Tokyo 2020: Running the Spiritual Race in Japan
Tokyo is hard at work preparing to host the 32nd Summer Olympic Games in 2020. As the whole city gets ready to host this auspicious festival, athletes all around the world are undergoing pre-game training in order to bring home a gold medal. But what do the Olympics have to do with church planting in Japan?
In an article from The Japan Times titled “2020 Tokyo Olympic Games can’t rescue Japan,” Fumika Mizuno says “it will take much more than a sporting competition to transform the country.” As Mizuno notes, many expect the Olympics to bring in a new era of technological and financial innovation and “change the future of Japan.” But as she also notes, Japan is in need of another transformation—one that goes beyond the scope of a sporting event.
Indeed, what will truly begin to transform the country is the gospel bursting forth from new church plants in the cities of Japan. As my fellow pastors and I anticipate the Olympics, we are excited about the spiritual race that is set before us, as well. And we’ve seen exciting developments as we train for it.
In 2020, City to City Japan will host its first church planting Intensive, a two-week long program designed to equip Japanese church planters to truly transform the country with the gospel. To prepare for this event, I was invited by my friend Damian Grateley (Director of CTC Japan) to attend a three-day training in Nagoya (which was, in itself, City to City’s first ever event for trainers in Japan). A variety of church leaders from various places across Japan joined together to imagine what a successful Intensive would look like for Japan’s context—to imagine making the gospel refreshing, revitalizing, and encouraging for its pastors.
For example, we reflected on the tendency for leaders in Japan to teach in a lecture style, which is (broadly speaking) a Japanese university approach to teaching. While teaching at a senmon gakko (professional training college) years ago, I had firsthand experience with students who struggle to interact with teachers when taught this way. In this style, the training tends to be more teacher-centric and focused on downloading a massive amount of content — and less learner-centric, with fewer spirited discussions and interactions.
For people in egalitarian societies, this lack of interaction is unthinkable because individuals are encouraged to be self-assertive and expressive in the classroom. However, in a vertical society based on shame and honor, a lecture approach can discourage learners from asking questions or giving feedback. A lot of respect must be given to the sensei—asking the wrong questions or giving the wrong answers can be intimidating or even shameful. Clearly, there is a need to encourage others to be deeply secure in their gospel identity—as cherished sons and daughters of God—to interact well, without fear of making mistakes or being shamed.
Throughout our time together, we resolved to redeem learner-centered training and encourage trainers to deeply interact with church planters and de-emphasize hierarchy as they collaborate to bring a gospel movement to the country. (After all, Jesus was shamed for our sins so that we might receive honor in the sight of God.)
Through this partnership, my fellow pastors and I will be equipped to run the race set before us. In the words of Eric Liddell, the Olympic champion of Chariots of Fire fame, we too can run the race ahead of us for God and “feel His pleasure.” Our prayer is that we finish well—that the hope of Jesus is brought to the country more and more. And that it is truly transformed.
As we continue to prepare for the upcoming Japanese church planting Intensive, you can help us by praying the following:
Please pray that the trainers, in the midst of all our work, find rest in the finished work of Jesus.
Pray for wisdom and grace upon everyone involved, and that the translation of materials and management of funds goes smoothly.
Pray that the potential trainees will continually look to Jesus as they run the church planting race that is set before them—and that they would feel God’s pleasure.
About the Author
Joey Zorina is a cross-cultural church planter and pastor of The Bridge Fellowship in Tokyo. He has lived with his wife in Japan for 16 years and enjoys writing on living with a focus on the gospel of grace.