How hard it is for a [Japanese] to enter into the Kingdom of God!

Some blog-readers have asked me what exactly I'm going to be doing after the summer.

As many of you will know, it is my (I believe, God-given) life's calling to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with Japanese. And in September I'm going to start working in London as a tax consultant for Japanese businesses in the UK. As I have lots to say about Japan and Jesus, this blog may become inundated with posts along those lines... Even if that's not your thing, be patient and stay with me: there will be other stuff to come, and I welcome feedback to it all, even if most of you prefer not to post your comments to the site! And I promise not to post too much about tax...

Anyway, here's something for starters...

I've been reading a nicely focused and succint article: Why the Slow Growth of the Japanese Church? [Kenneth J. Dale, in Missiology, Vol.XXVI no.3, July 1998: 275-288].

This paper is slightly out-of-date now, but most of what it identifies as the 'obstacles' to the growth of the Church in Japan - religious, social and cultural, remain relevant from my own observation.

The article can make depressing reading, and while it is a stimulus to prayer and dependency upon God, it also provokes useful reflection on what must be done differently.

Dale's suggestions - creating new vision, transforming the image of Christianity, and simplifying the gospel presentation - are important and helpful, and I believe that in the decade since he wrote some progress is being made in these areas.

But one particular section, (pp.284-285) I think is crucial, especially as it seems to me that (1) it remains a task ahead of us, and (2) it underpins all of the rest of Dale's prescription.

I'll quote part of this key section:

If the church [in Japan] is to be true to its mission...it is necessary for [it] to be more involved in the problems of society.
By and large, the church is not greatly concerned about social problems but tends to look inward. Its concerns are for theological purity, Bible study, local church administration etc. To the people outside the church, these matters are of no interest. They feel therefore that the Church is not for them.

In order to fulfil its divine mission to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, the church must show greater concern for the problems of contemporary Japanese society: the rising proportion of elderly people; the unfavorable status of women in society; the environment in a society so bent on high production; resurgent nationalism and militarism; and injustice and graft in political circles. If the church is on the front line of the battle between light and darkness in all realms of life, the number of members becomes a secondary concern, for the church is truly fulfilling its mission to the world.

Dale is so right. The problem is How? Churches are small. They are full - it seems - of weak and vulnerable people, hardly the "cream" of influential society. Most people are too busy to commit themselves much even to Sunday fellowship and worship. If surveys are to be believed, a large number of Christian people in the marketplace never publicly identify themselves with Christ. Prayer must be a starting-point.

However this prophetic mission is to be accomplished, I feel I can't avoid participation in it. This may not be directly (because as an outsider, I have reservations about wading in and doing what I know to be the work of Japanese Christians, and also I've seen the problems caused by foreigners trying to do what the Church isn't ready for in other spheres - or maybe it's just because I'm a self-centred, lazy individual, who's more concerned about my own comfort than anything else: I do consider that a strong possibility..!) but it may well be by education and discipling.

I am looking forward to tax-consulting for its own sake, but one of my first concerns, moving to London, and then hopefully on to Japan before long, is to situate myself among Japanese in their daily struggles, and prayerfully work out what the gospel says to people in their situations.

Some early questions for me (I imagine) will involve work and attitudes to it, lifestyle priorities, loneliness and issues of culture & belonging. I don't wish to go with my own fully-formed "answers", but I hope to think them through "out-loud" in partnership with Japanese friends, Christian and not-yet. And I trust that as the gospel (incarnate in Christian people such as myself) engages with these issues and others, then the salt and light mandate will be obeyed, and others will be ministered to, some of them ultimately coming to Christ themselves.