Day 20: Japan & Australia
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Japan & Australia
⛪️ Common Obstacles that can slow our efforts to begin new churches
Principal challenges to church planting in Japan include:
Loyalty to family and ancestors. Buddhist and Shinto customs highly value family belonging. Becoming a Christian may feel like rejecting those traditions or dishonoring deceased relatives.
Distrust of religious groups. Religious violence and scandals involving harmful recruitment and demands for money have made some people wary of religious invitations, including Christian outreach.
A sense that Christianity is foreign. Some may see becoming Christian as leaving part of their Japanese identity behind. This can make Christian teaching feel culturally unfamiliar.
A principal challenge in Australia is sharing the gospel in an increasingly secular culture. A growing share of Australians identify with no religion, which means new churches cannot assume people are familiar with Christian beliefs. Church planters need to build relationships, explain their faith clearly, and show why following Jesus matters in everyday life.
🙏🏼 Three Prayer Requests for those laboring to plant new churches
Ask God to strengthen the two small churches in southern Japan, leading them to growth that later becomes new church planting efforts.
Ask God to empower church planters in the Osaka region of Japan to share Christ clearly, leading to much spiritual fruit.
Ask God to strengthen the new church in Queensland, Australia, as they develop their vision and ability to plant new churches.
🌍 Two Interesting Facts about our movement in these countries
The Charis Alliance first entered Japan in 1984. The Japanese have a 1500 year history of resisting efforts to plant churches.
The first Charis Alliance church in Australia began recently through a resettlement program with refugees from Chad and the Central African Republic.
♥️ One Precious Promise as we seek to plant new churches
“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
—Philippians 4:10–13
