From November 20 to 22, 2016, the Japan Union Conference (JUC) held their Annual Council, with Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) leaders in attendance. Each of JUC’s three administrative leaders—president, executive secretary, and treasurer—preached spiritually enriching and encouraging messages for the council members.
During the council, the conference president and each department director and institution director gave a brief evangelism report on this past year to provide a better picture of how God has been working in Japan.
During the Annual Council, two major decisions were made regarding the evangelistic work in Japan.
1. All Japan 18 Maranatha
The GC president Elder Ted Wilson conducted a large-scale evangelistic campaign in Rwanda last May. In 2017, he will conduct an evangelistic campaign in Romania. Japan has been chosen as the location to conduct a large-scale evangelistic campaign in May 2018. In order to prepare for the campaign, Elder Ted Wilson came to Japan this past March to discuss and communicate with the JUC leaders and the committee members.
The GC president Elder Ted Wilson conducted a large-scale evangelistic campaign in Rwanda last May. In 2017, he will conduct an evangelistic campaign in Romania. Japan has been chosen as the location to conduct a large-scale evangelistic campaign in May 2018. In order to prepare for the campaign, Elder Ted Wilson came to Japan this past March to discuss and communicate with the JUC leaders and the committee members.
In the beginning, JUC had planned to have Elder Ted Wilson preach evangelistic campaigns at three different locations; however, in order to implement Total Membership Involvement, the plan was changed to conduct more than 100 evangelistic campaigns simultaneously for 10 days all across Japan. We are now coming up with specific plans and preparation to accomplish this huge vision.
2. JUC’s Vision 2020
In response to the NSD Vision One Million 2020, Japan decided to set a goal of 5,000 baptisms, membership of 20,000, and weekly Sabbath attendance of 20,000 people by the year 2020. Currently, there are about 300 baptisms each year, membership of 15,000, and weekly Sabbath attendance of about 5,500 people. Compared to the current numbers, the goal seems too large. However, if each of the weekly Sabbath attendees leads just one person to baptism in the next five years, the goal will be accomplished.
In response to the NSD Vision One Million 2020, Japan decided to set a goal of 5,000 baptisms, membership of 20,000, and weekly Sabbath attendance of 20,000 people by the year 2020. Currently, there are about 300 baptisms each year, membership of 15,000, and weekly Sabbath attendance of about 5,500 people. Compared to the current numbers, the goal seems too large. However, if each of the weekly Sabbath attendees leads just one person to baptism in the next five years, the goal will be accomplished.
The first day of the JUC Annual Council, November 20, was exactly 120 years and one day since the first Adventist missionary came to Japan. As we begin the 121st year of mission work in Japan, these two major evangelistic plans and decisions will mark the first step to a new beginning of mission work in Japan.
In order to hasten the second coming of Jesus Christ, we must move forward in prayer and in complete dependence upon God as we speedily plan and share the everlasting gospel to the 120 million Japanese residents and 2.2 million foreign residents that live in Japan.
Toshio Shibata, executive secretary of JUC