Historical animosities towards Japan for their brutal occupation during World War II are never far from the surface in China. In fact, years of 'patriotic education' campaigns in China which keep the grievances alive have made China's youth as (if not more) anti-Japanese then the older generation who actually experienced Japanese aggression. Given all that, this article about a Beijing church praying for Japan and the Japanese people is a particularly hopeful sign. The translated article is from mainland site Christian Times.
Japanese people have numerous gods and idols. They worship everything, from trees and mountains to animals in the sea. Japan is also one of the most difficult countries for the gospel to enter. Christians only make up approximately 1% of the total population; the rest of the people there are mainly idol worshipers.
With their recent successful Olympic bid, Japan has won the right to hold the 2020 Olympic Games. Once again, the worlds eyes are fixed on Japan. Meanwhile the state of the gospel in Japan affects every Christians heart. In the worship service last Sunday, members of the Beijing Gospel Missionary Church offered up prayers for the spread of the gospel in this country.
During the worship service, Pastor Jin Meihua began with an introduction to Japans geography and environment and the state of the gospel there. Following that, the nearly 100 attendees prayed for Japan, focusing on these things:
1. May the Japanese people give up their idolatry and polytheistic worship to become people who serve only the Heavenly Father.
2. May Japan build more Christian churches, that more Japanese people may come into contact with the gospel.
3. Pray for the very small number of people who share the gospel, asking God to protect them.
In March of 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake hit Japan, causing a tsunami. The church offered up love, shared the gospel, and many people became Christians during that time.
As the congregants were praying, the leaders reminded them: God is not willing for anyone to be destroyed by sin, but instead He wants every person to repent. When His timing comes, God will definitely accomplish this. At the end, Pastor Jin Meihua led the group to pray aloud together, saying: Beloved Heavenly Father, today we come with one mind and one heart to entrust Japan to you. Lord, you care for all places, no matter what they are like. All we need to do is pray and no matter what country it is, we know there is nothing you cannot do. You chose us to serve those that do not know you, to offer up prayers to you and to work with you on behalf of those that do not know you. We offer up hope for Japan to you, asking you to personally work there. No matter how difficult it is, there is nothing too difficult for you. When you do the work, you will always succeed. We ask you to protect those who are sharing the gospel there. Protect them and allow them to complete your work there. In everything they do, may they lack nothing.
Original article: 北京福音宣教教会会众信徒为日本福音推动代祷
Photo source: Kyoto, Japan, via Flickr
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