Sharing the Gospel and our Lives with the Japanese (1 Thes 2:8). Beginning in 2007, God has given us a driving vision to see the gospel of Jesus Christ held out to one of the largest, least-reached people groups in the world, Japan. This nation, which has become so dear to us after visiting on two separate ministry trips (2007-08), has less than 1% of its population as Evangelical Christian! Part of what it means to be a least-reached people group is that the national church by herself is not able to equip the church and minister to the 127 million people. So what can we do to help? By God’s leading, we desire to assist the Japanese church in this gospel ministry. Tamara and I have been invited by SEND International to join in a church planting initiative beginning in 2011. There are many reasons why we are so excited about this opportunity, allow us to share some of the most outstanding:

• This ministry project consists of a Japanese church and SEND missionaries working in a cooperative effort to plant churches.
• The plan aims to start numerous, reproducing multi-site churches throughout western Tokyo.
• SEND missionaries will be helping start these churches, but the goal is to entrust the care of the church to equipped national leaders and laity.

While God has given us a vision and an invitation for ministry in Japan, it will take a team of gospel partnership (Phil 1:5) to meet this need. Would you prayerfully consider joining with us through faithful prayer and or financial support? Lord permitting, we are planning to depart for Japan in July 2012.