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Praying for Japan:
Historical Strongholds and
Spiritual Warfare
RJC Midwest Conference
October 10, 2009
Dr. Stephen Dupree
1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to
God for the Israelites [Japanese] is that
they may be saved. 2For I can testify about
them that they are zealous for God, but
their zeal is not based on knowledge.
3Since they did not know the righteousness
that comes from God and sought to
establish their own, they did not submit to
God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the end of
the law so that there may be righteousness
for all who believes.
(NIV - Romans 10:1-
4)
Brief History of Christianity in Japan
• First wave of Christianity in Japan -
– 1549 - Francis Xavier• First Catholic mission to Japan• By 1589 - 300,000 converts (1.6%
of population)
Brief History of Christianity in Japan
• Second wave of Christianity in Japan -
– 1872 - Meiji Restoration• First Protestant mission to Japan - arrive in 1859.• 43,273 Christians in 1900 (.1% of population)• Tokugawa government begins
persecuting Christians
Brief History of Christianity in Japan
• Third wave of Christianity in Japan -
– 1945 - Post WWII• New wave of missionaries to Japan.• 1950 - 4,100,000 converts -
(5% of population)
Brief History of Christianity in Japan
• Japan Today -
• Many missionaries from after the war have retired. There are not as many missionaries replacing them.
• 2002 - 2,000,000 converts - (1% of population)
• Bible schools/Seminaries have had to close or are greatly reduced in numbers.
WorldviewWestern Two-tiered View of Reality
• faith
• miracles
• other worldly problems
• sacred
Religion
Excluded Middle
Science• sight and
experience
• natural order
• this-worldly
problems
• secularPaul Heibert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues
Japanese view:– Religion encompasses all
seasons of life through it’s ebb and flow.
– Shintoism - celebration of life
– Buddhism - celebration of death
Birth
Youth
Childhood
Adulthood
Afterlife
Death
Senior
Japan Stronghold -
• Foundation of the stronghold in Japan:
– Shintoism - Amaterasu (sun goddess)• Strengthened during the Tokugawa Period• Made a state religion during the Meiji
Restoration.• Hundreds of thousands of shrines in Japan.
Japan Stronghold -
– Buddhism - brought into the Japanese Imperial court by Buddhist monks in 538 AD.
• Thousands of temples throughout Japan.
• Accepted in a society that is a “both/and” society
Japan Stronghold -
Powerlessness -– Perception of being unable to
change one’s circumstances or make an impact on society.
– Shoganai - “Can’t do anything, but give up.”
– Shikataganai - “It can’t be helped.”– Little confidence to change
situation.
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Japan Stronghold -
Conformity - “group consiousness”– Societal peer pressure to conform
continues to control how a Japanese acts, thinks, and makes decisions.
– Suppress own personal desires, values and beliefs for group.
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Japan Stronghold -
Fear of Incongruity -– Not wanting to be different– Expectations within the family for
“traditional” events, tied to religious festivals and holidays.
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Japan -
• Stronghold– Powerlessness
• Redemptive Gift– Perseverance
• Japanese Christians can move past the defeatist “it can’t be helped” attitude and move toward a godly perseverance
• “We can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength.” Philippians 4:13
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Japan -
• Stronghold– Conformity
• Redemptive Gift– Cooperation
• Working together for groups to hear the gospel.
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Japan -
• Stronghold– Fear of Incongruity
• Redemptive Gift– Feeling of Identification
• Help Japanese know they may be a Christian and Japanese at the same time. They do not have to give up their “Japanese-ness” to become a Christian.
• Example - Tsuchiura Church
Keith Webb, Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan
Local examples:
• Local pastor - – Pressure to sign “non-proselytize”
agreement.
• Small church in Miyagi Ken.– After 10 years, still only pastor
and his wife in worship service.
Why Pray?
“God desires all men to be saved and come
to the knowledge of the truth”
I Timothy 2:4
“Be steadfast, knowing that our labor
is not in vain.”
I Corinthian 15:58
Let’s Pray for Japan