a sliver of culture:

(forgive the subtitles’ occasional lack of decorum !)

like i said, loving lottie will be as crucial as spouting Scripture

to substantiate the point I made last night, have a look at John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

loving one another not only describes the essence of what it means to follow Him but it serves also a significant means of bearing witness to Him….

sheesh, you really are going to have to put up with me!

er, scratch that…reverse it

got those two categories of what Japanese concern themselves with backwards. Honne is the inner self–tatamae, the outward appearance. Anyway, here’s a little more background.

Note also the phenomenon mentioned in the article of Hikikomori .  See any parallels in American culture?

a look-see at last year’s trip

click here for a snapshot (several actually) of what the Japan trip from last year was like

Note also the very interesting phenomenon in that article of Hikikomori.  Seeing any parallels in American culture?

Top Ten Reasons (+ 1) you should go with us to Japan

why go?

1. 1. you know you want your life to matter, and while going to Japan certainly isn’t the only way to have your life matter, it is one way; so why not go? Jesus said “go”
   2. two words: bath house (The public bath house is called the “Sento”… Last year we only had one rule: “What happens at the Sento stays at the Sento”)
   3. at what other time in your life will you have the opportunity to travel and serve alongside friends in a very unfamiliar place whose people will actually find you so very exotic?
   4. a cool stamp in your passport!
   5. you will have the opportunity to share the gospel with people who have never even heard the name Jesus… Imagine – you get to be present for their first hearing of the Truth… What a privilege to be even a small part of God’s plan for someone else’s life!
   6. we’ll get to cross the International Date Line a couple times, so that’s basically the same as time travel
   7. better understanding of a culture that is community focused, not individual focused… sharing the community of Jesus with those whose religion/spirituality is more individually focused. Hmmm.
   8. karaoke and feel like a celebrity
   9. you get to throw your own version of a Texas party
   10. sumo wrestling and samurais
   11. hi-tech potties (**Suggestion: experiment with the various buttons before sitting down)

welcome aboard

let the word go forth: several from 20+ are headed to Japan June 8-16th…