The Church in My Town

Elichi and Kazuto* share more than friendship. They are on a journey together to learn about Jesus.

The boys live in Kumamoto, Japan, the city that was nearly destroyed in the April 2016 earthquake. Nearly every citizen was affected in some way.

During this time Elichi and Kazuto discovered a new radio program called Words of Hope, produced by the Japanese outreach of ReFrame Ministries.

“We first launched the Words of Hope program following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan,” explained BTGMI ministry leader Rev. Masao Yamashita. “Our goal was to address the spiritual needs of hurting people in this area.”

Because the program connected many people to faith and commitments to Christ, after the Kumamoto earthquake BTGMI began to broadcast Words of Hope in that area.

Elichi and Kazuto listened faithfully to the program, and started attending the Kumamoto Reformed Church, a BTGMI partner church.

The boys wanted to learn more about the Bible so they signed up for the annual BTGMI summer Bible camp, where they met with other Christians and seekers for Bible study, worship, and fellowship.

“The summer camp and partnerships with local churches are crucial for discipling those who respond to our programs,” Yamashita noted.

In fact, local churches and BTGMI are partnering on a new initiative to produce a series of videos called “The Church in My Town” to help connect listeners and seekers to the local church.

The videos, distributed largely through social media, help remove barriers for those hesitant to attend church. The welcoming content help viewers see how the local church offers community as it serves the neighborhood.

Whether radio or video invite people like Elichi and Kazuto into relationship with Christ and His church, pray that these media outreach efforts continue to welcome people into His kingdom.