Headed Down Unda!
I am very excited to announce that I will be serving with the MTW team in Sydney, Australia!
From May 9 through June 24, I was overseas, closing up our Genesis team in Osaka, but also visiting several other MTW teams in both Japan and Australia. I was thoroughly impressed with the teams and the visions of the team in Nagoya and a proposed new team in Chiba, and believe I would have worked well with either of them. But then I visited the team in Sydney.
In discerning which of these three teams was best for me, I considered the following criteria:
- What are my desires?
- What is God's gifting to me?
- What are my opportunities?
- Then most importantly, taking these three into consideration, where might I have the biggest impact for the kingdom of God?
In Japan, I would be working largely with university students who are not Christians, and honestly, most of them will likely never be Christians. In Australia, I will be working largely with young adults who are Christians. While that would seem to say "Stay in Japan!" the vision of the team in Sydney is to be a sending ministry, equipping young people with the skills and desire to be missionaries throughout Asia. Ultimately, this strategy, along with many other considerations, led me to conclude that Australia is the best fit for my own future ministry work.
The MTW team in Sydney has three main ministries: Harbour City Church, Student Outreach to the World (aka "SOW" university ministry), and City Sanctum (post-university ministry). The bulk of my time will involve City Sanctum. This is a ministry started a few years ago to serve those beyond university, providing spiritual nourishment as well as practical help in navigating career life. Bi-weekly meetings in the heart of downtown Sydney are an opportunity to invite co-workers (saved or unsaved) for a meal, good fellowship with other professionals, and a discussion on relevant work-life issues from a Christian perspective. I will also be involved to a smaller degree with SOW and Harbour City Church ministries.
There is much to do before I can move to Sydney. MTW is working on my budget so that I can raise any additional funds that may be needed. I need to update my supporting churches on future ministry, and much planning for various logistics of an international move and new work must be accomplished. But I am hopeful that I will be in Sydney around the new year.
To those who have been partnering with me in gospel work, I want to THANK YOU for your prayers, financial partnership, and encouragement. You are a vital part of bringing the gospel to the unreached. As I transition to the next phase of God's plan for ministry, I hope that you will continue to partner with me as well.
To those of you who have not been able to partner with me in the past, will you please prayerfully consider whether this is something that God might have for you at this time? You can
email me for more information about what that would look like.
