Mobilization tactics

The mobilization of laborers appears to have been a strong priority for Jesus in his earthly ministry. From the beginning to the very end of his ministry, he called people to spread the message about him and his kingdom. In my opinion, training and sending Japanese laypeople is one of the greatest needs of the hour.

I serve in a coalition of believers called #NoPlaceLeft. In the last few years, my partners and I have seen entire Japanese families choose to follow the Lord and to be baptized. We have seen new Japanese believers immediately turn around and lead others to faith and begin teaching them what they know about following Jesus. We have seen a variety of churches come alive as believers in the congregation were stirred to pass on their faith to others. There are Japanese believers all over the country who are ready and willing to partner with the Lord in his desire to reach more. We are even beginning to see this lead to the multiplication of churches.

We are still very much in the learning phase. I have been doing this for about 10 years, but I am profoundly aware that I do not have it all figured out. However, we have seen enough fruit that I am more convinced than ever that mobilizing Japanese laborers is a crucial piece to seeing this nation reached. In this article I will share a few principles to guide us as we train Japanese Christians to reach their nation.

Continually point to Christ

We are only attempting to reach this nation because it was first the Lord’s idea. This is all only possible because it is Christ at work in us. And knowing him is the greatest prize. It’s so important to keep these things at the forefront of mobilization.

Our teams begin training (groups or individuals, informally or formally) by looking at Scriptures about the Lord’s heart for the nations and the biblical pattern of his desire to save whole families. We explain the necessity of abiding in Christ and walking with him in order to let him work through us. We also do our best to articulate clearly what this looks like and provide space to do so. One simple way to emphasize this principle is to begin by mobilizing people to pray. It is important to have people begin to pray for those in their relational network who are lost. Another helpful activity to learn at this stage is to prayer walk neighborhoods and city centers. Often we begin to see the Lord stir people’s hearts or give us opportunities to share. As this starts to happen, the rest of the training simply provides clarity for the way forward. For example, the trainees will know how to articulate the gospel as their friends demonstrate interest, as well as how to begin to disciple those who express a desire to follow Jesus. Stepping into the works of God and walking in his commandments are an essential part of abiding in him (John 14:23, 15:9–17; Matt. 28:20; 1 Cor. 15:10). We have so many stories of seeing believers light up in their walk with the Lord as they began taking steps of faith. However, it is very important to continue to emphasize that Christ is our greatest prize.

Provide a clear path

Another important piece is to provide a clear path for those who express a desire to make disciples. Ideally, it will be clear enough that any believer can understand, follow, and even pass it on to others. We need to do our best to help them answer the question “What’s next?” at each stage. For example, How do I start a spiritual conversation with someone? If they seem interested in this topic, what do I share next? How do I articulate the gospel story? What if they want to learn more? If they choose to believe, what do I do?

The more believers understand the path, the more likely they will be to walk it. The Lord made the process very clear on multiple occasions. If we lay out the path and even repeat it over and over, people will walk it. Some will run the path. And everyone who understands will know what to do when the Lord puts opportunities in front of them to move forward.

Use straightforward tools

It is also important to use simple tools that are easy for training and use. Having a biblical, yet simple, gospel tool is essential. It’s so important to get the gospel right. This is the power of God for salvation. This is the message by which we are saved. For the sake of this article, I want to emphasize, however, that although the gospel is deep, complex, and powerful, it can also be summarized in a few sentences (see 1 Cor. 15:3–5, Rom. 1:1–4, Mark 1:14–15). A large majority of Japanese will likely need more explanation. However, we are finding that there is a significant percentage of people in Japan who have some sort of base understanding. Some have attended Christian schools. Others have taken part in English classes given at churches. Some have believing family members. Some only need to hear the big picture come together in an understandable way.

I have used a handful of gospel tools in Japan over the years. There are several great options to choose from. With this in mind, a few years back, I chose to experiment with one that could be shared in under two minutes. What happened at that time was that more people used it. And because more people used it, we saw more people come to Christ. If your gospel tool is too complex, people will not feel competent to use it.

The reality in Japan is that often people will not believe when they first hear. For most, it will take time to believe. Another very important tool for believers is to have a simple Bible study that they can lead with a friend who responds with interest in the gospel. And it’s incredibly helpful to have a path that these interested seekers can join with their believing friends in order to move forward.

Aim for existing relationships

The gospel flows and takes root best in the context of relationships. The vast majority of Japanese believers are connected in some form or fashion with people who do not yet believe, and it’s important to orient them toward this crowd. This can be as simple as helping people create a list of those that they have a relationship with who do not yet know Christ. However, it can be a big challenge for anyone to share the gospel with friends and family. Practicing initiative evangelism can cultivate the boldness needed for this work.

Provide modeling and opportunities to practice

Successful mobilization usually requires a plentiful amount of modeling and practice. If you are teaching people to share the gospel, you should provide as many opportunities as you can for them to see you doing it. Real-time conversations with people who do not know Jesus are best. We can easily see this in the life of Jesus. Before he called and trained the twelve to go out in pairs, they had all seen him do what he was teaching them to do. Having each person immediately practice the tools you share is also vital. We often take time after we share a tool to turn to our neighbor and practice it. Sharing the gospel is a skill that can be developed. And along with any other skill, practice is essential to mastery. Practice during training sessions yields learners who are more confident and more likely to share.

Develop ongoing learning communities

Many people learn this best in the context of community. If there are a few in your church or ministry who want to do this, it is helpful to gather them in a community that meets regularly to share their positive and negative experiences, pray for one another, and spur one another on. Ideally, this group could meet at least twice a month. Utilizing online platforms like Zoom can open up more time slots to choose from. As people continue to show an interest and take steps forward, it is important to continue to gather for this purpose.

Many of my greatest joys on the field in Japan have been to see Japanese brothers and sisters of all ages encounter Christ in life-changing ways as they took steps of faith to reach out with the gospel. And even more importantly, we are seeing many Japanese come to faith. The field is ripe. I pray that many more of our Japanese brethren would encounter this great joy of doing the will of their heavenly Father and that the gospel would gloriously spread through this precious people group. 

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