Erik's December Japan Update

I just want to thank you those of you for your support both financially and prayerfully and for your encouragement during my last 4 month stay in Japan. This time was profitable both for me personally as well as for the ministry there in Japan. I would like to briefly share with you how I was directly impacted, and how I saw people within the ministry impacted. I will start with sharing about the ministry and then will close with sharing about the challenges and growth that I have experienced in my own life.
Let me briefly describe my roles in the ministry. I am considered an intern at the Lighthouse; specifically regarding the men’s ministry. In some ways I arrived and found that what I needed to do in a lot of ways I had all ready been doing in Lansing. My time with Kainos and other ministries at South had largely prepared me already for the ministry in Japan.
During my time there I was involved in leading and teaching a men’s Bible study which took place on Wednesday nights. In this study we went through the book of Hebrews, and found that time to be extremely challenging and enriching. At the house we provide a meal both on Wednesday and Friday nights. We average 20 – 50 people on that night which means there is a lot to be cooked and prepped for on a regular basis. Working in and around the house with meals and other regular tasks was also part of my duties. At the Lighthouse we also manage a Christian bookstore which carries around three hundred titles. I know this because I am responsible for managing the sales and ordering for the bookstore. You would not believe some of the joy and excitement that I get to see in a sailor when they learn about our bookstore, since we are the only Christian bookstore in Yokosuka, Japan. When I arrived at the Lighthouse I brought with me the Truth Project. I started up two small groups which meet on a weekly basis and went through the lessons. It is exciting to know that there are at least two people who have taken the Truth Project dvd’s to their ships with the intentions of starting groups up on board. The other broader area of ministry which I am involved in is life on life living. What I mean by that is I seek to share life with these men and women continually looking for opportunities to have conversations. My focus is always to asses where they are at spiritually and to point them to Christ both in discipleship and in evangelism scenarios. It was a great joy to watch a young female officer come to know Christ this last summer. I have also had the joy of watching several sailors take great steps in growing in their relationship with Christ.
Personally over the last several months I have really been challenged and stretched in both ministry and in my personal walk with God. In my own personal study and reading the area of pride seems to keep coming up. My eyes have been opened to see just how self confident and self reliant I have been. Also in the area of personal holiness God has been challenging me with having to really look at does the way I live my life really demonstrate what it means to be sold out for Him. Having to learn more how to love the unlovable and how to exercise more patience are also some more areas where God has been stretching me. Of course you will notice that if you look at all of those areas they all are connected to the root of pride.
Keeping in touch with my ministry partners was also a very difficult thing, understanding the importance of this I am taking steps to become more disciplined in this area. Overall I am really excited to see how God has been challenging and growing me.
My future holds another five months in Japan with schooling after that. In November I was accepted to Moody Bible Institute in their undergraduate program with a major in Pastoral ministries. Although uncertain at this point if that is the best direction I am still considering it. One of my other possible choices is to finish a general associates degree from a community college and then go to seminary. My hopes and prayer is that within five years I will be able to complete one of these options and will be in a ministry position full time. I am uncertain still at this point what that direction or position will be, but I have decided that it will be in missions overseas or in mission’s mobilization within the local church. Most likely it will mean doing missions overseas for ten, fifteen, or twenty years and then returning to be a mobilizer within the local church.
It was truly amazing to watch how God provided financially for me during my time in Japan. Both through God’s provision and through staying under budget on my ministry costs; I still have money remaining in my account from last time, but I have a difference which I need to make up in order to return and remain in Japan until June. I thank those of you who partnered with me during this last time and I ask that you would consider continuing to partner with me.
I don’t know that I realized how encouraging it is to have people partner with you. I mean sharing how they have been praying for you, and supporting financially. I am convinced even more of the value and importance of partnering with and sharing in the lives of the missionaries of our local church. That is real, and raw, authentic body of Christ being lived out. So I just wanted to thank those of you who have played that part in my life.

All for His honor and His glory,

Erik Hultquist