Culture Specific Evangelism 201 (Students’ Pages)

Session 1

Japanese Religion

* View Week One Video.
* Read Religion in Japan Wikipedia
* Read A Guide to Japanese Buddhism by Buddhanet.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Be sure to follow some of the links to learn more.
* Participate in a telephone conference call. The call will help to get acquainted with the students, explain procedures and answer any questions.
* Post Observations, thoughts and questions.

Session 2

Understanding Japanese Thinking

* View Week Two Video.
* Read Sharing the Good News with the Japanese (’12 Christmas Edition)Sharing the Good News with the Japanese: A Cross-cultural Consideration, by Arthur Rouzer. This Sharing the Good News with the Japanese powerpoint is helpful as your read the presentation.
* Interview at least one Japanese (preferably a non-Christian) and discuss his/her understanding of the different meanings of “god (kami).
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations, thoughts and questions.

Session 3

Cross Cultural Thinking

* View Week Three Video.
* Finish reading Sharing the Good News with the Japanese: A Cross-cultural Consideration by Arthur Rouzer.
* Review the games in The Cross-Cultural Evangelism Game.
* Read the Questions for Cross Culture Game related to Japanese Culture.
* Create three new questions for “Questions for The Cross-Cultural Evangelism Game related to Japanese culture.”
* Add your questions to the “Questions for The Cross-Cultural Evangelism Game related to Japanese culture,” and play with a group.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations.

Session 4

God’s fingerprints in Japan

* View Week Four Video
* View God’s Fingerprints in Japan #1
* View God’s Fingerprints in Japan #2
* Share the DVDs with at least one Japanese and get their impressions.
* Read From Buddha to Jesus (Ch 1-9, Pg. 1-76). This book comes from the conversion experience of a Thai person. Although Japanese Buddhism and Thai Buddhism differ in many ways, the principles of the book are helpful for us as we seek to share Jesus with Japanese people.
* Interview Japanese Christians and non-Christians concerning their understanding of Buddhism.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations.

Session 5

Budhism, Part 1

* View Week Five Video
* Read From Buddha to Jesus (Ch. 10-18, Pg. 77-134).
* Interview Japanese Christians and non-Christians concerning their understanding of Buddhism.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations.

Session 6

Budhism, Part 2: Japanese Religion

* View Week Six Video
* Read From Buddha to Jesus (Ch. 19-26, Pg. 135-203)
* Japanese Religion and A Guide to Japanese Buddhism The same assignment was included on Week One, so use this as a chance to finish the reading, or review it.
* Listen to Christian Matsuri.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations.

Session 7

Overcoming cultural barriers in japan

* View Week Seven Video
*Read From Buddha to Jesus (Ch. 27-Addendix, Pg. 204-254)
* Review the material, and finish any incomplete reading, listening and viewing assignments.
* RJC Audio Tape–Cultural Barriers to the Gospel Panel from International RJC 2009
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations.

In your eyes, what are the biggest obstacles in Japanese culture, religion, protocols, thinking, etc. that prevent the Japanese from realizing the God of the Bible is their God and not a foreign God? How can we overcome these by using Culture Specific Evangelism?

In your eyes, what needs to change for the Japanese to see that becoming a Christian is not rejecting their family, ancestors, culture and being Japanese to become more foreign, but is Coming Home to the ultimate fulfillment of being Japanese? How would you change this?

Session 8

Review

* Review the material, and finish any incomplete reading, listening, writing and viewing assignments.
* Pray daily for Japan and Japanese, using Operation Japan. Make a note in your blog concerning the information and/or your prayer.

* Post Observations and applications from your learning.
* Participate in a final telephone conference call.