Nihon Kirisuto Keiteidan, Japan
Nihon Kirisuto Keiteidan (Japan Brethren in Christ Church)
| Nihon Kirisuto Keiteidan (Japan Brethren in Christ Church) | |
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No Title |
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Members |
231 [1] |
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Congregations |
6 [1] |
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Presiding Officer |
Kazuyuki Hirokawa [1] |
The Nihon Kirisuto Keiteidan (or Japan Brethren in Christ Church) is a Brethren in Christ church in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture[2].
History
In 1953, a pair of missionaries named Peter and Mary Willms started a evangelical campaign on street corners in Hagi City. The first three baptisms took place in 1954. The church became focused around smaller groups and house churches. Over the next 25 years smaller groups were formed in Nagato, Shimonoseki, Nishiichi, and Takibe. The Brethren in Christ mission created a church in 1963 in Koganei, a western Tokyo suburb. This church became almost entirely self-sustaining by 1987. In 1983, the Koganei and Yamaguchi churches joined together to create a conference. This conference has taken several evangelical efforts, including starting churches in Shin-Shimonoseki and Nagoya.
Timeline
1953 - Peter and Mary Willms start their evangelical street campaign
1953 - First three baptisms take place
1960 - Nagato church is formed
1963 - Brethren in Christ Mission plants a church in Koganei
1970 - Shimonoseki church is formed
1971 - Yamaguchi Brethren in Christ Conference is created
1982 - Shin-Shimonoseki church is formed
1983 - Yamaguchi and Koganei churches form a conference together
1983 - The Midori Evangelical Churchchurch is formed in Nagoya
Challenges
Natural Disaster While the Japanese Brethren in Christ was not directly harmed by the 2011 tsunami and earthquake (Japanese), much of Japan was devastated and significant infrastructure damage occurred [3]. As a result, there are many people in need in Japan.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Mennonite and Brethren in Christ Churches Worldwide, 2009: Asia & Pacific." Mennonite World Conference. http://www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Asia%20&%20Pacific%20Summary.doc (accessed 11 April 2011).
- ↑ "Book, Doyle C. and Asao Nishimura. "Nihon Kirisutokyo Keiteidan (Japan Brethren in Christ Church)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1987. Web. 18 April 2011. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/N5385.html.
- ↑ "Japanese Anabaptist churches safe, but communications cut to one house church ." Mennonite World Conference. Mennonite World Conference, 14/23/2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011.
