Outside The Camp

LISTEN: DOWNLOAD:  Baptism With The Spirit 聖霊のバプテスマ Scripture references. Luke 24: 49, Acts 1: 8, 2: 1-13, 11: 15-17. PDF NOTES.  Pentecost

I just came back from a great time of meeting with a dear brother this morning.  Call it one on one discipleship or whatever.  We‘ve been so deeply amazed and humbled by the manner in which the apostle Paul himself was so honest in all his writings.  There’s a reason why almost all the Bible […]

Michael Oh, Lausanne Movement Executive Director, shares on the topic of the world apart from the Gospel to begin week 3 of the Lausanne Global Prayer Focus.  Learn more at http://www.lausanne.org/pray. Why do we care that there are people without the Gospel?  The reasons are varied, and in some cases obvious.  As we contemplate three […]

Anthony Bradly’s “New Legalism” post has received quite a lot of responses.  If you have not read it yet, here’s the article. Below is Ray Ortlund’s response titled “Accusations of Legalism” at The Gospel Coalition.  In the comment section of that post you’ll find Bradley’s response, which I have copied below as well.  Dr. Ortlund […]

In an unreached place like Japan, reducing the number of suicide rate is going to require tackling the cultural interpretation of it as a noble act.  Japan, unlike in some western parts of the world, does not have the Judeo -christian worldview that interprets suicide as sin.  This is not to say that Christians themselves […]

“times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:20). “When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interests, their Christian acquaintances, the state of the churches, and the problems of theology — but rarely of their daily experience of God. Modern Christian books and magazines contain much […]

The entire post below is a re-post from Laussane. “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints…I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world…I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will […]

LISTEN: ヨシュア１章 Joshua 1  |  DOWNLOAD.

LISTEN: Genesis 50: 15-21  創世記 50:15-21 You Meant Evil Against Me, But God Meant it For Good  悪しき企みを良きに変え. DOWNLOAD.

“On 4 April, Dr. Doug Birdsall and Dr. Michael Oh, the new Executive Director/CEO of The Lausanne Movement, met together on a telephone call with donors.  Listen in as Doug and Michael share together about the future of Lausanne. The content of this call has been edited.” LISTEN: DOWNLOAD.

1. Everlasting God (in Japanese & English). 2. How Great is Our God (Japanese intro+ Chorus & English). I use Pro-Tools SE, M-Audio Fast Track, POD XT Live Guitar Effects, Behringer B-1 Mic Condenser for these songs.  And my Black Samick Guitar Limited-Edition.  I used backing tracks as well.  This was to test my home […]

Here’s a video blog update from Michael Sensei (as his students call him).   Michael was my pastoral leader and former Church History teacher.  I hope you will join us in praying for the nations. Michael shares more about his involvement in Lausanne, why he’s encouraged about the Movement and talks about the importance of prayer. […]

LISTEN 聞くAUDIO: DOWNLOAD AUDIO. DOWNLOAD PDF NOTES. JESUS-TAUGHT-THE-SCRIPTURES READ LUKE 24 YouVersion 日本語の聖書のルカ２４。

LISTEN: DOWNLOAD AUDIO. DOWNLOAD SERMON MANUSCRIPT.

Japan Needs Your Prayers.  Atomic Divorce:  It’s been two years since the gigantic earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan killed nearly 20,000 people; and caused the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 25 years.   The Fukushima nuclear disaster is still causing immense stress on families of about two million people across the affected area.   The stress […]

LISTEN:   DOWNLOAD.

This is a re: post from The Gospel Coalition by Jennifer Su McIntyre.   She and her husband are missionaries in Taiwan.  What Jennifer had written here reflects much of my own thought as a long term missionary in Japan.   I can relate to all of what she said here.  I hope this article serves you […]

This verse is a famous one among Christians.  It was also the verse that my pastor read at the sending off ceremony before I came to Japan in 2004.  There’s nothing like the sovereign leadership of the Spirit in helping us choose our steps.  We’re commanded to trust in God, and not lean on to […]

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS EVANGELISTIC OUTREACH. The Bridge 4 was a tremendous “success.”  We’ve OUTGROWN our space!  It’s the surprising works of God!   The Bridge started with just two people.  And 80% of those who attend are non-Christians.  In just 11 months, we’ve outgrown our space.  Hallelujah!  We are now convicted to take this […]

There are more than just 3 things to learn from the humble incarnation of  Christ.  However, with the coming of Good Friday this passion week, this chapter in Philippians 2 reminds me of the way Christ left His heavenly glory, entered into our space, was born of virgin Mary in a manger (Luke 2:1-20), and […]

Life is busy.  Work is busy.  And so is being in vocational ministry. Take an honest assessment of your life.  And think of how you would answer the following questions?  What most determines your value as a person? Do you find your value or worth most by what you do? How much of your overwork […]

I normally don’t talk about my experiences, for fear of bringing attention to myself.  But I thought this might serve someone.  What we’re dealing with in the ministry is real.  And the Gospel ministry is a supernatural ministry.  We’re reliant solely on the Holy Spirit for literally everything. More than 100 years after the first […]

I found this talk from a fellow Indian at the recent Urbana 2012 really refreshing.  I hope you found it fresh as well. Ram Sridharan InterVarsity/USA Area Director “Growing up as a third culture kid, Ram Sridharan lived most of his life in Tanzania, Kenya, and South India. He completed his college education in the […]

(Discipleship DNA:  Gospel of Grace.)   Galatians 1: 3-9.  2013/1/13 DOWNLOAD.  LISTEN:  Note:  By the way, Peter did not preach 3000 sermons.  Think of it as nuanced. 

I understand that there’s more to being a disciple of Jesus than what I’m posting here.  If you can leave a comment, perhaps we can talk more about this topic.  I haven’t arrived because the perfect hasn’t come yet, and this has been a journey for me as I believe it is for you.  I’ll […]

The busiest day of the year was February 6th, 2012.  The most popular post that day was Gospel-Transformation and Joyfilled Generosity!. Top five most popular posts in order: 1 Few Thoughts On The Death Of Amit Saigal (Founder & Editor Of Rock Street Journal) January 2012 2 Loneliness In A Beautiful But Desolate Urban Jungle […]

 25.  And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  26. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27.  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures […]

The Son of God began his life among us with a scandalous birth; and He ended it with a scandal on the cross- to save us from our sins & the wrath to come.

Did you know? 2 billion people in the world today have never ever heard of Jesus. 80% of Christian workers work in the Christian world.  Only about 1% of missions financial support goes to those reaching unreached people groups. Only around 2.3% are working among the unreached people groups. Japanese are the second largest Unreached […]

Here’s a video from last Sunday’s talk at Fuse Jesus Community (Youth outreach in Machida).

Contextualization begins with a broken heart for the lost and a driving desire to help them understand God’s liberating truth. Only by real listening and learning can we hope to persuasively communicate God’s unchanging Word to our constantly changing world. (Tullian Tchividjian) In my earlier post I wrote that the aim of Paul in becoming […]

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 For though I am free from all men,I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under […]

How do we “contextualize” the gospel in a culture that pursues excellence in all spheres of life and society?  How far is too far?  In other words, how can we contextualize the gospel without being syncretistic?  Liberals largely contextualize and eventually syncretise.  Conservatives fail to contextualize and end up being irrelevant, looking more like a […]

This message is bilingual (English with Japanese translations).  このメッセージをバイリンガルです。英語／日本語。 LISTEN AUDIO: CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO DOWNLOAD. PDF DOWNLOAD. Note: Towards the end of the message, there’s a place where I rephrased my sentences: “The cross is the measure of his love for sinners” not “The cross is the measure of his hatred for sinners.”  This […]

I’m not from America and obviously in India we don’t celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving.  I often joke about the reason we don’t have Thanksgiving in India. I tell my friends it’s because “we give thanks everyday.”  But the holiday means a lot to many of my friends in the West.  Thanksgiving is, no doubt, a […]

My two-mites worth of last Sunday’s sermon. LISTEN AUDIO: DOWNLOAD AUDIO. DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTE.

This post is part 2 of the previous post: Why In-depth Bible Studies Don’t Equate Gospel Maturity! A Minister of Law or Grace. After I graduated from TCU, I was ready to take on the world.  Here I was, excited to preach the Gospel.  I was not only pursuing my identity in ministry, I was […]

Knowledge That Leads To Humility. I believe in the importance of in-depth Bible studies, as much as I believe in theological training.  I also believe that in-depth Bible studies and theological training do not equate maturity in the Gospel.  As I’m reading daily and “growing” in my understanding of the Gospel and the culture around […]

Who is Jesus in the Bible? Finding Jesus in the Old and New Testament. Consider the themes of the sixty-six books: In Genesis, He is the Creator God. In Exodus, He is the Redeemer. In Leviticus, He is your sanctification. In Numbers, He is your guide. In Deuteronomy, He is your teacher. In Joshua, He […]

The cross is the measure of Jesus’ love for sinners; and it is also the measure of his hatred for sin at the same time. LISTEN HERE.

This post originally appeared on Ed’s blog Previously, Ed Stetzer wrote about six signs you may be working in an unhealthy Christian organization and how to discern from God when he might want you to leave or stay. Today, in the third and final post, he looks at how an organization moves from unhealthy to […]

Relational pride and humility Pride loves to talk, reveling in every self-exalting form of self-expression Pride is quite content with what it already knows. Pride assumes I already understand everything I need to. Pride assumes I don’t need help. Pride sinfully judges others by assuming they will respond negatively or unhelpfully if I am open. […]

Kevind De Young put it in a nutshell what I couldn’t, but have often given some thoughts on.  Please check out the quotes below. “Some of us never learn to let go of old battles and we never learn there are other things worth fighting for!” Polemicists can give their opponents too much power over […]

The judge that was responsible for determining the truth about Jesus ended up asking: “What is truth?” (English/Japanese).   2012/10/7 LISTEN:

  “…..I WILL build MY church, and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail against it” (Matt. 16: 18). The Church is Jesus’ Church, not ours.  He promised to build HIS Church.  The Church will succeed, not on any other basis, but on the founder and builder’s promise that “the gates of hell shall NOT […]

The Theological Pharisee said: “I thank you Lord that I am not like other men, Arminians, semi-Pelagians, or even this Pentecostal/charismatic here.  I score very high on all my theology exams and have a library that is the envy of my friends. And I’m knowledgeable in the Scriptures than all of them. I have a […]

“If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” ― Isaac Newton, Principia: Vol. I: The Motion of Bodies This is part 2 of the post: When Pride Poses As Humility.  I’ve often quoted and posted from Paul Tripp’s articles.  And this time, he nailed […]

Luke 18: 9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayedthus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not […]

This is for people who want to understand the Prosperity Movement at its roots, not just at the branches. Dr. Smalling visited my website and dropped off this online book. Dr. Roger Smalling and his wife Dianne are missionaries to Latin America with the Presbyterian Church In America (PCA). He is director of “Visión R.E.A.L”, […]

“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.” [Exodus 33:7] One rainy day, as I walked towards Soka station, a […]