Hello everyone, my name is Jarrod Parkes. I was asked to share about the blessings I received at the RJC SE (South Eastern) Conference in Atlanta, GA this year—and there were many. But before I tell you about them, I need to share how God orchestrated everything for me to even be there, which was a blessing in itself!
About three years ago, at the behest of friends, I joined a local Perspectives class. If you’re not familiar with Perspectives, it’s a wonderful discipleship course that teaches God’s heart for the nations by exploring missions through biblical, historical, and practical lenses. While taking the class, I met other Christians with a heart for Japan. As we sought God’s will together, the Huntsville Japanese Ministry (HJM) began to take root. Huntsville, in north Alabama, is a city where God has been bringing the nations for decades—now including Japan. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Japanese people—many of whom would soon become dear friends—were right at our doorstep!
Not long after that, I attended my first RJC conference in Nashville, TN and then twice-attended the Equipper Conference (EC) in southern California. At these events, I connected with a much broader network of Japanese Christians, including members of the Second Level Ministry (SLM) in Atlanta, RJC, and the Japanese Christian Fellowship Network (JCFN). Each of these experiences opened my eyes to the incredible synergy that happens when Christians serving in America, Canada, and elsewhere work together with Christians serving in Japan; and, in moments of great joy and profound weakness, these experiences also brought tears to my eyes.
Fast forward back to the RJC SE Conference in Atlanta: how did it go? In short, God poured out His blessings—on the conference and on me personally.At the conference, I had the privilege of serving both on the planning team and as a representative of HJM. Since its inception, HJM has been praying for two things: (1) balance for our members so we can run the race God has set before us without burning out, and (2) growth that happens by God’s provision rather than by our own striving (or to take a note from one of the conference speakers, as Christians, we aren’t called to 頑張る, but instead, to trust in what God has done, and what He will do). At the conference, God answered those prayers. Six members from Huntsville were able to attend, a clear sign of the growth of the ministry which in turn is helping to provide balance to all its members. And shortly after returning home, we began planning a regular bilingual worship service in our area. Praise God!
Another clear blessing was the strengthening of networks. I was encouraged to join several conversations among groups who want to partner together, pray together, and create pathways to ensure Japanese seekers and believers can be welcomed into Christian community when they return to Japan. One special example: through a connection made at the conference, I was able to connect a recent returnee family with an English Second Language (ESL) ministry in Nagoya. In God’s perfect plan, that relationship quickly went deeper—the ministry needed a piano player and teacher, and the mother of the returnee family was looking for exactly those opportunities. Praise God!
As I reflect on these blessings and others, if I could leave you with one encouragement, it would be this: “Trust and commit yourself fully to God, and He will make your paths straight “(Proverbs 3:6). Every doubt I’ve ever had about Japanese ministry, God has wiped away. He has a plan for you, a plan for RJC, a plan for Japan, and—most importantly—a plan to restore all creation (Revelation 21:5).
Thank you to everyone who organized, attended, supported, and prayed for the RJC SE Conference. All Glory to God!
