Welcome to Japan Needs Jesus – a blog dedicated to the issues surrounding the gospel poverty in one of the world’s richest and most powerful and populous nations. Japan is an amazing nation and the Japanese people have an incredibly rich and unique history and culture. This blog recognises the many great things that make Japan “Japanese”, while seeking to highlight some of the obvious signs of this nation’s deep and desperate need for hope found only in the Saviour Jesus Christ.
So while some of the posts will shine light on issues that run deeply in and amongst Japanese society, the intent is never to cast Japan or the Japanese in a negative light. Rather we seek to demonstrate that from the Christian’s perspective, Japanese society lacks the means of seeing and knowing the gracious, loving and holy God who made all people, due to the sinful fallenness that blinds men and women all around the world. We want Christians all around the world to see that while the Japanese have rejected God in a manner common to all of humanity, a better understanding of their religious and cultural practices reveals how they have done this in a particularly Japanese way.
Because there are elements of Japanese religion, tradition and culture that have alienated people considerably from biblical concepts of God, truth and the divine purpose for creation and humanity, Christianity struggled for centuries now to become established amongst the Japanese. The phrase “Japan needs Jesus” is therefore not simply about communicating the fact that Japanese need to hear the gospel like the people who live next door to you. It also speaks of the need for gospel-minded, Jesus-loving people to take the life-giving hope of Christ to Japan by partnering with the Japanese church to evangelise the lost, plant new churches and train up the next generation of leaders to ensure the church in Japan has a stronger future.
Japan needs Jesus is the personal weblog of Yarran & Helen Johnston, a couple from Brisbane Australia who are currently preparing for service in Japan as long-term missionaries. They would love it if you would join them on their journey by growing in awareness of the gospel need in Japan and praying for them and the missionaries who are already active in bringing the hope of Jesus to the Japanese.
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11, ESV).
Japan Needs JESUS 