In Part 2 of this series of posts, I continue my report on our 2024 Japan mission trip, detailing our arrival in Fukuoka and our first official day of our missions program.
Arrival in Fukuoka
Ling and I arrived in Fukuoka on the morning of 4 December 2024. It was brisk, but not as cold as I thought it would be.
As we left the plane and got onto the airbridge, we met an airline representative holding up a placard with my name. My first impressions were that our missionary, Sam, had really outdone herself with the VIP welcome, but as it turned out, I was told to report to the staff at the baggage claim area as there was a problem with our luggage.
There, I was told that my guitar had been separated from the rest of my luggage and would arrive the next day instead. After an initial sense of panic, I realised it wasn’t too big a deal because we didn’t need the guitar yet. To my amazement, Singapore Airlines not only delivered the guitar to the Mission House the next morning, but also handed me JPY1,200 in compensation.
We already had some doubts as to how our luggage would fit into Kevin’s little box car, so the fact that the guitar would be hand-delivered was in fact welcome news and another testament to God’s provision.
Kevin met us at the arrival hall and suggested that we get a coffee first. I have to admit that because Kevin had left for Japan earlier on during our preparation, I did not have much of an opportunity to get to know him. As it turned out, the whole team got to know each other a lot better over the next two weeks, culminating in what I would call “naked vulnerability” when the five guys would go to the onsen together several times.
(We also found out that for a year in his life, Kevin was a bit of a body builder/fitness model – but we can’t show you the photos here in case the ladies fall into sin).
Jackie, Maycie, Joe, Welina and Kaylee had already arrived at the Missions House and we were just waiting for Allan and Charis (to arrive later that day) and Chisai Lester (to arrive the next day).
Whilst I had told the team that we are not in Japan in the pursuit of food, admittedly the food on this mission trip was the best that I’ve ever had on any mission trip. We often went to the local Foodway to buy cheap onigiri or bento for quick meals – all for less than AUD 5. We’d often go restaurants nearby in-between programs. Ah… the inconveniences of first-world missions!
One notable place was the ramen shop, Ichiran, which was organised into a series of one-person stalls, partitioned on 3 sides. The idea was that the diner could eat their meal on their own, without the need for human interaction. If a spiritual stronghold of Japan was loneliness and social isolation, it was embodied in a place like Ichiran. Little text blocks were available in your booth so that you could ask for things without uttering a word. Whilst I was slurping up delicious ramen, I suddenly felt an unnatural sense of aloneness. I honestly could not wait to be done with the meal.
Once we had all arrived, Thursday 5 December was allocated a preparation day. Sam was hosting a huge Christmas party on Sunday and so we had to buy party paraphernalia and get the food ready. I was tired just from browsing Daiso for 2 hours whilst others went to Costco.
The Official Program Starts
Friday, 6 December, marked Day 1 of our program. We kicked into gear with a time of worship and devotion.
The above photo captured a moment just before we set out for the evening’s program. But there were several moments of worship where we strongly sensed God’s presence.
The night before, Chisai Lester had suggested that we do a Bible study first thing in the morning. My initial impression was that it was going to be tiring for us to wake up earlier than necessary over a sustained period. However, he was determined to do it whether anyone came along. As team leader, I felt compelled to join him so that he wouldn’t be alone and to show everyone I wasn’t going to be outdone in the holiness stakes. In the end, Chisai Lester, me, Ling and sometimes Jackie, Allan and Kevin (and later Sam) would participate in the bible study. Whilst an extracurricular part of the mission, those of us who participated richly relished our time together studying the Word. (In fact, even after the mission trip was over, Chisai Lester and his wife came over to my place on two Saturday mornings to continue doing Bible study!).
We were intrigued by Paul’s writings in 1 and 2 Timothy, particularly his instructions on women keeping silent in the church and his pejorative on the gullibility of women. We were sure it was an error on the part of the amanuensis – which gave birth to the catchphrase used regularly as we continued our study – “what I have written, I have written”. Many inside jokes came about as a result of our discussions. We also found Hymenaeus amusing, if not for all the trouble he caused Paul.
(By the end of our time together, we had studied four books of the Bible together (albeit short books) – 1 and 2 Timothy, Obadiah and Philemon. In fact, on our last day, our study of Philemon brought such a deep conviction to our attitudes we were sure that the Spirit of God was moving powerfully in our study).
After the “programmed” devotional sharing, we broke into worship and prayer as a group quite spontaneously. Sam had said that this was something she had missed – not having a community to worship together with and to recharge. In many respects, she was running on empty. We felt that part of our purpose was indeed to minister the presence of God to Sam so that she could continue in her work with joy and strength.
In this sense, we learnt what John Piper meant when he said that worship was the fuel for missions. It was not only the theological motivation, but the presence of God was what ultimately gave us the practical strength to continue in our work.
Our first official program was to conduct a worship seminar that evening at Aburuyama Church – which had a congregation of about 150 people and was considered a megachurch. Even though only two people had RSVPed, over twenty people attended and we packed out the borrowed church auditorium. (Aburuyama Church’s building was undergoing a renovation but Pastor Paul was able to borrow another church’s building for the seminar).
Joe led worship in Japanese, followed by Allan’s giving a message on “The Heart of Worship”. I conducted a Q&A for the worship team members who had attended.
Even as we were preparing for the mission trip, I have to admit that there was deep sense of pride in me that the worship seminars were for me to anchor – that it was my thing. So it was actually with great reluctance that I let Allan preach the keynote message at Aburuyama Church (I never told him this by the way – I just sat there in the front row making approving sounds).
A week later when we saw Pastor Paul again, he told me that the next Sunday, he shared with his church about our team’s visit and also managed to “steal” some of Allan’s teaching points. It reminded me that none of us were indispensable, but also that we had such a depth in our team that in fact there were many of us who could have taught the keynote message.
One of Sam’s contacts, Hina, who had been attending the connect group but never been in a “live” church setting, also made the effort to come.
The presence of God through worship impacted her.
At the end of the seminar, she was able to “jam” and chat with Charis and Chisai Lester.
The conversation took a critical turn when she asked “what do I need to do to become a Christian?” This was the impact that worship had as a means of evangelism in breaking up the ground in readiness of preaching.
Sam, Charis, Chisai Lester and Hina quickly went back to the Missions House to have further discussions away from the crowd and so that the rest of us could pack up the gear.
Because of the lack of cars, Ling and I were left behind.
Not wanting the pastor to wait for us, we wandered a couple of buildings down the road and happened upon what we had thought was a coffee shop, intending to shelter ourselves from the cold. It turned out to be a karaoke bar. Out of a sense of obligation, we ordered two highballs and eventually, Ling belted out “The Greatest Love of All” on the karaoke machine to the cheers of two middle-aged ladies sitting at the bar. This event helped Ling break out from her shell too.
So much for our church policy of “no alcohol” on church events. I guess you have to just do all things for the sake of the gospel!
When we returned back to the Mission House, the conversation with Hina was continuing. In the end, we realised how difficult it was for a Japanese person to be converted. Intellectual persuasion was not enough. Neither was emotional need. The hindrances were deeply cultural, including the perception of family expectations. Whilst Hina did not make a decision for Christ that evening, there was a sense that her journey towards faith had progressed significantly.
It was disappointing at first, but we were reminded not to seek the fruit. We realised we were on hard ground, and all we could do was keep sowing and watering the seed.
But there was hope. In fact, before we had arrived on this trip, after a prolonged period of sowing, Sam reported that she had led 3 converts to the Lord and they were also baptised in the Holy Spirit. So we know that God could soften the hardest of grounds.
If this was just the first day, we couldn’t wait to see what God had in store for the rest of the trip!
The Worship Revolution 