We recently celebrated our first baptism. An older gentleman who had previously been sprinkled asked to be biblically baptized. After confirming his testimony of faith, we decided to proceed. Although we had some challenges with the pool, we were able to resolve them in time for the service, which was attended by 23 people!
One of those attendees was a first-time visitor. He attended Sunday school as a child about 65 years ago and though he is not a believer, the seed sown by people in another city in a different era is still at work. Recently having lost his wife and mother, he is searching for comfort and understanding. He joined us the following Sunday as well with more questions. His story is a strong reminder about the long-term impact of what we do.
Thank you for praying for our Bible seminar at the iconic TV Tower. Even though we had several people reschedule for the July date, we still had 9 adults total participate (5 were unsaved). A couple had to leave half-way through, but we know them personally and are looking forward to continued conversations with them. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the lives of those who attended and heard the Gospel.
We are also excited about our new English ministry (called ESS or English-Speaking Society). A dedicated team of volunteers across the U.S. is creating engaging online content for our Instagram to foster online connection. From there, we plan to funnel participants to in-person events, build meaningful relationships, and share the gospel.
About a month ago, we made the plunge to change our midweek meetings. We now upload the teaching segment as a video to YouTube. This allows us to focus our Wednesday gatherings on discussion and prayer. We have already seen increased community connection among participants both online and in person as a result.
As we pray, plan, and recruit laborers, please continue to pray with us so we can see 16 churches started by 2030!
Yours for Japan,
James Miyashita
Please click here for a printable version of this prayer letter.