We live by a bonsai museum. You can see hundred-year-old works of living art sit among roads and high-rises. Many of Japan's cultural treasures honor God. Ancestor worship does not. Here's how to practice gratitude while saving worship for God alone.
Thoughts on the unique aspects of urban ministry in a dense megacity, strategies to overcome isolation in Tokyo, and a short discussion of strategies we use for reaching out.
People often wonder why the current number of active Christians in Japan hovers at 1% of the population. The figure is surprising. Christian missionaries have labored in Japan since the 16th century. Read on for the historical background, current cultural barriers, and resources to pray for Japan.
Video games are a powerful media form, and I've enjoyed them on and off for many years. But my experiences with them have led me to ask, why hasn't there been a major game release that promotes the good news of Jesus? Gaming The Gospel and
We pray you are enjoying the spring weather (or fall weather for our southern hemisphere friends). The trees outside our apartment are just starting to show their buds. All around Kanto, you can find the plum blossom trees in full bloom. The next trees to flower are the Sakura trees!
I was thinking about being born again. And also about just being born at all. Jesus told Nicodemus in their famous nighttime conversation that he must be born again (John 3:1–21). David said that he was born in sin and iniquity in Psalm 51, reflecting on his sin
In an unexpected plot twist, I found a bunch more fuel for reflection on my last decade in Japan. After receiving a somewhat ominous official account email from Google Photos, I finally located the oldest saved photos from my Japan adventures. Praise God for account emails that he organizes at
With some extra time to reflect this summer break (that I haven't been using to relax with Jess, run errands, hunt for a job, or write for grad school), I've been taking time to thank God for how he has been working on my character and
We should occasionally take time to consider afresh what prayer is. I should ponder prayer more often, too. Because sometimes I forget what this holy habit means and how important it is. In addition to the recent Paz level-up meetings on prayer, I stumbled onto a podcast with Ryan
Joy has been on my mind. Pastor Ben's message on Sunday inspired me to explore the joy we have in Jesus a bit extra this week. What is joy? "A quality or attitude of delight and happiness, which is ultimately grounded in the work of God as
If you’re an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) or an English Teacher in Japan looking for new materials for your English classes in Japanese schools, here are some of the most engaging and effective resources I’ve found in 10 years of English teaching around Tokyo. This is my personal
Careful study of scripture should position our hearts closer to Jesus and increase our admiration of his excellency. We find God’s word in its purest and most reliable form in the Bible. Our Lord inspired different situations and creative minds to communicate his words to us. Most English speakers