our first prayer letter

Most of you have probably seen these words before because they are from the letter we sent out last month asking people to pray for us! But in case you did not get a letter -- this is some information about why we are going to Tokyo and what we will be doing there!



Many of you have been aware that through the last six months we have been going through the International Mission Board’s application process to take a short-term position through the International Service Corps program. After a long interview process and much prayer we are very excited to tell you that we have accepted a job assignment in Tokyo, Japan beginning in October of this year through the fall of 2009. Both of us have felt strong individual callings from the Lord toward international missions, and since the beginning of our relationship our calling has only been reinforced. It has been a wonderful blessing to receive affirmation from the Lord through this opportunity.

An important question which we’ve already received many times is – why Japan? Trent visited the Tokyo area during the summer of 2004, and this is when God first burdened his heart for the Japanese people. Although the country of Japan is very materially wealthy, its people are mostly spiritually empty. With over 127 million people, it is the world’s largest unevangelized people group. When asked about their religion, many Japanese will say that they are Buddhist or Shinto, yet the majority do not practice or genuinely believe in any religion. Japanese culture puts high value on conformity and unity, so in general Japanese people are hesitant to accept new ideas or be independent. Many people view religion as an unnecessary complication to their already very busy and industrious lives. Underneath the material prosperity the Japanese people are held captive to social pressure, idolatry, depression, and loneliness. An average of 100 people commit suicide daily in Tokyo alone; this is the highest rate in the world. The Japanese may look like they have everything, but they are starving for hope.

When we arrive in Tokyo we will be joining a team that is currently taking root there called UYAYA (Urban Youth and Young Adults). The focus is on going out and joining young Japanese in their element, building relationships, and sharing the Gospel with them. This strategy of going out and sharing is actually very different from the traditional American method of inviting in and including. We will not be working with established churches, but rather we will be attempting to connect and disciple new groups of believers. We will also be helping to coordinate and facilitate volunteer trips from Southern Baptist Churches and missions groups in the US to the Tokyo area. Additionally Lindsey will serve as a home-school teacher for an IMB career missionary family living in Tokyo. She will spend four days a week working with their three children (ages 6, 11, 12) and the remaining time with Trent and the UYAYA team.

The vision of the whole IMB Tokyo team is to see three percent of the population within the Tokyo metro area come to know Christ as their Savior by 2010. This could be called an impossible goal since Christianity in Tokyo has not come close to one percent of the population in over a hundred years of missions; however we know that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26b).