Apps for Evangelism
Many of us use technology to connect with fellow missionaries and our supporters back home. But I suspect fewer of us use it to engage in redemptive communication with our Japanese not-yet-believer friends and contacts. So, I’d like to introduce a few tools you can use.
NEXTmanga
Many readers will be familiar with the excellent print editions of the Manga Bible series. The five books—consisting of Manga Mutiny, Manga Melech, Manga Messengers, Manga Messiah, and Manga Metamorphosis—provide a broad overview of God’s story in an easy-to-understand Japanese manga format.
All five books of the series, both English and Japanese editions, are included in the app. You can use this app to do simple Bible studies with not-yet-believers using your iPhone or iPad.
How to get it: Search for “NEXTmanga” in the iTunes app store.
Cost: Free for the preview version, $4.99 (USD) per edition for the full version (in-app purchases).
漫画家が書いた人物からわかる「旧約聖書」
(The Old Testament told through manga characters)
This app is an innovative, clear introduction to the people, places, and themes of the Old Testament. Using Japanese manga style, it presents different people and themes in a simple format as cards that can be perused.
This app is in Japanese, so will be perfect for your Japanese not-yet-believers contacts. It can also be used for simple Bible studies.
How to get it: Search for “漫画家が書いた人物からわかる” in the iTunes app store.
Cost: $3.99 (USD)
LINE and LINE Card
LINE is a communication app that is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan. It became popular by allowing people to send text messages for free, and has now expanded to include video and voice calls, instant messaging, and tons of other features.
One unique feature of LINE is stamps, which lets you send cute, large icons as part of your messages. Cute icons have strong emotional value in Japanese communication, so you definitely want to use these when interacting with your not-yet-believer friends.
LINE Card is a related app that lets you send cute cards to your LINE friends.
How to get it: Search for “LINE” or “LINE Card” in the iTunes app store.
Cost: Free. 
Photos contributed by the iTunes Store.