PDF version is here. Japanese version is here.
Learning to lead and to follow
Once again proving that I’d be unable to speak if you tied my hands behind my back
“And, so, ladies and gentlemen, Simon Cozens...” The pastor’s long introduction drew to a close, the time had finally come, and I got up to speak. For better or for worse, I had the floor for the next ninety minutes. My first leadership seminar had begun. I felt... fantastic!
For the past year and a half, my vision has been to see Christian leaders being nurtured and encouraged in Japan, and after a month of intense preparation, this was my first opportunity to begin such a ministry. About thirty people came along to this first seminar, mostly from my church, a few from other churches in our network, and five or six from outside church. We even had a Buddhist monk who had seen my profile in the local newspaper and decided to come along!
I managed to get through ninety minutes, the longest I had ever spoken in Japanese, and even got the audience involved in the discussion. I was very happy with it as a first time; it was, as the pastor had said, a great practice for me and an opportunity to develop a programme for future teaching.
Which may come sooner rather than later, as I now have two more opportunities to give this seminar!
VIP Club
First, after fixing up another missionary's computer, I ended up going along with him to a meeting of the Shiga VIP Club. This is something that I'd been wanting to get involved with for a while, as I think the VIP Club is one of the most exciting things happening in the Japanese church right now. It’s a lay-led group for Japanese businessmen, Christian and non-Christian, which hosts speaker meetings, Bible studies, accountability groups, coaching, evangelistic outreach, and leadership development - which is where I come in. I've been invited by our local VIP Club to come to give my seminar with them.
As well as that, we're currently thinking as a church network about the vision and the values which make up the denomination, so I may well be giving the seminar again at our denominational retreat in March.
JCPI Conference
As well as teaching, I'll be doing a lot of learning over the next month or so, as I will be going to the Japan Church Planting Institute Conference in early November. This will be an opportunity to listen to teaching and talks on the latest missionary thinking, to pray for Japan and for each other, and hopefully also just to hang out and get to know other missionaries from around the country.
I’ll also be working there, staffing the resources exhibition as well as presenting our Songbee worship software as a resource for other Japanese churches to use.
Please pray that the conference will be good stimulus for me to think about mission in Japan, and that I would develop some good connections with other missionaries and pastors there.