Don Wright (RJC Founder, Editor of Operation Japan Prayer, Former Missionary to Japan)
Have you ever tried to move a heavy couch? by yourself? It works better if you have help! Have you ever tried to share Jesus with someone, only to find that the person has had a number of people and organizations which have already planted the seed?
RJC (ReachingJapanese for Christ) has been around since 2000, seeking to help network people and help “move the couch.” We are all about trying to connect people and organizations around the common goal of bringing Japanese to Jesus, especially those who are away from Japan. We are thankful for Dennis Peters, who serves as our RJC Director, and many others who partner with us.
The Reaching Japanese for Christ movement was started by the realization that, even thought here were good ministries in the greater Seattle area, there was little cooperation. Everyone was trying to move their own couches, with little thought of how easy and effective the task could be if they knew, prayed and when possible, supported one another.
JCFN and RJC from the beginning have had a close relationship. I like the analogy of the two railroad rails. JCFN is committed to help Japanese come to Christ and grow in their faith so that they can return to Japan, maintain their faith and help reach Japan for Christ. They work primarily with Japanese, but also seek to help non-Japanese who are reaching out to Japanese. RJC primarily works with non-Japanese to network, encourage and support them in reaching Japanese, but also seek to help Japanese as they reach other Japanese in the US and Canada.
We are thankful for the close cooperation in every level, as JCFN leaders have often spoken and taught at our conferences, helped plan in committees and administration.
RJC provides resources for ministry through our free on-line classes at RJC Academy and our websites (and https://directory.rjcnetwork.org). And perhaps the most important part of our ministry is to sponsor conferences, bringing people together to network, to be encouraged, and to gain tools for their ministries. Our yearly three-day International Conferences have been our main stay over the years. Our next one, which will be number 18, will take place inSeattle, Washington on February 14-16, 2019, with excellent speakers, stimulating seminars and great networking!
Along with the international conferences, we have been helping to sponsor shorter regional conferences. A great example of this is the partnership with JCFN, helping with the Michigan conferences. And we have been part of one-day conferences in Vancouver, British Columbia, Hawaii, Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington state,St. Paul, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, and Atlanta. Have I forgotten any place?
I am sure it is true with every JCFN event and the EC conferences, but we get excited when we hear these kinds of comments: “I didn’t know that this ministry existed. Wow!”, I met …, and we connected!”, “I feel called to Japan ministry, but have never met a real-live-Japanese!”, “I never knew where a Japanese church was in our area, nor how nice Japanese pastors are!” Couch-moving connections!
