Our family joins a long line of missionaries to Japan that have given blood, sweat, tears, and many prayers to the work of reaching Japanese for Christ. But Japan remains a difficulty nation for the Gospel to penetrate. Read on and discover why, and how to better pray for us.

When WWII ended, the defeated emperor declared that Japan needed the values and hope that Christianity offered through Jesus Christ.

The Japanese rebuilt their country after the devastation of the war with a speed and energy that amazed the world. Defeated Japan's sole ambition was to catch up the west and establish their country as an economic leader in the eyes of the world. They applied remarkable resources and effort to the task and succeeded in ways that are a testimony to their ingenuity, skill, and determination as a people. But they made a critical mistake in the process: they left God out of the building process. In fact, the Japanese have succeeded in establishing a whole society built on humanistic, secular, and pantheistic worldviews. Today less than one percent of the Japanese people are reached for Christ. And the foundation upon which Japan has built its country is cracked and falling apart in large pieces. Japan needs Christ! The opportunities are all around us in Japan. We need your HELP with us in this work.

After two years of language study (Kaori was okay in this area), Kevin and Kaori moved down to Kawasaki in the summer of 2001. They took over a small group Bible study that a fellow missionary had been leading for two years. The group took on the name Denen Grace Chapel and began meeting regularly on Sundays in the Laverman home and a local community center. Evangelistic events and small group Bible studies were launched. The group joined the Conservative Baptist Association of Japan in May of 2002. In January 2003, Denen Grace Chapel moved to private rental hall near Mizonokuchi station in Kawasaki, Japan. A strong core group had developed, new believers were baptized, and these core members began to invite and reach their friends for Christ.

What could God do through a group of committed Japanese Christians who would plant a church with a missional focus? What would happen if these people worked through their web of relationships to reach people for Christ, who would grow up spiritually and reach still others? Denen Grace Chapel wants to be a church that reaches, grows and deploys Japanese to reach Japanese for Christ through a small group network. Would you pray for us as we seek to fulfill this vision?

What are some ways as a church that we can build bridges in Japan for the Gospel? In addition to our family and friends, how can we best reach our community for Christ as a church? As a church we have prayed over and wrestled with these questions, and then began to act in accordance with the opportunities God was providing us with.

Japanese people love to sing. They are interested in English. They work well in groups and seek strength from a network of relationships. They value the education and upbringing of their children. These are some areas of felt needs that Japanese have. The possibilities of building bridges and responding to these felt needs are limitless. We have worked to create some targeted outreach events and ministries that we feel best fit our vision and direction as a church. A few of our regular efforts are listed at the right. Would pray that God would use these ministries, multiply and grow them, and work through us as a church to effectively bring in unbelievers, lead them to salvation, grow them up in Christ, and empower them for service?

Denen Grace Chapel is unique in that it is composed of individuals who are "returnees," that is, Japanese who have spent time overseas for work or study related reasons and have now returned to their own country. Coming back home, they are often overwhelmed by the reverse culture shock, and find it difficult to fit back into their home culture. Our hope is that we can connect with more "returnees" as a church and reach them for Christ. We feel burdened and uniquely qualified to build bridges with people like these in Japan. Do you know someone returning to Japan to the Yokohama or Kawasaki area? Would you pray for our ministry and HELP us reach more Japanese for Christ?