Japanese Culture Series 8: Zoto

In the United States soon we will be celebrating Christmas, a real occasion for celebration of Christ’s birth often accompanied with the giving of gifts. However, in Japan, Zoto, or the custom of gift giving, strongly prevails in everyday life. On every important occasion gifts are given in great quantity all over Japan. From seasonal gifts such as during New Years when hundreds of cards are sent out as well as money gifts for children to ceremonial gifts of religious significance to gifts of occasion for certain phases of life such as graduations, the Japanese conscience is keenly aware of gift giving. As much as eighty-five separate occasions exist for which it is appropriate to give a gift. On average a Japanese salary man spends about $2300 a year on gifts! Why is such importance placed on gift giving?

In Japanese life gifts can be used to express congratulations, apologies, appreciation, consolation, and as necessary forms of obligation to maintain relationships. (On my first trip to Japan I learned the importance of giving a gift as a way to seek reconciliation after a social faux pas!) Though Japanese are often seen as people that do not verbally express themselves as often as other people groups, they are keenly aware of non-verbal communication to a very high degree. Relations can be better maintained through the giving of gifts in this type of society. For that reason when one travels throughout Japan a regular site is that of the gift shop. Regional gifts are especially prized. When a gift is not brought back from a journey or business trip for co-workers, family, and other groups they may be a part of, one can quickly be viewed as terribly inconsiderate!

So, how can this impact missionary work? Because Japanese people are very considerate in the area of gift giving and receiving they will generally take great time to appreciate a gift given to them. This can be advantageous for occasions to meet people for the purpose of evangelism as well as the giving out of Bibles in a formal way. Gift giving can be an in-roads into establishing a relationship with a stranger. On the negative side, because of the expectation of gift giving, costs can mount up when desiring to maintain relationships! Please pray for us as we navigate the gift giving world of Japan!

Japanese Culture Series 7: Shudan Ishiki

In Japanese thinking the concept of Shudan Ishiki or “group consciousness” is vitally important to every day life. Every interaction is closely tied to being aware of what the group thinks and does as opposed individual actions. In other words, in Japan, the group is more important than the individual. Two dominant categories exist in Japanese thinking: the uchi and the soto. Uchi being those inside the group (family and associates) and soto being those outside the group. Life consists of remaining in the uchi while avoiding soto status. Because Japanese people tend to think as a group, what benefits the group is seen as the correct thing to do, even if the individual suffers from the decision. For example, if a Japanese company decides that it is beneficial for the company to send a family to live in Mexico for the next three years then the individual will need to comply lest he face great shame and loss of employment!

Loyalty to the group is essential which can be good or bad depending on the group’s core values. Often times it is more important to retain group solidarity to maintain harmony rather than oppose the group even if opposition is the right thing to do. If an individual opposes the group, he risks being excluded from the group, which often times is unbearable for those living in a group-oriented society. A common saying exhibiting this in Japan is, “The nail that sticks up is pounded down”. The nail being representative of an individual.

How can this impact missionary work? In general a strong group culture tends to create a unified church. New decisions within a church tend to take a lot of time as everyone has to agree before it can be done. But, when the decision is made everyone is in agreement. Church discipline on the other hand may be difficult as maintaining harmony is vitally important, unless the power of the group could be used to help change the individual to fit group standards. However, there are some issues with group culture as well. In the instance of evangelism an individual may not want to become Christian because it would likely place him outside the group in his family structure if they are not Christian. (Even if becoming Christian is the right thing to do!) Once a certain level of comfort exists within an established group there appears to be little need to take risks that would threaten the group, which could be another hamper to evangelism. Please pray for us as we learn to work with the Japanese church!

Japanese Culture Series 6: Bushido

Perhaps more than any other term, Bushido is most commonly recognized by Americans when it comes to Japanese culture. Bushido or ‘way of the warrior’ has been dramatized by anime, manga, samurai movies, and war history. But what exactly is Bushido characterized as in modern Japan? First, some background:

From Japanese history during the Edo period a combination of Zen Buddhism and Confucianism created a moral and ethical system to govern the samurai class. Much like the feudal chivalry system known to the Western world, Bushido was a code that really dictated all aspects of life to its adherents. Among the concepts involved were those dictating interactions between people, property management, and governmental relations. For instance, great loyalty to one’s local ruler or overall government was essential in this teaching. Also, a system of honor to manage every day interactions was essential to the degree that it became more important than life itself. So then, when something deemed dishonorable occurred, rather than to dishonor oneself or family it was seen as more noble to take one’s own life through ritual suicide than to live through the great shame of being dishonored. How have these concepts passed into modern times?

In modern Japan Bushido has greatly contributed to the overall unique Japanese national character. This has both positive and negative connotations. Unquestioning loyalty to one’s leaders, honorable interactions with others, and avoiding shame at all costs have become essential elements of Japanese culture where it is said that a system needs to be maintained to ensure cooperation on a small island with a dense population. This has led to a mindset that values maintaining the system above the individual need which is seen as a lesser priority. Even in modern times suicide can still be glorified as an acceptable way to escape pain! Perhaps this is part of the reason why suicide rates in Japan are still highest among the modern world.

How can Bushido impact missionary work? Not only the issues from obvious romanticized views of suicide in culture, but also extreme unquestioning loyalty can be a hindrance to spiritual growth as it tends to close down clear communication in favor of maintaining harmony. Also, Bushido elements may sound good from a non-spiritual prospective, however they promote self-reliance upon the flesh to produce outward character change rather than inward reliance upon the spirit to produce outward change by yielding to God. Is a person trained by society to act a certain way genuine or acting to avoid shame of others? As in our own culture self-reliance must be countered with Christ-centered spirit reliance! Please pray for spiritual breakthroughs to occur as the Gospel reaches Japan!

Japanese Culture Series 5: Amae

In Japan the concept of Amae, or depending on the benevolence of others, strongly permeates society. This assumption of benevolence as well as strong sense of harmony helps to form part of the distinct Japanese culture. Because Japanese people are strongly communal there exists strong bonds as well as certain expectations within certain groups in society. In America there generally exists a similar sense of benevolence to others, but not to the extent that it impairs our desire to be independent, which is considered a great virtue in our society. However, in Japanese society the group is vastly  more important than the individual.

For instance, in one’s family Amae is strong because it is assumed that a family member can depend on benevolence much in the way that a baby can rely on its mother’s care. A close inner group such as the family is expected to extend this benevolence to other family members. This can also work in the reverse way to cause great guilt if a family member goes against the group’s wishes. For this reason Japanese people often have a difficult time saying no. Because of the fear of breaking a bond, a no answer must be exhibited carefully.

How can Amae be an issue? Many young Japanese men growing up prefer the comfort of the family group over the rigorous demands of Japanese society. These issues as well as others have created a class of men known as “Hikikomori” who decide rather to stay at home and rely on their family to take care of them. This is a serious issue in Japan as about 2 million men are staying at home rather than contributing to society! Amae can also present issues for missionaries.

How can Amae be an issue in missionary work? Often times the Amae relationship is expected from a pastor to a church member, which can greatly increase the amount of time he is to spend on sheparding, and therefore limit time for other responsibilities. Because of this expectation evangelism may be neglected not only due to time factors, but also because of the difficulty it takes for new people becoming a part of the group. As missionaries we will need prayer for how to balance our time spent helping both people in the church as well as those outside of the church. We will also need prayer to help people outside of the church transition into the church culture.

Japanese Culture Series 4: Giri

One of the most distinct difference between Japanese culture and Western culture is the concept of Giri. Giri, known as the social obligation of returning a gift or favor  to maintain harmony in relationships, still remains a strong force in daily Japanese life.

In ancient Japan small communities worked together to maintain rice farms. An obligation existed for each small community to help each other in time of need in order to ensure the survival of the community. So, if one farm needed help in some way the community would work together to help that farm. Later, the farmer being helped would be obligated to help others in the community. From this was developed a strong sense of social obligation to maintain harmony in order to keep balance in social relationships. If someone were to help you, you are obligated to help them in return. In comparison in American culture we have a similar concept, yet we do not expect someone to feel obligated to help us out of necessity if we help them.

In modern times this sense of Giri exists to maintain harmony in relationships. For instance, if someone gives a gift, then the other person must give an equal gift in return. If a gift is not given, then a strong sense of debt or obligation is felt until an equal gift is given in return. To lose Giri is to face strong social shame.

How can this be an issue in ministry? Here is an example: A person in our Japanese church died as a Christian, so their family thinking that the death rites would be like a Buddhist ceremony felt obligated to pay the church a large sum of money. When they found out that they would not have to do so according to Christian concepts, they felt obligated to maintain the harmony somehow. Therefore, they agreed to attend church out of obligation to their dead family member. Can you see how they would not be attending due to their own desire, but rather to maintain Giri? Many times Japanese do things out of obligation, so it is hard to determine if their motives are sincere when it comes to faith commitments. Please pray for our ability to discern.

Japanese Culture Series 3: Gambari

In American history what was known as the “Puritan Work Ethic” prevailed to later help spur the foundations of the Industrial Revolution which led to America’s great economic success. Deep within American culture existed the belief inferred from the Bible that disciplined hard work, ingenuity, and thriftiness would lead to success. In Japanese culture a similar concept of Gambari came about in the Meiji era which led to modernization as well as a powerful work ethic that eventually led to Japan’s economic superpower status in modern times.

Gambari essentially means to do one’s best or to continue on no matter what despite difficulty until one’s goals are achieved. This can be linked to great determination and a desire not to let others down. One is expected to have a Gambari spirit of determination in all aspects of life. This is almost equivalent to the American saying of “Don’t give up” or “You can do it!”, except that it has its own unique cultural connection. It is essentially used to keep people in check to constantly work hard no matter the condition. In Japanese history it was essential to work hard to survive lest one face certain starvation, become overwhelmed by the hardships of natural disasters, or face political turmoil that often existed. In modern times Gambari is essentially taught as the key to success in beating out others to get the placement in the best high schools, colleges, and jobs. This has placed great stress on Japanese people to this day.

While it may sound like a great attribute on the surface, Gambari certainly has a negative side to it as well. Because of the Gambari spirit people in Japan do not really have a concept of taking breaks, relaxing, or taking a vacation. In fact they can often have a hard time knowing what to do when presented with free time. Salarymen often die from over-work, having to work late hours every day of the week, and even forgoing holidays! This has also been linked to fanatically participating in cults as well as the culture that led to militarism in Pre-WW2 Japan. However, the new Japanese generation has started to rebel against this idea in many ways by dropping out of school and society. This has caused concern for the future of this nation!

How can this impact Missionary work? Unlike the “Puritan Work Ethic” there is no balance in Japan to help temper the spirit of doing constant tasks, which has unfortunately spilled over into Japanese Christianity. It is a real challenge for Japanese to become more like Mary than Martha. (Luke 10:38-42) We as missionaries must patiently endure this cultural aspect while demonstrating that it is perfectly acceptable to rest, as well as spend time with family. Please pray for us to respectfully be able to live a balance of ministry and rest in Japan.

Japanese Culture Series 2: Sempai and Kohai

Often times in America we expect to have what is known as either a vertical or horizontal relationship with other people. In our culture a relationship between boss and employee would be an instance of vertical, while a relationship between classmates would be considered horizontal. In Japanese culture a vertical ranking in human relationships has developed to the extent of having a strong seniority system known as: Sempai and Kohai. This system developed from the strong influences of Historical Confucianism, Japanese traditional family structure, and Civil law.

Sempai roughly means someone who is older or who has superior ability. It can also mean someone who has graduated earlier from the same school. Kohai means roughly later or after. This is a term for people who came to a school or company later, have less experience, or are younger.

In daily Japanese life this ranking can mean a lot, for instance, typically people can not even be seated or talk without first considering the status of others around them. At companies age is also considered more important than ability when determining raises, promotions, or decision making. Even the language reflects this system. When people talk to superiors they use a specific form of Japanese called Keigo. Within Keigo exists three separate forms for separate occasions: sonkeigo, kenjogo, and teineigo. Most Japanese do not start to learn Keigo until High School ages!

How does this play into doing ministry in Japan? First and foremost, this status system combined with group morality makes the spread of Christianity difficult as bullying exists for anyone who “is different” at home, in the work place, or at school. The Sempai may use intimidation that is seen as having to be obeyed lest the Kohai face societal rejection for disrespect. The Kohai can also be forced to perform ceremonies against their beliefs for companies or their family. Secondly, missionaries are typically considered Sempai as teachers, and therefore can have a difficult time determining if Japanese are believing the message of the gospel or fearing the teacher from respect. For this reason missionaries must be careful to discern whether someone is truly believing or dutifully appearing to agree with the Sempai (Missionary) because of the culture. Fortunately in the new generation the Sempai and Kohai system is starting to slowly break down into a less meaningful arrangement. Please pray for us as we seek to return to Japan to minister there!

Japanese Culture Series 1: Honne and Tatemae

To an extent we all display a form of Honne and Tatemae, yet in Japan it is an important cultural value. Honne is known as the true inward feelings that a person has, while Tatemae is known as the behavior or opinions that one displays in public to other people. One’s words and true feelings do not always agree. How many times have you been friendly toward someone outwardly when you actually did not care to be around them? This is the careful balance of Honne and Tatemae.

In Japan harmony is more important than truth. Given that Japan is a densely populated country, the development of a cultural value based upon harmony with others became necessary. Hence the need for Honne and Tatemae is said to have been developed over a long period of time. To not directly express one’s feelings and intentions is considered to be a great virtue in Japanese culture. (Unlike American culture.) Rather than telling people directly what one thinks, an indirect system exists to help create harmony by “saving face”. Because of this system it can be difficult to tell whether someone is telling what they actually think or believe versus what they want you to hear in order to help create a sense of harmony. When communicating with Japanese people this can create some serious issues for Americans!

Only over a long period of time can a foreigner learn to do what Japanese call “read the air”, meaning to discern what is actually being said in a conversation. (A highly valued skill in Japan.) In Japanese, context is necessary to understand conversation, as opposed to English where context is not as important with our direct form of communication. So, for instance in Japanese culture if I were at someone’s house and they said, “Won’t you dine with us?”, it would not be an invitation to stay and eat, but rather a subtle hint that it is time for me to go, to which I would respond, “Thank you very much, but I am not very hungry.” These kinds of communication are generally understood amongst Japanese, which makes it all the more difficult for the American to understand what is happening!

Please pray that we would be able to understand the true thoughts and intentions of Japanese people!

Thoughts on Evangelism

Evangelism, Evangelism, Evangelism! Often we hear the theme of evangelism thundered from the pulpit as a key component of our local church ministries. However, when it comes to practice many times we shy away from our responsibilities, especially when we are rejected in our noble efforts at evangelizing the lost. We then tell ourselves that only those “gifted” with evangelism can do it, and that we better just leave it to them! Yet, when reading the scriptures we find the apostle Paul on his early mission trips going to places that already had Christian populations! How did that happen? Most of the original work of evangelism was done by every day people traveling back home after Pentecost! Simple one-on-one evangelism likely grew the first churches over time. Though, now in recent days, it is often thought that a trained professional must do the work of evangelism. Perhaps this is due to our highly specialized society that tends to try to keep us in our areas of “expertise”. We might mess it up after all! This is simply not true when it comes to evangelism, for we have the power of the Holy Spirit on our side! Let me encourage you with an interesting article about something called the “Modified Engel Scale” as follows:

http://www.hazelden.org.uk/pt02/art_pt068_modified_engel_full.htm

A few years ago I was introduced to this useful chart while studying evangelism, and have been showing it to people interested in evangelism ever since. The chart is useful in that it helps us realize where different people are at when we talk with them about their spiritual status. (I do not agree with everything on this website, but find a lot of it to be helpful.) The chart proposes that there tends to be a pattern with people in how they come to God. Some people may be open to hearing the gospel message, while others are vehemently opposed to it for various reasons. By listening to what people have to say when we talk to them, we can compare it to the chart and see about how to proceed. The key is listening to what is being expressed and asking open-ended questions. (Questions that cannot be answered by a simple yes/no response.) For some it may be appropriate to share the gospel immediately and see an immediate acceptance of Christ, while for others it may be more of a long as well as patient process to help that person through each step if we are willing! How much time and energy are we willing to commit to a person to see them come to Christ? The “work” of the gospel is truly effort on our part, but with great rewards! We can help rapidly move the progress of the spiritual life of an individual with prayer, love, Christian compassion, and the sharing of various scriptures when God leads us to do so! If you are hitting “brick-walls” with various people, it could be because of where they are at spiritually. It is time to try a different approach. Remember, each of us has a whole network of people that we have influence with to reach for Christ. We know of people and will be able to reach people that our pastor will never come into contact with! Let us be patient with ourselves and give evangelism a new approach.

The Current Spiritual State of Japan

No doubt many readers of this blog have seen or will see our presentation about Japan. Back in February many of you noticed the link that I posted on my Facebook page about the current statistics of Japan’s spiritual status. This report was done by an Evangelical missions group in Japan called TEAM. Please take some time to read it:

https://trimmedtales.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/japan-state-of-missions-infograph/

No doubt those of you who are familiar with international missions realize that Japan is a difficult field, one which requires prayer support more than anything else. Japan is known to many as the “Missionary Graveyard” for good reason. The statistics from the link above indicate that missionary numbers are down %34 over 20 years. This could be because of those retiring from the field, a lack of new missionary sending, or because it is generally thought that the average stay in Japan for new missionaries is about 2 years. These numbers appear to be dismal from our human prospective, however an interesting pattern is demonstrated in missions history with the continent of Africa. In the 1800s Africa was known as the “Missionary Graveyard”. Here is some history:

http://www.tribune.org/africa-the-graveyard-of-missionaries/

We all know the rest of the story of what happened in Africa! I think to John 12:24 which states, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into to the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” This is missions in so many ways. Through those sacrifices in Africa the gospel seed had been planted. Likewise, the heart-felt work of those in Japan will not go unnoticed by God. I believe that the ground worked by those of the past will come to new harvest in Japan such as not has been seen before. Whether it be a growth increase of 3% instead of 1.2% or a national revival, anything is possible. With all the complexities of modern Christianity we tend to look at missions by the numbers from a business prospective much like the charts from the first link, as well as using terms like investment, strategy, financial obligation, etc. If modern ministers are looking to implement strategies in Japan for effective growth they as well as those who send them will likely be disappointed. We must remember that God works on his terms not ours! What about you, are you disappointed in your local areas spiritual status or your personal spiritual growth? Remember Luke 9:23 as Jesus speaks to those desiring to be disciples, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” We ought to die to self daily to see that bigger picture, and to remember the example of those earlier missionaries to Africa.

The Necessity of Biblical Discernment

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

The Harbringer? Four Blood Moons? Do these book names sound familiar? Since being back in America I have continued to notice an increasing flow of ‘Christian’ media that attempt to appeal to our sensibilities with some amazing, yet not necessarily biblical ideas. Books such as these almost always tend to make the appeal that they are indeed biblical, and are therefore reliable sources for spiritual insight. The word biblical has become a catch phrase to attempt to reassure the Christian reader to lower his guard and accept the contents of said material as legitimate. At one time the term biblical indicated that the material in question had undergone the necessary scrutiny and is generally in line with sound doctrine. However in recent times it appears to be more of a label to make the content seem to be what it may not actually be, I.E. - doctrinally-sound, biblically-responsible information. Given the information overflow available to us today through various venues of technology it has become even more necessary that God’s people develop biblical discernment. My personal concern is that we not lower our guard and accept any material as biblical without putting the said material through certain tests to determine if it is indeed biblical. So, consider these testing measures taken from the book, The Faith of God’s Elect by John F. Parkinson, when using ‘Christian’ media forms that quote scriptures to help develop a discerning mind:

1) Observe what the verse actually says. What is the verse in question actually talking about? Does the verse in question have anything to do with what the author is trying to say it means?

2) Consider the context. Is the verse taken out of the context of the passage in order to prove a pre-supposed point rather than faithfully teaching what passage is talking about?

3) Do not add to the scriptures. Are modern concepts or logical inferences added to the verse to prove a point? Is a non-faithful bible version that adds to scriptures being used to derive a new conclusion about a verse?

4) Do not take away from the scriptures. Are modern concepts or logical inferences used to remove from the verse to prove a point? Is a non-faithful bible version that takes away from scriptures being used to derive a conclusion about a verse?

5) Compare scripture with scripture. Is the material in question being taught derived from being compared with other scriptures as a coherent whole, or is it taken out of the flow of consistent scriptural reasoning to support a new idea?

6) Be silent when the scriptures are silent. Does the material in question try to project ideas on to the scriptures when the scriptures are silent about them?

7) Use scriptural language and terms. Does the material in question apply modern word use to biblical terminology? Does the material in question redefine commonly accepted biblical terminology?

Properly discerning scripture takes time. Lord willing with the aid of the scriptures, a strong’s concordance, a good dictionary, help from a reliable biblically discerning teacher, and prayer we can put in the necessary effort to gain biblical discernment.

The Necessity of Intercessory Prayer

Last month I spoke about the Apostle Paul concerning our need to have a group of people of which we can share our vital concerns to pray about. This accountability demonstrated throughout the scriptures is necessary in the body of Christ as we are not “islands to ourselves”. (Romans 14:7-8, Ask yourself how you are doing in that regard!) What about the results of having a group of people pray for specific concerns? I am sure that each of us could give a testimony of how the Lord answered prayers in a great way, however I would like to focus on Intercessory Prayer concerning specifically our evangelistic ‘missionary’ work as Christians. By ‘our’ I mean to say all Christians have a specific area of influence in which they can spread the gospel if willing to do so! Somehow I think that through the recent movie ‘War Room’ mainstream American Christianity has been reminded of the need of Intercessory Prayer. Over the past two months I have been reading a series of books by C. Peter Wagner on prayer, including: “Churches that Pray”, “Warfare Prayer”, and “Confronting the Powers”. Though I do not agree completely with the doctrine set forth in the books, I can gather from reading them the importance of intercessory prayer for the purpose of a people group coming to Christ. Take this verse for instance:

“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” - Psalm 2:8 KJV

When read in its entirety Psalm 2 can be seen as a prophetic Psalm concerning Christ. In this verse also appears to be a promise that could very well apply to our work as missionaries, namely the giving of heathen for an  inheritance through asking. What a promise! As was said in another article that I was reading about spiritual warfare concerning evangelism, “The only thing we can take into eternity with us is other people.” With Intercessory Prayer conducted in an organized manner, though many may not see the immediate results, the answers to prayers indeed are taking people into eternity. Here is an example:

The story of J.O. Frazier to the Lisu tribe of Southwestern China with China Inland Missions (Biography: Behind the Ranges, https://omf.org/us/resources/people-and-places/famous-missionaries/james-o-fraser/breakthrough-docudrama/) at the beginning of the last century begins with a man who labored for years with no results only to come to the point of suicidal despair. He at last in desperation wrote his mother to gather together a group of people to intercede by prayer on his behalf. She concurred. He described the result as the forces of darkness being lifted from the area as well as his own soul. He was then able to see lasting results as hundreds, then thousands came to Christ with the end result being that the Lisu tribe in Southwestern China became a missionary sending tribe.

Don’t like what is going on in the world? What missionaries are you as well as your church interceding on the behalf of? Don’t like what is going on in your community? What local ministries are you as well as your church interceding for in your city? Ask God to raise up a group of like-minded believers in your church to do intercession!