50 years of gospel proclamation in Japan
Filed Under: Japan, LECC, Streams
On April 28 at 9 p.m., CDT, WELS members in the United States can watch a live Internet video stream of the 50th anniversary service of the Lutheran Evangelical Confessional Conference (LECC), WELS' sister synod in Japan. The service, to be held at Nozomi Lutheran Church in Tsuchiura City, is the culmination of a year-long celebration of the spread of the gospel in Japan.
"Fifty years is an important milestone in this land where mission work is so difficult because of entrenched cultural and oriental religious beliefs," says Rev. Dan Koelpin, administrator for WELS Board for World Missions. "Yet God, through his powerful Word, has established a church that is committed to doctrinal truth and to reaching out to the people of Japan."
Two missionaries and three national pastors currently serve the eight LECC congregations. Although this synod has approximately 400 members and many prospects, Rev. Brad Wordell, field coordinator and missionary in Japan, says 99 percent of the 127 million people in Japan still don't know Jesus. "Missionary Stahmann and I are here to serve in whatever way we can to reach the lost, help the LECC grow, and help train the saints for service in the body of Christ."
Koelpin says future plans for this mission field include training lay leadership. "While training lay leaders over the next several years, it is hoped that future national pastors will be identified for seminary training," he says. "After five years, the presence of the two remaining expatriate missionaries will be reviewed. At that time there may be ways we can assist the Japanese national church without a resident missionary—such as teaching worker training classes through the Internet."
Wordell says the LECC is also pursuing ways to use the Internet for outreach and for serving distant members. "In this time of limited manpower and resources, please pray that the Lord will help the LECC to be wise, energetic, and optimistic," he says. "In the meantime, we will work while it is day, seeking to make the most of every opportunity to tell others God's story."
Watch the anniversary service April 28 at 9 p.m., CDT, on Streams: http://streams.wels.net/site/live
Prof. Kenneth Cherney from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, will preach and the liturgy will be conducted in Japanese with English instructions by National Pastor Takeshi Nidaira.
