Newsletter 2025 June-July English
Newsletter 2025 June-July
Praise the Lord!!
Recently, it has become really hot outside. How are you doing?
This newsletter contains reports on the Korea Conference, student testimonies, discipleship training, student leaders, summer camp, and the situation at the seminary.
I would be grateful if you could read to the end and pray for us.
Korea Conference Report: June 21-29
A total of 28 people participated in this conference: 7 from Nagoya, 6 from Osaka, and 15 from Kobe.
For me, I wanted students to participate in this conference so that their perspective on missions would be broadened, and I wanted them to see the common understanding of the Great Commission that we all share and how it is being carried out. I am truly grateful that we were able to spend 9 days together from June 21 to 29. Thanks to the cooperation of the Kobe staff and missionaries, the students were able to have a good experience. May this experience also be used for the advancement of missions in Japan.
There were three things that made an impression on me:
Highlight 1: Not Works, but the Gospel
Part of the content of messages compared religion and the gospel. Religion here means thinking that you are saved as a result of doing something. However, the gospel believes that we are saved not because we have done anything, but by believing in the work that Christ accomplished.
During the sharing time after the message, one student shared: "When I go to church, I sometimes think that I come to church more seriously than others and serve at church. But at the same time, I sometimes judge people." At that time, I had dealt with the same issue during discipleship training, and a student from Nagoya empathized with this while pointing out the heart that tries to appear good on the surface but seeks self-justification, like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son, and introduced "The Prodigal God" (by Timothy Keller) that we had read together.
When I saw this, I was moved to see the bible word hit him in the discipleship training. He was called to return to God and was led to repentance. Despite human helplessness, I was moved that they understood God's great love, He died on the cross for us who need salvation. Even for Christians, we need to check our motives, and the gospel needs to continue to be proclaimed repeatedly, and we are constantly called to return to God.
Highlight 2: Sharing Biblical Views on Marriage
When students go to conferences, they like to talk about relationships, so this topic often comes up. Of course, each other's experiences are helpful and encouraging, but I wanted students to know what the Bible actually says about marriage, so we read and shared a book that contains biblical principles about marriage. First, I asked students to think about "Do you want to get married? Why?" before reading, and after finishing reading, I asked them to compare "How does that way of thinking compare with the Bible?"
I am grateful that we were able to learn about the current state of students' views on marriage and also look together at what hope the Bible has for marriage and share about it. Due to time constraints, we could not read everything and only read and shared up to Chapter 4.
Each student will read the parts we couldn't read, but may each student be able to have hope that they will be transformed into God's image through marriage. May their views on marriage also be changed through the gospel 🙏
The book we referenced was: "The Meaning of Marriage" by Timothy Keller
Highlight 3: The Great Commission
I saw Korean students looking at the same vision (the Great Commission) and dedicating their lives to it. By seeing them sincerely love their disciples and devote themselves to the christ, it became a time to dream that someday in Japan too, we would be able to see CCC students dedicate their lives as disciples of Christ and engage with other disciples. It also became a time for me to look at the vision once again. Please pray that Japanese people will also be able to catch the vision of fulfilling the Great Commission 🙏
There were many other blessings during other times. I am grateful that we were able to spend time with various students that we don't usually spend time with, and I was able to see them living out the gospel in strugglings.
Student Testimony
This is the testimony of a student (Caleb) who went to the Korea Conference. If you would like, please read this as well.
Discipleship Training
This semester's discipleship training focused on "learning the heart of Christ." How does Christ's heart displays? We conducted discipleship training together using the Bible and a faith-based book ("Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers" by Dane Ortlund).
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and slearn from me, for I am tgentle and lowly in heart, and uyou will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:30 For vmy yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
What remains impressive in this book is the famous passage from Romans 5:6-10.
Romans 5:6 ¶ For jwhile we were still weak, at the right time kChrist died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
Romans 5:8 but lGod shows his love for us in that mwhile we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:9 Since, therefore, nwe have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from othe wrath of God.
Romans 5:10 For if pwhile we were enemies qwe were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by rhis life.
"To say the same truth in reverse: Jesus did not die for us as soon as we became strong (5:6), he did not die for us as soon as we began to overcome our sinfulness (5:8), and God did not reconcile us to himself as soon as we became friendly toward God (5:10)."
Quote: "Gentle and Lowly" page 259, by Dane Ortlund
When I read this, I deeply resonated that this is grace poured out on those who have fled from God and lived for their own glory. We were weak, sinners, and enemies.
May I also be changed to be like Christ when I interact with others.
From next semester, Chuuki and Caleb will begin to be involved in discipleship training for new students . Although it hasn't started yet, may the new Christian stundet who will be involved through them also come to know Christ deeply, be led to repentance, and help him to follower Christ.
Prayer May students know how gracious Christ is, and as followers of Christ, may we be transformed to be like Him.
What Chuuki learned through discipleship training was posted on JCCC's post. I have attached that text here as well.
"Through discipleship training, I was able to deepen my more essential understanding of Christ's love and grace. Reading not only CCC materials but also theological books was significant. What I learned most deeply was that Jesus is our only hope. Even we who are Christians have problems, and at the root there is always sin. Nevertheless, what I learned most deeply was that understanding the immeasurable love of Christ's cross, who was without sin, and being made alive by Christ and transformed to be like Christ is our hope."
This is Chuuki's newsletter, who will be going on a short-term mission to Taiwan from August 25th this year. You can access it here, so we would be grateful if you could also read this and pray.
Student Leaders
New members became student leaders this semester, and I am grateful that we were able to work together this semester. We evaluated this semester's ministry and hope to work together on next semester's ministry as well. Starting this semester,I started to give 5-minute messages during leader meetings. I plan to prepare next semester as well so that they will be equipped by the Word of God.
Their highlight of this semester was that many said they experienced being on the planning side for the first time and could understand the difficulty of being on the planning side. I think there were technical difficulties since they did this for the first time this semester, but I hope that this will become an opportunity to know God more rather than just focusing on technique. I also hope it will be used as a place to discover each other's gifts while serving and to teach each other. I am grateful that they served faithfully for six months.
Prayer
Please pray for each message. May students know God's grace, be equipped by the Word of God, and be moved by that love 🙏
Ephesians 4:11 And mhe gave the napostles, the prophets, the oevangelists, the pshepherds3 and teachers,4
Ephesians 4:12 qto equip the saints for the work of ministry, for rbuilding up sthe body of Christ,
Seminary Situation
I successfully passed both the regular lectures and special lectures that I took until June.
Currently, I am working on assignments for "History and Structure of Denominations" and "A History of Modern Theology," which I took during the summer intensive courses.
In the denominations class, I got to know how each denomination was formed, how church politics are conducted in each church, and how unity among churches is possible.
In the history of modern theology, I am working on a report about the liberal theology, Karl Barth's theology, and Catholic Karl Rahner's theology, evaluating them and criticizing where they deviate from biblical thinking.
Starting in September, I plan to take a preaching class.
Please pray that through this preaching class, I will be further equipped to preach the Word, and that the students who hear the sermons will be equipped.
Summer Camp
We will hold a camp jointly with SI Kyoto from September 8-10 at Hamana Lake Bible Camp. The theme and content are currently being decided in consultation with student leaders and staff from Nagoya and students from Kyoto.
Please pray that this camp will be used for students' spiritual growth and salvation.
Thank you for reading to the end and praying for us.
The next newsletter will be published at the end of September or early October. Thank you for your continued support.
shota otsuka
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