Tokyo Marketplace Outreach & Church Planting

Tokyo Marketplace Outreach & Church Planting

Project Focus:
Tokyo Metro Community (TMC) is a unique and experimental church planting project targeting young white-collar workers in the countless business and government offices of central Tokyo.  The population of the greater Tokyo area is about 32 million and many of them work downtown.  The central business area of Tokyo is the epicenter for finance, media, the arts, education and government for the nation. It's like having Washington D.C. , New York , Boston , and Los Angeles all rolled up into one.  The project began with intentional outreach and discipleship activities starting in Spring 2005.

Evangelistic Need:
Only about 0.2 percent of Japanese are Protestant church-going Christians, only about half of those are evangelical believers, and the figures are much lower in the target group. A recent survey has shown that 2/3 of Tokyo residents have no meaningful knowledge of the gospel of Christ. But about 10 percent have some interest in Christianity and about 1 percent think (for whatever reason) that they themselves would like to become a Christian. 

Partners:
The project is a partnership effort involving the Campus Crusade for Christ (Kazu Kurihara, Leaders Led Movement) and the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (Richard Oue, Strategy Coordinator for Central Tokyo). Several other IMB missionaries and CCC staff members are also involved. Short-term mission teams from the U.S., Singapore and Taiwan have contributed to the ministry.  An executive discipleship group in the home office of BB&T Corporation, related to Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC, has an ongoing commitment to the project and is sending small volunteer teams once a year for outreach activities particularly targeting people in the finance industry. Plans are now in the works for developing a similar partnership with a group of businessmen in Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in the Marietta, GA.

Approaches:
Many young workers in central Tokyo "sleep" in the suburbs but the "live" downtown.  There they work and play.  Central Tokyo is the setting for most of their activities and relationships.  This generation is more interested in relationships than religion, more in personal spirituality than organization or ritual. For these reasons TMC is emphasizing witness and discipleship in the context of personal relationships and small groups.  The TMC leadership team is formatting ministry in terms of "life coaching" and "personal growth seminars" (based on the Bible and Christian values of course) rather than traditional church approaches. The goal is the development of a closely related multiplying network of small group "cell churches" that meet regularly any time or day of the week with bi-vocational or non-professional leadership.  These groups may eventually gather monthly for celebration and/or special training. 

Volunteer Needs: We are most interested in developing ongoing partnerships that could send small teams (3-6 men and/or women) to develop witness and ministry in specific professions or industries, in the way that the BB&T team is working in the world of finance.  In a one week trip such a team would be involved in informal outreach activities (lunches, dinners, etc.) helping Japanese believers reach out to their friends and co-workers; typically one more formal seminar or lecture meeting reaching out to non-Christians with some sort of meaningful professional/personal content as a way of sharing personal testimonies and an introduction to the gospel; some interaction with Japanese Christians for the purpose of encouraging their walk with Christ and lifestyle witness; and some prayer visits to spiritually significant places in Tokyo. 

Other more generic teams could also be used if they are made up of young businesspeople able to share in broader ways concerning life and business, or do direct witness ministry in downtown parks or through on-the-street literature distribution.  Prayerwalking & prayer ministry teams would be helpful.  We are also in need of some IT help in improving effectiveness of the TMC website as a tool for witness and spiritual growth, and in facilitating the work of the TMC with web-based tools for calendaring, planning, collaboration, and managing client/prospect data.

Also we are looking for business young couples or singles who are eager to be marketplace missionaries in Tokyo.

--------------------------------------------------------------- For More Information:
Contact    Kazu Kurihara (asktmc@gmail.com)      Richard Oue (kawasakidawgoue@gmail.com)      

               Carlton Walker (ccwalker2nihon82@world.odn.ne.jp) 

Becoming TRUE Spiritual Community (3)

     Larry explains using the idea of two rooms. There is the first floor and the second floor. The first floor may be called this world, the flesh, and everyday life. It is here that we see the usual conflict, sin, injury and pain. At this level, we are self-centered, we feel the pressure to live according to our own values and above all, protect ourselves. “Is this all my life is? There must be more to life than this!” Even the non-believer is aware of a higher level – the second floor, and now we are anticipating COMMUNION. This is the world changed (transformed) by Christ, the changed self, the self-centered attitude is changed into a passion to worship Christ, distrust in others is changed into trust in Christ and self-destructive pleasures are changed into a passion to grow spiritually. 

Instead of “I can manage my own life,” our thoughts have changed to “I will be obedient to Christ!” Even the non-believer thinks that life itself is more than just the first floor. They are looking for a place of refuge. Therefore, he gets hooked on the SPIRITUAL. That is because loneliness is none other than a thirst for God. But, the non-believer doesn’t have the key to get into the second floor even if he knows it exists. Knowing that there is a higher level is a tremendous blessing. When we enter the second floor by knowing Christ, the following shift takes place:

     (1.) Focus on self  →　Worshipping God

     (2.) Myself as the standard of judgment  →　God’s Word as the standard for all things

           * Man ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil and was able to discern good and evil without God. In other words, man himself became the standard of judgment. He concluded that there was no God and believing is not enough.

     (3.) Managing my life by myself  →　Life as trusting in and walking with Christ

    In this way, we become free. There is peace. There is no dead end. Even if you get stuck, there is always the second level. And, when you go there, you find Christ. There is the preparation for the feast. Therefore, the spiritual community is a fellowship of those who know the second level. ———————　
Looking forward to your comments! asktmc@gmail.com  (Kazu Kurihara)

Becoming TRUE Spiritual Community (2)

     Larry Crabb says that spiritual community is a miracle. 


Humanly speaking, it cannot be created. Unless the hearts of all are broken before the Lord and they look up to Christ (worship) it will not take place. Just making small groups won ’t guarantee that this will happen. Love is having concern for and relationship with your fellow man. For this to happen, it is necessary to listen carefully to what the other is saying. One of the reasons for the failure of small groups is certain persons controlling the conversation and only talking about their own things. According to Paul J. Donoghue and Mary E. Siegel, authors of Are You Really Listening? Key to Successful Communication, active listening is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Love is giving attention to the other. There are four things that prevent active listening:

     (1.) Defending
     (2.) “Me, too” identifying (and it becomes more about the   
            listener than the speaker)
     (3.) Giving advice
     (4.) Judging the speaker

    Unless we “humbly think of others as being better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3) a competitive spirit will occur. It will simply turn into a boastful account of our achievements (or ministry). Or, it will simply degenerate into an atmosphere of judging our fellow man, or looking down on him or preaching to him. Unless it is a safe place, people cannot feel free to be honest. All of us fear being honest with others and if we sense that the atmosphere is dangerous we will clam up. Therefore, respect for our fellow man is absolutely necessary. For example, even with the best of motives, if one person monopolizes the conversation, we truly can’t call it a sharing moment. 


That is because “each one” is an essential part of the spiritual community. Larry says that spiritual community is so rare that people tend to depend on a professional counselor. Conversely, Larry is seeing that when spiritual community works it is not necessary to pay money and go to a counselor. But, if the group is just a “feel good” experience the human element takes precedence and there is the danger of winking at each other’s shortcomings and not being truly accountable to one other. If we don’t come before Christ, there is the danger of overlooking the sins of our fellow man. Then, we fail to have the “speaking the truth in love” relationship that is necessary. Or, if we are not careful, there is the possibility that the group will turn into nothing but a gathering to pour out our criticism of others, or the church - just a place to lick our wounds. Therefore, a spiritual community is a miracle. But, according to Larry, it is a worthwhile thing to strive for.  

    “It’s time to build the church, a community of people who take refuge in God and encourage each other never flee to another source of help, a community of folks who know the only way to live in this world is to focus on the spiritual life – our life with God and others. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Our impact on the world is at stake.” (p.20) ———————　
Looking forward to your comments! asktmc@gmail.com  (Kurihara)

Becoming Spiritual Community (1)

This article was already up in Japanese. But for English speakers, this is English version.

Becoming TRUE Spiritual Community (1)

    Larry Crabb is a famous counselor and writer. Let ’s think about the topic of becoming a true spiritual community according to his book by the same name. 


Larry and his wife moved to Florida recently. One day, the two of them were walking on Miami Beach. They saw something they could not forget. Some seniors were sitting on a 50-foot bench. Florida is a place that many older people choose for retirement. The people sitting on the bench were looking straight ahead without paying attention to the people or buses passing by. No one was talking to the people next to them or touching anyone; everyone was just sitting there like a big lump. There were no coffee cups to be found and no one was reading a newspaper or a book. There was no evidence that anyone was enjoying relationships between human beings or the fact that they were created in the image of God. Larry was shocked to see this sad situation. Was it the result of a long life and the accumulation of resentment and anger? Had they been betrayed by a friend or family and now find it impossible to trust others? At any rate, the people sitting there were expressionless and only staring into the distance. 

    This reminds us of the “lonely deaths” in Japan that have become the center of attention recently where an old person dies alone in their room in their apartment and no one notices. The words, “unrelated to society” have also been coined. This is not every person, but especially in the case of a male who devotes himself to his company, when he retires he just becomes a normal person and has no friends. When his wife dies, he will just watch television and drink. He thinks that there must be a community in which he can share his heart. Isn’t this exactly what the church itself can offer? People will surely long for this kind of spiritual community! Larry says that loneliness is none other than a thirst for God. Man, who is a spiritual being, cannot be satisfied with just a “feel good” community. Therefore, a spiritual community in which Jesus is the center is all-important.

    To put it succinctly, the church is a spiritual community before Christ. The church is people. It is a place of the Spirit and brokenness. The key here is brokenness. A spiritual person is a person of love. A spiritual community is composed of such persons. Characteristics of these are: 
•    Broken, but strong •    Conscious of one’s weakness, but having hope •    Esteeming others and having deep concern for them

    It is not criticism or ethics, it is looking to Christ with one ’s fellow man. This is the heart of worship. If it is not spiritual, it simply becomes “feel good” relationships, or work relationships, healing, a comfort seeking group that licks its wounds, or a counseling group.

    A true spiritual community is composed of fellow travelers who are aware of their own weaknesses, who are honest and humble, who don’t give up, who gather together before the Lord, who are committed to Him and to each other, and travel together on life’s journey. ———————　
Looking forward to your comments! asktmc@gmail.com  (Kazu)

東京メトロコミュニティ（TMC）とは？

    

背景

- TMCはどういう必要に答えられるのか？　どういう問題を解決するのか？

TMCは、東京都心部及び、湾岸新興住宅地にフォーカスします。若い職業人にフォーカスします。東京ビジネス街は日本の頭脳であり、政治経済、メディア、教育などの中心です。しかしながら、宣教の真空地帯です。東京を勝ち取るには社会のあらゆる分野で活躍する神の国の視野をもつ、信徒リーダーの動員が不可欠です。日本が方向性やビジョンを失っている中、キリストのご臨在を職場にもたらし、都市の中に「新しい都市」としての「キリストにある新しい命のコミュニティ」を創出することが必要です。東京のニーズは真のコミュニティです。孤独が覆う東京砂漠にこの世が与えることの出来ないキリストにある平安の満ちたコミュニティを提供します。意味と方向性を失った人々にキリストにある新しいアイデンティティを提供します。それで、この働きを、私達は東京メトロコミュニティ(TMC)と名付けました。東京の地下鉄の地図を見た事ありますか？地上では見えませんが、地下に張り巡らされた地下鉄網は東京を覆っています。駅名を覚えられないほどの多くの駅、そして、それらがネットワークされ繋がっています。正にこれがTMCのヴィジュアルなVISIONです。

-　なぜ東京都心？

日本の人口は減少しているのに、東京の人口は増加しているのです。東京は常に人々を引き寄せる魅力と可能性に満ちた街なのです。贖われた都市は主の栄光を現わすようになるのです。湾岸地帯には高層マンションが続々と建設され、若いカップルが移り住んできています。しかし、一方、東京の伝統的な教会は下降傾向にあり、若い層を惹きつけるのが難しくなっています。

都会のライフスタイルは多様であり、それに合った教会形成が必要となっているのです。（礼拝に集まる時間など含め）。ウイークデーのビジネス街でのスモールグループにおける励まし、アウトリーチ、そして、ウイークエンドの湾岸新興住宅地でのハウスチャーチプランティングのコンビネーションワークが必要と思われます。

ストラテジー

実際、何が起こるのか？

 クリスマスイベントや国際サマープロジェクト、さらに多様なビジネスセミナー、インターネットを通しての広範な福音の種まき。そして、東京のキースポット（丸の内、六本木、赤坂、汐留など）におけるスモールグループの形成。リーダー訓練。リーダー同士のネットワーク。折々の合同的な集会。

誰がどういうステップで何をやるのか？

１）同じビジョンを持つ人々をネットワークし、集める。祈りの土台、サポーターの拡大。

２）チャーチプランターのチームを作る。

３）すでにキースポットにいる献身的な信徒リーダーと、その地域の伝道を展開する。

４）チャーチプランターが集中的に１－２年、聖書から教え、教会の土台を作る。

５）キースポットにいる信徒リーダーが導く、人生の分かち合いをするスモールグループを始める。

６）これがミニチャーチとなる。

７）新興住宅地にいる家族への伝道、ウイークエンドのハウスチャーチプランティング。

７）チャーチプランターは続けて、その信徒リーダー（長老役）のメンターとして奉仕する。

具体的にキースポットとはどこですか？

ビジネス街としては、渋谷、大崎、品川、汐留、六本木、赤坂、丸の内、など。

新興住宅地としては、品川、汐留、月島、勝どき、晴美、豊洲、有明など。

どうして、この戦略が効果的と思われますか？

ポストモダン世代には、インターアクティブ、全員参加型のコミュニティが有効的。そして、それは聖書的（第一世紀、新約教会に見られるもの）です。教会は本来、キリストの体であり、組織というより生命体。信徒リーダーがオーナーシップを持って、導くムーブメントであり、有給の働き人に頼らないゆえ、より早く、倍加できるのです。

「意味ある人間関係と祈り」を通してのチャーチプランティング。

スモールグループというコミュニティの中での正直な人生の分かち合いを通しての弟子訓練。学生ミニストリーとの協力により、若いクリスチャン社会人とのコンタクトが可能になります。主要大学の学生は将来の日本のリーダーです。彼らは政治、経済、メディア、とあらゆる分野でリーダーとなるのです。社会の主要な構成要素（政治、経済、メディアなど）の中にクリスチャンリーダーを送り込んで行く必要があるのです。

そして、東京が変われば、日本が変わる。

ーーーーーー

コメントお待ちしております。

asktmc@gmail.com  栗原まで

東北被災地で働かれる神（３）— 教会は復興にどうかかわるべきか？

今後、教会は町の復興にどうかかわるべきだろうか？　

幡師は語る。「人々は教会に良い印象を持っている。今こそ、教会が立ち上がって『町を弟子化する』というビジョンが必要ではなかろうか。そもそも何を持って復興というのか。仕事、教育があればそれでいいのか。また、大きなビルやショッピングセンターを建てれば復興なのか？　今人々はお互いに助け、仕え、愛し合うことに意義を見出している。新しい町作りに向け、教会から聖書に基づいた価値観が発信されてゆく必要がある。町作りに教会も積極的に参与する必要がある。そのためには行政と関わることも必要であろう。教会が自分の教会員が増えるとこで満足しないで、地域にインパクトを与えられるような視点を持つべきだ。」町の復興に関して教会に期待されている役割は大きいと言えよう。

エレミヤ書２９章４−７節には「わたしがあなたがたを引いて行ったその町の繁栄を求め、そのために主に祈れ、そこの繁栄は、あなたがたの繁栄になるのだから。」とある。教会もその地域のコミュニティの一部であることからすれば、当然のことである。ダニエルは捕囚の異国で王と国の繁栄のために働いた。教会はどのように町の繁栄に寄与し、町にとってのリソースになり得るのか？教会が「俗」世界からの「隠れ場」となり、「世」にかかわらない人々の群れというイメージを与えてないか？

東北では励ましの証がある。具体的に地元での産業復興の支援をしている教会もある。クラッシュジャパン協力教会の利府教会オアシスチャペルの松田師は南三陸町の支援（車で1時間半の距離）をしている。「最初は物資を届けたが、現地から、収入の心配や、生きがいを感じる勤めがほしい、語り合えるコミュニティーがほしいとの声が上がった。そのため6月くらいから、内職支援ができないかと考え、革細工に取り組んでいる。一緒に作業することを通してコミュニティーができる。物を作ることで生きがいを感じる。商標登録し12月に販売を開始する。(ちなみに、これが最近、東京の東急ハンズで販売されるようになった）軌道に乗ったら広げていく。利府の近隣の人たちもボランティアとして巻き込み、一緒に作業している。また、特産のホヤの養殖を再生する漁師たちに協力し、東京や横浜で出展したり、働きのドキュメンタリービデオをインターネットで流すなどのＰＲイベントをしている。今日の緊急の必要、明日生きていくための必要、永遠の希望のための必要に応えていきたい。」と語る。

東北で働かれる神の御業について見て来た。さて、東京の教会は、東京人の６０％が来るべき大地震を不安材料の第一と上げている状況の中で、そのニーズにプロアクティブに取り組んでいるだろうか？

今後、予測されている東京直下型地震をテーマに我々が「今」できることを探りたい。

ーーーーーーーーーー

コメントお待ちしております。

asktmc@gmail.com

栗原