“Jubilee!” “Pentecost!” Whatever way one describes 50 years of faithful service to the Lord, it is a momentous occasion. On Monday, October 8, my wife and I had the privilege of attending Chofu Baptist Temple’s 50thAnniversary Celebration. It was wonderful to see howGod has abundantly worked through Chofu over the past 50 years to proclaim the Gospel in Japan and around the world.
Chofu Baptist Temple is located in Western Tokyo Metropolitan area and is one of the flagship churches of the Japan Baptist Bible Fellowship. It has grown steadily for many years, and over the years the heartbeat of the church has continued to be missions.
Lavern Rodgers, missionary to Japan for almost 70 years, held Chofu’s first service on February 15, 1968. Chofu was Rodgers’s fifth church plant in Japan. The number of attendees quickly grew. The first baptism was in June of the same year, and there were 41 in attendance for the first Christmas worship service. Today, including Sunday school, Chofu’s average Sunday attendance is about 200.
Over the years, Rodgers and the staff of Chofu BT have continued to partner together to preach the Gospel and teach the Word of God. As a result, many people have been saved and have gone out of Chofu to preach the Gospel. Moreover, God has used Chofu BT as a launchpad for churches in Japan and around the world. Chofu BT has helped begin many new church plants in Japan, has sent out 4 foreign missionary couples, and supports many other churches in Japan and missionary couples around the world.
On October 8, in addition to Chofu Baptist Temple members, pastors and missionaries in Japan and from around the world gathered for this special celebration. During the service, Rodgers, now 92 years old, was helped up the stairs to the pulpit to give some words of encouragement and to pray. But the moment he stepped behind the pulpit, he began to enthusiastically thank God for His blessings on Chofu and powerfully encourage the brothers and sisters of Chofu to continue working for the Lord and for the Great Commission. Also, the current pastor, Minoru Ishikawa preached and challenged the church to continue forward with the Gospel. In addition, former associate pastor Yuu Tokoro and current associate pastor Daisuke Katayama were in attendance.
At the end of the service, the young people of Chofu performed a special skit about the first missionary couple sent out of Chofu, Shoji and Mrs. Junko Yoshida to Hong Kong. The young people showed in dramatic, and sometimes humorous fashion, the grace of God on the Yoshidas in leading them to salvation in Christ and on Chofu Baptist Temple to send the Yoshidas out as missionaries. The Yoshidas were present at the celebration and even sang a special song during the service with their children, Anna and Motoi.
Following the service, lunch was served in the fellowship hall. During this time, numerous pastors and missionaries gave testimonies of how they were influenced and helped by Chofu BT and Lavern Rodgers. In addition, many brothers and sisters who have grown up in Chofu testified of God’s wonderful grace and praised Him in song.
At the meeting, it was announced that Chofu BT would be changing its name this year. The church wanted a name that more reflects who they are, and so the new name will be Chofu Bible Baptist Church (調布聖書バプテスト教会).
As young missionaries in Japan and ones who have been directly ministered to and blessed by Chofu, it was a great privilege and honor to attend their 50thAnniversary Celebration. Our prayer is that God would doubly bless Chofu’s next 50 years and continue to use them to take the Gospel to the Japanese people and to the ends of the earth!