How do ministries to Japanese get started?

How do ministries to Japanese get started? A thousand ways with ten thousand steps of God’s divine leading! Listen to how things got started with Debbie in Bowling Green.

When I moved to Bowling Green in 1984, I had just gotten married. First Baptist in town had an International ministry to several different language groups. So I started teaching several people. The church didn't have a class specifically for Japanese people. One lady, Yuko, tried some of the classes, but decided she wanted private lessons. I was asked to do it because Yuko and I lived in the same neighborhood.

When I first began, I didn't think I could teach the Bible to Internationals. I prayed for someone else to teach Yuko the Bible and God answered that prayer through Mrs. Short, the director of a Christian preschool, who started working with Yuko. Over time I grew more confident and when Mrs. Short moved away, I became Yuko's Bible teacher. I'm not sure when it happened, but along the way I began to feel a call to work with Japanese

Before returning to Japan, Yuko recommended me to two of her friends. One lady was very closed, but the other lady, Michiyo, started asking me about Easter during her first lesson. She became a Christian that summer. In November, 1993, Michiyo told me, "God wants you to start an ESL ministry for Japanese at your church." We had just recently joined Eastwood Baptist. Michiyo called every Japanese lady in town, and asked if they were interested. Thirteen people said yes to English, although some made it clear they weren't interested in Christianity. In January of 1994, we started three English classes and one Bible study class. A couple of years later, Michiyo returned to Japan.

Since then, a lady named Yukiko became a Christian and helped lead Kei, an exchange student to the Lord. All of these ladies are now back in Japan.

Currently we have four English classes on Tuesday mornings, one Bible study class on Wednesday morning. One Japanese family attends church on a regular basis. None of these are Christians. Two ladies and I also teach private English lessons which gives us additional opportunities.