BJapan, Japanese Outreach
Get to Know Director Satoru Yanagitani
The life of a typical Japanese is wrapped up in rituals of the Shinto and Buddhist religions. Yet even as millions participate daily in such worship at shrines and temples, they maintain that they are "not religious" but are simply "being Japanese." Japanese churches, many of which have only a few precious believers and no pastor, struggle to be a light in this spiritual darkness. BJapan, Back to the Bible's newest Bible-teaching media outreach, aims to serve and strengthen the local church while proclaiming the Gospel through every high-tech means available to us.
Facts:
- BJapan maintains a channel on Japan's premiere satellite radio service that reaches the entire nation. With a variety of Bible-teaching programs, we can get spiritual food to pastors and believers in even the most remote rural areas.
- BJapan is actively recruiting an indigenous pastoral team to record Gospel programs for airing and to minister in person to more than 800 pastor-less churches across the country.
- BJapan's sponsorship of preaching seminars gives weary local pastors fresh ideas and much-needed encouragement in a land where one may be the only pastor in his entire region. One pastor commented: "I was very encouraged by this practical study which will revive my preaching and pastoring. It was an 'oasis' in the midst of days that flow by in the status quo."
- BJapan staff plan to provide satellite radio hookups for rural pastors to encourage and refresh them with regular teaching from God's Word.
- BJapan's web site www.bjapan.jp offers dynamic content with the goal of drawing listeners deeper into God's Word. iPod downloads and streaming audio are now available at the site--reflecting Japanese society's high-tech expectations and demands.
"I'm very grateful for the good time of study. I feel I've been given the strength to witness to the grace I have received to my family and neighbors."
(Testimony from Japan)
"I am not a Christian. I have only recently been invited by my friend to study the Bible, and am still full of doubts, not really understanding any of it. Frankly, I'm kind of experiencing 'culture shock' from hearing all these things I know nothing about. Still, it was kind of a relief today to hear that even those who are Christians face some inner struggles. Thank you. I plan to keep studying, little by little."
(Testimony from Japan)
