Whizzing through large Japanese cities by train, you will see several ornate church buildings, sometimes adorned with elegant steeples or flying buttresses, some made completely of glass, and a few even perched on top of other buildings. “Christianity is growing here,” you may think. Unfortunately, those buildings are not houses of worship built to the glory of God, but are part of the thriving wedding industry. Western style weddings, complete with a white dress and a foreigner leading the vows have become increasingly popular in Japan, making up perhaps 70% of all wedding ceremonies. In our single days, both Teresa and I considered part time jobs as wedding singers. As one woman stated, "Most people marry in Western style even though they are not Christian. It's just the fashion; it has nothing to do with religion.”
Two of our good friends, Kaji and Ayumi, will be married on October 26. They both became believers through the ministries of Campus Crusade and of one our team’s church plants. Both work with children, youth, and college students and are members of our church planting team in Nagoya. Their wedding will be a Christian one, like many others in Japan, but it will be full of the true message of the gospel. Many of their guests, including family members, are not Christians. For many of them, this will be their first time in a Christian church, their first time to hear a Christian pray, their first time to hear a sermon, and their first time to experience the body of Christ. In short, for many of the guests the wedding will be a first impression of Christianity as it relates to the lives of real Japanese people. As hymns are sung, prayers spoken, Scriptures read and preached, and vows made, may the gospel be presented clearly to all in attendance. Please pray this wedding, and for Kaji and Ayumi’s new life as a married couple.
By the way, they will be married in a normal church. It is a lovely one, though.
Two of our good friends, Kaji and Ayumi, will be married on October 26. They both became believers through the ministries of Campus Crusade and of one our team’s church plants. Both work with children, youth, and college students and are members of our church planting team in Nagoya. Their wedding will be a Christian one, like many others in Japan, but it will be full of the true message of the gospel. Many of their guests, including family members, are not Christians. For many of them, this will be their first time in a Christian church, their first time to hear a Christian pray, their first time to hear a sermon, and their first time to experience the body of Christ. In short, for many of the guests the wedding will be a first impression of Christianity as it relates to the lives of real Japanese people. As hymns are sung, prayers spoken, Scriptures read and preached, and vows made, may the gospel be presented clearly to all in attendance. Please pray this wedding, and for Kaji and Ayumi’s new life as a married couple.
By the way, they will be married in a normal church. It is a lovely one, though.
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