Southwestern Seminary alumni mobilize virtually to reach Japan

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, four Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni—Brit Redfield, Vanessa Lim, Ines Chien, and Ariel Lee—had plans to travel to Tokyo, Japan, during the 2020 Summer Olympics to participate in short-term mission trips. However, as the country’s borders closed to international tourists, these four Southwesterners had to get creative, turning their attention and efforts to virtual mission trips.

Having first connected through Southwestern Seminary’s missions programs and efforts, Redfield, Lim, Chien, and Lee were unified by their heart for Japan and gathered regularly for prayer. From those prayer meetings was born Mobilize Japan, a ministry founded in 2021 that is devoted to mobilizing and equipping laborers to reach the lost in Japan.

Eager to still do something while Japan’s borders remained closed, they planned a two-month virtual mission trip. Beginning June 1, they worked with ministry partners from the International Mission Board (IMB), OMF International (formerly Overseas Missionary Fellowship), and the Mustard Seed Network to train participants and facilitate outreach. Each week featured a different ministry partner and was structured to include three events: Training Tuesday, Mission Prayer Friday, and Outreach Saturday.

People of all levels of missions experience were invited to attend the free virtual events. In total, 185 people registered, with about 30-40 participants attending individual events as their schedules allowed.

Training Tuesdays allowed that week’s ministry leader to share an aspect of their ministry and life on the mission field. Prayer Fridays consisted of a guided prayer time for ministry to Japan, and information about future partnership opportunities, ranging from short-term to career. Each week then concluded with an outreach component guided by the ministry partner during Outreach Saturday.

Chien, a 2020 Master of Divinity Southwestern graduate who serves as Mobilize Japan’s outreach coordinator, explains that they worked with each ministry partner to invite Japanese friends to the virtual events. This time usually consisted of games and other interactive activities to allow the Japanese people to practice their English. The goal, she says, was to show the love of Christ through their kindness and testimonies.

“Even though in-person efforts are definitely preferred, the virtual format opened the door for Christians to connect with and minister to Japanese friends in an instant even while Japan’s borders remain closed to foreigners,” Chien says.

“We saw the Lord use Outreach Saturdays as a training ground for many participants with no prior experience with Japan,” Chin adds. “Perhaps the greatest value is how it inspired creative ways of doing hybrid outreach since many cities in Japan are still in lockdown mode.”

Although the majority of outreach events were virtual, one week’s event took place at the First Japanese Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Mobilize Japan partnered with other area Japanese churches to provide a time of fellowship through games, Japanese calligraphy practice, and music. 

Local volunteers from the virtual mission trip came to assist in the event and work evangelism booths, including 2019 Southwestern Seminary Master of Arts in Missiology graduate Kelsey Melvin. She first learned of the spiritual need in Japan as a teenager and has since participated in three mission trips to Japan through Southwestern Seminary.

During the Fort Worth outreach, Melvin says she was able to initiate many spiritual conversations with the use of “Soularium” cards, an evangelistic resource that contains photos and accompanying questions to facilitate Gospel conversations.

She met one Japanese woman who opened up about her life and the difficult experiences that had left her feeling hopeless. As they spoke, Melvin was able to guide the conversation to the Gospel and the hope that can be found in Jesus.

“I told her my testimony of how God has helped me through hard times and about my personal relationship with Jesus,” Melvin says. “She was so happy that she brought her three kids to get Gospel bracelets and go through all the questions as well.”

The woman did not ultimately decide to follow Christ that day, but Melvin says, “I pray that God will give them hope and plant the Gospel in their hearts.”

Redfield who graduated in 2021 Master of Divinity, says although such in-person conversations are preferred, and many people eagerly await the return of more international missions opportunities, the virtual events had their own benefits. In addition to the ease of mobilizing a larger number of people at one time, participants learned that the Japanese attendees found the virtual format to be a low-pressure environment.

“The virtual space is an easy way to obey the law of the land that says to stay at home, but to reach out and be able to connect with people,” Redfield says, explaining that many have suffered loneliness and depression in their social isolation. “The virtual space has also made it really easy to be so casual and almost noncommittal. It is an easier entry to test the waters. What they are finding out is that Christians are really kind.”

The summer virtual mission trip wrapped up its final week with IMB workers in Tokyo. Because this particular virtual event took place during the rescheduled Olympics held in July 2021, attendees prayed for Olympic outreach, and for Tokyo Christians and missionaries. They also had a special story time during which they learned about Eric Liddell, a Scottish runner, Olympian, and missionary to China in the early 20th Century.

Chien says she was encouraged by the stories of faithful missionaries, and that many of the attendees were inspired to pursue more international missions opportunities. 

“In Japan, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” Chien says. “So, our hope for Mobilize Japan is that we will continue to do these events to help raise up workers in the field of Japan.”

These Southwesterners hope to continue to find creative ways to reach Japan with the Gospel, even when circumstances delay or prohibit travel. Ian Buntain, director of  Southwestern Seminary’s World Missions Center, notes that when God places a people group or nation on the hearts of Southwesterners, virtual connection enables them to fulfill the Great Commission.

“I am convinced that the sovereign Lord of nations is using the difficult grace of this COVID pandemic to propel us into Gospel strategies that we would not have otherwise considered,” says Buntain, associate professor of missions at Southwestern Seminary. “We can meet and pray with national partners through Zoom, WhatsApp, or Facetime. And, we can participate in virtual missions trips. My prayer is that—especially during this difficult season—all Southwesterners will seek to pray, connect, and virtually engage for the sake of the Gospel among the nations!”

To learn about future events and opportunities to get involved with Mobilize Japan, visit MobilizeJapan.com.

Photos courtesy of the International Mission Board (IMB).