Prayer Guide – Week 13 (Jan 15-21)

The Chubu region is in the center of the main island of Japan. It is a vast area of different land features including plains and mountains, and city areas around Nagoya.

Chubu contains some of the most unchurched prefectures (Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui), which is perhaps due to the strong Buddhist influence. Ishikawa is nicknamed “the kingdom of Buddhism”; Toyama has the highest percentage of Buddhist followers; and Fukui has the highest number of Buddhist temples per population.

• Pray particularly for a gospel breakthrough in Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui. Pray for God to strengthen and protect churches in these prefectures.
• Pray for Nagoya, Japan’s fourth largest city. It is the central hub connecting the megacities of Tokyo and Osaka. Pray for seminaries, Christian leaders, and ministries in Nagoya to thrive and for the fruit of these ministries to spread up to Tokyo and down to Osaka, and indeed across Japan.

Pressure—to conform, to not make mistakes, to not admit weaknesses, to work beyond their limits—is often felt deeply by Japanese people. Many hide their true selves and are sensitive to how they are being viewed by others. When the daily stresses add up, the effects can be dire: mental health concerns, alcoholism, estranged families, and even suicide.

In a country where Christians are a tiny minority, pressure to conform can be felt as pressure not to become a Christian. For believers, conformity can be felt as pressure to keep their faith private and their struggles hidden.

• Give thanks for Japanese believers who know that, through Jesus, God accepts them as they are.
• Pray for Japanese people who are facing severe effects of stress to put their faith in Christ and receive his grace

These are the voices of the servants who visited the area for support. Let us pray.

The organization named “Noto Help” is established for supporting the people who are suffering from the earthquake in the region. Pray that through this organization, christians, churches, and related organizations will be able to exchange good information and cooperate with each other in a friendly manner.

There are many people who have not been able to receive supplies because they are too modest, lack information, have physical problems, etc. Please pray for these people. Pray that Christians will be able to deliver needed goods to these people.

Pray that local people will be blessed through the churches in the affected areas that are running around to help their neighbors even though they themselves have been affected by the disaster.