Key TOA Coworker

Excellent progress is now being made on the "In Quest" Bible study text on questions in the Gospel of John, with new lessons being written every week. 

One of the main reasons for good progress is our key coworker, Philip Durrell, shown here. Phil, a retired high school teacher of German and English has been working with us, from his base in Calais, Maine, for about two years now.  Recently with some help from us, he was able to upgrade his computer and page-layout software, making it possible for us to collaborate even more closely, though located on opposite sides of the world. 

Please pray for Phil as he works diligently on Bible studies and as he gathers a small group of TOA ("teach others also") Bible students and "coauthors" around him there in his area.  High quality, interactive Bible studies can not be written alone! 

Also please pray for the finances involved in these efforts. Phil works some as a substitute teacher, and his dear wife, Karen, has short-term work on the U.S. census. But finances are still always tight.  Phil's excellent work on Bible studies is worthy of support, if more project funds were only available. Those wishing to support this ministry can do so through our "TOA Ministries" project at Fellowship International Mission.  A few individuals and churches are already doing so, and we are most grateful. 

House for Sale!

Our house in East Machias, Maine will be up for sale starting in June.  Despite poor market conditions we have decided to list it with a realtor (Sunrise Realty) in hopes of having more funds available by next year for our two daughters who are both now in college and for our growing number of Bible study projects. 

The house was made possible originally by my (Jon's) parents and was a great blessing to us all during my mother's illness and our time together there in 2007-2008. We also had many guests from Japan during that period.  However, we probably will not be needing such a large home again in the future.  

Some renovations and repairs have been made since last summer in order to make it more attractive to potential buyers. It also is located in a wonderful area for those who love the outdoors (hunting, fishing, snowmobiling. kayaking, etc). Still it will take a miracle of the Lord to sell it in these difficult financial times especially in the beautiful but economically depressed area of "Downeast Maine." Thanks for praying. 

Sunday School for Adults?

Adult Sunday School classes are rare in traditional Japanese churches, as also is the opportunity to ask questions and openly and systematically discuss a Bible passage. Nearly all teaching in Japanese churches, as in traditional Japanese education, is done from the top (the teacher) downward with very little student interaction. So it is with great excitement, and a bit of fear, that we begin our first ever adult Sunday school class at our main church tomorrow (Sunday, May 24th). 

We will be interactively studying selected questions in the Gospel of John using "In Quest" worksheets, working our way from 1.) the question(s) asked in the passage, to 2.) the answer(s) given therein, to 3.) personal applications of insights gained therefrom. In addition to directly learning from a passage in John in each study, the goal is also to train those in the class in the "In Quest Bible Study" method so that each one can continue to use such for themselves and with others in the near future. 

Until now this John material has been developed and used in our Friday TOA home Bible study and work-sessions, but this is the first time for it to be used in a Japanese Sunday school setting. The method, more than the material, will be new to most of the five to ten people expected to join this new group, as sermons from John's Gospel are common. 

The class may be a challenge because many Japanese believers are accustomed to listening much and speaking very little. Therefore many are also not used to thinking much for themselves. I believe this is one reasons there is a great shortage of pastors and prospective pastors for our Japanese churches. How can anyone discover and develop a speaking gift (1 Pet. 4:10-11) if they never speak themselves? Thus, this small class may be of great importance, especially for the men of our church. We may very well be without a pastor in another year!  (See a future article about this.)