Sunday services in September

CCBC Okinawa students get to serve at five Calvary Chapels on the island during the semester. We get a lot of ministry experience, travel around the island, and really learn what it means to serve God "with all your heart" (1 Samuel 12:24). A team of two or three serves at a Calvary and rotates every month. My team this September split our Sundays to serve at two churches - Calvary Chapel Nago and Paradise Chapel. These are both Japanese Calvaries, meaning all services are in Japanese.

At Calvary Chapel Nago, we held a Sunday English study night with seven students. It was a lot of fun playing games and talking with the students. Pastor Tim and wife Ayu gave a short gospel message at the end, using Genesis 3. This brought back my memory of reading the Gideon Bible in a hotel room as a child. I remember reading Genesis 1-2 but never getting to chapter 3. Chapter 3 really is the chapter that saves souls.

I was also very blessed to serve at Paradise Chapel in Naha City. We were able to do a short English class for some natives right before service started. We were then able to invite those that stayed, for church. Pastor Kazuto led the congregation in a special bilingual worship for us. His wife Michiko and church member Mei-Lee were so loving and considerate. They held a lunch after service on our second Sunday there and blessed us with plate after plate of chijimi!

God also gave me the opportunity to share my testimony to the congregation... in Japanese! It was a great experience, both in preparing and in presenting it. It always amazes me how the Lord uses us to do things for the present purpose, but in reality, His plans are so much greater. Because I prepared this message in depth, I was able to share the gospel to two Japanese women a week later at a street witnessing night!