(Great for gap year, retiree, those exploring a long-term call, prior to gaining further Biblical training and returning longer term, those wanting to give a fraction of their life to missions but who don’t sense a long-term call, etc.).
Region: North Tohoku.
MT-1. Rural Japan Church Planting Network (RJCPN)
Research and Administrative Assistant to the RJCPN Coordinator. Iwaizumi, North Iwate. Can be done for periods of 3 months to several years. See description under long-term.
MT-2. Kita Sanriku Christ Church General Assistant and Visitation Partner. “Right hand man—or woman”/Helps Ministry.
North Iwate. Help free up more of the lead church planter/pastor’s time for things requiring a long-term presence and Japanese ability, by taking on a variety of delegated administrative, behind-the-scenes prep, and other tasks someone without Japanese ability and in Japan for a shorter time could do. The role in essence is helping with anything and everything, whether shallow or deep, mundane or complex. In addition, accompany the pastor on visitation. Though largely behind the scenes, you also at times will help with events or other people-oriented ministry too. 2 months to several years. Female or couple preferred. Gift of helps, multi-tasking, broad array of basic abilities, dependability, and able to find fulfilment when helping with ‘whatever is needed’. Basic computer literacy is helpful. No Japanese ability is needed, but you may want to learn a bit anyway. A retired person, gap year student, or similar might be a great fit. A church sending a different person for a few months to a year at a time recurrently would also be great.
MT-3. Rural Church Planting Assistant, Kita Sanriku Christ Church, North Iwate.
See description under long-term. Much applies, but proportion and variety of tasks varies with duration and language ability. Also, less time on language study and more on ministry for mid vs. long-term workers.
MT-4. Church-based English teaching, Kita Sanriku Christ Church, North Iwate.
See description under long-term. Minimum term of 10 months. Or multiple sequential back to back people covering a period of not less than 10 months with at least 10 days overlap between prior and next person. Preferably, someone to continue each year—such as different people back to back at a rate of one per year or else one person for multiple years. In other words, once started, it is desirable to maintain continuity of the classes.
MT-5) Multi-Location Shared Church Planting Assistant, Iwate.
With coordination by KSCC, assist multiple separate ministries in Iwate. On the days allocated to serve with ministry A, you’ll be under the direction of ministry A’s leader; on the days allocated to serve with ministry B, you’ll be under the direction of ministry B’s leader, and so on. Each ministry is separate and distinct with its own approaches and styles. Some of these ministries might include: a daughter outreach post in Hirono (Ono/Takeishi) led by the long established Kuji Church; the rural church plant KSCC in Iwaizumi/Tanohata/ Fudai/Noda; the rural church plant in Taro; and the rural church plant in Karumai Iwate/church revitalization in SannoHe Aomori/Outreach Outpost planting in towns/villages around San no He Aomori. You may also, if able, take on responsibility to pioneer an outreach outpost in Niisato/Kawai as one of the multiple ministries. 1 unit. Suitable for someone who doesn’t mind driving a lot, can work under different leaders/styles/denominations at each location, follows through on commitments, and who prefers either a narrower specialist niche role (such as playing guitar or keyboard, or distributing flyers or kid’s ministry, for example), someone who likes to just be available for whatever whenever when a particular need for an extra hand exists, or someone who would thrive on the variety of being assigned to several different ministries, depending on the day, during the course of a week or month. Could also include occasional short trips to elsewhere in Aomori or Akita prefectures.
NorthTohoku and Beyond
MT-6. Furlough replacement.
For periods of 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, and a year in various parts of Japan. Generally, requires at least conversational Japanese ability and often fluency. Ideal for retired missionaries and perhaps former English teachers or Japanese majors/teachers. For example, there is sometimes a need for 3 months in the summer in Aomori every 3 years, from 1 to 3 months annually in North Iwate, in January in central Iwate, in a suburban part of Nagano City in the summer for about a month or two annually, and potentially in many other prefectures. The need is great throughout rural Japan for sabbatical coverage for Japanese pastors and for furlough coverage for missionaries, but the supply of available persons is low. Generally, this role involves preaching and leading the worship service weekly, and keeping as many other activities going as possible, whether English classes or cooking classes or kid’s outreaches or neighborhood events or whatever the specific church may need. Important to do things as much like they already are being done as viable, not to change the approach. A missionary open to frequent relocation could even make this their long-term ministry. A Mid-termer could cover multiple locations at different times during their term or a single location.
MT-7. Additional opportunities exist similar to those mentioned under long-term so not repeated here.
This includes additoinal locations with non-RJTA lead teams, as well as those already listed above with RJTA-led teams.