Kevin and Kaori Laverman; Kawasaki, Japan
Musashi Kosugi, a community just south of us in Greater Tokyo, has seen a recent population explosion, but its 120,000 people still lack an evangelical church witness.
We want to make a change for eternity in the lives of many Japanese in Musashi Kosugi. As we look at moving into the community, we also want to be strategic about our future housing. We envision 1st floor “store-front” space for outreach ministries and a new church to gather, and living space above for missionary workers (ourselves) and/or staff.
This project focuses on a strategic location (close proximity to other area church plants,
growth/potential of community, and ease of access to major train lines) which will:
1. Empower missionary workers to further their mission and calling in Japan, specifically in the task of multiplying churches.
2. Establish a church more quickly and sustainably (in finances, stability and neighborhood presence, and ease of outreach/church start).
3. Provide housing for missionary workers, or future ministry staff.
This project is a key part of our overall strategy for multiplying churches in Southwest Greater Tokyo. Refer to “The Cross Project” online for more information: http://www.thecrossproject.jp
Urban Japan is very expensive. A new church hasn’t the means to afford a facility for church work. Yet this lack of space makes it difficult to sustain ministry, create relationships, and form a credible, stable organism. We want to begin our next church (and ministry location with JBF), from a fixed, stable environment. One can’t do outreach activities or gather people (the core of church planting) without a place. But one can’t secure a place without people and funding. Combining housing and ministry in a single location makes it possible to resolve this dilemma.
The primary purpose is new church incubation. A secondary purpose is as a strategic location for WorldVenture workers to serve out of and, directly or indirectly, contribute to the first purpose. We envision a place with convenient access for our missionaries to come to, use their gifts, coordinate outreach ministry, or gather for various purposes. In this way, it would also function to advance our mission purposes broadly. This Musashi Kosugi house would be one location in a small cluster of networked churches.
