This month, our family celebrated our 6th year anniversary in Japan. In April we will celebrate 4 years of service in Kusatsu church. As I reflect on our years of service in a rural church in Japan there are a few challenges for the churches here that I’d like to invite your prayers for.
One of the greatest struggles for rural churches is their uncertain future. Many rural churches are small in size, have aging populations and many don’t have a full-time pastor. Even just outside of Kusatsu where we are, many churches have congregations of 10 people or less. The average age of church members is now 70 years. When there is a Pastor they are usually in their 70s and 80s. This is leading to a major crisis; in a few decades many of these churches could be forced to close.
This unfortunate reality for the rural church here in Japan is simply a reflection of the population trends in the country. The youth of smaller towns will inevitably leave to the major cities leading to a declining population. With no younger generations, many towns are also dying. This has led many to believe that it is not worth the effort to carry out missions work in rural areas. You will get a better result for your efforts by concentrating on major cities instead. Does this mean there isn’t a future for rural missions in Japan?
When we look at the life of Jesus, He preached the good news in big cities and small cities alike. He did not focus only on the places where there were crowds but went where He was needed.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd leaves behind his flock in order to find the one sheep who is not there. This parable represents God’s heart that despite the huge number that are saved, He is still thinking about the ones who are not yet saved. God will go to great lengths to find the lost and rejoices when they are finally with Him.
According to the Rural Church Planting Network, 1800 areas in Japan still remain unchurched, unreached and unengaged by the Gospel. Their website states that this accounts for a population of roughly 34million people spread throughout the country, a shocking statistic.
While the reality is true that reaching out or working in a rural church is difficult, it is still necessary work in order to carry out the words in Romans 10:14,
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Right now there is an unprecedented interest in missions work in Japan. With such easy access into the country missionaries from every country are flocking in. However, many are choosing to stay in large urban areas, neglecting the equally important work outside. This goes for both church planting efforts in unreached areas and working with existing rural churches.
Yet the Lord has not forgotten Japan or the Japanese people. We know and trust that He has a good future in store for these churches and He will do so in His time.
Brothers and sisters of True Way, I’d like to invite you to participate in missions work in Japan through your prayers. Please pray for the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the rural areas of Japan. May they reflect the love of the Lord, who is like a shepherd driven to find his lost sheep, by going out to the ends of the earth to share the good news that all may hear and be saved.
