April 5, 2009 was Grace Tokyo’s First Anniversary in Shibuya Tokyo. But let me digress a bit for those who don’t know our journey.
We started a church in Tokyo a year ago incubating the church in our thoughts and prayers for the past 5 years. Our church at the time, Yokohama Grace Bible Church (YGBC) had been praying for Tokyo for many years but always in Yokohama, the city next door separated by a large river, the Tamagawa River.
In a dream, in a vision I saw Jesus standing, towering over Tokyo calling us to come and pray in that city, ‘Come and cross the river and
pray on this side.’ was the impression I got. So we did. A prayer team was formed and we walked the city, praying that God would give us the land, would give us the city, would give us a place to settle and build His church. After some months we decided with God’s leading to settle in Shibuya, one of the 23 wards that make up this great city. Our team met in Tokyo planning and praying for about a year, holding small group meetings in various wards. In December 2007 , a church which I have been a part of since 1992, graciously and generously sent us and a team of 11 to plant a church in Tokyo called simply Grace Tokyo.
We met in a building that often times we were told to be quiet. I suppose loud praise and worship is hard to understand for people who are not familiar with that brand of Christianity but the building manager was gracious to us. We also needed to vacate the building by 1200 noon every Sunday so we occupied the place for only 3 hours. We needed a place to grow, to be able to worship and experience God in the way we were accustomed and to have time afterward to meet and hang out after church . We knew that we needed to move so from the first month we prayed that God would give us a live house.A Live House is where bands rent and have concerts, a place where people have parties that would involve live shows, lights, a stage. Of course we researched but what we needed was either too expensive, too far away from Shibuya or just too ‘stinky.’ We needed a non-smoking place. Were we being to picky? Sometimes I thought so.
In October two of our members with limited Japanese found a non smoking live house in Shibuya that was willing to rent to us on Sunday for a more than fair price and for 5 hours. They negotiated with the manager and reserved the place for the next year pending our approval. All in one day. (God moves fast, never slow, but always on time) I was in Malaysia at the time. (shows you how important it is for me to be around, huh?)
We also noticed that the buildings around our place were slowly being shut down. We asked the building management about the transpiring scene and was told that they too would shut down in December because the city was reforming the area. Wow, another confirmation that we needed to act fast and secure this place.
Well, this past Sunday we exploded in praise and worship in our new place of experiencing God: the love of the Father, the acceptance of Jesus the Son and the moving of the Holy Spirit. Our new place is called J-Pop Cafe (Japanese Pop Cafe) which was featured in the movie ‘Babel.’ We were so blessed to shout out and let the electric and bass guitar scream in victory. We were able to eat and fellowship afterwards.
So let me thank those who was from the beginning: Pido and Avic , Darwin, Makiko, Justin, Rita, Marie, Katrina, Bernstein and Kaoru along with Manna, Kay and Diana, Akira, Yasuyo along with Hatsuho and Tsubasa, Jihan, Miki, Wada,and others like Matt, Israel, Marinor, Anne, Andy, Daigo. There are so many more who graced our doors in 2008. We thank you for being faithful to God and His calling for Tokyo. Thank you YGBC for sending us and believing in us to send us. For Scott and Naomi Douma for being great friends and mentor and for Sam and Nancy Webb of GBC Hawaii that started it all for us, our father and mother in the Lord, without you and your constant encouragement I would probably still be working for the airlines.
Most of all I thank my wife Linda whose encouragement and character I look up to for constant guidance and to my children, Kara for your servant’s heart, hospitable and encouraging spirit, for Maiken for your music and freshness and for Chase for your wise perspective even though you are young and your worshiping heart.
And finally thank you Lord Jesus Christ for choosing us, choosing me, for saving me. Thank you for using me to work in this great city. I am humbled that you would even set your affections on me but you have. So if it pleases you Lord, to bless me, then bless me indeed. Bless us as a family and bless your church Grace Tokyo. For your glory, for your Name’s sake. Come and call those you have already chosen in this place to witness your exorbitant love and saving grace and plant them in this family, for your glory. Come and rest upon us, O Lord. Jer 29:11