The Japan Union Conference (JUC) holds sessions on a five-year cycle. The 38th session convened from January 17 to 18, 2021. The JUC prepared the meeting with united prayer. Starting in November 2020, 60 Days of Prayer were held in order to make the meeting an opportunity of spiritual revival.
In the history of the 125 years of Adventist mission in Japan, this session was the first to be convened online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-one sites in Japan and the office of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) were connected online, and 192 delegates participated in the meeting.
One of the main programs of the session was developing the mission strategic plan for the next five years based on I Will Go, a strategic plan the General Conference has presented. The following plan was adopted in order to break through the difficult mission situation in Japan.
Motto: Jesus Is Coming! Get Involved!
1. Church members should be disciples.
Adventists should have a lively personal relationship with Christ daily, and have joy to actively invite people to become disciples of Christ.
2. Pastors should be apostles.
JUC pastors should serve as apostles who receive teachings from Christ through the Bible, who will be dispatched for mission, and who become witnesses of Christ by receiving the power of the Holy Spirit in unreached places.
3. Churches should be the light and salt of the world.
Churches will interact with communities and meet their needs and try to have an impact on the communities.
Elder Yutaka Inada, who is currently serving the NSD as executive secretary, was elected as the president for the next five years. The executive secretary, Elder Toshio Shibata, was re-elected as his second term, and Elder Tadashi Yamaji, president of Hiroshima San-iku Gakuin Academy, was elected as the treasurer. In Japan, it is unusual to have an ordained pastor elected as the treasurer.
JUC president Masumi Shimada and treasurer Mitsuhiro Shinasue completed two terms, ten years of commitment, and retired after the session. The Japan Adventist Church deeply appreciates their devotion to the Church.
We praise our Lord that He guided our session during the COVID-19 epidemic, revived us for His mission, and closed the meeting with His blessings.
News Article by Toshio Shibata, JUC Executive Secretary