This particular passage in Luke truly captures Japan’s spiritual condition. Unlike many other cultures, traditional approaches to evangelism often face significant cultural barriers in Japan, where Christianity is sometimes viewed as a foreign religion or even confused with cults, with missionaries and local Christians calling Japan the “missionary’s graveyard.”

Our calling is to minister to this often forgotten missions field, taking our inspiration from Jonathan, who, in 1 Samuel 23:16, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.

Likewise, we seek to connect with local churches in Japan, building deep, authentic relationships and strengthen their hand in the Lord, as they likewise strengthen our hand in the Lord.

While the Christian population remains an extremely small minority, the longing for hope and meaning in a highly secular society creates open doors for the Gospel, making a missions trip to Japan a challenging but incredibly rewarding endeavor.