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2008年12月22日
The Church in Japan: Christmas 2008
Again this year I have been thinking about the unique place that Christmas holds in the church in Japan. Of course Christmas is important in all churches all around the world. However, my memories of church and Christmas in America centered on attending Christmas events with fellow Christians as opposed to Japan where Christmas (at least for me and our church here) is centered on evangelism.
I am in Japan based on Matthew 28:18-20. Many of our baptisms take place at Christmas. Christmas is one of the few times that our church can be filled with people who have never been to church before. It is also the time that many people make the decision to become disciples of Jesus.
Yesterday, we had our Christmas Service. Miss N was baptized and she gave a wonderful testimony of how she came to believe in Jesus after hearing a sermon based on the calling of Mattew where Jesus told Matthew to come and follow Me. Mattew was a tax collector and a sinner but Jesus went on to say that He came to call sinners and not righteous people to Himself. I do not have an exact figure but there was a huge number of non-Christians in church who were able to hear this testimony and to see a Christian baptism take place. And of course also it was a chance for people to hear about the true meaning of Christmas-to hear the Christmas Story read straight from the Bible.
Christmas is also a time when we have a big meal together at church. It is a chance to relax together and talk together-again with many people who normally are not in church and where this might be the only chance to talk with them. I was overjoyed to see the church packed with people and to see and hear the gospel being proclaimed through not only preaching and testimony but through songs and private conversations.
Again this year I was impressed by the fact that Christmas continues to be a tremendous time for evangelism and for the church in Japan. Please pray that many of the people who heard the gospel this year will follow through with more visits to church or with more talks with Christians. Thank you Jesus for Christmas! Amen!
投稿者 bethany : 2008年12月22日 07:42
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