Japan (MNN) – In 2011, northeastern Japan was hit by a 9.0 earthquake. That earthquake then triggered a tsunami and a meltdown at a nuclear power plant. The resulting devastation became known as the Triple Disaster, and its impact is still felt in parts of Japan to this day.
So what does rebuilding look like? MNN’s own Ruth Kramer sat down with A3’s Joshua Hari at the Lausanne Conference to discuss Japan’s past, present, and future.
“After the disaster, God’s [been] teaching us how to collaborate as a body of Christ in Japan. It’s been more than 13 years, and still[…] [Christians] emphasize the importance of collaboration.”
In the wake of the triple disaster, the local church – in collaboration with the global church – established a network for disaster relief and compassionate support. In the midst of working toward practical recovery, the Church in Japan set another goal – help 2% of Japan’s population find Jesus by the year 2030.
“In order to get to 2% of the Christian population, we need 50,000 churches,” Hari says. “Then each local church would have 58 members.”
Unfortunately, another more recent disaster has shaken the nation once again. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic shook the entire globe. In Japan, many pastors began to resign in a pattern similar to the aftermath of the Triple Disaster.
“We need some spiritual revival to happen in Japan,” Hari says. “Pray for collaboration so that we could see Christ-centered movement happen in Japan.”
Joshua Hari and A3 are calling on the global Church to come alongside Japan’s believers the same way she did after the Triple Disaster. “We need to collaborate together towards the same goal, towards the same visions, to reaching the 2%,” he says. “Pray for us, for wisdom, and for God’s guidance towards the next step.”
Learn more about A3’s work right here. Follow Mission Network News for more updates on the work of the global body of believers.
Header photo courtesy of Wikimedia.
