Clay Fowler

Changing God’s Mind Through Prayer (Message 2 of 3)

Note: This is the second of three sermons I preached in Japan this Summer.

Two weeks ago, I encouraged us all to become more relational when we pray to God. Following Paul’s example, prayer can result in a deeper relationship with God and prayer can also draw us closer to each other. We should spend significant time praying for the foundational parts of our inner Christian life instead of allowing our prayers to always be about the outward, visible parts of our walk with Jesus.

2週間前のメッセージで、私たちは祈る時に大切なのは神との関係であることを学びました。パウロの祈りの模範に従うなら、祈りは私たちを神に近づけ、お互いに近づけることができます。私たちは、より多くの時間を自分たちのクリスチャン生活の内側の本質的、根本的な部分に費やすべきで、生活の外側の目に見える部分が祈りの中心になってはいけません。

It is desirable that we focus much of our prayer life on those foundational parts of our Christian walk, but we cannot forget that God still wants us to pray for specific requests as well. It is good when we seek God’s intervention for the struggles present in our lives. As we learn to speak with our heavenly Father in more relational ways, it is only natural for us to express our desires and wishes to Him as well. 

クリスチャン生活の土台となる部分に祈りを集中させるのは望ましいことですが、神は私たちが具体的な願いを祈ることも望んでおられることを忘れてはなりません。人生の様々な苦しみに関して神の介入を求めるのは良いことです。天の父との関係を大切にしながら父なる神に語り、私たちの望みや願いを伝えることは自然なことです。

Many times, when we present our requests to God, we ask for Him to do something. It might be that we ask Him to intervene for us. It might be that we ask Him to intervene for someone else. In either case, we are usually asking God for something that hasn’t happened yet. Sometimes we pray for God to move in some way, but that prayer seems to go unanswered. In that case, we usually think about it in one of two ways.

多くの場合、私たちは神に願いを捧げる時、何かしてほしいことを求めます。それは、自分のために介入していただくことかもしれませんし、他の人のためかもしれません。どちらの場合も、私たちはまだ起きていないことを神に求めます。時には、神に動いて欲しいのに、その祈りが聞かれていないように思うことがあります。そのような場合、私たちはたいてい二つのうちどちらかのことを考えます。

Our first thought might be that God is planning on giving us what we are asking for, but the timing is not right. When we recognize that God has better knowledge than we do, we are able to wait with patience for the answer to our prayers. Patience, you may remember, is one of the fruits of the Spirit’s work in our lives, and waiting on God is a common theme in the Bible. Abraham, Moses, and David all experienced significant periods of waiting for God to act. 

一つの考えは、神は私たちが求めているものを与えようとしておられるけど、タイミングがまだ合っていないのではないかということです。しかし、神が私たちよりも多くのことをご存知だと思えば、私たちは祈りの答えを忍耐強く待つことができます。忍耐は、聖霊が私たちの人生に働きかけて与えてくださる賜物の一つであり、神を待つことは聖書の中でよく見られるテーマです。アブラハム、モーセ、ダビデは皆、神のわざを長い期間待つという経験をしました。

Our second thought on unanswered prayer is where I want to focus on today. That thought might look something like this: God, I earnestly want this. Please change this thing in my life. If it is your will, I am begging you to act in this way. — If these prayers go unanswered long enough, we might even start to think in terms of praying for God to change His mind. 

今日は、祈り答えられていないことに対する二つ目の考え方に焦点を当てたいと思います。それは、次のようなものかもしれません。「神様、私は切に願います。どうか私の人生のこのことを変えてください。もし御心であれば、そのようにして下さることをお祈りいたします。」 — 私たちはこれらの祈りが長い間答えられないと、神が考えを変えてくださるように祈ることを考え始めるかもしれません。

But, we need to consider this question: Does God change His mind? As your prayer life grows more relational, this question becomes more and more important. It is a pivotal question to ask, because how we answer this question has great impact on the way that we pray.

しかし、私たちは次のことについて考える必要があります。神はご自分の考えを変えるのでしょうか？祈りの生活が神との信頼関係に根ざすようになるにつれて、この問いはますます重要になります。これは極めて重要な問いです。なぜなら、この問いにどう答えるかが、私たちの祈り方に大きな影響を与えるからです。

So, does God change His mind? Some would say “No. God does not change His mind.” There are four Old Testament texts that suggest God does not change his mind:

では、神は考えを変えるのでしょうか？「いいえ。神は決して考えを変えません」と言う人もいるでしょう。旧約聖書には、神が考えを変えないことを示す箇所が4つあります。

In Numbers 23:18-19 God tells Balaam to deliver this message to Balak:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.

God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?”

民数記 23章18-19節で、神はバラムに次の言葉をバラクに伝えるように命じています。

民 23:18 バラムは彼のことわざを唱えて言った。「立て、バラクよ。そして聞け。ツィポルの子よ。私に耳を傾けよ。23:19神は人間ではなく、偽りを言うことがない。人の子ではなく、悔いることがない。神は言われたことを、なさらないだろうか。約束されたことを成し遂げられないだろうか。

And in 1 Samuel 15:29, when King Saul pleads with God after hearing that his lineage will not stay on the throne, Samuel tells Saul:

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; 
for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

また、１サムエル記15章29節では、サウル王が自分の子孫が王位にとどまらないことを聞き、神に嘆願したとき、サムエルはサウルにこう告げています。

Ⅰサム 15:29 実に、イスラエルの栄光である方は、偽ることもなく、悔いることもない。この方は人間ではないので、悔いることがない。」

In Malachi’s prophecy against Israel for breaking the Covenant, God tells the people:

“‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

神との契約を破ったイスラエルに対して、マラキの預言を通して神はこう語られました。ﾏﾗｷ3:6-7

ﾏﾗｷ 3:6 【主】であるわたしは変わることがない。ヤコブの子らよ。あなたがたは、滅ぼし尽くされない。3:7 あなたがたの先祖の時代から、あなたがたは、わたしのおきてを離れ、それを守らなかった。わたしのところに帰れ。そうすれば、わたしもあなたがたのところに帰ろう。──万軍の【主】は仰せられる

And in Psalm 110, David writes that: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind.”

そして詩篇110篇で、ダビデはこう書いています。

詩 110:4 【主】は誓い、そしてみこころを変えない。

And yet… let’s consider the passage in 2 Kings 20:1-7:

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly…” 

しかしながら…2列王記20章1-7節を考えてみましょう。

Ⅱ列王 20:1-3 そのころ、ヒゼキヤは病気になって死にかかっていた。そこへ、アモツの子、預言者イザヤが来て、彼に言った。「【主】はこう仰せられます。『あなたの家を整理せよ。あなたは死ぬ。直らない。』」 20:2 そこでヒゼキヤは顔を壁に向けて、【主】に祈って、言った。20:3 「ああ、【主】よ。どうか思い出してください。私が、まことを尽くし、全き心をもって、あなたの御前に歩み、あなたがよいと見られることを行ってきたことを。」こうして、ヒゼキヤは大声で泣いた。

“…Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.

 20:4 イザヤがまだ中庭を出ないうちに、次のような【主】のことばが彼にあった。

 20:5 「引き返して、わたしの民の君主ヒゼキヤに告げよ。あなたの父ダビデの神、【主】は、こう仰せられる。『わたしはあなたの祈りを聞いた。あなたの涙も見た。見よ。わたしはあなたをいやす。三日目には、あなたは【主】の宮に上る。20:6わたしは、あなたの寿命にもう十五年を加えよう。わたしはアッシリヤの王の手から、あなたとこの町を救い出し、わたしのために、また、わたしのしもべダビデのためにこの町を守る。』」20:7 イザヤが、「干しいちじくをひとかたまり、持って来なさい」と命じたので、人々はそれを持って来て、腫物に当てた。すると、彼は直った。

God seems totally affected by Hezekiah’s prayer. He sends Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that this illness would be fatal. After hearing Hezekiah’s prayer, however, God heals him and grants him 15 more years of life.

神はヒゼキヤの祈りによって心を動かされたようです。イザヤを遣わして、この病気が致命的であることをヒゼキヤに告げさせました。しかし、神はヒゼキヤの祈りを聞いて彼を癒し、さらに15年の命を与えました。

Hezekiah is not alone, either. What about Moses? Exodus 32:9-14 describes an incredible discussion between Moses and God:

“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?“ … and skipping down to verse 14 … “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”

ヒゼキヤだけではありません。モーセはどうでしょうか？出エジプト記32章9-14節には、モーセと神の驚くべき対話が記されています。

出 32:9 【主】はまた、モーセに仰せられた。「わたしはこの民を見た。これは、実にうなじのこわい民だ。32:10 今はただ、わたしのするままにせよ。わたしの怒りが彼らに向かって燃え上がって、わたしが彼らを絶ち滅ぼすためだ。しかし、わたしはあなたを大いなる国民としよう。」32:11 しかしモーセは、彼の神、【主】に嘆願して言った。「【主】よ。あなたが偉大な力と力強い御手をもって、エジプトの地から連れ出されたご自分の民に向かって、どうして、あなたは御怒りを燃やされるのですか。、、、少し飛ばして14節を読みます。32:14 すると、【主】はその民に下すと仰せられたわざわいを思い直された。

In fact, there are at least 19 different texts which suggest that God could change His mind. Consider Jesus himself, in the garden, praying earnestly that God would change His mind and take the cup of crucifixion away from Him. Or, why would Paul repeatedly plead with God to remove the thorn in his flesh if he didn’t believe that God could change His mind and do so. 

実際、神が考えを変えることを示す聖書箇所は少なくとも19箇所あります。ゲッセマネの園で、イエス様ご自身が、神が心を変えて十字架の杯を取り去ってくださるようにと熱心に祈られたことを考えてみてください。あるいは、もしパウロが、神が心を変えてそうすることができると信じていなかったなら、なぜ自分の肉体のとげを取り除いてくださるよう繰り返し神に祈ったのでしょうか。

It seems clear that God *does* change His mind. In fact, we can tell from these stories that God is not reluctant to change His mind! I think this is possible because of our relationship with Him. God eagerly desires to know His people intimately. He further desires that His people intimately know Him as well. God wants this relationship to be so authentic that we are able to challenge him in prayer and be able to beg Him for something different to happen in the world.

神が考えを変える（思い直される）ことは明らかです。実際、これらの物語から、神は心を変えることをためらっていないことがわかります。これは、私たちと神との間に生きた関係があるからこそ可能なのだと思います。神は、ご自分の民を深く知りたいと強く願っておられます。さらに、神はご自分の民が神を深く知ることも望んでおられます。神は、この関係が本物であり、私たちが祈りの中で神に訴え、この世界で何か違うことが起こるようにと願うようになることを望んでおられます。

So, what does it take to change God’s mind?

Some would say that the way to change God’s mind through prayer is to live righteously.

では、神の心を変えるには何が必要でしょうか。

祈りを通して神の心を変えるには、神の義にかなった生き方をすることだと言う人もいるでしょう。

In Isaiah 1:15, God tells the Israelites that:

“When you spread out your hands in prayer,
    I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!”

イザヤ書 1章15節で、神はイスラエル人にこう告げています。

1:15 あなたがたが手を差し伸べて祈っても、わたしはあなたがたから目をそらす。どんなに祈りを増し加えても、聞くことはない。あなたがたの手は血まみれだ。

Or for a more positive example, we could turn to James 5:16 and read:

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

あるいは、もっと前向きな例として、ヤコブの手紙 5章16節を読んでみましょう。

ﾔｺﾌﾞ5:16 ですから、あなたがたは、互いに罪を言い表し、互いのために祈りなさい。いやされるためです。義人の祈りは働くと、大きな力があります。

We can definitely say that yes, living righteously is an important part of it. But there are kings who are *not* righteous who have their prayers answered.

確かに、義にかなった生き方は重要な要素です。しかし、義人ではないのに祈りが聞き届けられた王たちの例があります。

Jeroboam was a bad king by all accounts. In 1 Kings 13, Jeroboam’s hand was miraculously shriveled up when he tried to have the Man of God arrested. Yet:

“Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.’ So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.” 

ヤロブアムは、誰の目にも悪い王でした。1列王記 13章では、ヤロブアムが神の人を捕らえようとした時、伸ばした手が奇跡的にしなびて戻せなくなったとあります。しかし、つづきがあります。

Ⅰ列王13:6 そこで、王はこの神の人に向かって言った。「どうか、あなたの神、【主】にお願いをして、私のために祈ってください。そうすれば、私の手はもとに戻るでしょう。」神の人が【主】に願ったので、王の手はもとに戻り、前と同じようになった。

In 2 Kings 13, we are told that Jehoahaz did evil in the eyes of the Lord as did Jeroboam, and it caused the Lord to burn against the people through oppression from their neighbor, Aram. But in verses 4 and 5 we read:

“Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.”

2列王記13章には、エホアハズがヤロブアムと同様に主の目に悪を行なったことが記されています。そのため、主はイスラエルの民を隣国アラムの手に渡し苦しめました。しかし、4節と5節にはこうあります。

Ⅱ列王13:4 しかし、エホアハズが【主】に願ったので、【主】はこれを聞き入れられた。アラムの王のしいたげによって、イスラエルがしいたげられているのを見られたからである。13:5 【主】がイスラエル人にひとりの救い手を与えられたとき、イスラエルの人々はアラムの支配を脱し、以前のように、自分たちの天幕に住むようになった。

Even King Ahab, who was the worst king of them all, received favorable attention from God. After Ahab seizes Naboth’s vineyard for himself, God sends Elijah with a message of personal destruction for Ahab and his whole family. Then we come to 1 Kings 21:27-29:

“When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ‘Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.’”

イスラエル史上最悪の王であったアハブ王でさえ、神からわざわいに替えてあわれみを受けました。アハブがナボテのぶどう園を奪い取った後、神はエリヤを遣わし、アハブとその家族全員に破滅の知らせを伝えさせます。そして1列王記 21章27-29節にはこのように続きます。

1列王21:27 アハブは、これらのことばを聞くとすぐ、自分の外套を裂き、身に荒布をまとい、断食をし、荒布を着て伏し、また、打ちしおれて歩いた。21:28 そのとき、ティシュベ人エリヤに次のような【主】のことばがあった。21:29 「あなたはアハブがわたしの前にへりくだっているのを見たか。彼がわたしの前にへりくだっているので、彼の生きている間は、わざわいを下さない。しかし、彼の子の時代に、彼の家にわざわいを下す。」

There are many reasons to live righteously. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of our prayers will be answered. The reverse is true as well, though! The fact that our prayers may go unanswered certainly does not have to mean that we have done something wrong.

正しく生きる理由はたくさんあります。しかし、それは必ずしもすべての祈りが答えられるという保証ではありません。しかし、その逆も言えます。祈りが答えられないのは必ずしも何か悪いことをしたからだということではありません。

So, what does it take to change God’s mind if it can’t be fully explained by living a righteous life? Well, some people might suggest that we should keep praying because there is power in prayer.

では、正しい生き方だけでは十分に説明できないのであれば、神の心を変えるには何が必要なのでしょうか？祈りには力があるから、祈り続けるべきだと言う人もいるかもしれません。

To that, I can definitively say there is NO power in prayer. Prayer is simply the means through which power is requested. The power belongs to the One who can answer our prayer! It’s not about saying the right words or having the right habits. We cannot approach prayer as a kind of formula which depends on us asking in the right way. That comes dangerously close to trying to manipulate God.

それに対して、私はこう断言できます。祈りに力があるのではありません。祈りは単に力を求める手段に過ぎません。その力は、私たちの願いに答えてくださる神にあります。大切なのは、正しい言葉を唱えることや、正しい習慣を身につけることではありません。祈りを、正しい方法や決まり文句によって働く魔術のように考えてはなりません。それでは、祈りが神を操ろうとする行為になってしまいます。

Scholars have noted that many of the answered prayers we have considered this morning contain strong emotion. Hezekiah wept bitterly. Ahab tore his clothes and went around meekly. Jesus prayed with such emotion that sweat drops of blood appeared. 

聖書学者たちは、今朝私たちが学んだ答えられた祈り例には、強い感情が込められていると指摘します。ヒゼキヤは激しく泣きました。アハブは衣服を引き裂き、へりくだった態度で歩き回りました。イエスは、血の汗が滴るほど感情を込めて祈りました。

Now, I am not saying that crying will automatically get us what we want. But this point does remind us that we don’t simply approach God with only our minds. We approach God with our hearts as well. After all, if we are learning to interact with Him in a more relational way, then we will naturally be praying with all of our heart, mind, and soul.

それは、泣けば自動的に望みが叶うということではありません。しかし、このことは、私たちが頭だけで神に近づくのではないことを思い出させてくれます。私たちは頭だけではなく心でも神に近づくのです。結局のところ、生きた関係でより深く、親密に神と関わることを学んでいれば、自然と心と思いと魂を込めて祈るようになるでしょう。

Ultimately, that is how we change God’s mind. He eagerly desires to walk alongside us in this life. God is ready and willing to shower His blessings and protection upon us as we seek to grow deeper in relationship with Him. Prayer is a big part of that process. As we come to rely on God more and more in our lives, we will naturally want to share our whole being with Him – including our wants and desires. And since He is the most loving of fathers, He will naturally want to interact with those wants and desires in genuine and tangible ways.

最終的には、それが神の心を変える方法です。神はこの人生において、私たちと共に歩むことを求めておられます。神は、私たちが神との関係を深めようと努める時、祝福と守りを惜しみなく注いでくださいます。祈りはその過程において大きな役割を果たします。人生において神に信頼するようになればなるほど、私たちは自然と、自分の願いや望みだけでなく、自分のすべてを神と分かち合いたいと思うようになります。そして、最も愛に満ちた父である神は、私たちの願いや望みに、誠実にかつ具体的な方法で応えたいと願っておられるのです。

May you experience the Joy of living in the presence of God more fully this week.

Amen.

今週、みなさんが神の御で、神といっしょに生きる喜びをより深く体験することができますように。

アーメン。

Clay Fowler

Christian Prayer (Message 1 of 3)

Note: This is the first of three sermons I preached while in Japan this Summer.

クリスチャンの祈り　ﾛｰﾏ1:8-10

This morning I would like to spend some time thinking about prayer. As Christians, we know that we are supposed to pray often. Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to “pray continually, giving thanks in all circumstances.” Philippians 4:6 says that “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Colossians 4:2 says it even stronger, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” 

今朝はごいっしょに祈りについて考えたいと思います。私たちはクリスチャンとして頻繁に祈るべきであることを知っています。1ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ5:16　「絶えず祈りなさい。すべてのことについて感謝しなさい。」とあります。　ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ4:6には「あらゆる場合に、感謝をもってささげる祈りと願いによって、あなたがたの願い事を神に知っていただきなさい。」とあります。さらにｺﾛｻｲ4:2には「目をさまして、感謝をもって、たゆみなく祈りなさい。」と書かれています。

Scripture encourages us to pray when we are in distress, to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other, to pray that we will resist temptation, and even to pray for the welfare of our enemies. There are many kinds of prayers. Yet, even with all of these reminders, I still wonder if we truly understand why we pray.

聖書は、私たちが落ち込んでいる時に祈るように、またお互いに罪を告白し合って祈り合うように、また誘惑に負けないように祈るように、さらには自分たちの敵のために祈るように命じています。祈りには様々なものがあり、このように「祈るように」というたくさんの励ましがあっても、私たちは本当に祈る理由が分かっているだろうかと考えてしまいます。

Sometimes it’s hard to know what we are supposed to be praying for. If we know someone with a medical issue, we know we should pray for them. If someone is struggling with a sin and they ask for our help, we know how to pray for them. If there is some sort of physical need like money or a job, we know what that prayer should look like. But is there a deeper reason to pray? How do we pray when there isn’t a specific need to pray about? Can we simply sit before God in the morning just to nurture a relationship? Maybe there are ways to pray that are less about asking for God’s action and more about getting to know God better himself? 

時々、何を祈るべきかが分からないことがあります。もし誰かが病気であれば、よくなるように祈ります。誰かが罪に苦しみ助けを求める場合はどう祈るべきか分かります。またお金や仕事のような物理的なことについての祈りも分かります。しかし、祈りにはもっと深い理由があるのではないでしょうか。具体的な祈りの課題がない時にはどのように祈ったらよいのでしょうか。朝、神との関係を深めるためにただ神の前に座っていることはどうでしょう。神に何かを求めるのではなく、神ご自身をより深く知るために祈る方法はあるのでしょうか。

Paul records a number of prayers in his letters. In some of them, he is asking that the people who received the letter experience a deeper relationship with the Father.

パウロは手紙中でいくつかの祈りを記録しています。その中には、手紙を受け取った人々が父なる神とより深い関係を体験できるようという祈りもあります。

Ephesians 1:17-19 

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” 

ｴﾍﾟｿ1:17-19　

1:17 どうか、私たちの主イエス・キリストの神、すなわち栄光の父が、神を知るための知恵と啓示の御霊を、あなたがたに与えてくださいますように。

 1:18 また、あなたがたの心の目がはっきり見えるようになって、神の召しによって与えられる望みがどのようなものか、聖徒の受け継ぐものがどのように栄光に富んだものか、

 1:19 また、神の全能の力の働きによって私たち信じる者に働く神のすぐれた力がどのように偉大なものであるかを、あなたがたが知ることができますように。

In this prayer, Paul is asking God to give the Christians in Ephesus a spirit of wisdom and revelation and that the eyes of their hearts might be enlightened. He seeks for them real knowledge of our true hope and that they would experience the riches of their inheritance among the saints. Ultimately, Pauls wants them to know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power.

この祈りの中で、パウロは神がエペソのクリスチャンたちに知恵と啓示の霊を与え、彼らの心の目が照らされるように祈っています。またまことの知識により本当の希望を知り、聖徒たちの間で受け継がれる神からの相続の豊かさを体験するように願っています。最終的にパウロは彼らに神の力の計り知れない偉大さを知って欲しいと願っています。

Philippians 1:9-10 

“And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight  to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,  having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.” 

ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ1:9-11　1:9 私は祈っています。あなたがたの愛が真の知識とあらゆる識別力によって、いよいよ豊かになり、1:10 あなたがたが、真にすぐれたものを見分けることができるようになりますように。またあなたがたが、キリストの日には純真で非難されるところがなく、 1:11 イエス・キリストによって与えられる義の実に満たされている者となり、神の御栄えと誉れが現されますように。

For the Christians in Philippi, Paul asks that their love may overflow with knowledge and insight. He wants them to remain blameless on the day of Christ and he is hoping that their lives will produce a harvest of righteousness 

パウロは、ピリピのクリスチャンたちの愛が知識と分別に満ちあふれるようにと願っています。パウロは彼らがキリストの日まで傷のない者であり続けることを望み、彼らの人生が義の収穫を生み出すことを願っています。

Colossians 1:9-10 

“For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”

ｺﾛｻｲ1:9-10

1:9 こういうわけで、私たちはそのことを聞いた日から、絶えずあなたがたのために祈り求めています。どうか、あなたがたがあらゆる霊的な知恵と理解力によって、神のみこころに関する真の知識に満たされますように。

 1:10 また、主にかなった歩みをして、あらゆる点で主に喜ばれ、あらゆる善行のうちに実を結び、神を知る知識を増し加えられますように。

For the faithful in Colosse, Paul wants them to develop knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding as they lead lives worthy of the Lord. That way they will bear fruit in every good work and grow in knowledge of God. 

コロサイの忠実な信者たちには、パウロは、彼らが主にふさわしい生活を送る中で、あらゆる霊的な知恵と理解において神の御心を知る知識を深めることを望んでいました。またそのようにして、彼らがあらゆる善行において実を結び、神を知る知識において成長することを願っていました。

Paul focuses on what happens on the inside, which ultimately produces fruit on the outside.

パウロは、内面の成長に焦点を当てています。それが最終的に、外面に実を結ぶからです。

Paul’s prayers sound a little bit like the ones we pray for our children. In a sense, they are. These are new Christians who are just taking their first baby steps along the path that follows Jesus. His prayers are about a person’s foundation. They aren’t prayers that something would happen *to* someone, but that something would start happening *within* them. 

パウロの祈りは、私たちが子供たちのために祈る祈りに少し似ています。ある意味ではそのような祈りだと思います。彼らはイエスに従う道を歩み始めたばかりの新しいクリスチャンです。パウロの祈りは、人間の基礎についての祈りです。それは、その人に対して何かが起こるようにという祈りではなく、彼らの内側で何かが起こり始めるようにという祈りです。

Let’s take a closer look at a very specific kind of prayer that Paul likes to include in his letters.

パウロが手紙の中で好んで用いた具体的な祈りの例を見てみましょう。

Romans 1:8-10 

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you.” 

ﾛｰﾏ1:8-10

1:8 まず第一に、あなたがたすべてのために、私はイエス・キリストによって私の神に感謝します。それは、あなたがたの信仰が全世界に言い伝えられているからです。

 1:9 私が御子の福音を宣べ伝えつつ霊をもって仕えている神があかししてくださることですが、私はあなたがたのことを思わぬ時はなく、

 1:10 いつも祈りのたびごとに、神のみこころによって、何とかして、今度はついに道が開かれて、あなたがたのところに行けるようにと願っています。

1 Corinthians 1:4 

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,” 

1ｺﾘﾝﾄ1:4

1:4 私は、キリスト・イエスによってあなたがたに与えられた神の恵みのゆえに、あなたがたのことをいつも神に感謝しています。

Ephesians 1:16 

“I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” 

ｴﾍﾟｿ1:16

1:16 あなたがたのために絶えず感謝をささげ、あなたがたのことを覚えて祈っています。

Philippians 1:3-5 

“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.” 

ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ1:3-5

 1:3 私は、あなたがたのことを思うごとに私の神に感謝し、

 1:4 あなたがたすべてのために祈るごとに、いつも喜びをもって祈り、

 1:5 あなたがたが、最初の日から今日まで、福音を広めることにあずかって来たことを感謝しています。

Colossians 1:3 

“In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 

ｺﾛｻｲ1:3

1:3 私たちは、いつもあなたがたのために祈り、私たちの主イエス・キリストの父なる神に感謝しています。

1 Thessalonians 1:2 

“We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly” 

1ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ1:2

 1:2 私たちは、いつもあなたがたすべてのために神に感謝し、祈りのときにあなたがたを覚え

2 Thessalonians 1:3 

“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing.” 

2ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ1:3

 1:3 兄弟たち。あなたがたのことについて、私たちはいつも神に感謝しなければなりません。そうするのが当然なのです。なぜならあなたがたの信仰が目に見えて成長し、あなたがたすべての間で、ひとりひとりに相互の愛が増し加わっているからです。

Philemon 1:4 

“When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.” 

ﾋﾟﾚﾓﾝ1:4

1:4 私は、祈りのうちにあなたのことを覚え、いつも私の神に感謝しています。

Each of these prayers comes right at the very beginning of these letters. Scholars who study Paul’s letters call this his Thanksgiving Section. He always starts his letters with a prayer of thanks. 

これらの祈りは、パウロの手紙の書き出しの部分にあります。パウロの手紙を研究している学者たちは、この部分を「感謝」の節と呼んでいます。パウロは常に手紙を感謝の祈りで始めています。

Is this just a normal way of writing letters in the first century? Probably not. One major scholar studied other letters from the Greco-Roman world of Paul to see the conventions that influenced him. Those letters DO NOT have a thanksgiving section. This seems to be a trademark thing of Paul. 

それは1世紀の手紙の書き方として普通だったのでしょうか？おそらくそうではありません。ある著名な学者は、パウロの時代のギリシャ・ローマ世界の他の手紙を研究し、当時の手紙の様式について調べましたが、それらの手紙には感謝の祈りの部分は含まれていませんでした。感謝の祈りは当時の習慣ではなく、パウロ特有のものであったようです。

Notice how personal this is. “When I pray, I think about you.” “When I give thanks, I thank God for you.” Think about how affirming this would be if you were to receive a letter like this. It’s important to know that someone out there cares about you and that they know you by name. This might be a great way to start if you are a person who is learning to pray. Start with gratitude. Then include people. 

パウロのそれら言葉がどれほど個人的で親しみにあふれたものであるかに注目してください。「私が祈るとき、私はあなたのことを思います。」「私が感謝するとき、私はあなたのために神に感謝します。」もしあなたがこのような手紙を受け取ったら、どれほど励まされるか考えてみてください。どこかにあなたのことを気にかけ、あなたのことを知っている人がいることを知ることは重要です。祈りを学んでいる人にとって、これは素晴らしい出発点となるかもしれません。感謝から始め、そして人々のために祈りましょう。

Even Christians who have been praying for years and years sometimes feel stuck when it comes to prayer. It’s hard to pray. And we feel like we are missing out on something because we aren’t praying well. Sometimes we feel stuck praying because we have been praying for the same thing over and over and not much happens. Often we choose to pray less often because it becomes so routine and we want our prayers to be meaningful instead. 

何年も祈り続けてきたクリスチャンでも、祈りに行き詰まりを感じることがあります。祈るのは難しいものです。そして、うまく祈れていないと、何かが欠けているように感じるのです。同じことを何度も繰り返し祈っても、何も起こらないため、祈りに行き詰まりを感じることもあります。祈りが機械的になってしまい、より意味のある祈りをしたいと願うあまり、祈る回数を減らしてしまうことも少なくありません。

When we feel ungrateful, pray for others. When we feel stuck in prayer, express gratitude. Find ways to approach God’s throne on behalf of those around us. Seek to pray about those foundational things for ourselves and for others. Find time to spend alone with God, guiding your relationship with Him deeper and deeper.

感謝の気持ちが薄れた時には、他の人のために祈りましょう。祈りに行き詰まりを感じたら、感謝の気持ちを表しましょう。周りの人のために神の御座に近づく方法を見つけましょう。自分自身と他の人のために、基本的な事柄について祈るよう努めましょう。神と二人きりで過ごす時間を見つけ、神との関係をより深く、より親しくしていきましょう。

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 6: Wrapping Up

We have reached the end of our final week in Japan this summer. The time sure has gone fast! In many ways, week six has been a fairly routine one. Yet, these are the things that we came here to do. It feels right that this week’s focus has been on “regular ol’ stuff.” I think that’s probably where God can use us the best.

I closed out my summer series on prayer with a third sermon this week. Based on the encouragement and feedback I have received, I think all three sermons landed well. I’m hopeful that they will serve to enrich the faith walk of those who listened. This week during the children’s lesson, I brought along some printed sheets detailing several fruits and their matching trees. We thought about how you can tell what kind of tree it is by looking at its fruit. People are much the same. You can glimpse what is on the inside of a person by looking at the “fruit” of their life. A mom also sent us a picture of the kid’s class upstairs. The boy in the middle is a visitor, but I heard that he was just as eager to participate and even sang a song! We remain hopeful that the seeds we have been planting will sprout strong in the hearts of those who we have come to know.

I feel like we haven’t taken enough pictures of our readers. Here are the few that I have. In all honesty, some of the pics above are last year’s pictures of readers who came back this summer. These times spent one-on-one reading from Luke have been so enriching for Emily and me. At one level, they are about reading and speaking English. But once you start digging into the meaning of particular sentences and paragraphs, the themes of Luke begin to spark a whole bunch of interesting conversations. They become more seeds planted!

Music classes on Thursdays and Sundays wrapped up this week. Such sweet relationships are being forged through this time together. When we return next Fall, these classes will need to look a little different. We may not be able to start them back up right away due to the time commitment of language school and other activities, but the value in using music to form relationships is too good to pass up for very long. We are hopeful that we will be able to figure out how to continue offering some sort of music class again in the future.

After Worship this Sunday, most everyone headed upstairs for a fellowship meal and farewell party for us. These meals are always special (and tasty!). July birthdays were also celebrated, so Keiko-san and I got to go through the line first (see upper left pic). Emily and I also had a chance to share some parting thoughts with the group. We are not enjoying the goodbyes this week — we are hopeful that it is more like “see ya’ later.”

We also enjoyed a handful of other neat moments during week six:

  • Walking toward the entrance of the Tachikawa train station there was a portion of sidewalk blocked off and quite a few people gathered around looking up. Some barn swallows had made nests near the ceiling and it was making quite the mess on the sidewalk below. Cute!
  • A couple of church members treated us to lunch at a Soba shop just around the corner. It was a tiny place (just five tables), but the food was delicious.
  • We also enjoyed a delicious home-cooked meal with the Fukushimas before playing several rounds of Skip-Bo. It is so good for the heart when we get to spend time with fellow believers in fellowship over a meal.
  • Finally, I was able to attend the monthly ministers meeting this Monday via Zoom. In the picture above you can see that my iPad is translating live. It isn’t perfect, but it’s enough to follow along and understand most of what is happening. This group of ministers have such servant hearts! It is clear that they love the Lord and work tirelessly to advance His kingdom in Japan.

For a parting shot this week, I thought it appropriate to share a picture Emily took of the sunset. Tomorrow we get back on an airplane headed to the US, and this summer’s trip will come to a close. A big part of our hearts will definitely be staying behind here in Tachikawa! We turn now towards the task of preparing for full-time mission work. In the coming year, we need to establish a relationship with a sending congregation, raise any additional supporting funds, and start all of the processes for moving internationally. In the meantime, we hope to stay connected digitally with many who remain here in Japan. It is also difficult to think about how this move will impact our family going forward. If only we could live in two places at once! We believe God is calling us to go, but that also means being far away from our children, our parents, our siblings, and other family and friends. FaceTime and Zoom may help a little, but it’s not the same.

We appreciate your continued prayer support in these matters. It is the Lord who provides. He has certainly taken great care of us so far!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 5: A Quiet Place

After a busy couple of weeks, it has been nice to be back “home” for a regular week of readers and classes. We are grateful for the experiences we’ve had, but also thankful to get caught up a bit on our rest and our relationships here. Consequently, this week’s report will be a good bit shorter than recent weeks.

We did manage to get out for a wonderful lunch with the Fukushimas. I think this was my first experience with shabu shabu. It was delicious! They bring a hotpot to your table and fill it with your choice of broth. Note: this restaurant has custom pots that allow you to have two different broths going at the same time. You order a set amount of beef and pork and then there is an unlimited buffet of ingredients, side dishes, and desserts. The meat is cut extremely thin (1- or 2-millimeters), so it doesn’t take long to cook in the broth and pickup the flavors of whatever you add with it. It was a fun experience, and of course the company was the best.

Our last Casual Party of the summer was the most fun! We finished off our tour of Texas by dividing into two teams and playing a game of Texas Trivia. One of the members brought a piñata that she and her granddaughter made at a recent craft event, so we let the winning team have the first crack at it with a broom handle. It was a tough one! Everybody managed to get in a swing or two before it spilled its candy. The parties this year have been so much fun! The activities were a hit, but more importantly the fellowship and getting to know each other more deeply has been very encouraging. We look forward to the possibility that we will return next year and begin holding Casual Parties again.

One of our secondary goals for this trip was to find out more about what language schools we might be interested in next year. I had researched a number of schools online, but after talking with Leslie Taylor a couple of weeks ago, it became obvious that we should start with TAC – Tokyo Academy of Communication. WOW! We were blown away. I filled out the inquiry form online, and we received an invitation to spend a morning observing class. It is a small language school, so the class at each skill level contains just a handful of people. More importantly, nearly everyone involved is a Christian, and most of them are also involved in some sort of ministry. The school is located in the Ochanomizu Christian Center building which contains offices for a number of Christian organizations and ministries. The large black placard pictured above hangs in the lobby. It references Romans 12:11 which reads, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Takahashi sensei employs a rather unique “coaching” method instead of the usual textbook and lecture approach, and we both came away ready to sign up and forget the rest of the schools on the list!

Not only did we get to observe the whole class session, we were included in the lesson and got to participate in the discussions! Furthermore, they had planned a potluck lunch that day as a farewell sendoff to one of the classmates. She and her husband head back to the States for six months to raise additional support funds. Without hesitation, we were invited to stay for lunch and everyone was very warm and engaging. I popped next door to a konbini (convenience store) to add to the meal, and we enjoyed getting to know everyone a little bit better. After the festivities were over, we stayed a bit longer and chatted with both of the teachers. Takahashi sensei and Yamamoto sensei truly see this as a ministry, and we can’t wait to get started learning how to communicate more effectively with them.

Just like last year, this trip included my birthday. Unlike last year, this time I reached the half-century mark! Emily found some really yummy sweet corn and fixed some delicious steak, and we topped it off with some castella cake. If you are wondering why it looks like the candles are suggesting I am 73 years old, it’s because those were the only two candles we had on hand. Then, I realized that they could also mean 7/3 as in July 3rd – my birthday! I’m grateful for what God has done in these first 50 years, and I’m excited for what is coming next.

For a parting shot this week, here are a pair of sisters exploring one of Emily’s instruments. It is a guiro (pronounced “wee-roh”) that produces a neat sound when the scraper is rubbed along the bumps on the hollow part – in this case a frog. Such a sweet interaction between these girls as they explore together.

We have one more week until it’s time to head back to Memphis. These past five weeks have gone so fast! But as I think back to everyone we have been blessed to interact with this Summer, it’s hard to imagine how we fit it all in. We treasure the people here, and we pray that God will use our feeble efforts in service of His kingdom going forward. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for us, sending encouraging messages, and finding ways to engage with this work. We truly appreciate it!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 4: There and Back Again

Emily and I were blessed to attend the Nationwide Ministers Conference held at the Shinshu Bible Camp in the mountains of Nagano. John Mark Hicks led a study over the course of three days focusing on our practices of assembly, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. What a wonderful time of renewal in God’s word and being able to spend quality time with brothers and sisters! A handful of preachers couldn’t attend this year, but the group picture above represents the majority of congregations in Japan. We pray that the renewal gained during this time will help each of these churches be a blessing to their communities, and that the Lord will receive all of the glory. Thank you to the Ibaraki area ministers for planning such a special time together.

I preached on Prayer again this week, exploring the notion of how our relationship with God encourages us to pray in ways that include asking God to change. It was a challenging topic to consider, and I’m cautiously optimistic about how the sermon came out. I pray that the Spirit helped my feeble words take root in those listening. We were joined this Sunday by some visitors from the US. Jason and Rebekah Smith, along with their daughters Ruth, Lydia, and Julia, have been planning a family vacation to South Korea and Japan for some time and wanted to spend a few of those days with us. The Smiths also attend the White Station congregation in Memphis, and we have been friends for a number of years. Additionally, Jason is a member of White Station’s Global Missions Team. It is always a joy to share the work in Japan with others, so we treasure the opportunity for the Smith family to be here.

Monday and Tuesday of this week were spent visiting the sights in Tokyo. The Smiths had a number of places on their list to see (and shop!), and Emily and I tried to mix some local flavors in where we could. We managed to visit most of those and a few others, too. It was an exhausting two days! Most importantly we got to spend good time with friends.

The non-sumo fans in our group obliged Emily, Jason, and I with a stop at the Kokugikan in Ryogoku, Tokyo. This, of course, is the home of Grand Sumo and plays host to three of the six annual tournaments. The place was very quiet because most everyone related to sumo is currently in Nagoya making preparations for the July tournament. Still, we enjoyed the visit and found a couple of neat things to do.

There are a great many shrines and temples in Tokyo. Some are Buddhist and some are Shinto. A number of places reserve space for both religions. Most of them are small in size, but some of them are very large. Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine surrounded by an immense forest. It features broad gravel pathways leading toward wide open courtyards and understated shrine buildings. It is a quiet and solemn place dedicated to Emperor Meiji who died in 1912. He was instrumental in guiding Japan through the transition from being a land dominated by Shogunates & Samurai to becoming a country open to the West and embracing new ideas. Up until the end of World War II, the Japanese Emperor was thought to be divine, and this shrine was setup in 1920 to venerate and pay homage to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken for their efforts to lay the foundations for modern day Japan.

Just a few train stops away is Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. The atmosphere surrounding this temple seems like the complete opposite to the grounds of Meiji Jingu! Senso-ji is the oldest Buddhist temple in the Tokyo area. It was finished in the year 645 and stands to pay homage to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, after two brothers found a statue of her in the nearby Sumida River. The grounds are highly popular with tourists for the many classic picture spots and the whole neighborhood is alive with an endless variety of shops hoping you will buy their goods.

Located roughly halfway between Meiji Jingu and Senso-ji on the Yamanote Line is a small museum tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. While it attracts a tiny fraction of the visitors as the other two, the Zōshigaya Old Missionary Museum has a special meaning for those of us in the Churches of Christ. More commonly known to our faith tradition as “The McCaleb House,” this residence played an important role in early Japanese mission efforts. John M. McCaleb arrived in Japan in 1892 and worked to evangelize the Japanese from his home in the foreigner’s settlement in Tsukiji. Wanting to expand his presence and ability to meet needs in the community, he built this house in the Zōshigaya district in 1907. He went on to also build a church, preschool, and Bible institute. Notably, his residence also served as a gateway location for other missionaries such as Sarah Andrews and O.D. Bixler. When a new missionary would arrive, this house was a safe place to live in the first couple of months while they got their bearings, identified their target mission field, and made arrangements for longer-term housing. In 1982, Toshima City purchased the property and restored it to its original condition to preserve it as a museum. In 1997, the Zōshigaya Old Missionary Museum was registered as a “Tangible Cultural Asset” of Tokyo.

Music class this week was truly special for me (Clay). Soshi (with the brown shirt) and his mom Makoto have been some of our most consistent attendees. Normally, I sit on the edges of class and try to help with the singing, work the light switches, and get some pictures of all of the fun. Well, this week Soshi was having none of that! He really wanted me to join in with the class and even sat with me for several of the activities. Such a special relationship I am honored to share. God has a plan for his life, and I pray that I am able to be a part of it in the years to come.

Our casual party this week was a great time sharing fellowship and fun. We enjoyed snacks and Kool-aid, sampled some Texas Country Music, and played a game learning about our favorite flowers, vacation spots, and memories. I love how each person there found a way to engage in a lively and authentic way! Emily and I both remarked later that this hardy group of Christians is starting to truly feel like it is our spiritual family, too.

For my parting shot this week, I’m offering a photo that you may have already seen on my Facebook page. It’s too good not to share again! We went on the roof hoping for a cool breeze and maybe a sunset. A small cloud came over and it began to lightly sprinkle. As the sun dropped below the edge of the clouds in the west, a gorgeous double rainbow began rising through the sky. I was able to grab this shot as the monorail went by. God’s creation is available for anyone to enjoy, but for those who have eyes informed by the Spirit, nature becomes a song of praise for the Holy One. My heart gladly joins in and gives Him the glory!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 3: Fellowship

Note: My apologies for our Week 3 report being late. We have been on the road and on the go! The Week 4 report (next) will contain much of what kept me from sitting down long enough to get this report written.

A cup, a flower, a few books, and something for writing. They seem like such simple tools! But the conversations which arise through this simplicity have been amazing. The Spirit works in ways that we truly are unable to fully grasp. Both of us have been blessed by our time with readers this Summer. From the moment they arrive, we are focused and engaged in conversation and interaction – so much so that we keep forgetting to take pictures with them! In a way, though, even that is an indicator of how impactful these sessions have been. We remain prayerful that the seeds sown in these moments will one day grow to produce a harvest beyond what we think possible.

Family Music Class on Thursday was such a joy. It tends to be a smaller group since many families are busy during the week, but that can lead to a more intimate time together connecting and enjoying. Emily and I are continually reminded just how busy people are here. Each week has been a different mix of who can be here and who must be somewhere else. A sense of consistency can be elusive. God remains faithful, though.

Worship on Sunday was greatly encouraging! There is a Chinese group that meets monthly on Sunday afternoon, but this week they came early for a joint worship service. Brother Lau Kin Fatt (second row, left end, in the picture above) and his wife Chrissy were visiting along with long-time friends from California, Eddie and Tai Young. The Laus minister for a church in Malaysia and have strong connections to several associated with Tachikawa. The sermon was in Chinese with Japanese translation, and the singing was in Japanese, Chinese, and English (at least!), but it was one Spirit throughout. We even had a visitor pop in for service who had recently arrived in Tokyo via hitch-hiking. He had come to the big city to try his luck in the local music scene. Eddie went above and beyond for the Kid’s Worship time by learning “This Little Light of Mine” in Japanese and then helping lead the kids in a couple of verses.

Of course, nothing puts a finishing touch on a combined worship like heading upstairs for a potluck fellowship meal! What a wonderful way to continue the morning’s worship through sharing a meal and getting to grow closer as a family. A great time was had by everyone (even our new hitch-hiking friend!). After everyone had been through the line and were mostly settled, we sang “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating in June. Then we took a moment to recognize anyone who was celebrating an anniversary. Finally, a few of us stood in turn and shared something encouraging. It really is amazing what sense of family is present here.

The Family Music Class from Sunday morning was great fun. It also ends up being a true source of exercise as well! It has been neat seeing the growth that is occurring in these kids. Watching the parents enjoying these times together with their children has been encouraging, too. For the ones who have been coming more often (and continuing from last Summer), it is good to see relationships begin to deepen. It is our prayer that the interaction they have in this space will be positive and meaningful. As they find a sense of community in these classes, we remain hopeful that the Spirit will use these relationships to stir the hearts of those who come. You never know who will recognize the “light on the hill” that we are shining and who might be drawn to its glow.

After the fellowship meal was over, Emily and I packed our bags and headed out for the first of two destinations. Leslie and Sara Taylor, along with their children Cambria, Madeleine, and Boston, are missionaries working with the Matsudo Church of Christ to the northeast of Tokyo. One of our goals for this trip was to find some time to visit with them to discuss some of the more practical considerations of becoming full-time missionaries. They initially worked with Brent and Sandy Rogers in an area southwest of Tokyo before working with Matsudo alongside Steve Carrell. After returning to the states for a little while, the Taylors returned to Matsudo a few years ago where they are leading an exciting and growing ministry. To our pleasant surprise, they suggested that we come over and spend a couple of nights at their house so that we would have plenty of time to get to know each other and chat. What a blessing this time was! I had originally planned to sit down for a more business-like chat over topics like moving our belongings, VISA paperwork, language schools, health insurance, and others. However, by staying over a couple of nights, we were able to simply dwell with this family who welcomed us into their home so freely. God knew that is what we both needed, and the encouragement gained by all of us was profound. We did end up talking about most of our list, but more importantly we sat down to play cards, took walks around the neighborhood, gave space to share about personal struggles and triumphs, and got ourselves out of God’s way. The Taylors are a sweet family and I am excited to watch the Matsudo church as they continue Kingdom work in the days to come.

Normally, these weekly reports cover Wednesday through the following Tuesday, but after visiting the Taylors, Emily and I caught a ride Tuesday morning with Leslie to the Nationwide Minister’s Conference at a mountain lodge in Nagano prefecture. So, I’m ending this report a day early and I’ll pick up Week 3’s Tuesday as part of Week 4’s report. In the meantime, here’s my parting shot for this week. Emily and I regularly go up to the church roof in the evenings. Sometimes we are hoping to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji, other times it’s to check out the sunset, and occasionally we just go up looking for a cool breeze. During one recent evening, Emily noticed a bright light in the distance and wondered if it might be Tokyo SkyTree, the tallest structure in Japan and one of the tallest in the world. It is almost 41 km away from Tachikawa (a little over 25 miles) and takes about 90 minutes to reach by express train. Sure enough, the next time we were on the roof in daylight, I was able to get a zoomed in picture that was clear enough to confirm that Emily was right! For reference, I put an inset of an arial shot of SkyTree to compare. Even Nao was amazed that SkyTree is visible from Tachikawa. Crazy!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 2: Reconnecting

Our second week in Japan has been a busy one. This Sunday was especially full. I preached on the topic of prayer. More than simply making requests of God, prayer is a powerful avenue for deepening our relationship with Him. I even featured prayer in the children’s sermon as a way to talk to God relationally (like using the phone in the picture above). Most of the time, when prayer is seen in Japanese society it is someone who approaches a shrine with some sort of request (a good harvest, success in a business venture, health for a family member, etc.). Many shrines even venerate a diety who “specializes” in answering one particular type of request. So, I wanted to impress on the kids this week that prayer is actually more like the conversations we have with each other. It’s relational.

Like last week, there was a new visitor! He spoke Chinese, so another member sat near him and quietly translated the service to him. There were also some friends visiting from Malaysia and California, too. If I counted correctly, there were people from at least six different countries attending service that morning. I am reminded often of how relatable Christ is no matter our background, language, or culture. I believe Paul refers to something similar when he uses the phrase “mystery of the Gospel.”

Thursday morning we welcomed our first Family Music Class participants. Some of the families are returning from last Summer, but there were some new faces as well. A year makes such a difference at this age! We are grateful for the opportunity to connect and form relationships in such sweet moments, and we are looking forward to future classes when we are joined by those who couldn’t come this week.

Our first Casual Party was held Sunday afternoon and it was a fun time of fellowship! Last Summer we featured a display on Tennessee for the participants to interact with. This Summer we decided to feature my home state – Texas. Some months ago, when Emily and I traveled to see my family, we made a stop at the large visitor’s center in Texarkana and (with their blessing) took a large stack of plastic bags, posters, postcards, and brochures from all across the state. I also introduced the group to Tejano music! Everyone was especially curious about some facts regarding distances and speed limits. 🙂 During the party, we served popcorn, caramel creams, and trail mix along with two flavors of Kool-aid. I also guided everyone through a party game called “Google Translation Mix-up.” I asked everyone to write an amusing sentence about themselves in their native language and then gathered their statements for the game. For each statement, I used Google Lens on my iPad to translate their handwritten sentence from Japanese to English. Then I pointed my iPhone at the iPad and used Google Lens again to translate the English back to Japanese! Sometimes the translation was amazingly accurate. At other times, it resulted in some rather funny mis-translations. A great time was had by all.

To round out the very busy schedule Sunday, we met with two groups for meals. Emily and I joined the Tachikawa servants committee meeting to enjoy a bento lunch together and discuss future mission plans. We are grateful for the hospitality and welcome shown to us by our brothers and sisters here, and we look forward to the possibility of returning next year full-time. Many details are still to be decided, and the next steps in finding full-time support are on the horizon. It is a daunting process, but we are trying our best to listen to the Spirit and trust in God’s timing. If He wants us here, then I’m confident that He will give us the means to accomplish what needs to be done.

For dinner Sunday evening, we were invited to join a meal with the group visiting from Malaysia and California. Sue Ling (pictured behind Emily) and her husband Shuichi (in the red shirt) took us all to a restaurant in the local mall serving traditional Japanese fare. The couple in the back right are from Malaysia where he is a preacher. The couple in the back left are good friends who now live in California. Sue Ling knew them when she also lived in Malaysia. The lady in front of Emily is a Tachikawa regular who spends part of each year in Malaysia as well. It was a good evening getting to know everyone a little bit better.

Tuesday afternoon, we braved the hot conditions and got out to visit a couple of shops that we went to last year. One location (first three pictures above) was a sushi and dango shop that Emily remembers from her childhood. The shop is a simple counter right there facing the curb with a second space behind it for preparing items for sale. The rest of the building behind and above is their home. If you look carefully, you might notice that she is adding up our purchases using an abacus. She was quick! Since most of it was handmade that morning, she urged us to make sure and eat it within a day for it to taste the best. It was delicious! The other location (the fourth picture) is an old-style, traditional sweet shop where we purchased some treats to bring back as gifts (and a couple to enjoy ourselves). The lady running the shop remembered us from last Summer!

Although the last couple of days have been sunny and hot (95°F), we are technically still in the rainy season here in Tokyo. We managed to get out for a nice long walk through the neighborhood and another one down to the local mall before the heat set in. Emily is always on the lookout for interesting things to see, and she snapped some pictures of flowers alongside the road (and an interesting-looking manhole cover). Space is very limited here in the city, so it is common for people to grow flowers in places where everyone can enjoy them. The white hydrangeas above are a good example. Of course, some flowers are “volunteer” plants growing in common spaces or other opportune spots. The beautiful passion flowers above are actually growing up through a hedge that runs along the sidewalk in front of a local civic gymnasium.

It feels like Mt. Fuji has been playing hide and seek these first two weeks. So, for my parting shot(s) this week here are a few snaps of Fuji-san that Emily managed to capture from either the roof of the church building or one of the monorail platforms. You know it is always there, but often it can be hard to see. It’s worth stopping for a moment when you notice it showing. There’s a kid’s sermon in there somewhere, I think!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

Week 1: Worship and Prep

It has been a good first week. Sunday Worship was really encouraging! The sermon was given by Takuma Tsuneki, who currently lives in Abilene, Texas, where he is doing graduate work in prep for ministry. He spent part of his childhood at Tachikawa and many here still remember him fondly. It was wonderful to see him come full circle and return to deliver the message during worship. The pictures above are from the portion of the morning where the kids receive a mini-sermon tailored just for them before heading upstairs for Children’s Worship during the main sermon. We also got to reconnect with Sue Ling and meet her husband. He often has to work on Sundays, so it was nice to be able to meet him in person. After lunch, we hosted registration meetings for Friends Speak English readers and Family Music Class attendees. The photo above is of a few of the children trying out some of the class materials. They are excited to get started! We have a number of returning families and some new ones, too. Two new English readers also came to meet us and reserve their spots. We are prayerful about these connections and remain hopeful that a few more trickle in soon.

Last week, Noriko took us by car to a neighboring town in order to do some shopping at Costco. Stocking up on grocery items this way helps keep costs down over the six-week trip, and we are grateful for the access. I didn’t take any photos inside because it was a little busy (by American standards). To be honest, it looks pretty much like the Costco stores in the US. Something that does stand out is the giant sloping people-mover. The store occupies the first floor of the building and the upper floors are parking garage. So, there are long moving sidewalks that slope up/down between floors so that you can bring your shopping cart back upstairs to your car. It is about 100 yards long and when the cart detects that you’ve entered the ramp, it automatically locks the wheels so that it doesn’t roll down into the person ahead of you. Pretty cool, I think! We also took the opportunity to eat one of their famous Costco Hot Dogs. After all, if you didn’t get a hot dog, did you really go to Costco?

This week, we took a little time to work on one of our secondary goals this Summer. In anticipation of potentially moving here full-time in the Fall of next year, we wanted to look at some apartments to get a feel for how they are in real life. I’ve been researching apartments online for a while now and most all of the listings come with photos and floor plans. However, it can be hard to get a good feel for the actual size of a typical apartment when it comes to actually standing in the rooms and moving in the space. So, Noriko helped us find a couple of places open for viewing and drove us around for the morning so that we could take a look. This particular apartment is part of a UR housing complex. It is a quasi-government organization that offers low-cost housing without many of the fees associated with private rental companies. We looked at a 3DK (D=dining, K=kitchen, 3=other rooms, in addition to bath & toilet) and came away encouraged at the layout and quality of everything. Two of the rooms had tatami floors (traditional Japanese woven straw mats), which were quite nice. The rent for an apartment like this would be around $600 per month, so quite affordable! After viewing the apartments, we cut through a beautiful park on the way back to the car. The rainy season has begun in many parts of Japan (particularly in the South), but that also means it stays nice and cool.

As a way to say thank you for toting us around all morning, Emily and I treated Noriko to some lunch. I asked her to take us somewhere “yummy” and Marugame Udon did not disappoint! This place is fairly new to this part of town, and they have a unique way of ordering and preparing your food. When you first come in, you are presented with a menu board and a view of one of the staff making udon noodles from scratch right there in the store. Then, as you come around the counter, you give your order to a staff member who makes your bowl right there on the spot. Once you have your main dish, you then pass by a counter full of a la carte toppings, tempura, and onigiri which you can add to make the perfect meal. At the end of the counter, simply check out at the register and you are ready to eat! It was super-quick and extra-tasty. It is always nice to sit down and chat with friends over good food.

Overall, our first week has been one primarily spent in preparation for the weeks to come. We have settled in nicely and had some good time to ourselves getting organized, but we’ve also had several opportunities to connect with people both old and new. Personally, I sometimes feel like it is Week 7 of last year’s trip, but at other times this trip feels a little different, too. I have a better idea of what to expect this time around, and that helps give perspective. We have some great stuff coming up soon! Tomorrow morning is our first Family Music Class and then our first English reader comes in the afternoon. I’ll be preaching this Sunday and we will also host our first Casual Party. As always, thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Thank you also to those who have given financially making it possible for us to be here this Summer. May God receive all of the glory!

For my parting shot this week, I give you McDelivery! There are all sorts of delivery scooters whizzing by here and there, but you can’t mistake where this one comes from!

~ Clay

Clay Fowler

We have arrived!

Just a quick post to let everyone know we have arrived in Tachikawa. Travels went smoothly (if not tiring!) and we woke up this morning to bright sunny skies. We started off right with a leisurely breakfast at Denny’s, and will take most of today to unpack, settle in, and manage the effects of jet-lag.

Thank you to everyone who is praying for our trip! We really feel like we aren’t here by ourselves, but that you all are along for the ride as well. These next six weeks will be great!

~ Clay

<– Return to the Pre-Trip Overview

Clay Fowler

Japan: Here We Come!

We gotta set our clocks early for this one. Monday morning (June 2) we will set out for the airport in Memphis at 4:30am. I’m yawning just thinking about it! We have a 6:30am flight to Detroit, then we will hang around a little over 4 hours before getting on board the flight to Haneda Airport (Tokyo). We should be in the air about two hours for the first leg, and then 13 hours for the big jump across the Pacific. After passing customs, we’ll have a bus ride of about 1.5 hours to get to Tachikawa where we will meet our ride. By the time we arrive, it’ll be Tuesday evening local time. Sounds easy, right?!

We are grateful for all of you who have mentioned you’ll be praying for safe travels. It is through the grace of God that we are able to make such a trip, and we hope that everything we do will ultimately glorify Him alone. We look forward to encountering people and showing them a glimpse of how much God loves them. Thank you to each of you who have helped fund this trip and for those of you who continually pray on our behalf.

The next post should be from the land of the rising sun!

~ Clay