Road to EARC 2008

Wild small flowers are also so cute!

In Japan, it is common to go to picnic to see cherry blossom.  It is called “Ohanami” in Japanese.

I went to Ohanami near my house but there were more people than cherry blossoms!!Ohanami is like a spring festival in Japan. 

I hope Japanese people will notice that it is God who creates this beautiful season and praise his name while they look cherry blossoms.

EARC 2008 web site has been updated.
You can read articles about theme verse, messenger, workshops at following links.

in Christ,
Administrator

• Theme Verse
• Messenger
• Workshops

On my way to the company, I can find the cherry blossom is now blooming.

I like Japanese spring because I can find the beauty of God’s creation and all these creation declare God’s glory!

I will update the beauty of Japanese spring through this week!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

I am so glad to see you in Tokyo in this summer!

I graduated the university in Tokyo in 2004 and now I am working in the law firm as the assistant to the lawyers. 
Today, I want to share about my blessing news.
Sorry, it is long but I hope it will help you to imagine the difficulty of Japanese society and what tension we have in daily life. 

When I graduated the university and started to work in the law firm, I realized that Japanese Christians need to encourage each other with prayer because we are a minority in the society (Christians are less than 1% in Japan), and it is easy to be discouraged by earthly thought.
So we started to have a Bible study every Thursday at KGK office after work with Christian friends who are working in the law firm in Tokyo. This bible study has been blessed, and it has continued for over three years now.
This year, God gave us the challenge to open this group to friends who do not know the Bible.

I have worked in the same law firm for 4 years and have many friends, but I have been afraid to share about my faith in God and the true purpose of our lives. In Japan, we separate our true self and our public self (Honne-to-Tatemae), so it is easy for me not to tell my coworkers about what is on the inside and keep good relationship in surface.
But God showed me this attitude comes from my lack of faith in him and lack of love for friends.He showed me the reasons are (1) I am afraid of being seen as a strange or religious person, (2) I do not trust that God will make a way and work through me but only rely on what I can do, and (3) I do not see my friends like God does, who loves each of them and died for them on the cross.
When I realized these unfaithful reasons, I confessed to God and asked him for forgiveness, and to change me to work for him because he really loves us and wants us to have a true relationship like a father and child.

When I was changed through the deep relationship with God, everything around me has been seen so different. My co-workers become such precious people, and my work is not only for making money but to introduce who God is to others. My purpose of life is not just living comfortable in this world but seeking and working for eternal things. 

My Christian co-workers in the law firm also realized that God wants our friends to know him, and we should take risks to ask them to know God and the Bible. We decided to have a Bible study after we prayed for over one month. I asked one of my best friends in the firm, who sits next to me and she came and studied who God is through Acts 17.
It was the first time for her to read the Bible and think about God personally.After the bible study, the Holy Spirit has worked in her and her eyes have been opened to know God. She started to read the bible and pray personally and ask God to know him much deeper.
God answered to her prayer and she believed that God created her and he also gave Jesus as the savior for her sins. She will be baptized on next Sunday!

Praise the Lord!! 

I know that we have many tensions when we share about our faith with non-believers.
We sometimes take risks though the level depends on the countries, for example, some Christians are persecuted in their countries. In Japan, we can read the Bible freely and we can have worship service on every Sunday but still we have struggles to live like Jesus. 

This summer, at EARC, I really hope that we will encourage each other as brothers and sisters in Christ who take up the cross and follow Jesus. 

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” Matthew 16:24-27

한국 IVF여러분 안녕하세요~! 저는 일본에서 유학중인 김유진(츄오대학3학년) 이라고 합니다^^일본에 온지는 올해 4년째를 맞이하면서 이렇게 글을 쓰게 허락하신 하나님께 진심으로 감사드립니다.

저는 지금 일본KGK에서 2008년도 세계선교위원회 위원장으로 봉사하고 있습니다. 일본인들 가운데서 절 쓰시는 하나님께 감사영광을 올려드리며~그 덕분에 2008년 EARC를 맞이해서 이렇게 한글로 여러분께 글을 쓰게 되서 상당히 기쁩니다 ^0^ EARC에 직접 준비하는 입장은 아니지만, 제가 하고 있는 세계선교위원회에서는 EARC를 준비하는 차원에서 기도회나 1박의 캠프 등을 준비하고 있습니다. EARC에 가장 많이 참가하는 한국 IVF 여러분들을 맞이할 준비도 개인적으로(^^?)하고 있구요.

한국에서 IVF를 해본적이 없지만, 일본에 와서 1학년때부터 KGK활동을 하면서 세계를 다루시는 하나님의 은혜를 느끼면서 감사하면서 지내고 있습니다. 가깝지만 먼나라 같은 일본에서, 하나하나 하나님의 뜻을 이뤄나아가는 한 종으로써… 또 이가운데 EARC라는 귀한 캠프를 맞이할 수 있다는게… 진심으로 가슴이 벅차오릅니다. 여러분들도, 기대 많이 하시고 오세요~

일본이란 물가 비싸고 깔끔하기로 소문난 이 나라에, 동아시아에서 모여드는 여러분들에 대한 하나님의 사랑이 가득찰 그 날을 기대하고 기대하며 기도합니다. 이 땅을 사랑하시고, 이 국민을 사랑하시는 하나님의 귀한 섭리를 느낄 그날을 위해, 또한 준비하는 일본KGK의 EARC준비위원회를 위해, 기도로 후원해주세요. 여러분들의 기도가 하나님의 마음을 울려, 이 일본까지 울릴테니까 말입니다…*^_^*

Hello, my name is Yoshiki Tsukamoto, 4th year student at International Christian University, Tokyo.
I am part of EARC Program Committee.

I joined World Assembly in Toronto last summer, and I met some of you guys.
That was great time for me.
I met many people who have different background. And shared what I experienced in Japan, and prayed together. We sang worship together, and I learned many things there.
I thank God that he planned to send me to World Assembly, and I thank KGKers that they also sent me there.

In 2008, EARC is coming.
I thank God that I am a student now. I thank God that I can meet brothers and sisters from East Asia.
I thank God that he has great plan for us.

From March 11 to 15, we KGK Kanto region will have retreat. There, we will learn Nehemiah. Theme is “All ways ~The Setting Sun after Rebuilding~”.
Please pray for our retreat.
We are looking forward you to come!

In Chirst,
Yoshiki Tsukamoto

Dear,brother and sisters of East Asia

Warm greetings from Japan!

I am Makiko, staff worker of KGK and the member of EARC 2008 preparation committee.

Thank you for your partnership in prayer for EARC2008.

KGK has decided to be the host of EARC and started the preparation process about 2 years ago. Students ,graduates and staff team has been working together,and was so much encouraged to know that many borther and sisters of other movements has been praying for us. Thanks again for your concern and warm messages!!

It’s about 5 month left for the preparation. Even it’s getting busier, we are getting more and more excited to welcome students and staffs from all the movements.

Please pray that the prepartion process will be a challenging time for KGK to learn more about our Lord and our mission.

Makiko Matsumoto

EARC 2008 blog (named “Road to EARC 2008″) has begun!
This blog is continued to be updated until EARC 2008 by staffs.
We’d like to share preparation-statuses and graces for EARC 2008 from KGK, Japan.
Please check this blog and pray for EARC 2008.

Thanks in Jesus.

arrow - Administrator of EARC 2008 Website