Current Ministries
Area: West Tokyo
In 2020, God saw us through a move from Kawasaki to West Tokyo. This part of Tokyo is the more suburban area for workers in downtown Tokyo, so there are many young families. These towns are a mix of homes, apartments, farms, parks and even a few lakes. People of all ages live in these towns, and one of them is the town Maki grew up in. Another nearby town was Jon’s first home as a missionary in Japan back in 2007.
Church Planting Assistant in West Toyo
In 2019 Kodaira Chapel’s daughter church plant was dedicated in the next town to the West, Josui House of Grace. This house church was built by our co-worker missionaries as their own residence, but designed with a large common area in their living room that serves as a worship and meeting area. Regular services have begun on Sunday afternoons, and we look forward to working there as well.
Some of the outreach activities include English Cafe, Bible Cafe (Sunday afternoon service), Mom&Tots Music, Praise Night, seasonal events, individual Bible Studies and more.
Jon serves through pastoral care and preaching, and in women’s ministry. We’ve both been helping with seasonal programs.
Keisen Christ Church Group
Two churches nearby that are affiliated with our fellow missionaries are part of the Keisen Christ Church Network. The Keisen network is a network of churches that has a vision to spread all over Japan. They hope to see as many churches in Japan as convenience stores! About 15 years ago, they developed a vision to reach the West Tokyo area, and planted Kodaira Chapel.
Kodaira Chapel, the mother church, and other Keisen church in the area, was planted 12 years ago by a missionary couple.
Discovery Bible Study
Some mornings, our living room fills with people from different backgrounds and faith journeys. At our Discovery Bible Study, some come from church, some are searching, and some have been hurt by church—but all are welcome. With freshly baked goods and coffee, we open the Bible, pray together, and ask honest questions about God and life.
Our hope is to see a local, inter-church Christian community take root in West Tokyo—one that can support and encourage one another. This kind of community grows slowly, but it is essential.
Perhaps one of the reasons the church is so small in Japan (>1%), is that the gospel sounds foreign to Japanese people. In order to reach the 99% unchurched Japanese, we need to better contextualize the gospel. We’ve recently started some ministries to that end.
JCATS
Sharing the Gospel in Japan requires more than translation—it requires deep understanding.
JCATS – Japanese Contextual and Theological Studies is a podcast that Jon launched in 2022. The program’s purpose is to introduce Japanese expressions of the gospel and Christianity to missionaries in Japan. By introducing Japanese expressions of the gospel and focusing on the felt needs of Japanese people, we hope to equip missionaries to share the gospel in a more natural way for Japanese hearts and minds. Through podcasts and lecture events, JCATS equips leaders to communicate the Gospel in ways that connect with everyday Japanese life. When the message is understood clearly, it can take deeper root and bear lasting fruit.
JEMA
Mission work in Japan is challenging—and no one should do it alone.
This year Jon began collaborating with JEMA (Japanese Evangelical Missionary Association). JEMA is a networking and equipping group with around 1000 members (most of the evangelical missionaries in Japan). As the member of Leadership Team of JEMA, Jon has been working on a new project to help missionaries network for more effective ministry across Japan, as well as explore better ways to help missionaries partner with Japanese pastors.
By connecting and equipping those serving across Japan, JEMA helps missionaries stay healthy, encouraged, and effective in making disciples.
Strong support leads to sustainable, long-term ministry.
CRASH Japan
When disaster strikes, presence speaks louder than words.
After serving in disaster relief following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Jon felt a lasting call to serve those affected by crisis. In 2025, Jon joined the board of Crash Japan and continues to visit disaster-affected areas, including the Noto Peninsula. In a country often impacted by earthquakes and natural disasters, disaster relief becomes a powerful way to share God’s love—through compassion, service, and simply showing up.
Camp ministry is a great outreach in Japan, as many Japanese have been saved at camp where people feel free from the pressures of society, so we’re happy to be involved! Joy Bible Camp is a camp in Tokyo’s western mountain range where Elementary and Middle School students play, eat, sing and listen to the gospel for 2 weeks in summer.
Ramen and Jesus is a monthly Middle Schooler club that we started with some other Christian friends a few years ago. This is especially helpful, as most churches don’t have Middle School programs in Japan.
OUR VISION
to reach the unreached 99% in Japan
How can we support local churches?
How can Christianity take root in Japan over a hundred years of evangelism?
3 Core Ministries
Church Planting Assistance
We have always been committed to Church Planting. We are currently assisting our second church plant, Josui House of Grace, in cooperation with a Japanese denomination and other missionaries.
Inter-Church Local Fellowship
With churches being so small, and pastors being so few, better cooperation between churches would be a vital boost. We have been considering ways to encourage greater local cooperation between churches for fellowship, as well as ways to introduce Christianity to people who are favorable to Christianity but nervous about the established church.
Japanese Christianity
In order to reach the 99% unchurched Japanese, we need to better contextualize the gospel. Jon continues to work on a contextualization podcast called JCATS, and is researching other ways to present a more natural Gospel for the Japanese, and Maki has been writing Christian content for Japanese moms, both Christian and ‘Christian sympathizers’ on her blog.
Inter-Church Local Fellowship and Outreach: With small (and shrinking) congregations and inadequate staff, most churches are unable to provide more than a Sunday morning worship service, and sometimes a Wednesday evening prayer meeting. But what if local churches of different associations and denominations could set aside minor differences and have shared Bible Studies, barbecues, church fellowships, parenting classes, etc? The Joshua Project, a missions data service, recommends that 2% of a country’s population is needed to hit critical mass in order to evangelize itself. Japan’s Christian church population is less than 1% and almost all those Christians are in 10-30 person churches that act as islands cut off from other Christians!
Working with the House of Grace church plant in our neighboring town, we’ve seen the benefits of building a custom house with space for group meetings. Our current apartment prohibits hosting religious events or other programs like kids’ English. Also, by having a permanent home in the community we can join the HOA and be recognized by friends as ‘lifers’ in our town. This is especially helpful when people consider long-term friendships with foreign or mixed families.
We are calling this project Makiba House, Makiba is Japanese for pasture (found in Psalm 23:2), as we want our home to be a place that Japanese can be nourished in God’s word. This will allow us to hold Bible studies, hangouts, seasonal events, even English conversation classes that friends have repeatedly asked for.
Makiba House, our planned home plus meeting space, will be a place for people to come and explore Christianity freely and learn what it’s like to live as Christians before deciding to go to church. We see it like a stepping stone toward the full Christian life.
This will be a big, 2-3 year project. We are praying for God’s leading and provision. Your prayerful consideration of a donation for this project is appreciated!
With the MAKIBA HOUSE, we could have…
Local Outreach Activities
Fellowship Meals, Coffee gatherings, Seasonal events, English Class, Parenting class, and Bible Studies!
Inter-Church Fellowship
Local clergy luncheons, inter-church fellowships and other programs could lead to better coordination for evangelism in our city!
Online Ministry Studio
The JCATS Podcast / youtube program, Maki’s Christian Life blog, and other multi-media projects are aimed at helping the missionary community present a more natural gospel for Japan, as well as presenting that natural gospel to Japanese seekers online.