「教会に春がやってきました!Fresh Expressionsは、まだ存在しない場所に新しいキリスト教共同体を設立し成長させるキリスト教徒の運動です。」

Might it be springtime for the church in Japan!

At an evening session during last year’s Lambeth Conference, the Right Reverend Dr Michael Ipgrave (OBE) and the Japanese Anglican Church (South East London), together with friends and guest speakers, hosted a two hour presentation for the delegation of Japanese Bishops. The presentation was on the role of Fresh Expressions of church in the UK. My experience as a Japanese Christian in the UK has led me to see that Japanese people usually do not come inside a church, so we have to go and meet them where they are, which means leaving the church building.

Bishop of Lichfield Michae Ipgravel, Peter Farley -Moore Archdeacon of Hackney and Japanese Bishops

Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave, Peter Farley -Moore, Archdeacon of Hackney, and Japanese Bishops

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Mathew 28:18-19)

 

This is the passage that drives me on a daily basis to go out to join gatherings of people I have not met before. We are taught to share with our neighbour the love we have received from the Father. And many Japanese, especially those born and raised without a Christian background, do not know what Christianity is or what God means to those who follow him. Only 1% of the Japanese population is Christian, which does not mean that the other 99% deny Christ. They just have not yet had the opportunity to meet Christ. They are, after all, part of the target audience of the Great Commission of communicating God’s love ‘out there’. To do so requires us to step out onto the mission front line beyond the church door and extend the message amongst those we find.

Junko (Left) and Minako (right)

Junko has been a friend of mine for nearly 10 years now and regularly participates in our Japanese Anglican Church (South East London) gatherings. She wanted to read the Bible one-to-one, and so we’ve been reading the Bible together for two hours twice a month at our local church of St John’s Blackheath. Junko is not yet a Christian but, when she spoke in her native language to the assembled Japanese Bishops at that meeting during Lambeth, her encouraging testimony of evangelism for Japanese people living in the UK made a very strong impression on the those present. I’d like to share some of her words with you too.

 

“The meetings Minako and Simon host are good for me because, different from churches I used to go to, the focus is on the members’ questions about Christianity. These are clearly answered, and we can raise any topics that we would like to know about. I mean, it is like a church that comes to us, rather than a church we have to go to.

Then I had the opportunity to read the Bible with Minako regularly. This is the first time I have read the Bible properly.  After some study sessions, I started going to my local church again.  And this time I am very happy to be able to understand more of what the pastor says during a sermon.

As my understanding of Christianity progressed, I found myself becoming more conscious of a daily prayer life.  I started thinking ‘who am I actually relying on?’ and ‘to whom am I actually praying?’. I also found a change in my way of thinking, especially when I feel angry with someone or when I say something unkind to someone.  I hadn’t before felt a sense of being sorry for my words or actions, or thought anything like ‘what I’ve just thought (or said) was not right. I am really sorry’.

In a similar way, Jesus Christ and his words in the Bible are being reflected in my way of thinking and behaviour in my daily life since I joined this Fresh Expressions church.  It was really important for me to know that the words of Jesus and the Bible are not only for Christians. I’d like to deepen and widen my understanding, with the help of Minako and Simon.

It is very important for me to be able to speak of my faith reflecting my own words and through my own way of thinking, according to my current situation.  I can’t be grateful enough to be given the opportunity to now feel more familiar with the God of Christ compared to my past experience, when I didn’t know about Christ and, in fact, even misunderstood him.”

At the end of the meeting, Junko’s words clearly had an impact on the assembled Bishops. More than a testimony, this was an insight on the church from the viewpoint of a non-Christian, something they had not heard before. Archbishop Muto lead the closing prayers to pray for those Japanese people living in the UK as well as Japan who do not yet acknowledge Christ as their Lord.

Closing Prayer by The Most. Revd Luke Kenichi Muto, Primate of NSKK, Bishop of Kyushu

Closing Prayer by The Most. Revd Luke Kenichi Muto, Primate of NSKK, Bishop of Kyushu

After the formal meeting ended, there was time for a social gathering, and the conversations continued between the Bishops and other attendees.

Find out more about Lay Ministries in the Diocese of Southwark at southwark.anglican.org/layministries.