Participants:
Series Code: MTS
Program Code: MTS002001A
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00:07 The land where Jesus walked 2000 years ago,
00:10 India, Tokyo, and other parts of Asia 00:12 coming up next on Mission 360. 00:39 Hello and welcome to Mission 360, 00:41 coming to you today from Galilee in Israel, 00:44 and I'm standing on a hillside, 00:47 which is traditionally known as the mount of blessing, 00:50 the mount of the beatitudes, 00:52 whether this is the exact location or not, who knows, 00:55 but it's a testimony 00:57 to those wonderful words of Jesus 00:59 that we know as the Sermon on the Mount. 01:02 And on that sermon, He gave eight blessings, 01:05 which so many of us know off by heart 01:08 and blessed are the poor in spirit, 01:10 blessed are the merciful. 01:11 On today's program, 01:12 we'll be looking at mission around the world 01:14 that has been inspired 01:16 because of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. 01:19 That's the only reason 01:20 why the Seventh-day Adventist church 01:21 runs a mission program 01:23 to share the good news about Jesus. 01:25 First up, let's travel to Tokyo. 01:33 God placed this burden on me. 01:36 For the last few years, I've been having this burden 01:38 because, you know, less than 1% are Christian in Japan. 01:42 It's a big country, lots of people, 01:46 but for some reason, 01:47 the everlasting gospel is not being communicated. 01:57 Tokyo is the world's largest metropolitan area 02:00 with almost 40 million people. 02:03 The challenge of reaching a city of this size 02:05 might seem impossible, 02:07 but God can use anyone. 02:09 Even someone on the other side of the world to spark change. 02:14 Daniel grew up in California 02:15 as a third-generation Japanese American. 02:18 He always told himself 02:19 he would be open to God's plans for his life. 02:22 After much prayer, 02:23 he knew that God wanted him to move across the globe 02:27 to work in Japan 02:28 and Daniel accepted the call to serve in Tokyo. 02:32 Even though I grew up in America, 02:34 my mom and my dad helped me retain the Japanese language. 02:38 So I was able to communicate and read and write. 02:42 So I believe that 02:43 I felt like God was calling me to go to Japan 02:46 and use the talents for His cause over in Japan. 02:50 He was assigned to work alongside the pastor 02:52 of the Setagaya Adventist Church, 02:54 wherein 2016, 02:56 there were less than 10 people attending each week. 02:59 The church was about ready to shut down 03:01 when Daniel arrived, 03:03 he knew that God had bigger plans 03:05 for this congregation. 03:06 So he began working to make the church a landmark 03:09 in the community. 03:10 Here in Japan, there's a lot of lonely people. 03:13 They just commit to work or school. 03:15 And a lot of them are lonely, so they want fellowship. 03:18 So I think that's what the Japanese people need. 03:22 We just need to mingle with them. 03:24 Mingling is just one of the steps 03:26 in Christ's method, 03:27 Jesus mingled with people to get to know their needs 03:30 and earn their trust. 03:32 Daniel decided to try to reignite 03:34 this church's mission spirit with a fresh approach. 03:37 He invited young people 03:39 and held evangelism training for them in the Church. 03:42 We have young people, 03:44 college-age, high school age, young adults, 03:47 stay in a Church for three weeks. 03:50 We eat meals together. 03:51 We have devotions, worships, Bible studies together, 03:54 and we train how to knock on doors, 03:56 how to communicate with people, how to pray with people. 03:59 And it's been a blessing 04:01 and the students really grow a lot. 04:04 They really have this identity as Seventh-day Adventist 04:08 in the mission spirits. 04:10 This once dwindling church 04:12 transformed overnight into a youth training center. 04:15 As the young members reached out 04:17 to their local community through prayer 04:19 and face-to-face interaction, 04:21 attendance quickly grew fivefold 04:24 and word is spreading throughout the community. 04:27 When we go out to this community, 04:34 sometimes we cannot meet the people around this area 04:40 but sometime God sends the people to our church. 04:46 When the people come to our church, 04:49 I feel that Jesus is working for this church. 04:54 The church is now essentially run 04:56 by young people with a passion 04:58 to reach the people of Tokyo for Jesus. 05:01 And if you ask them why they love this church, 05:03 Oh, this church is so special 05:06 because the young people they have power 05:09 and passion and energy to reach out to people. 05:15 They are so friendly and kind. 05:19 I really enjoy spending time here with everyone. 05:23 It's great to see 05:24 how the young people are getting excited about God 05:27 and the Bible. 05:31 In my experience, 05:33 I have developed a stronger prayer life. 05:37 I have direct communication with God 05:39 as I reach out to people. 05:43 I learned the joy of communicating with God. 05:48 Daniel decided to expand the Setagaya churches programs 05:52 to include youth from all over Tokyo. 05:55 Once a month, we have an event 05:57 where young people from all over the Tokyo area come 06:00 and we stay in sleeping bags at the church, 06:04 50 to 70 young people come stay at the church, 06:08 study the Bible, sing songs, and have fellowship. 06:11 It's been a blessing. 06:13 This group continues to grow. 06:15 Thanks to the efforts 06:16 of reigniting the church's mission spirit. 06:19 Setagaya Church members are exploring new ways 06:22 to break down barriers 06:24 and show the love of God to the people of Tokyo. 06:27 Many people in this city are busy and isolated 06:30 but still long for connection with others. 06:33 When young people get on fire for Jesus, 06:36 I believe the entire Church gets on fire for Jesus. 06:39 And so that's why working with a young people 06:42 is such an honor, such a privilege. 06:44 And I believe when we get the young people on fire, 06:48 the entire country of Japan will be on fire. 06:51 Mission challenges in Japan are real and continue to grow. 06:55 Please pray for the Setagaya Church members 06:58 as they ask for God's help in spreading His love 07:01 throughout the largest city on earth, 07:03 your prayers and support of the mission offerings 07:06 go a long way to encourage mission in Japan 07:09 and around the world. 07:12 My guest is Pastor Wasim, 07:14 who is the director of the life and hope center 07:18 here in Nazareth. 07:19 Thanks so much for joining us. My pleasure. 07:21 And we've just actually had the opening celebrations 07:24 for this center. 07:25 Yes. 07:27 How does it feel to have it up and running? 07:29 Well, it's a great joy and we are so happy 07:34 and we praise the Lord for this opportunity. 07:37 Actually, it's one of its kind among the Arabs, 07:40 and this is the first center 07:42 that serves the Arabs in Israel. 07:44 Wonderful. 07:45 Now can you describe for us, 07:46 we're actually on the roof of the center, 07:48 where are we located? 07:50 We are in downtown Nazareth. Yeah. 07:53 In a city of 80,000 people, 75% of them they are Muslims. 07:58 Can you describe some of the activities 08:00 that you're engaged in? 08:02 In life and hope center, we run different programs. 08:07 Some of it, English teaching programs, 08:09 computer programs, 08:11 we have about 60 kids 08:13 that they are from Muslim background. 08:16 Everyone who would like to sign and be part of the program, 08:19 they have to sign the document. 08:20 The parents actually have to sign the documents 08:22 that our center runs... 08:25 It's a Christian, first of all, Christian center, 08:28 a Seventh-day Adventist, and we teach from the Bible. 08:31 The other program that we run is a health programs 08:35 with my wife, educational health as well. 08:39 We have another program is computer, 08:41 how to use, surf internet 08:42 and how to use computer in the right way. 08:46 And the Lord is blessing us. 08:47 We have a lot of attendance by us. 08:50 Yes. 08:51 Now I understand there's a waiting list of parents 08:53 who want their children to come. 08:55 Yes, that's right. 08:56 You know, we... Our capacity is not... 08:59 We cannot like have more than 60 kids at once. 09:03 That's because of the place, the size of the place. 09:07 Secondly, it's just my wife and myself. 09:11 We are the only one working for this project, 09:13 and I have other work 09:14 I'm pastoring other five churches 09:16 here in Nazareth. 09:17 Right. Okay. 09:18 Well, let's say... 09:20 It's a pleasure to meet you 09:21 because you're the second person I know 09:23 who lived in Nazareth. 09:25 The other one was Jesus. 09:27 That's right. 09:29 So Wasim what are the challenges 09:31 that young people face in this city? 09:34 Do you know... 09:36 The Arab culture for some time was a closed culture 09:40 now because of internet and, you know, the TV, 09:46 and the access to technology, 09:48 they became like open to new cultures 09:50 and they adopted just the bad from the other cultures 09:55 and the good they left it behind. 09:57 And you see the crime start increasing in Nazareth. 10:03 The moral issues, it started like getting like interrupted. 10:07 So we tried to assure, 10:10 we tried to work with the kids 10:13 to come back to their original 10:16 the way how they grow up their fathers, 10:18 how they grow up. 10:19 And we probably, through the Bible, 10:21 through teaching them the message of Jesus, 10:23 how to be peaceful, how to live together 10:26 and how to reach their goals in the future. 10:29 Wonderful. 10:31 Can you tell me how are lives being changed, 10:34 being impacted through this center? 10:36 We faced once a challenge with one of the children. 10:40 Who's very hyper 10:41 and we call it in English, very naughty. 10:43 Yeah? 10:45 And the parents complained and they said, 10:47 "We will send him, but we are so worried 10:49 he will be disturbing the class." 10:52 But through the way, how we dealt with him, 10:55 through prayers. 10:56 We were kneeling down praying for this child, 10:59 the Lord put a kind of peace in his heart 11:02 and he started looking at the others 11:04 the way how they behave, and the way how they sit, 11:06 the way how they write, 11:08 the way how they respect the pencils and the papers. 11:10 He started like learning from them 11:14 that he is supposed to sit 11:15 and not be hyper and move all around. 11:18 And step-by-step the child changed totally. 11:21 And the parents start calling us, asking, 11:23 "What happened that our child now became so peaceful. 11:26 He's not any more aggressive." 11:28 And there we explained to the parents 11:30 that when they signed, 11:33 we told them that we will be teaching 11:35 the child from the Bible. 11:36 And the question of these parents was, 11:38 "Does the Bible do this?" 11:40 We told them, 11:42 "It's not the Bible, 11:43 but it's the author of the Bible. 11:44 It's the one who inspired those that they did write the Bible 11:47 does this miracles." 11:49 And they were amazed. 11:50 They said, 11:52 "If the Bible will educate our children, 11:53 then we respect the Bible and the teachers of the Bible." 11:57 Wonderful. 11:58 And they are speaking about this method 12:01 in the school of the child. 12:03 And since then we received calls 12:05 from many parents, 12:07 "Please, can we bring our children to you?" 12:09 But again because of the capacity, 12:11 we cannot keep the doors open. 12:13 So we are very limited. 12:14 So Pastor Wasim, 12:16 what are your hopes for the future? 12:18 We started with a dream and the dream became truth 12:22 through the blessing of the Lord 12:24 and the help of many divisions around the world 12:27 and the general conference. 12:31 The place is very small. 12:33 We are praying and hoping that 12:35 we can build a place 12:38 or buy the top floor of this building 12:41 because we need a space. 12:43 We need people that they can come and assist us 12:46 because the work, 12:47 I'm doing this alone with my wife 12:50 and we have other churches to take care of. 12:52 So, we hope that there will be some volunteers 12:55 that they speak English, for example, 12:57 that they can teach English 12:59 that they will come and help us. 13:01 We are hoping to build 13:03 the first church speaking in Arabic in Israel. 13:07 That's our dream and our goal. That's why we are here. 13:10 That's why we run 13:12 life and hope center in Nazareth. 13:14 Fantastic. 13:15 Pastor, thank you so much for sharing. 13:17 It's a pleasure. And thanks for being here by us. 13:18 Thanks for visiting. Oh, it's an honor. 13:20 Thank you. May the Lord bless you. 13:22 Thank you. Thank you very much. 13:23 And, viewers, pray for the ministry here, 13:26 the life and hope center 13:27 that is bringing life and hope in downtown Nazareth. 13:33 We'll be back right after this break. |
Revised 2021-02-05