CHIBA, JAPAN
Chiba is a strategic city for reaching Japan with the gospel. With a population of 6.2 million, Chiba (the prefecture east of Tokyo) is one of the four prefectures that make up the 34 million people of the Greater Tokyo area. MTW's work in Chiba started with the church-planting effort of the Keiyo Team under the leadership of former country director, Dan Iverson. This has given birth to multiple MTW teams and works throughout the prefecture and missionaries are working in different areas across this vast city.
Ministry efforts currently include the Chiba Academics and Outreach Team, which provides primary support for Covenant Community School International. This team also helps support existing churches and facilitates new church planting and development. The Chiba City team is focused on planting both a church and a college ministry in Chiba City. And then the Makuhari Team is hoping to strengthen the ministry of Kaihin Makuhari Grace Church and plant a daughter church.
MEET THE TEAM
Bocanegra, Mark & Megumi
Mark and Megumi Bocanegra work with the Presbyterian Church of Japan (PCJ) in Chiba, Japan to train up aspiring young men in the church to be future elders.
Mark and Megumi Bocanegra work with the Presbyterian Church of Japan (PCJ) in Chiba, Japan to train up aspiring young...
Brown, Roberta
Roberta Brown is a MTW missionary in Chiba, Japan. She teaches in conversational English classes and leads Bible studies in a grace-based church-planting movement.
Roberta Brown is a MTW missionary in Chiba, Japan. She teaches in conversational English classes and leads Bible...
Carter, Bea
Bea will serve in Chiba, Japan, as part of a college ministry team, assist in an international school, and minister at a local church.
Bea will serve in Chiba, Japan, as part of a college ministry team, assist in an international school, and minister...
Chase, Matt & Carly
Matt and Carly are part of a core team planting a new church in Chiba, Japan. They hope to engage and disciple young people on and off the college campus.
Matt and Carly are part of a core team planting a new church in Chiba, Japan. They hope to engage and disciple young...
Iverson, Dan & Carol
The Iversons' vision is to have a church-planting movement throughout Japan.
The Iversons' vision is to have a church-planting movement throughout Japan.
Iwata, Yuji & Eri
Yuji and Eri will be serving in Chiba, Japan as part of the church planting and school planting ministry of the MTW Tokyo/Chiba Team.
Yuji and Eri will be serving in Chiba, Japan as part of the church planting and school planting ministry of the MTW...
Johnson, Melanie
Melanie serves in Chiba, Japan, where she helps with church planting, organizing the youth ministry, and assisting a local church.
Melanie serves in Chiba, Japan, where she helps with church planting, organizing the youth ministry, and assisting a...
Odate, O-Chan & Asami
The heart of the Odates is to plant a gospel-centered international church (PCJ) in the downtown area of Chiba City with support from MTW Japan.
The heart of the Odates is to plant a gospel-centered international church (PCJ) in the downtown area of Chiba City...
Han, Beyongseob & Kyungsoon
Beyongseob and Kyungsoon Han serve through preaching, teaching, and church planting ministries in Chiba, Japan.
Beyongseob and Kyungsoon Han serve through preaching, teaching, and church planting ministries in Chiba, Japan.
Ueki, Shohei & Sawako
Shohei is serving in Japan with theological education, preaching and church planting.
Shohei is serving in Japan with theological education, preaching and church planting.
Karner, Linda
In Japan, Linda uses her talent in teaching English language classes to meet and mingle with Japanese people.
In Japan, Linda uses her talent in teaching English language classes to meet and mingle with Japanese people.
Koh, Rachel
Rachel will be serving in Chiba for two years as a campus and college ministry intern with Chiba University and a local church plant.
Rachel will be serving in Chiba for two years as a campus and college ministry intern with Chiba University and a...
Mirabella, Tom & Karen
Pastor Tom and Karen Mirabella are part of a team that is working to bring hope in Japan, planting and strengthening gospel-centered churches in the Toyko/Chiba area.
Pastor Tom and Karen Mirabella are part of a team that is working to bring hope in Japan, planting and strengthening...
Murray, Elizabeth
Elizabeth is excited to go back to Japan and lead the dual language program at the school where she interned.
Elizabeth is excited to go back to Japan and lead the dual language program at the school where she interned.
Odtohan, Anthony & Sayo
Anthony and Sayo are serving with the MTW Tokyo/Chiba Team in bilingual worship, evangelism, and in outreach activities for a potential future church planting project.
Anthony and Sayo are serving with the MTW Tokyo/Chiba Team in bilingual worship, evangelism, and in outreach...
Park, Lauren
Lauren plans to serve in Chiba, Japan, and hopes to reach Japanese students through discipleship and fellowship.
Lauren plans to serve in Chiba, Japan, and hopes to reach Japanese students through discipleship and fellowship.
Parker, Laura
Laura is now thrilled to return to Japan to serve long term on a church-planting team in Chiba, assisting with women's ministry through a local church and discipling middle school and high school girls.
Laura is now thrilled to return to Japan to serve long term on a church-planting team in Chiba, assisting with...
Pate, Oakley
Oakley will serve at Covenant Community School International in Chiba, Japan, as an intern for 11 months.
Oakley will serve at Covenant Community School International in Chiba, Japan, as an intern for 11 months.
Pohl, Craig & Stacy
The Pohls excited to partner with MTW’s Makuhari team reaching a densely populated residential area on the Tokyo Bay, east of downtown Tokyo.
The Pohls excited to partner with MTW’s Makuhari team reaching a densely populated residential area on the Tokyo Bay,...
Rabe, Rachel
Rachel will be serving in Chiba, Japan, at Covenant Community School International teaching, encouraging, and discipling students.
Rachel will be serving in Chiba, Japan, at Covenant Community School International teaching, encouraging, and...
Richards, Debbie
The Tokyo/Chiba team is encouraged by every person who turns to Christ and by the spiritual growth among believers.
The Tokyo/Chiba team is encouraged by every person who turns to Christ and by the spiritual growth among believers.
Sigler, Audrey
Audrey will teach at CCCI in Chiba, Japan, a school supported by Mission to the World that seeks to create a space of affordable, Christian education for the children of missionaries serving in Japan as well as other students.
Audrey will teach at CCCI in Chiba, Japan, a school supported by Mission to the World that seeks to create a space of...
Takei, Yuma
Yuma and Ashley’s vision is to make disciples in Chiba, Japan, and to advance the kingdom in the East Kanto region.
Yuma and Ashley’s vision is to make disciples in Chiba, Japan, and to advance the kingdom in the East Kanto region.
Velez, Angel & Wally
Angel & Wally's vision is to teach the hope of the gospel to the Japanese through profound relationship and the arts.
Angel & Wally's vision is to teach the hope of the gospel to the Japanese through profound relationship and the arts.
GET INVOLVED
Russian Book Club Turned Japanese Bible Study
She had studied Russian. Loved Dostoevsky. Would I be willing, she asked, to have a Dostoevsky book club with her?
SEE MORE“Coincidence” Becomes Calling: Debbie Pixley’s Journey From Automotive Engineer to MTW Missionary
Debbie didn't plan on missions—or Japan—but God lined things up, one after another, to set Debbie on a path for His purposes.
SEE MOREA Tale of Two Ministries: God at Work in Endings and Beginnings in Japan
Two ministries in Japan are at exciting turning points, both looking forward to God's continued work in and through them for His kingdom.
SEE MOREWhat God Is Doing in Japan (Audio)
MTW missionary Mark Bocanegra shares what God is doing in Japan and how you can participate.
SEE MOREMaking Space for Transcendence in Secular Japan
Japan is one of the least religious nations in the world. How does this influence how we do ministry?
SEE MOREReaching Japan's Lost Millions (Audio)
Japan shows us that money, health, education, and material possessions do not satisfy the human heart. But God is at work bringing hope.
SEE MORESeven Weeks in Japan: A Summer Intern's Perspective
When I first came to Japan I did not love this country. Now that I've been here for almost two months, things look a little different.
SEE MORE"Don't You Dare Stop Having the Global Missions Conference!"
The PCA Global Missions Conference has played a significant role in helping MTW Japan grow.
SEE MOREHow Black Gospel Music Is Changing Hearts in Japan
“I thought: ‘Japanese people singing black gospel music? This will never work.’”
SEE MOREA Conversation that Transcends Cultures
An MTW missionary woman struck up a conversation with a young Japanese lady at English Café Night. It turns out they had a lot in common.
SEE MOREGood News of Great Joy: A Christmas Baptism
This Christmas we rejoiced together with the angels in heaven as Mrs. S professed her faith in Jesus and was baptized.
SEE MOREChurch Planting in Japan: A Video
Missionaries and national pastors in Japan are hard at work building the Church. Take a peek at what God is doing!
SEE MOREWhy Are the Japanese So Resistant to the Gospel?
We hear of the explosive growth of the church in China, India, Africa, and even in the Arab world. Why not Japan?
SEE MORE"Mom, there's something I need to tell you."
He had been a Christian for about a year, but hadn't told his parents. He was struggling with questions like: "why go to church anyway?"
SEE MOREVideo: Why Japan?
What does Japan need more than more people willing to go? Churches willing to send them.
SEE MORESinking in Japan
We’d gone from living in a place where we were mostly competent and self-sufficient to one where we were functionally illiterate.
SEE MOREJapan: Lifting the Weight of Societal Pressure
The number of Japanese teachers taking time off from work for "mental reasons" has increased significantly in the last few years.
SEE MOREGive thanks for the many Japanese women coming to faith in Tokyo Bay through the faithfulness of one woman who became a Christian through MTW missionaries.
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 for youth around the world to come to faith, and pray for missionaries who minister to the next generation. Young people often impact their whole familes for Christ.
The church is growing in Chiba, Japan! Praise God for successful Christmas outreaches. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to open doors for th gospel and raise more godly and gifted Japanese church planters and pastors.
Pray for the relationships missionaries are developing with Japanese men and women. Pray for common interests and connections to be a bridge to the gospel.
Pray for the men and women in Japan who have been attending church to make a public commitment to Christ and to express their faith through baptism.
Please pray for the rebuliding efforts in Ishinomaki, Japan, and for church planting efforts in the region that have begun since the 2011 tsunami.
Pray for God to break through cultural barriers to draw Japanese men and women to Himself. And for God to call more missionaries to serve in Japan.
Pray for Japanese college students wrestling with new faith. Pray that they would have the courage to give their lives to Christ and not fear their family's reaction.
Support a national pastor, provide start-up funding for a new congregation, and allow the team to make strategic long-term investments
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