This is the way you live!!
To all who supported equipper conference 2005
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved Children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- Ephesians 5:1-2
Praise the mighty Name of our Lord!
I wish you all a happy new year and would like to give a report on God’s work at equipper conference 2005 (ec 05). It was in fact seventh time for us to hold ec whose purpose is to “equip” (Eph 4:12) Japanese Christians who met Jesus overseas before their eventual return to Japan. I am just awe-struck by Lord’s faithfulness who has been encouraging and changing the lives of many multicultural Japanese Christians over the past ten years through ec. Many ec graduates are now pastoring in Japan, working for missions organizations, and serving as ambassadors of Christ in Japanese and North American workplaces and families. This year, we all witnessed His wonderful work among Japanese Christians by showing us many fruits in the lives of such ec graduates and the overwhelming presence of new generations at ec 05.
The theme of ec 05 was “love incarnated: this is the way you live.” We focused on modeling the way Christ, the love incarnate lived and loved on this earth. Our plenary speakers included Rev. Katsuhiko Seino (Tsuchiura Megumi Church), Rev. Takeshi Yozawa (Tokyo Baptist Church), and Nobu Sakakibara (Peninsula Free Methodist Church). Through their plenary messages and other programs, the Lord confirmed in our heart the mission of being sent as His disciples. Many attendees made tearful and sincere decisions to accept the Lord, serve as full-time workers, and live out as lay leaders influential in marketplace. The Lord also used various programs such as men’s and women’s meetings, counseling, small groups, and interest meetings, in order to address the issues that contemporary Japanese Christians have.
We had approximately 340 attendees (including commuters), out of which 65 were from Japan. The attendees consisted of professionals, families, people in ministry and many students (including Bible college and seminary students). The following is the voices of attendees.
“While I had thought it impossible for me to attend ec for financial and other reasons, God made it possible. I am so grateful! He even gave me assurance about going back to Japan this year.”
“I decided to find a church in Japan, because God showed me at ec that He is the same and unchanging even though churches have different worship styles.”
“I was greatly shocked to hear that many young Christians might turn away from God after going home. I would like to do anything possible to follow them up in Japan, so that they can keep their faith.”
“The Lord blessed my time at ec where I decided to live as His disciple.”
“I truly thanked God for creating me as male (or female) at men’s and women’s sessions. We were able to share some deeper issues with each other and realized how wonderful to have God’s family around.”
“Please have ec in Japan, too! I want all my Christian friends, seekers, and even non-believing friends in Japan to experience this blessing of God’s love and grace!”
I would like to thank all of you who prayed for and supported and encouraged us in various ways for ec. God is at work among Japanese people. I ask for your continuing support for the next equipper conference (that will be in 2007). May the Lord bless you and keep you!
in Christ,
Dan Morisaku
equipper conference 2005 director
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