Shohei & Sawako Ueki

Shohei and Sawako grew up in Christian families. Shohei is a fourth-generation Japanese Christian, with a great-grandmother who was a deacon in Hokkaido in 1907. Sawako is a second-generation Christian. They graduated from the University of Tsukuba—Shohei in physical and sports science, and Sawako in special education. Shohei earned an M.Div. from Christ Bible Seminary in Nagoya and a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston.

The Uekis are dedicated to ministry in Japan. They planted All Nations Fellowship in Nagoya in 2008. From 2011 to 2015 Shohei served at Christ Bible Seminary in Nagoya. In 2017 they joined the Chiba church planting team. From 2019 they have been serving at Grace Harbor Church in Tokyo. 

In 2024, God called them to plant Bay Light Church in the Tokyo Bay Area. Their commitment is to serve the people of Odaiba and Ariake: to bless the community, proclaim the gospel, evangelize, make disciples of Christ, and establish a new church in a place where one has never existed before.

They have four children who are cherished fifth-generation Christians.