Japanese missionary to speak on Christianity

The Rev. Mitsuru Kawasaki from the Mito Baptist Church in Tokyo, Japan, will speak at 7 p.m. Friday, March 27 at Silver Hills Community Church about Christianity and how he reaches the Japanese people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

The church is at 1066 Mallory Way, off South Roop Street.

A time for questions and answers will be held after Kawasaki speaks. He frequently answers questions like, "What keeps a Buddhist from coming to faith in Jesus Christ?," "Do the Japanese people need missionaries?," and "Is Japan an unreached people group?"

The church began a relationship with Kawasaki after he welcomed a team of missionaries from Silver Hills Community Church last June.

"He warmly welcomed our team of seven missionaries at his church in Tokyo," said Rev. Ben Fleming of Silver Hills. "He gave them Sunday morning service, took them around town, connected with them " the whole church family did " and sent a gift back to us at our church.

"This led us to connect with him and invite him to come over here. It's a culmination of our work with Japan, after sending our short-term people there."

Fleming said what others can learn from Kawasaki is the Christian God of America is the Christian God of Japan.

"They can also learn how a Japanese man has found a new life in Jesus Christ and serving Him, in a country where the number of Christians can fit inside Central Park.

"He's not going to preach, but talk about Buddhism, Taoism and the barriers they (Christians) have in Japan."

Fleming said the church currently has four missionaries in the field, focusing on Japan and behind the Arab iron curtain in North Africa.

Kawasaki learned English from a Canadian missionary, Ronald Petterson. He began going to church and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. Just two days shy of his 16th birthday, he was baptized at Mito Bible Baptist Church, and at 18 chose to devote his life to serve God during a New Year camp he was attending.

Kawasaki studied at Baptist Bible Seminary and after four years started serving at Mito Baptist Church, becoming a pastor the next year, and has been the pastor there or the past 30 years. He is married to Chieko, and has three children.

"We've invited all churches in Carson City to come listen to him," Fleming said. "Friday's Q&A is for Christians and church-goers who care about missions. The world doesn't revolve around Carson City in God's eyes."

Kurosawa will offer the Sunday morning service at 10:30 a.m. at Silver Hills Community Church.

For information, call 885-2812.

- Contact Rhonda Costa at rcosta@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.