Church Planting in Japan
Who We Are
James & Rosie Miyashita
We are the Miyashita family serving as church planting missionaries to Japan. We have been in Japan since 2019. Currently, we are in Nagoya, Japan planting a church in the 3rd largest metro area in Japan. We have been in Nagoya since 2021 and are aiming to start a church in each one of the 16 Nagoya districts by 2030.
Why Plant Churches?
Church-planting is one of the most effective ways to reach communities with the Gospel. Disciples are made and leaders need to be trained in the context of a Biblical local church. More churches means more people have a chance to hear the Gospel.
Why Japan?
Japan has 126 million people but is only 0.5% Christian. That’s one Christian for every 200 people. Yet Japan also allows people to come in as missionaries. The door is wide open!
You can help reach Japan
Everybody can help reach Japan. What’s your next step?
Mission Trips in Japan
Are you looking to take a mission trip to Japan? We encourage youth groups and individuals to take at least one overseas mission trip. It will change your life.
Missions Internships
Mini internships are 3-6 months and are spent on the field.
Standard internships are 1-2 years for ministry preparation as well as language and cultural acquisition.
Missionary Resources
If you are heading to Japan or serving in Japan, we would like to help. Whether you’re raising support to come to Japan or serving in Japan looking for materials, we’re here to help church planters go further.
Church Planting
We are sent out of Eastwood Baptist Church in Marietta, GA (just outside of Atlanta) through MissionGo a registered nonprofit in the U.S. and Canada.
Things that are important to us:
A. Our Foundation (Heart and Posture)
- Prayer — We depend on God’s power, not our own.
- Unity centered on the Gospel — Our shared mission flows from the message of Christ.
- Take care of your people — We invest in those God has entrusted to us.
B. Our Method (How We Work)
- Church-focused — We are a collective of people sent by churches to start churches.
- Crutchless — We pursue ministry in Japanese to the Japanese, aiming for long-term sustainability and propagation.
- Relational — We build genuine, ongoing relationships, not one-time encounters for the spread of the Gospel.
C. Our Mindset (How We Engage the World)
- Innovation — We stay aware of cultural shifts and adapt methods to communicate the unchanging Gospel.
- Professionalism — We pursue excellence and a polished presentation in all we do.
For our Partners
Our work is possible because individuals and churches partner with us in prayer and financial support. If you are a current or future supporter or partner, please visit our partner’s page for information and resources you may need.