June 2013 Council Agenda - International Pentecostal Holiness ...

The conference proved to be of significant benefit in several ways:
* The Continental and Regional Directors met with missionaries individually or as couples
for sessions of debriefing, counseling and planning.
* Away from the hardship and isolation of their fields of service, missionaries experienced
much-needed refreshment and renewal, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
* Sharing their burdens and trials as well as their joys and triumphs, missionaries were
strengthened and encouraged through fellowship and ministry to one another.
* Times of strategic and prophetic prayer helped to tear down walls and open doors in
missionaries' lives and ministries.
* As missionaries talked, prayed, ate, laughed and cried together, their sense of unity as a
team was strengthened and solidified.
* Gathering together to worship the Risen Lord, missionaries renewed their vision and
commitment to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
A special highlight of the conference was the water baptism of four missionary
children! What a joy to see these MKs affirming their love for Christ and committing
themselves to follow Him!
IV. COUNTRY REPORTS
East Asia (Russell Board, acting Regional Director)
JAPAN
• Thirty percent of Japanese pastors are 70 years of age or older, and Japanese seminaries
are witnessing a shrinking enrollment. There are fewer than 8000 churches in Japan,
but within the next 10 years, it is estimated that one-third of Japanese churches will be
without a pastor. By contrast, seminaries and Bible Schools in South Korea are
producing more graduates than are needed to serve the nation’s 50,000 churches. We
are praying that God will enable the churches in South Korea and Japan to overcome the
historical friction between the nations, and establish partnerships for the sake of the
gospel in Japan. Toward that end, Pastor Hiroshi Yunohara of Nagasaki International
Church (IPHC) has established a partnership with the Christian Broadcasting
System (CBS) in Korea to begin to produce and distribute programming to present the
gospel on Japanese radio and TV. Please pray for this endeavor.
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