NLM (Norwegian Lutheran Mission) 

The Norwegian Lutheran Mission (NLM) has been in Japan since 1949. As a fruit of our work, a Japanese church, West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (WJELC), was founded in 1962. Today, WJELC is a group of 42 churches, mainly in western Japan from Kobe to Hiroshima. NLM and WJELC share a joint vision of our work in Japan.

In Japan, NLM cooperates with the Finnish Lutheran Overseas Mission and the Icelandic Lutheran Mission. We are 12 missionaries with a good mix of first-time and experienced missionaries.

Together with WJELC and three other churches and organizations, we run the Kobe Lutheran Theological Seminary. Together with WJELC, we also run Hiruzen Bible Camp in Okayama prefecture, where we are in the process of transferring the ownership of the land to WJELC. In Kobe, we have the Kobe Lutheran Bible Institute and a media center, Lutheran Hour, which we also operate together with WJELC. In addition, NLM has started many kindergartens; but now we have one, which has 35 children.

NLM thinks there is still a need for missionaries in Japan because there are so few disciples of Christ here. We strive together with WJELC to reach the Japanese with the Gospel and make them followers of Christ. Our joint vision’s motto is “Catching, bringing up, walking together – not survival, but service.” To fulfill this mission, we train people in good practices, such as prayer, giving, and Bible reading. We also encourage each other to use our gifts and witness to the world by sharing the Gospel. In addition, we use new forms of media to reach new generations with the Gospel. We want to organize our camp and education institutions so that we can evangelize and educate more effectively. It is important for us to consider how we all can cooperate more effectively.

In the future, NLM’s task will be to continue to support the church in reaching out to new people, especially young people and students. We will help to develop new ways of reaching out. We will continue to provide missionaries who are able to teach at our theological seminary and Bible school. We will also have missionaries capable of using new media. Through our good close relationship with WJELC, we believe in a renewal and strengthening of the existing work in a country where there are many opportunities.