A New Team In A New City

Pastor Kenji and I flew from Osaka to Fukuoka Monday morning and met up with a new team of 7. Our new team now includes: David, Alyssa and baby Heidi (from MSN Tokyo), Ben and Julia (MSN Kyoto), Kenji and myself. We prayed over the city by a lake in Ohori Park.

A Bright Past, But a flickering light

Next, we visited Seinan Gakuin University and prayed for the students and staff. Fukuoka has the highest proportion of young people among all the Japanese cities. Historically, it has a large Southern Baptist missionary presence, but it’s currently lacking in faithfulness and zeal.

Kyushu was the epicenter of Japan’s Christian century, where 300,000 professed faith in Jesus as a result of Portuguese Jesuit missions.

A strategic gospel location

Tuesday morning we prayed on top of a Hakata train station, overlooking the people on their way to work. The island of Kyushu is home to 12.6 million people and all the trains lead right here to Hakata station. A church at this station would allow for regional impact. It would not only be convenient for Fukuoka residents, but for those without a church in the greater region.

A divine appointment

Kanade has a college friend who grew up and is currently back visiting her parents in Fukuoka. Mariko came to the Fukuoka Tower with her three kids and had a wonderful time with David and Alyssa. She gave a lot of insight to many of the questions and concerns the Wissels had regarding living and church planting in Fukuoka. Meeting a local Japanese Christian from Fukuoka is priceless. There are a few highlights of this trip. This one probably is the top two. God is so good.

Fun fact

Apartment space is small. With people living in such close to one another, how do you practice your instruments, like a French horn? You do it a nearby park. Thankfully he was pretty good.

Prayer Requests:

Pray for a suitable venue for a church plant.
Pray for God to prepare David and Alyssa and the launch team (potentially in the spring of 2025).
There is a prominent sex industry, international port, and Yakuza presence here in Fukuoka. Pray that God will redeem the lost, protect the vulnerable, and stop the abusers.
Pray for a re-awakening in Fukuoka to the very gospel proclaimed here over 400 years ago.
Pray for a strategic partnership with Seinan Gakuin University, and for God to raise up student leaders for gospel work.

Hang Tu
www.fairfaxbible.org
Associate Pastor of Fairfax Bible Church