By Kristen Thomason
Laura and Carson Foushee worship alongside their congregation in Kanazawa, supported across the globe by First Baptist Church Dalton, Ga.
On Sunday mornings, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel Laura and Carson Foushee, along with their two young children, do something out of the ordinary: They attend church. In Japan, where the Foushees have lived since 2013, only 2% of the country are followers of Christ.
With just 30-40 members, Kanazawa Baptist Church where they minister works diligently to serve their local and international neighbors. “Being an international in Japan can be a very isolating experience. It’s that social and emotional component that’s often missing,” Laura said. “Through our presence we are able to build trusted relationships and make connections to support our local community.”
A special partnership between CBF and the Japan Baptist Convention makes their presence possible. The Foushees also have another partner on the other side of the world in Dalton, Georgia.
While the Foushee family is worshipping in Kanazawa on Sunday morning, members of First Baptist Church Dalton, Ga., are praying for them around their dinner tables Saturday evening. FBC Dalton is an Encourager Church, committed to supporting Carson and Laura in their ministry and connecting with them personally. “When partnership becomes personal, it becomes powerful,” said Senior Pastor Jonathan Barlow. “FBC Dalton became an Encourager Church out of a deep conviction that mission is not something we outsource, it is something we share.”
As an Encourager Church, First Baptist supports the Foushees “through a combination of prayer, presence and practical help.”
“The Encourager Church model fits their heart: staying connected, praying intentionally and walking alongside missionaries in a meaningful, sustained way,” Barlow said. They follow the Bible’s instruction to “pray without ceasing,” and integrate prayer requests and praises from Laura and Carson into the life of the church.
The Foushees also bring the joys and concerns of FBC Dalton before their congregation in Japan. Encourager Churches like First Baptist support field personnel by printing newsletters, hosting video mission moments, donating to mission programming budgets and promoting the CBF Offering for Global Missions.
The most impactful facet of their partnership with the Foushees has been the youth and adult mission trips to Japan. The trips include members of FBC Dalton ministered alongside Laura and Carson and the congregation of Kanazawa Baptist Church. Suzanne Hooie, FBC Dalton’s minister of missions and spiritual formation, believes this has had a profound impact on the church. “[The Foushees] unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel in a culture so distinct from our own has deepened our understanding of what it means to serve faithfully…[they] inspire us to serve with the same humility, grace and fervor that they exemplify every day.”
Carson and Laura Foushee with Taisha Seabolt, Suzanne Hooie and Jonathan Barlow, celebrating the global partnership between Kanazawa Baptist Church in Japan and First Baptist Church Dalton, Ga.
Laura appreciates First Baptist’s openness to new experiences and curiosity about the Christian witness in Japan. “It’s not about what the team does for churches here, but the desire to know how God is at work in Japan that helps build up our partners here.”
Barlow said becoming an Encourager Church gave his congregation a “front-row seat to what God is doing in another part of the world,” and that any church considering such a partnership should “take the step in faith.”
“You don’t need to be a large church or have a big budget; you simply need a heart to love people well. This model allows churches to engage deeply, build lasting relationships and watch God move in ways that transform both the mission field and the congregation.
Becoming an Encourager Church reminds you that mission isn’t just something your church supports; it becomes part of your church’s identity. The joy of walking alongside field personnel is something truly life-giving.”