By Carson Foushee, CBF field personnel
Kanazawa Baptist Church has experienced highs and lows over the last two years without a Japanese pastor. However, a lasting impression has been its willingness to try new ways to share Christ in this period of transition. We experienced this fully during Holy Week in the spring.
A typical Holy Week includes a daily 6:30 a.m. Bible study and Easter services in both Japanese and English. However, this year the church accepted Laura and my offer to lead a Good Friday Stations of the Cross event for the first time. This type of service is rare in Japan, especially for a Protestant congregation.
On Good Friday, 10 tables were placed around the sanctuary with experiential elements that helped participants more deeply understand Jesus’ sacrificial love for them. Scripture and questions in Japanese and English also guided the worshippers on their journey with Jesus to the cross.
One participant called it “immersive.” A new Christian asked clarification questions about the stories and connected her experiences to a recent church Bible study. A deacon said that there were questions she had never considered. A couple sang praises as they made their way together through the sanctuary. Still another cried throughout the experience.
The church may still be nearly a year away from welcoming a new pastor, but we celebrate the ways that God continues to move in our community as we walk together and invite others to journey with Jesus.