C&MA (The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Japan Mission)
The Japan Alliance Mission shares the gospel and makes disciples in order to plant multiplying missionary churches.
Our purpose statement (above) sums up what The Christian & Missionary Alliance has been doing in Japan since we began ministry here in 1891. The first church was started in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Ken in 1895, and in 1899 the Alliance began work in the city of Hiroshima. In 1922 an Alliance Bible School (now called the Japan Alliance School of Theology) was opened in Hiroshima. In 1931 the Japan Alliance Church (JAC), consisting of 14 organized churches and 13 smaller groups, was formed with Japanese leadership. Alliance missionaries focused on Hiroshima and Ehime until the 1980s and today 23 of the 40 Japan Alliance Churches are in those two prefectures.
In 1982 the Japan Alliance Mission started to focus its church planting efforts on the greater Tokyo area and has begun 14 churches there over the past 30 years (plus one church near Nagoya). Alliance workers from the Philippines, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and China work in another 18 ethnic churches (Filipino, Latino, and Chinese).
Since 2011, the Alliance Mission has been focusing on Tokyo and Tohoku. Four couples have served in Miyagi. Two couples are now living in Ishinomaki. The Alliance purchased a house damaged by the tsunami and started New Life Center, to be a voice of hope and to express the dynamic love of God through word and action. A weekly Bible study is held in a temporary housing unit and a community garden, Bloom, has been started in the empty lot next to the Center.
Our strategy for planting churches is built on five key objectives: evangelism, discipleship, leadership development, church multiplication, and staff development. Our core values include prayer, creative ministry, teams, partnerships, and missional churches. We are a Christ-centered team focused on Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NIV).
More information:
JAC: http://www.geocities.jp/jac_hij/
New Life Center: http://www.newlifeishinomaki.org/).
The Alliance: www.cmalliance.org
For more pictures and news about Alliance ministry in Japan see our Facebook page: The-Alliance-in-Japan.