November 11th, 2002

Ninth Annual Church Planters Institute is Set to Begin

1st CPI CONFERENCE 9 YEARS AGO: 27 MISSIONARIES ATTENDED
THIS YEAR: OVER 465 ADULTS SIGNED UP TO ATTEND!

We need a little financial help, and LOTS OF FERVENT PRAYER for this!

Dear Friends,

Please, please, please pray for the strategic Japan Church Planting Institute Conference, scheduled for Nov. 12-15 near Mt. Fuji. There is nothing I am involved with in ministry here that compares to this in terms of impacting Japan with the gospel. And God really has His hand on this movement, it seems. When our team started CPI under the Japan Missionary Association umbrella 9 years ago, we had no idea or plans that God would grow this and prosper it into the dynamic movement it has become affecting all of Japan through the over 90 mission agencies and denominations who now participate.

The first CPI Conference 9 years ago was attended by 27 missionaries from several denominations. God met us there, blessed the time greatly, and it grew to about 35 the next year, and about 50 the year after that. God has continued to grow it and bless it every year. Last year about 330 adult missionaries and Japanese came for this time of worship, prayer, training, networking, fellowship, and renewal.God continues to grow this. As of yesterday, more than 460 adults (and 80 children) are registered to attend next week. This will be the largest gathering ever of church planters in Japan. Several Japanese denominations are sending their leadership as well as their church planters. Several mission agencies substitute the CPI conference each year for their own training conference. PCA minister Dr. Steve Childers of Reformed Theological Seminary is returning as the plenary speaker for the 9th year. Pray for the logistics (including the children's ministry team coming from PCA churches in the US) and that God will use this conference to refresh pastors and church planters. Many of those who attend have labored alone for many years with few results in this nation that has 2.1 worship attenders per 1,000 population. Each year so many struggling church planters come looking for new church planting METHODS for their ministry tool box in difficult Japan. But more than METHODS, they get renewal for the MAN by the MESSAGE of the gospel as the Holy Spirit works (as well as great training on church planting methodology). The Gospel of Christ we church planters preach is 1st the Gospel we ourselves need every day.

Please pray that God would visit us again this year, and use this four days to fan an evangelical gospel-driven church planting movement throughout Japan. Pray for the 6 basic study tracks and 30 electives, and the interpretation into Japanese or English for most of them. Pray for PCA teaching elders Steve Childers (RTS), Terry Geiger (Redeemer PC in NYC), Alan Thompson (PCA MNA Church Planting trainer), and Bruce Young (MTW Japan missionary), and others who have major teaching roles. Pray for continued unity in this movement. In spite of much content and atmosphere and leadership from a Reformed perspective, there has been a notable absence of objections in spite of the broadly evangelical sponsorship of the conference.

Every year we experience increased 'spiritual attack' around this time. Last year it was the time that our 2 secretaries quit on us, and two families had to leave the field because of health concerns. There are incredible logistical feats that must occur for CPI to happen, and it has such potential for far-reaching Kingdom building, that the enemy cannot be happy. We really covet your prayers!

Dan Iverson