As soon as you arrive on the JEMS website you are greeted by an impactful message:
"JESUS TO EVERY JAPANESE, JESUS EVERY DAY."
The phrase gets straight to the heart of what JEMS (The Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society) is all about — reaching the Japanese people 24/7, 365 days a year.
A bit of background: upon creating a space for Japanese-Americans looking to rebuild their lives after being forced to not only live in internment camps but rebuild their churches in post-war America, the JEMS ministry has remained at the forefront of cutting edge evangelism to the Japanese community domestically and abroad. With less than 1% of the Japanese population professing to know Jesus Christ, JEMS has become a premier missions sending agency dedicated to sharing the hope of the gospel to a society plagued by a consistently high suicide rate and weighed down by the burden of the social taboos attached to mental health disorders such as depression.
Therefore, from missions focused on reaching the Nikkei communities across Latin America to local worship and fellowship ministries like Mount Hermon, JEMS' dedication to community building and service oriented outreach is a refreshing model for Christian discipleship across a variety of disciplines and age groups. Take for example, the South American Mission program. Spearheaded by Pastor John Katagi, Director of Strategic Development in South America, the program emphasizes the development of a firm foundation for growth and meaningful connections with local pastors, youth, and community leaders across Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, as evidence by the wide array of localized ministerial activities.
(From left to right: Pastor John Katagi; JEMS Mount Hermon Conference)
Alongside the proactive establishment of partnerships with organizations like Reflect Ministries — a ministry lead by John & Christie Alvarado which facilitates the development of Vacation Bible Schools and youth camps — the South American Mission program illustrates a commitment to unabashed discipleship through the creation of key opportunities for life changing encounters with the Lord, Jesus Christ.
(JEMS Argentina Camp 2022)
Through their various activities such as, sports tournaments administered by their Men for Missions ministry, the Montage VI – Praise songbook project, and the JEMS Concert in the Pacific Northwest, it is made clear that this multi-faceted organization is a a hub for both intercultural exchange and the enrichment of emerging leaders and believers.
To learn more and support the JEMS ministry visit their website:
Comments