Broken Beauty: Finding the Gospel in Japanese Culture
In my first journal entry from my arts internship in Japan, I wrote, “I will admit, there’s already a part of me that feels lonely and disengaged. That seems to be common here. I want to fight this tendency. I want to see the ways God is working, the ways that His creation is already evident. Lord, show me the ways you are already here.”
Now, months later, I want to share what God has shown me:
Understanding Beauty
What is beauty? What does it really mean? Something flawless? Awe-inspiring?
What if there is beauty in that which is not perfect? In that which was broken and made new?
In Japan, an art form called kintsugi is popular. It’s the practice of repairing broken pottery with gold-dusted lacquer, highlighting the broken places. The golden cracks reveal the breakage and repair as a part of the story surrounding the object—making it something of value to exhibit rather than disguise.
People, this is the gospel!
In his book, The Broken Leaf (Wipf and Stock, 2019), artist and MTW missionary Roger Lowther writes that kintsugi “displays the gospel [in our lives], where the glory of God is revealed in fragile and broken vessels. The glory of our lives and bodies, our value and our beauty, comes from Christ displayed in our weaknesses—in our cracks.”
Roger points out that God works as the craftsman and Jesus as the lacquer, spilling into and holding together all of our broken pieces, creating something even more valuable than before.
Beauty within brokenness is a hidden yet essential feature of Japanese art, literature, gardening, poetry, and more. Even tea, such an integral part of Japanese culture, is made up of hot water and broken leaves. It is the very brokenness of the tea leaves that creates the aroma, and taste, and healing that tea brings. These broken tea leaves, Roger writes, point to Jesus, broken that the world might be filled with the aroma and flavor of the gospel. Japan is less than 1% Christian. At first glance, it seems as though God is silent here. But the blueprints of God’s handiwork have been traced in Japanese culture from the very beginning.
This beauty within brokenness—a very Japanese concept—is also a core message of the gospel. Though they did not know it, God planted this divine truth deep within a culture where very few have accepted Christ. Roger writes, “God is not new to Japan. He was here before the first missionary ever set foot here.” God is here now, and he’s working in the hearts of these people to reveal the full truth of Jesus’ brokenness that restores our wholeness in Him.
Interested in an arts internship? Contact [email protected] or visit mtw.org/internships to learn more about our summer internships.
GET INVOLVED
Defying Gravity: 10 Churches in 10 Years in Tokyo
In the wake of the 2011 tsunami, amid historical barriers to Christianity, Grace City Church Tokyo planted 10 churches within a decade.
SEE MOREThe Bridge of Dance: How Ballet Became a Surprising Gateway to Faith in Japan
I was eager to serve on an MTW summer internship. But I had not expected God would call me to share my faith through dance.
SEE MOREShe Couldn’t Resist: A Young Nashville-Bound Songwriter Follows God’s Call to Japan
Alana's heart was being pulled toward Japan, but she'd long had plans to go to Nashville after graduation. Now she had to make a choice.
SEE MOREGive thanks and pray for a couple in Japan who recently came to faith as they faced the last days of the husband's life.
Pray for believers in Tokyo, Japan, to grow in their faith, and pray for their loved ones to come to know Christ.
Pray for MTW Japan as they grow and expand, transitioning some churches to new leadership and planting in new areas.
Pray for children in Japan who are attending Christian school and influencing their families for Jesus.
Pray for the U.S. church to send workers to Japan where less than 0.5% of people are Christians.
Pray that God would use our Japan teams to open the hearts of the Japanese to God’s presence and love for them.
Pray for Tim Mills (Thailand), Abi Lowther & Roger Lowther (Japan), Joe Congdon (Japan), and Shannon Hinkle (Australia) as they all use their artistic gifts to support the Church in gospel outreach, mercy ministry, and community building.
Pray for the Japanese to realize that money, health, education, and material possessions do not satisfy the human heart.
Pray for those who are coming to faith in Japan. Pray that they would find their identity in Christ and grow strong in Him.
Pray today for those serving in the arts. Pray that God would use their unique gifts and talents to build His kingdom!
SUBSCRIBE TO STORIES & MORE
Good news in your inbox, once per week.
1600 North Brown Rd
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
United States
1-678-823-0004
[email protected]
Donor Advised Fund Portal
Circle Portal