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Alissa and Mika continue their conversation about how the Japanese see art, and how Mono no Aware is both uniquely beautiful and how it can be viewed from a Japanese Christian perspective.

Guest Host Alissa is a missionary in Yokohama, and she loves contextualization! In today's episode Alissa interviews her friend Mika, who is an artist and filmmaker who became a Christian three years ago! In today's portion of their conversation Alissa and Mika talk about Miura Ayako's works and what we can learn about evangelism in Japan from Miura Ayako!

Christianity Made in Japan, by Mark Mullins: https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/christianity-made-in-japan-a-study-of-indigenous-movements/ What makes a Christian movement indigenous? Today I look at the first three indigenous movements detailed by Mark Mullins, the Non-Church Movement (Uchimura), The Way (Matsumura), and Christ Heart Church (Kawai). Older movements that mixed Bushido, Confucianism, Self-Cultivation, and a respect for Buddhism with Christianity. Can modern Christians learn anything from these groups about reaching Japanese while staying faithful to the Gospel? Are the principles of venerating pre-Christian traditions incompatible with Christianity? Is it different when Japaense thinkers revere pre-Christian voices compared to when church fathers revered Greek philosophers as pre-Christian voices? Later movements to be discussed in a future episode.

Today we chat with Kengoro Goto, Old Testament scholar and leader of the online Japanese Christian community 'Lights Church', which can be accessed here: https://lights-church.com/en/home-2/

I speak with Artist and Missionary Roger Lowther about Ethnodoxology, contexutal worship in Japan, Music, Arts, and the Japan Consultation on Arts and Music in Missions (JCAMM) which will be held 5/22-23, and 5/25-27 in Tokyo, please come if you are able! Also, give Roger's podcast 'Art Life Faith' a listen.JCAMM - https://www.communityarts.jp/jcammRoger's website - https://www.rogerwlowther.com/Art Life Faith - https://www.rogerwlowther.com/category/podcast/

Just a fun episode. What is Bonenkai? Mostly just cathartic ramblings with Jon and friend of the show Joe. If this isn't your thing return for more informative content in 2026!

Today I talk with Billy, a third generation missionary in Japan, no that's not true, Billy is not a missionary, he is a pastor within a Japanese denomination. He goes to pastor meetings and presents reports in unaccented Japanese at annual meetings, but he's 6'5" and was born in Tennessee.

I look at Christianity Today's articles on Christianity and Shinto, parts of an interview of Tokyo Christian University's Yoichi Yamaguchi by Kazusa Okaya. Article Links:Shinto's Key Teachings: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-teachings-kami-animism/Shinto's Historical and Contemporary Influences on Society: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-society-history-emperor-worship/Christianity and Shinto: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/shinto-shintoism-japan-religion-culture-faith/JCATS episodes on Japanese protestant history:JCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 1)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f8aaWaVAW8&t=1sJCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 2)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGfWnKIwt1UJCATS Protestant Church History w/ prof. Kai (part 3)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg6Qss6JqykBooks: Understanding Japaneseness by Kosuke Nishitanihttps://books.google.co.jp/books/about/Understanding_Japaneseness.html?id=hX5hEQAAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=yWhen the Bamboo Bends by Masao Takenakahttps://books.google.co.jp/books/about/When_the_Bamboo_Bends.html?id=nvXFQgAACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y

Today we talk with Morgen Hildebrand, a missionary from Kansas who completed a theology degree at Tokyo Christian University. She gives a number of fascinating insights to the way that Japanese professors teach Christianity, and the way that her Japanese classmates encouraged her to fine tune her gospel message in a culturally winsome way.

Today Chris Pain, Japan field director of OMF joins me to review a report on Church Planting and Partnering with Japanese pastors that OMF produced. You can download the report for free here! https://omf.org/resource/download-report-church-planting-and-partnering-in-japan/

Kohei and I continue our conversation from last time. The first 20 minutes or so we talk about church models and Japan, the second half we look at some of the answers Japanese pastors gave at the Asian Access conference when asked what they would like missionaries to start doing and stop doing. Enjoy!

Today we talk with Kohei, who helped out at Asian Access Japan's 2024 conference 'From Embers to Flames'. Did you know that, although Japan's Christian population is only about 1% of Japan, 99% of Christians are laypeople? That' means that, if there are 1,000,000 Japanese Christians, 990,000 of them are not clergy. How can these Japanese Christian laypeople, these embers, ignite a Spiritual fire to spread Christianity among their people in Japan?

Today I chat with Noah, a missionary who began self-studying Japanese two years before landing in Japan in early '24. He promptly passed the JLPT N2, and is awaiting his results from taking N1 in December. Noah shares what worked for him, a surprisingly cheap and time efficient system that most missionaries (or any Japanese learners) could benefit from! Noah's suggested resources: Tofugu's resource page: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese-learn... Genki Textbook:   / 791506.genki_i   Minna No Nihongo textbook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... Jyoukyuu he no Tobira: https://tobiraweb.9640.jp/ A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... Shin Kanzen Master Series: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kanzen+mas... Anki flashcards (better on phone): https://ankiweb.net/shared/decks?sear... WaniKani: https://www.wanikani.com/ Podcasts for learning Japanese: Haru no Nihongo Learn Japanese With Noriko Yuyu no Nihongo

At the biennial Renown (formerly CPI) Conference hundreds of Japan-based missionaries gathered for networking, encouragement, and strategizing. While there JCATS held a survey asking 'what are your favorite books about Japan by Japanese authors?' and 'what are your favorite Christian podcasts?' Jon's friend and fellow Japan missionary Joe comes on to discuss results.

at a denominational anniversary celebration in Sendai, I surveyed 34 attendees to ask what they find is attractive about Christianity. The results are in the video.