Today the One Week To Shine team went to Akihabara, where anime and otaku culture married the electronics industry and created a district unique only to Tokyo. Akihabara is also the center of a darker underculture consisting of pornography and other sex industry perversion. In essence, a place that is saturated with what we Christ-followers would call "the world".
We went there today to pray and invite people to meet Jesus. Starting our day out with a prayer walk around the center of Akihabara, we got a feel for the lost people in that area. We began to sense that the heart of God was not fierce and condemnatory towards the people there. Rather, the Father wanted to reach out to them and heal their broken hearts and be a real father to the fatherless generations.
After we met back at Akihabara Station, we morphed into a flash mob of people dancing to the song "Happy". (Which, if you haven't heard it, can be found here.) Many people took notice of us and we were able to hand out a newspaper containing stories of how God has changed people's lives in Japan. It also invited them to our concert on Saturday where we will be able to invite them to church on Sunday.
Why is this effective? Because 99% of the Japanese population has no idea who Jesus is. Most of them have never heard of Jesus.
Ever.
We met a cameraman today by the station who wanted to use some of our foreign faces for the music video he was shooting. A few of us happily obliged his film-making and then began a conversation with him that led to his eczema being healed right there on the spot. He said he felt so light. One of our group asked him if he would like to feel that way all the time and he replied "Yes, please!" After some explanation, he accepted Christ right then and a huge smile broke out on his face! He was so happy, we hugged him and sang a song with him to celebrate - right there on the street. Before meeting us, he had never heard of Jesus and had never been told that God loves him.
We're making headway here in Japan. I am so thrilled to be a part of what God is doing here in Tokyo and I can't wait to share more awesome stories with you as the week goes on!
For God's glory!
Amanda
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
One Week To Shine
Something crazy is going down in Tokyo.
It looks like people from all over the world collaborating to bring the hope of Jesus to Japan.
It sounds like people from all denominations praising God with one voice.
It's something of a God-movement, joining everyone for one purpose.
And we're calling it One Week To Shine.
Here in Japan, the week between the Global Day of Prayer (June 8th) and Global Outreach Day (June 14th) is being utilized for one purpose: giving the love and hope of Christ to everyone we can find. Every day from Monday to Friday, teams from all over the world will be going out into the city of Tokyo to pass out newspapers with the gospel, talk and pray with people, and invite them to an outreach concert on Saturday.
We will be doing everything we can to gather attention and open doors for conversations the ignite life change. Things like parkour, flash mobs, and musical street performances create opportunities for us to speak to those who would normally walk right by us on the street. And on the city streets of Tokyo where 99% of the people do not know Jesus, we need as many opportunities as possible.
Today, my new roommate, Amanda McGinness, and I met a 15-year-old girl in the park where we were practicing for our flash mob. Talking with her, we discovered that she had never heard of Jesus before. Amanda gave her a tract that explains Jesus' love for us. She read it and immediately started asking Amanda questions about it. Please pray that we will get to meet her again and lead her to the Lord!
During One Week To Shine, we will also be doing prayer walks around red light and entertainment districts, asking God to set people free who are in slavery both mentally and physically. We need to bring the name of Jesus to places where it may never before have been spoken.
You can find out more about One Week To Shine at their website: http://7media.org/1wts/ or follow what we're doing on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/7MEDIAORG
I am expecting great things this upcoming week and I hope you will join me in prayer for Tokyo as we bring the light of the world to Japan! Be looking forward to many photos and updates as the week goes on! Can't wait to share with you what God is doing in Tokyo!
Thank you so much for your prayers, your encouragement, and your love!
~ Amanda
It looks like people from all over the world collaborating to bring the hope of Jesus to Japan.
It sounds like people from all denominations praising God with one voice.
It's something of a God-movement, joining everyone for one purpose.
And we're calling it One Week To Shine.
Here in Japan, the week between the Global Day of Prayer (June 8th) and Global Outreach Day (June 14th) is being utilized for one purpose: giving the love and hope of Christ to everyone we can find. Every day from Monday to Friday, teams from all over the world will be going out into the city of Tokyo to pass out newspapers with the gospel, talk and pray with people, and invite them to an outreach concert on Saturday.
We will be doing everything we can to gather attention and open doors for conversations the ignite life change. Things like parkour, flash mobs, and musical street performances create opportunities for us to speak to those who would normally walk right by us on the street. And on the city streets of Tokyo where 99% of the people do not know Jesus, we need as many opportunities as possible.
Today, my new roommate, Amanda McGinness, and I met a 15-year-old girl in the park where we were practicing for our flash mob. Talking with her, we discovered that she had never heard of Jesus before. Amanda gave her a tract that explains Jesus' love for us. She read it and immediately started asking Amanda questions about it. Please pray that we will get to meet her again and lead her to the Lord!
During One Week To Shine, we will also be doing prayer walks around red light and entertainment districts, asking God to set people free who are in slavery both mentally and physically. We need to bring the name of Jesus to places where it may never before have been spoken.
You can find out more about One Week To Shine at their website: http://7media.org/1wts/ or follow what we're doing on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/7MEDIAORG
I am expecting great things this upcoming week and I hope you will join me in prayer for Tokyo as we bring the light of the world to Japan! Be looking forward to many photos and updates as the week goes on! Can't wait to share with you what God is doing in Tokyo!
Thank you so much for your prayers, your encouragement, and your love!
~ Amanda
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