships with seekers with a long-term perspective takes time.  

My friend’s son, a twenty-year-old pastor, moved to Fukuoka for a new job, and he will be with us at Shine Church. Please pray for his future ministry in our church.

Everyone in the family is doing well. My wife and children pray before they go to bed to give thanks for the day and their needs. One night, our son prayed for a character toy, and his uncle, who knew nothing about his prayer, unexpectedly bought my son the toy; this allowed our son to experience God as real and to believe prayers are heard and answered.  

My wife and I continue to pray together at night. Our prayers have given us victories in many areas, such as protecting the faith of church members, healing, and advancing the mission. We feel the importance of praying together so earnestly.

We sense your prayers and are supported by them. We can never move forward on our own. Because of your prayers, we believe the Lord hears our prayers and supports our walk as the church. Thank you for your continued prayers for Shine Church and our family. 

Guitar Class

Ms. Y returned to our monthly guitar class after the service. I have not initiated any conversation covering the gospel directly yet, but I pray that we will be able to build a good relationship with her and know when to share the gospel with her.

We are starting a Bible reading session and invite unbelievers interested in the Bible. We will have tea or coffee, read the Bible, and talk about the Bible in a relaxing atmosphere.

Pray for new believers this year. We want to reach out in various ways, but we realize there are limits to what we can do on our own. We are reminded that it is truly by God’s work that one soul can be saved. In the course of missionary work, we are sometimes disappointed and discouraged. Please pray that through the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we will not give up but persevere in our missionary work. Please pray that we, as a couple, will have faith like Abraham and that we will work with hope for the future. 

My family is doing well. My son recently became excited about soccer and spends most of his free time kicking a ball around the yard. My daughter enjoys baking bread and cookies, and she makes so many that we have trouble consuming them. But as a parent, I am happy that both of them find things they enjoy in their everyday lives. 

Thanks to your prayers, we can continue our pioneering mission. I hope you will continue to pray for Shine Church and our family.

Please pray that souls will be saved.

Recently, more and more friends of church members have visited our church. A family of four who are friends of a church member came to visit us after the service one Sunday. Their youth participated in Sunday School, and we chatted over coffee. They said they would like to come to the church again. People visit us on Sunday afternoons to hang around, chat, and enjoy the time. However, they have not yet come to our morning worship service, but I sense that each member of our church’s desire to share the gospel with friends is growing stronger.

Please pray that the Lord will give me wisdom as I balance my outside ministry and my desire to put more effort into pioneering and that the Lord will show me and give me a good mentor.

We did not have any newcomers at our worship services this month. Yet,

Pray for the monthly guitar class to be used for our mission work.

Ms. Y. came again to a guitar class on Sunday, and we look to build a relationship with her and share the gospel when the opportunity arises.

Continue to pray for our church’s future building and location.

We are praying toward leasing a hall room, which may accommodate about 100 people, within a 20-minute walk from the station, a kitchen, and separate men’s and women’s restrooms, for a monthly rent of less than 120,000 yen, equivalent to about $800. If we were to purchase such a property, it would cost around 60 to 80 million yen, equivalent to $400,000 to $530,000. Considering our current church finances, it would be challenging to plan that much money, but I trust that nothing is impossible for what the Lord will do. Please pray that the Lord will lead us to a church hall for His glory.

Thank you so much for your gift of love.

Thank you for your generous Christmas gift of the desks for our son and daughter. My son and daughter have homeschooling classes at home, so those desks are a huge help for them and us; they love it. They are constantly studying hard and are reading books at these desks.

Prayer requests:

We held our first guitar class on December 3, and a church member’s friend, Ms. Y, came. We plan to have guitar classes for her on an ongoing basis. On December 17, we had a Christmas concert with our mother church, which had 43 attendees.  Five people came to the concert after receiving the church flier; twelve attendees were unbelievers, and four were people who had been away from church. It was very moving to see people touched by the love of Jesus and weeping and to see those away from church return to Jesus. I thank God for the great blessings He has poured over us. I sensed more prayers for this concert than ever before. I will continue to pray that the seeds sown on that day will one day sprout. Thank you all for your prayers.

Next month, we will have a party with church members, and we will enjoy eating cake and playing games. I hope it will be a time of good fellowship.

Thank you for your continued prayers. It was a pleasure to meet Mr. Wheeler again in November. His words encouraged me and inspired me to do my best. Thank you to all who support us and for the generous Christmas special gift. Your support has consistently helped our family and encouraged me. With the Christmas gift, we will buy desks for our son Raiki and daughter Hosana. They are homeschoolers and have been using a table in our kitchen to study together but asked for desks for their studies.

Pray for our ministries in the new year: guitar class, Bible reading cohort, church flier tracts distribution, and worship at home. We hope to minister with these activities under the Lord’s guidance.

Pray for us to find a specific location for our church. Currently, Shine Church rents a facility operated by the prefectural office twice a week by the hour for worship services. Recently, the facility has become popular, and there were days when we could not rent the facility. Since we pray for outreach to our community and for each member to take root in the church body, we feel the necessity of our own church space. The number of church members is still small, and we cannot afford it financially from an earthly perspective, but I believe the Lord will provide a church building according to His Will. I appreciate your prayers.  

On January 7, seven mission team members from Korea, Mr. and Mrs. O, and Mr. and Mrs. M., came from Tokyo for our worship. Also, Mr. M, who moved from Tokyo to Fukuoka, and his fiancée F. came. All are Christians. Mr. M, who moved to Fukuoka, said he might continue attending our church service.

Thanks to your Christmas gift, we purchased a desk for my son Raiki and daughter Hosana. Thank you all for your gifts and love for us.

Prayer requests:

Pray God will use our starting guitar class for His glory and that Ms. Y, who attends and is not a believer, will come to faith. Pray for our church, particularly our future church location and building.

Please pray for God’s protection and grace upon my wife’s spirit and body, as she has not been well recently. She tires easily and has difficulty getting out of bed, and her emotional ups and downs are very intense. She is turning 45 this month and is surprised at the changes in her health. She wants to pray more and engage in mission work yet is frustrated that she cannot do much. 

Pray for me as I work on my wellness by building physical strength. I recently began exercising to improve my fitness by using a bench seat and dumbbells and have not felt exhausted like I used to after preaching three sermons and leading worship on Sunday services. Perhaps the muscle training had already paid off.

Pray for my prioritizing in-depth fellowship with the Lord. Pray for us as a church to be used by God as a witness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit as we focus on outreach this year. No matter our difficulties, we aim for the Lord’s call, expect the Lord’s work, and do what we can for the Church this year while being encouraged by the Lord.

We held our first guitar class on December 3, and a church member’s friend, Ms. Y, came. We plan to have guitar classes for her on an ongoing basis. On December 17, we had a Christmas concert with our mother church, which had 43 attendees.  Five people came to the concert after receiving the church flier; twelve attendees were unbelievers, and four were people who had been away from church. It was very moving to see people touched by the love of Jesus and weeping and to see those away from church return to Jesus. I thank God for the great blessings He has poured over us. I sensed more prayers for this concert than ever before. I will continue to pray that the seeds sown on that day will one day sprout. Thank you all for your prayers.

Next month, we will have a party with church members, and we will enjoy eating cake and playing games. I hope it will be a time of good fellowship.

Thank you for your continued prayers. It was a pleasure to meet Mr. Wheeler again in November. His words encouraged me and inspired me to do my best. Thank you to all who support us and for the generous Christmas special gift. Your support has consistently helped our family and encouraged me. With the Christmas gift, we will buy desks for our son Raiki and daughter Hosana. They are homeschoolers and have been using a table in our kitchen to study together but asked for desks for their studies.

Prayer

• Pray for our ministries in the new year: guitar class, Bible reading cohort, church flier tracts distribution, and worship at home. We hope to minister with these activities under the Lord’s guidance.
• Pray for us to find a specific location for our church. Currently, Shine Church rents a facility operated by the prefectural office twice a week by the hour for worship services. Recently, the facility has become popular, and there were days when we could not rent the facility.
• Pray for outreach to our community and for each member to take root in the church body.

Archive