Led by God

God can use anyone, but perhaps a bullied schoolboy is not who you’d expect to end up in student ministry. The effects of the brutality of his peers, loss of his childhood home to fire, and the hardship of bankruptcy caused by the Depression were all imprinted on Ken Roundhill’s sensitive nature. The 16-year-old carried these with him when the family moved from rural New Zealand to the city of Dunedin in search of work. Little did he realise how God would impact his life for eternity.

A battle was raging for Ken’s soul. When asked by his new friends from the Baptist church, “Are you a Christian?” his glib reply, “Of course,” masked the serious doubts disturbing his faith-roots. His spiritual complacency was seriously challenged when his communist workmate casually commented “People die, just like dogs!” Ken reasoned, “What’s the point of life if there is no God?” Disturbed, he determined to read a chapter of the Bible every night to discover truth for himself. Jesus’ words in John 10:27-28 resonated deeply within his soul: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (NIV). In desperation he cried, “God, if there be a God, save me now!” From that moment a new relationship with the Lord began. Peace replaced turmoil and faith burst into flame.

An insatiable thirst for knowledge took him to Bible college. A growing passion for young people was nurtured while serving as an army medic in the South Pacific where he was the unofficial chaplain to fellow soldiers. After the war, while in his role as travelling secretary for IVCF (Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship), he heard of a similar group starting at Waseda University in Tokyo. An inexorable vision was born for working amongst the students in Japan. Acceptance by WEC International for student ministry affirmed God’s call, even though the mission had only worked in rural Kansai. Meanwhile Canadian teacher and student worker, Betty Slichter, was preparing for her work in Japan, heading for the Kanto Plains area.

Seven months passed before God “introduced” Ken and Betty in 1951 at Karuizawa. However, another five years would elapse before they felt God lead them to go ahead and marry.

A few years later the Holy Spirit seemed to be leading them to build a home for themselves in Kyoto. They were mystified, but obeyed; Ken’s building experience from Dunedin days was stretched, but he expertly blended the Japanese building style with western ingenuity. It was custom-made for wall-to-wall student gatherings and overnight ‘camps’. Their hospitality and Betty’s Japanese cuisine became legendary. Known as ‘Hebron House,’ it became a home away from home for many new missionaries. It was a place of counsel and respite for those struggling in their faith and even at times a dating-cum-marriage bureau. It was also their personal refuge from the demanding IVCF staff workers’ schedule of weekly campus visits, Bible Studies, student meetings, and conferences. Out of several small fellowships of believers that met on weekends, three grew into WEC churches.

In 1957 Ken reluctantly accepted the Field Leader responsibility for WEC Japan. Over the next 14 years his servant leadership sensitively guided the transition of the group of WEC- planted churches to a Japanese-led model, renamed Sekai Fukuin Dendo Dan (SFDD). Blessed with an unassuming nature, Ken’s heart was to see Japanese Christians in leadership, so when the student ministry renamed itself KGK (Kirisutosha Gakusei Kai: the Japanese equivalent of IVCF) Ken called it “the happiest day of my life”.

Knowing that prayer is paramount in any ministry, in the late ‘50s Ken initiated a monthly mission-focused prayer bulletin containing prayer points collected from various Japanese missionaries’ newsletters. Printed at home, it was sent to the home churches of Japanese missionaries serving overseas as well as to other interested churches or individuals. It inspired pastors and their churches to ‘think’ international missions. Young Pastor Okuyama was one of the first to respond. Called to Indonesia he asked Ken for help in preparing for cross-cultural ministry. Always the visionary yet acutely aware of his perceived inadequacy for the task, Ken could foresee the need for a cross-cultural training programme for other would-be missionaries. It would take 11 years before his vision would be fully realized.

In the mid ‘70s, an independent church group proposed starting a missionary training school and invited Ken to be an advisor. When the Principal designate unexpectedly became unavailable, Ken was approached but was reluctant to accept. He reasoned that this new venture should be Japanese-led from the start. But after much prayer, Ken & Betty realised this work was indeed of God, and the new venue was to be their own Hebron House.

All who lived and studied there were challenged by the close community lifestyle, but this proved to be an ideal introduction to cross-cultural ministry. “We had to give up our private life,” said Ken. Their transparent lives, and devotion to God and to one another so deeply impacted the candidates that one commented, “We want to live like you, serving one another.” Over the ten years they served there, 32 Japanese were sent to 16 countries. In 1985 they relinquished leadership of this ministry to none other than Pastor Okuyama.

Ken and Betty retired from Japan in their 70s. But God still had further plans for them. En route to Christchurch, NZ, a conversation on the plane with a young Japanese lass led to an open door of ministry to Japanese students in Christchurch. Bible studies in their home followed, and within a few years the Japanese Christian Fellowship (JCF) emerged. True to conviction, Ken and Betty soon entrusted this thriving ministry to Japanese leadership.

The DNA of this couple’s ministry is summed up in Prov 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” (NIV).

Their 59 years of ministry have left an immeasurable footprint on mission in Japan and far beyond. Their impact has crossed denominational, cultural, and age barriers and touched lives globally. Ken received his “well done” from his Lord in 2009, while Betty (93) resides in a rest home patiently awaiting her own home calling.

Author’s Note

Ken and Betty have been spiritual mentors to me for over 53 years. I was a 17-year-old high school student when I first met them and they were instrumental in my call to work in Japan with WEC. I lived with them during my first year there and they have been like a mum and dad to me ever since. What a privilege it was to work with them and to experience their Christ-like qualities first hand.