WEC (Worldwide Evangelism for Christ)

WEC Japan is a fun bunch of 40 missionaries from 10 countries and different denominations. We are here ‘to see vibrant, indigenous and reproducing churches flourishing in Japan, transforming its society and mobilising for missions’. 

We are based in Shiga-ken but our workers normally start in Kyoto for language study and then spread out to neighbouring prefectures.

WEC (Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ) was formed in 1913 by C T Studd, a Brit. God turned one man’s crazy adventure into a movement that has since touched millions of lives in unreached countries. Our international slogan is ‘Reaching People, Planting Churches, Mobilising Missions’. 

Our first missionaries came to Japan in 1950. The team and churches grew rapidly in the early years. Japanese pastors were trained up. The churches later became known as the ‘Sekai Fukuin Dendou Kai’ (‘SFDK’), and WEC came to operate separately, but in close partnership. These days at the SFDK’s annual ‘sekai’, there are about 400 people. The biggest church has a congregation of about 100, the smallest about five. However, with many of the original pastors and just a handful of new young ones, there is a leadership challenge. As missionaries, we often talk about how to support existing churches while also growing pioneering work. Currently our workers are either: new workers, who spend up to two years in language study and then one year in a church placement; pioneer church planters, who work in multicultural teams to evangelise and set up new church plants of either traditional style or recently organic style; or pastoring churches or assisting Japanese pastors. We also have one worker seconded to KGK(Kiristoshya Gakusei Kai) and one to minister to tsunami survivors in Tohoku.

We have recently spent time praying and waiting on God for how to bless and grow the church. The following strategy was agreed in January 2015:

1. Pioneering: Planting Churches

To plant reproducing churches that prioritise discipleship, in strategic and under-churched areas.

2. Training: Leadership Development

To raise up potential leaders and develop Japanese church leadership.

To train and equip Christians to minister and to be an influence in their community, work place and church.

3. Mobilisation

To promote world mission vision in churches.

To recruit workers for Japan and overseas.

To provide opportunities for ministry overseas and for missions training inside and outside Japan.

4. Partnership

To partner and network with mainly SFDK and other like-minded churches and organisations in church planting and in sending workers to develop and support churches and ministries, in line with the field vision.

At our annual field conference in May 2015 we will move onto discussing exactly how to do this, through goal setting (we have not yet got it all ‘sorted’!).

We have recently decided our values in the ministries.

1. Prayer

Prayer is our priority and the basis of every WEC activity.

2. Team-based Ministry

We aim to function in teams; multi-cultural teams whenever possible.

3. Effective Ministry

We aim to carry out effective ministries through:

Working strategically

Sufficient research and prayer

Persistent and committed ministry

Appropriate evaluation

Wise utilisation of resources

4. Member Care and Personal Development

We aim to provide training, support and accountability for missionaries so that they can fulfil their calling.

We recognise each individual’s own responsibility for self-care and personal development.

We joined JEMA about ten years ago and value the training and networking opportunities.