Seima and Naoka Aoyagi
Seima, like more than 99% of the people of Japan, grew up in a Buddhist home. He did not meet a Christian until he was 17 years old, and through her came to know the Lord. After seven years as a college minister in Japan with MTW, Seima and his wife Naoko came to the US in 2004 for further theological training. While attending Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, God put in him a desire for church planting in Tokyo—a city of 34 million people of whom, only 0.22% are Christians. After graduating from seminary in 2008, Seima had the privilege of interning with a recent church plant at Harbor Presbyterian Church (PCA) in San Diego (with Russ Kapusinski). Seima was ordained into the pastorate in 2009, Seima was ordained into the pastorate in 2009, and returned, with is family, to Japan in January 2011. They have joined a church planting initiative in Tokyo that was started as a collaborative project between Redeemer Church in New York and Mission to the World.
Grace City Church Tokyo has committed to disaster relief effort in Tohoku region in the NE of Japan since day three of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Since then, Seima has been involved in relief work commuting from Tokyo to Tohoku. He knows that there was a reason that God sent them back to Japan when He did, and he is willing to pour his time into this relief work. While tsunami devastation in Japan is no longer on the news outside of Japan, the life of the people in Tohoku is still under tremendous distress. The death toll will go most likely go beyond 20,000, and of those about 4,700 bodies are missing. More than 80,000 people are still living as evacuees in school gymnasiums, community centers, hotels, and temporary housings. People who decided to go back to their houses are living on the second floor of their half broken houses without windows and doors. The scars of tsunami devastation are everywhere.
The Aoyagis have four children: Senri (7/6/99), Towa (3/23/01), Satoki (1/14/06), and Akari (4/22/09).
Tokuhiro and Chiho Meiri
Tokuhiro Meiri has been officially involved in the church planting ministry in Japan since 1999. He was ordained in 2004, and since then has pastored Chiharadai Christ Church (the church originally planted by Tom Patton).In April 2010, the church began an English conversation class. At first, there were only five students—including their son and three church members. By God’s grace, there are now 30 students with five classes. More people have asked to join the classes, but they do not have enough teachers. Please pray for more staff to teach English conversation classes, and also pray for Tokuhiro’s teaching ability to grow and mature.
Around ten students are regularly attending the monthly kid's ministry called "Jesus Kids" and hear the Gospel and enjoy fellowship. Much time, energy, and prayer is poured into the children and their family members so that they may come to know Christ. Tokuhiro and Chiho are trusting that the Lord is mercifully working and firmly establishing His Church.
The Lord recently added three new people to help in the children’s Sunday school ministry. They are members of the church and willing to share their time in the ministry of the Lord. They also share a desire to study more about being a Christian teacher to children. Praise God for this provision and pray for them as they step out in obedience.
In September, they held a Christian family counselor's seminar with 30 people attending. After the seminar, four people inquired about starting a book study using the Christian counselor’s booklet. The church is also planning a Peace Making in Families Seminar in the spring of 2013. Please pray for wisdom in all these endeavors.
After the huge earthquakes and Tsunami in the Tohoku area, MTW missionaries in Japan took leadership and made many brave decisions in order to help the Tohoku people. Many pastors, elders, and members of the churches in the Presbyterian Church in Japan joined the relief ministry in Tohoku. Tokuhiro went up to the Tohoku area four times and joined the relief ministry. It was beyond anything he could imagine, and the sadness of the people in the area was huge. What little they could do they did in Christ’s name. The continuous relief ministry offered by the many churches and many Christian organizations has gained the trust of the people and they are opening their hearts and seeking to know Christianity more. To that end, PCJ has decided to officially take action for the planting of Christ's church(es) in that area. Please be praying for Christ's work in the Tohoku area.
The Meiris have two children: Ibuki (6/1/06) and Kaho (9/16/08).
Robert and Lisa Stewart
Robert and Lisa Stewart, with their children William and Isabel, are part of the MTW church planting work in Japan. Robert joined MTW in 1992, working with the MTW Chiba Team’s school for missionary children. They met when Lisa came to Japan to teach at the school for two years. They were married in October 2002 and returned to Japan, together with William, in 2004.
Robert and Lisa began a new venture when they returned to Japan after two years on home assignment in the summer of 2011. They are part of a new MTW Tokyo Bay Church Planting Team in Shin-Urayasu, Japan. They are excited to place themselves in a new and demanding situation that will further encourage them to learn Japanese and trust God with daily challenges and needs. Working as assistant church planters, they are eager to see a church raised up in a town where there is no church.
Pray that God would call many people in Shin-Urayasu to himself. “I will call them my people who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.” (Romans 9:25
The Stewarts have two children: William (7/21/03) and Isabel (7/15/05).
Dr. Michael Oh
is president and founder of Christ Bible Institute, Japan, (cbijapan.org) which includes a graduate level theological seminary (Christ Bible Seminary), church planting efforts (All Nations Fellowship), and various outreach ministries (including Heart & Soul and the Heart & Soul Café). Michael received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Anthropology on a Kellogg scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania where he also completed an undergraduate degree in Political Science/Pre-Medical studies and a master’s degree in Education. He received his seminary training at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Michael also completed a master’s degree in Japanese Studies at Harvard University.
Michael and his wife Pearl served as short-term missionaries with Mission to the World in the late 1990s during which time they planted Chita Zion Presbyterian Church. After that term Michael completed a Master’s degree in East Asian Studies on a Regional Studies scholarship at Harvard University with a concentration in Japanese anthropology and sociology. Michael and his family moved back to Japan in January of 2004 before founding Christ Bible Seminary in April 2005.
Christ Bible Seminary, located in Nagoya, is the fastest growing seminary in Japan. It is making an impact among young Christians seeking a renewed vision for the next generation of Christianity in Japan. The ministry of Christ Bible Seminary also includes a sizable new church plant (All Nations Fellowship), lay training, and Heart and Soul—a contemporary worship event for young people and the largest regular meeting of young Christians in Nagoya. Michael is a PCA Teaching Elder in the Philadelphia Presbytery and the youngest member of the executive leadership of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (Lausanne.org), serving with the Movement since 2007. Also of note, Michael spoke on reconciliation at Urbana 2009 and at the 2009 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference on “Missions as Fasting: The Forsaking of Things Present for the Global Exaltation of Christ.”
Born and raised in the south Philadelphia area (and proud of it!), Michael enjoys ice hockey (having played since the age of three), Apple computers, and spending time with his family. He and his wife have four daughters—Hannah, Mikaela, Eowyn, and Elliot—and one son, Michael Jr.
