Two Different Worlds
Moving to Asia – half way across the world – can be a challenge. There are significant differences between the “East” and the “West”. But just as significant are the differences between the “Majority World” (the two-thirds of the world that is economically and politically underdeveloped) and the “Minority World” (economically and politically developed countries). Much of the focus of international ministry today is on countries in the east (specifically Asia) that are part of the majority world. Even though they can be separated by different religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, & Islam) and cultural distinctions, there are many similarities in approach to ministry.
So now that you have had your missiology primer for the day, let me get on to my point… Cross-cultural ministry in Japan is different from many other parts of the world.
Japan is in a category shared by only a few other countries (mainly the Gulf States and the other “Asian Tigers”) in that it is not western, but is in the minority world as far as economics and political stability are concerned. This means that cross-cultural workers here don’t deal with problems of poverty, corruption, lack of infrastructure, and other such issues that many of the workers in the rest of the world would. Missionaries, typically, tend to have a lower standard of living than their peers in America, but those ministering in majority countries usually live better than the average national. Here in Japan, the missionaries live at the same standard (or even sometimes below) the people they are ministering to. The Japanese are self-sufficient and aren’t looking for help from westerners.
Although this should be the case in all settings, it is especially important in Japan that the missionaries work in supporting and mobilizing roles rather than ones of leadership and direct ministry. This past weekend, we were able to spend some time with Pastor Nakamura. He pastors a small church in Shunan. He has a vision to plant cell churches in many of the surrounding cities and eventually expand the fellowship to the place where it can begin sending out cross-cultural workers to other parts of Asia. Some of the missionaries here have been working with Pastor Nakamura to begin a cell church in Yanai by opening their home for meetings and trying to make contacts in the community. Pastor Nakamura leads the meetings and the missionaries help where they can. While small and not always very aggressive, the Japanese church has an extended history and many very capable leaders.
As Theresa and I look toward cross-cultural ministry, this is the type of ministry we want to be involved in. You have heard me talk in the past about a passion for seeing the church in Japan be authentically Japanese. One of the significant factors in that endeavor will be full-fledged Japanese leadership.
Pray for Pastor Nakamura and the Catons as they reach-out to the people of Yanai. Pray that their efforts to build relationships will produce fruit.