theme
love incarnated: this is the way you live.
“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 (NIV)

What do you think is your life's purpose? For what were you created? As each of us is in search of “the way we should live,” various thoughts cross our minds. “Most amazingly, I met Jesus while living abroad,” “I might have to go back to Japan soon,” “How then, should I live?” Two thousand years ago, Jesus - who being in very nature God - became human and lived out his short life of 33 years on the earth. Though He was the King, He descended from heaven, and became our Friend. In human flesh, Jesus approached and truly cared for those who were hurting and oppressed. Jesus loved them to the end, by giving everything up - even His life - on the cross. It is our desire to be and live like Jesus. Wherever we may be, we want to influence others in Jesus' way through how we live out our lives. This love incarnated (divine love in human flesh), is where Jesus' call to “bear the cross” meets “our way of life” as His imitators. Let us learn this at equipper conference!!


purpose
Equipper conference (ec) is a five night conference which “equips” (Ephesians 4:12) Japanese Christians who met Jesus overseas for their eventual return to their home country as ambassadors of Christ.

“It was He who gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.” Ephesians 4:11-13

Currently many Japanese are living abroad for various reasons. These include ongoing studies, businesses, and international marriages. The Gospel touches them and many of them become believers, who are to return to Japan some day. There are also those who became Christians in Japan but are now growing spiritually overseas. God can work through them in a great way when they go back to Japan to witness to their families and friends and to spread the Gospel message as they become connected to local churches.
Yet in reality, many of these returnees suffer what is often called "reverse-culture shock" beyond the level they had expected, which affects even their walk with Jesus. As a result, and regrettably, many of them depart from churches within a few years of returning home.
God has started equipper conference by gathering several missions organizations in order to reverse this sad trend in returnee Christians' life (please see history). The purpose of equipper conference is to prepare Japanese Christians abroad (mainly in North America) by cultural and discipleship trainings before their return, so that with God's encouragement they will be equipped as the disciples of Christ to share His love and forgiveness in Japan.

who should come?
Equipper conference (ec) 05 serves people such as,

1) Japanese Christians who plan to go back home; 2) Japanese Christians in North America who serve the Lord; 3) Non-Japanese Christians (English speakers) who are serving such Japanese Christians;　
4) Christians in Japan who want to receive and help returnee Christians; and
5) those who are interested in ministry to Japanese people.

(please see the Program for the details).