A majority of the Japanese population practices Buddhism and other ethnic religions. Tradition remains an integral part of the Japanese identity, which has historically made it challenging to introduce Christianity to this region that is so steeped in its history and culture.
After more than a decade of prayer, planning, and navigating the nuances of cross-cultural collaboration, we have finally launched our media missionary work in Japan. We have identified an in-country partner with an extensive church network who will help ensure that we create Christian content that resonates with the Japanese cultural context. We have recently launched our Instagram channel, and are expanding our social media presence across other platforms.
Recently, we paid a very special visit to Japan to meet leaders of Christian churches who have dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel in Japan. Our research trip revealed how Japanese Christians approach the discipleship process in a manner that resonates with the Japanese people. It was fascinating to see how:
- they find points of consensus between the Bible’s teachings and their culture. For example, their culture’s communal way of thinking makes them think from the group and not the individual; thus fostering a sense of caring for those in need and being orientated toward community service is highly respected by the group.
- they go the extra mile to be inclusive whilst maintaining their anchor in Scripture. For example, our partner does not demand that converts immediately sever ties with their ancestors because this would inadvertently result in them severing ties with their families, whom our partner also wants to reach. Instead, our partner takes the time necessary to properly deal with the topic of ancestors while upholding the way the Lord views this from a Biblical standpoint.
- they are cultural disruptors. Going against the Japanese hierarchical grain, our partner’s transformational leadership style – evidenced by the delegation given to cell groups - defies the norm.
After visiting nine growth communities in Japan, we believe that they have found a way to penetrate one of the hardest mission places on the Lord’s globe!
Testimonies from Japan
Japan – a furtile ground
“This project is so important. Japan is an unreached population group but since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have noticed that so many people are looking for the meaning of life and their purpose here on earth. They do this via social media and online, so that is the way to bring them the Gospel.” 3xM Partner – Japan.
Significant Impact
With our partner’s extensive network of approximately 1,000 churches, we are confident that new seekers and disciples will find a home in one of these churches where they can grow in their faith. We are also focused on developing an intracultural discipleship course with our partner taking the lead in this.