Today I finished my four months of indigenous (Japanese) church placement at Rakusei Church. Let me relate what I have gained from being there.
First, a sense of freedom. I have seen this in the church members, from the first moment I met them. Many are divorced and have found the church in the last few years - they are not putting up a pretense with thier lives - they have come as broken people and been genuinely healed (it seems). The older members too, including the lady who was the starting member of that church, also beam with joy and freedom. They don't worry about what (not) to wear, and what (not) to do. If our newest Christian wants to go for a fag outside, he goes for a fag outside. If the daughter of one member turns up in the shortest shorts, with the past-self-harm scars on her arms not covered, no-one bats an eyelid. I like this - it's not about rules, it's about being family together.
And I could stop there.
But second, I have learnt about joy in the Lord. The pastor, Okumura sensei (sensei means pastor or teacher in Japanese), and his wife Michiyo sensei, always beam with energy. Nothing is to much trouble for them. And when really tired, Okumra sensei just missed the night of gospel choir to rest at home. These folk aren't 'martyrs' (in the bad sense of the word), these are people who are willingly choosing to look on the joyful side of life. They are light-hearted, rather than long-faced, even though I know they've dealt with sticky counsellng situations in the church. They like to try and hang around with church members. Which leads me on to...
Third, there is a sense of community. People work long hours in Japan, so the church's weekly schedule is light. That means on Sundays people choose to spend the whole day together - worship service, eating lunch, sitting on the floor chatting, making jewelery, drinking tea. They also sometimes socialise together, like going out to see band play, or something. Gospel choir is also social and it introduces people to the church, (as in the people, although also the building), before they come to 'church' as such.
Fourth, the time is maximised. Seeing as people are busy in the week, the church's leadership meetings take place after the service and before the lunch on Sundays, (not every week, maybe monthly). The time for new individuals to study the Bible with the Pastor is also Sunday afternoon; they slip into his office to chat while everyone else is still mingling in the next room. Practices for special church events are squeezed in after gospel choir on Thursday nights. English classes (while I was there), are held after the Sunday lunch. Basically this means people don't have to travel back and forth to the church; the pastors simply make use of the time they have with people rather than askng for more. And the service times also are geared for people: the first ervice is at 7am, so that those who have to work can come before work starts. The second service is at 10.30am. And the third, at 7.30pm, for those after work. There will also be a fourth in September, at 1.30pm, of contemporary worship, for those who can't be bothered to get up before mid-day on Sundays and so aren't at present even part of church.
Fifth, multiculturism is important. We tend to think, as missionaries, that we have to become 'indigenous' to relate the gospel credibly. True, this is what mission theory has been fighting for for years, and it's a great achievement that we now all finally beleive it. But in Japan, English language is still a novelty. In short, it's cool. The new 1.30pm service wil largely be English songs, even though there wilbe no native speakers in the church, as the pastor says Japanese young people cannot connect with God singing modern songs in Japanese about God: it just doesn't go together. There might be larger questions for how we can get around that, but in the meantime, let's put on some internationaly-flavoured events to draw people in!
Sixth, you cannot please everyone. I missed one church event for personal preference of something equally/more valuable that night, and that was kinda embaraassing, but that will sometimes be a choice we have to make without always being able to justify ourselves to everyone or even those most senior.
Seventh, Japanese pastors and Christians do use some different phrases in services and when praying compared to missionaries speaking Japanese, so it's important for new foreign workers like myself to learn in a Japanese-context when possible.
Eighth, when people are asked to introduce themselves when they've come to an event for the first time, the normal thing is for that person not to say anything personal about themselves other than their name, and instead just to relate how they came to know of the church event/group, thier (positive) impressions of it, and that they'll come back again if they can. (I in contrast made the mistake of giving a 5-minute personal introduction all about myself, before I was asked to sit down!)
Ninth, Japanese people won't necessarily invite you to thier house or out for coffee, as you are in a higher position than them being in church leadership, but maybe they would gladly accept an invitation if you issued it. Sadly I discovered this too late (from one of my Korean colleagues) so have never had a coffee out with anyone there, sob sob. Although finaly after four months, two people have asked for my phone number and said to come round, smile, (& mental reminder: must go!)
Tenth, babies can sleep anyway! (Why do British peole always rush home after the service, if not five minutes before the end, to feed the baby and put him to bed?!) The church members here just feed the babies while eating lunch with (and at) the church, and then lie the baby down on a cushion and he sleeps. Further to that, the children fit in and are an integral part of the church family. And with that, here's some of the church people!
