Stephen: Hideki, what do you see as the major challenges to evangelism
and sharing the Gospel in Japan?
Hideki: There are two areas; one is cultural and the other is spiritual. Culturally,
Japanese people do not have a concept of one God … they have many gods.
They don’t want to have just one belief. Many Japanese go to Buddhist tem-
ples or Shinto shrines. They may claim to be Buddhist or Shinto, but they do
not have any real belief. It is just part of being Japanese to go to the temples
and shrines. You are Japanese, so you do this without a clear commitment
or understanding. Religion equals rituals and practices that you do, but there
is no concept of one God with whom you can have a personal relationship.
Many believe such a view is arrogant. So, this is a difficult hurdle to deal with.
Stephen: Are there other cultural challenges that you face in evangelism?
Hideki: It is the uniqueness of Christianity in the belief of one God and a
personal God. With Japan being a country where harmony and uniformity is
part of the culture, to be unique is not a goal. You seek to blend into the cul-
ture and society, and being a Christian gives you uniqueness. Sometimes,
becoming a Christian can cause problems within your family, your friends,
and your colleagues at work. So, it makes the decision difficult for some
people. For the last three years, I have met with 200 former business as-
sociates to share Jesus and the Bible with them in small groups. No one
has objected to the Scripture or what I shared through the leadership of the
Holy Spirit. However, if you ask, most of the businessmen will say they are
concerned about the uniqueness of the Christian faith and its impact on their
lives. So, it makes it difficult for them to make a decision for Christ.
Stephen: What spiritual concerns or challenges do Christians face in Japan?
Hideki: We are in a battle for the people of Japan. We face spiritual warfare,
and we need to battle through prayer. Christians are hesitant to evangelize
or testify about Christ. As Japanese people come to Christ, they get bap-
tized and move into the church body, but there is a lack of deeper growth
for many Japanese. Many lack the faith to share their belief in Christ; most
need to be discipled and trained to have a deeper faith and foundation from
which to share. There is a cost to follow Jesus, and we must be grounded in
the Word to be able to stand and proclaim what we believe.
Stephen: How can a believer successfully share their faith in Japan?
Hideki: As we pray for and genuinely love people, God works. These prayers
require faith and patience. It is a battle. We need God’s help. When we evan-
gelize or testify, we must love the lost and share our faith with confidence.
Then we must trust God to work through our message.
Will you pray with us for the Japanese people? And pray that God will work
through the obedience of those sharing the message with them.
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