We love these people!

We love these people! 

Carol recently returned from cell group Bible study full of joy and thanks for her Japanese sisters.  She had mentioned to the group that it was a bit hard on her, and on Martha, that she is not in Virginia with Martha to pick out the wedding dress and do other wedding prep together as mother and daughter.  One dear friend, Mariko, cried as she empathized with Carol, and thanked her for the sacrifice of being here in Japan, away from Martha.  It was a special time together.

 

Along the same lines, our church ladies threw a lunch party for Carol's parents when they were here last month.  As honored guests they were seated at a head table, given gifts, a concert, and many kind emotional sentiments reflecting thanks for sending our family to share the riches of Christ with our Japanese believers.  Then, after worship on Sunday, Carol's dad gave a greeting to the whole congregation.  He stood up front with me below the podium with the wireless mike, all eyes fixed on him.  (He is a very impressive guy, dignified, strong, 79-year old former Marine Colonel.)  Usually, many folks leave quickly after the benediction to rush home to non-Christian spouses/ family who are not so happy with them attending worship; but this day, no one moved.  

 

Dad Chase told how they had received a very serious telephone call from us when we were in seminary.  He knew it was serious when we requested that all four of us be on the phone.  When we told them that we were prayerfully considering going to Japan as career missionaries, he recalled, with clarity and emotion, their initial reaction.  They had lost Carol's younger sister, Martha, after a long, difficult illness, and felt as though they were getting ready to lose their only other daughter. No one moved.  As I interpreted for him, passing the mike back and forth, everyone's eyes going back and forth between him and me, I thought about how they were hanging on his every word, listening more intently than they had to my sermon a little earlier.   

 

Dad went on to say that, yes, it was difficult to send us to Japan, and still is difficult on them for us to be here.  "But being here today worshiping God with you, seeing what God is doing among you makes it all worth it, and gives us great joy to be a part of this by sending our family here." When he finished, he and Carol's mom were practically mobbed by people wanting to meet them and express their thanks.  We do love these people.

 

Last night our church staff of 3 Japanese guys and their families gathered with us for our church/staff fellowship time.  We had the best time laughing, eating, sharing, laughing, singing, praying, eating more, and laughing some more.  We love these people.  It's been 21 years and six months.  We still cannot imagine being anywhere else, doing anything else, with anyone else.

 

We are especially thankful to many of you who keep us here by your prayers and financial support.  None of us can support every worthy cause, nor pray for every good Kingdom endeavor.  But to those of you who are led to stand behind us, many of you for 22 years now, we are deeply grateful.  Thank you!

 

Iverson Family & Oyumino Church on TV

This is a show that was aired two months ago on a secular channel here in Japan. Lifelines is targeting non-Christian Japanese and seeks to introduce the gospel and church in simple, fun ways. It's 20 minutes long and most of it is in Japanese.



During one part Dan talks about the "4 Fs" which are quoted in the following brief summary:

#1 F: Fun- God made us to enjoy Him forever. Talked about "TRUE fun and joy" which included real relationships, crying together as well as laughingtogether, etc. Lots of the film is our family having fun together. Also shows our church gospel music group (gospel music is a craze in Japan right now), our church kids dance group, kids "after school program" for
neighborhood kids, etc. When it shows Carol in the kitchen with daughters and daughters/wives of sons, her cute expression is saying how much fun it is to have them in Japan cooking together.
#2 F: Family- The importance of Family, and that church is like a family too. Good stuff about couples loving and forgiving each other for the sake of their kids (our adult kids sharing about that), about confessing and owning up to our sin and failure in our families, and how church needs to be the same kind of family. I share that my dad taught me: "you love your kids?
Then LOVE CAROL!"
#3 F: Fujuubun (inadequate)- That we are all weak, needy, fail, in every relationship, and before the true and living God. That in Japan the pursuit of perfection and perfectionism may be great for building cars, but it is terrible for husband wife relationships, raising kids, etc, for we are all "fujuubun". More than that, we are all sinners. Before God... very needy, really. Then, Danny and Joel singing Danny's version of "Spirit of the Living God, Fall fresh on me." They used this in the program to say in the Japanese writing that we who are
inadequate need outside help, from God.
#4 F: Fukuin (gospel, good news)- Sharing that the gospel is for inadequate people, us, sinners.
In Christ's gospel, our sins are forgiven, AND God helps us to grow.