Will There Be Another “Seven Wonderful Years” in Japan?
Japan is in the middle of an unparalleled natural disaster. What are the implications for the entrance of the gospel in the middle of the current crisis, and for the coming months? The back story to that question lies in another “kairos” moment in that country’s history.
By Grant McClung
As I traveled and preached in Japan last year, I reflected upon a strategic moment in that country’s receptivity to the gospel. It is a true story from the close of World War II, a time when the country was in ruins from the ravages of war and disillusioned with their own sense of destiny. General Douglas MacArthur recognized the life-changing, nation-rebuilding potential of the Christian gospel. Unfortunately, his impassioned plea for 10,000 missionaries was not fully heeded and the Great Commission community missed one of the greatest missions opportunities in history.
Among the missionaries who were there, however, reports indicated that they were overwhelmed with the response to the gospel among the masses. Their stories and newsletters reported that the missionaries were physically exhausted from long days of immersing converts in water baptism. For a brief moment in missional history, there was an open door for receptivity to the gospel. The missionaries nicknamed the seven years of post-war harvest as “The Seven Wonderful Years.”
My missions visit to Japan last year was as an invited participant to “Tokyo 2010,” a major international world evangelization congress. While there I was asked to preach at the Tokyo Lighthouse Church of God with my longtime friend, Kazumoto Yatsuzuka and his son, my former student, Eriya. What impacted me about the “harvest environment” in Tokyo was the presence of international believers who had a sense of mission and calling to be in that country. I met evangelists from other Asian countries (especially Koreans), Africa, Latin America, and from Western nations who testified that God had called them to Japan to share the gospel.
During my preaching visit with Pastor Eriya Yatsuzuka (now the Japan Church of God Overseer) and his congregation I became aware of a number of internationals in his congregation (where bilingual worship is conducted). In the afternoon, he arranged ministry with their Filipino congregation. Filipinos, like thousands of other expatriate believers, are a part of God’s “diaspora” brought into that country as salt and light among their family (many are married to Japanese citizens), employers, and neighbors.
Let us also pray for evangelists and Christian witnesses on the ground among that suffering people. While we would never wish calamity or disaster upon any nation, let us pray that God uses these times to call forth an anointed host of gospel witnesses and evangelists. Pray also for pastors, local church leaders, and chaplains, and other ministers as they serve their people. Missions history testifies to the strategic open doors, spiritual receptivity, and national revivals that are created in times of crisis among a people group or nation. This may be that moment for Japan once again.
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Dr. Grant McClung, president of Missions Resource Group (www.MissionsResourceGroup.org), is missiological advisor to the World Missions Commission of the Pentecostal World Fellowship and Missionary Educator for Church of God World Missions.
