A simple yet important message

The town of Takanabe is situated in central Miyazaki Prefecture, right on the coast. The population of the town is slowly decreasing, and it currently has fewer than 20,000 residents. It is, however, surrounded by natural beauty and is known both as a place where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs and for its oysters. In recent years, it has also become a hot spot for surfers. Despite being a small town, it has three churches: a United Church of Christ church, a Catholic church, and the Takanabe Church run by the Japan Baptist Convention.

Takanabe Church was first established in 1977 as a preaching point for Japan Baptist Koyu Christ Church. Ichirō Kodama is the church’s third pastor. Prior to this, he worked at Kitakyushu Christ Church for six years after graduating from Tokyo Baptist Theological Seminary. While working at Kitakyushu Christ Church, he was taking care of his mother, who needed nursing care. It took him four hours to travel by car each way from Kitakyushu to Takanabe, where his mother lived. This continued for three years.

“Going back and forth was very tiring,” Kodama recalls. “At the time, Takanabe Church had been without a pastor for eight years after the former pastor left due to old age. Since it was closer to my mother’s home, I volunteered to work there.” In 2018, Kodama became the church’s pastor.

Kodama grew up in Miyazaki, a place with a strong Buddhist influence. “I felt that there must be something in this world that does not constantly change. I read many books. I didn’t think that Buddhism was the answer to my questions, as it is man-made. One day, my wife encouraged me to read the Bible. When I read that God created the world, I believed that it was indeed possible for God to do that. This is what led me to becoming a Christian.”

Kodama started going to church with his wife, Chizuko, and they were baptized together.

Until the age of 55, he worked for a building materials manufacturer. He then decided to go to seminary to understand the Bible better from a theological perspective. While studying there, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred.

Kodama had lived in Sendai previously when he had been transferred there for business, and this time he decided to go there as a volunteer. “When I saw how bare Ishinomaki¹ had become, I cried out to God and asked, ‘Why did you do this?’ His answer was ‘Things need to be restored step-by-step in this place where everything has been taken away.’ I understood that all I could do was to stand firmly on the Scriptures I had studied.”

Kodama feels that it was during this time that he was given true faith. He realized that it is a pastor’s role to make the Bible understandable to people, and he decided to become a pastor himself.

The youngest church member: the 73-year-old pastor

Takanabe Church is attended by Kodama and Chizuko, two ladies aged 90 and 85, and sometimes the Kodamas’ son. The elderly ladies are very energetic and always take care of the flower arrangements. Once a month, the members gather and decide the monthly duties of the church. Chizuko plays the ocarina, the 90-year-old lady plays the organ, and Kodama plays the guitar.

“Our relationship is stronger than that of friends or between a parent and a child. It is a relationship that goes beyond family,” says Kodama. “We need each other. Therefore, we also help each other.”

Kodama always includes the cross and Jesus’s resurrection in his sermons. He also mentions the ascension of Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit. “Even if I miss other details, I make sure I preach these things.

“It would be ideal if we had many people attending the church service, but for now, these are the regular members. Once a month, a friend who is also a piano teacher helps by playing the piano for us. It’s nice to see people come once in a while, and it’s also nice when we have newcomers.” Kodama always prays that newcomers and young people will visit the church.

The main difficulties faced by the church are the declining birthrate and aging population. It can be worrying to think about the church’s future in an area where there are so few people of working age. But whenever Kodama faces a problem, he is reminded to go back to the basics, preaching the gospel so it can be understood easily. That is his mission.

On weekdays, Kodama works a part-time job. He prepares his sermons during the evening when he has time.

“I am currently 73 years old and the youngest member of the church. Putting up Christmas lights and anything that requires physical labor is my job,” says Kodama. “If there were one or two more to help out, that would be ideal. I would like to discuss the Bible with such people. It would be great to exchange opinions with them.”

Takanabe Church will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary in three years’ time. Kodama has asked the Lord to give him the strength to make it to that occasion.

From Christian Shimbun, March 24, 2024
Translated by Grace Koshino

Ishinomaki, situated in Miyagi Prefecture, was struck hard by the Great East Japan Earthquake.