About Us
James’s Testimony
When I was thirteen years old, I began riding the church bus to Joshua Baptist Church. While attending our annual church camp and attempting to preach in the preaching contest, I received Christ as my Savior at the end of the week. After praying, I stood up, and my youth pastor told me that next year I could preach with the Lord’s power on my side. I have never doubted my call to preach since then. After graduating from high school, I attended West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California, under the leadership of Pastor Paul Chappell. It was there, at West Coast Baptist College, that I met my wife Rebekah. During my freshman year, the Lord also began to work in my heart about the country of Japan. One night, I asked the Lord to make it very clear to me if He would have me go to Japan as a missionary. The next day, Dr. Don Sisk preached in our college chapel. After reading a portion of Acts 19, he said, “Let me ask you a question: what would keep you from coming to Japan?” After the message, I surrendered my life to be a missionary to the country of Japan. After graduating college, I moved to Waco, Texas, and served as the bus director of Greater Waco Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Gerald McKelroy. Also, during my time there, Rebekah and I got married. Soon after, we moved back to my home church, and where we currently serve on staff as teachers Joshua Christian Academy.
Beka’s Testimony
I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. My father led me to the Lord when I was four years old. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to serve God with my life. I went to a Christian school and when the time came for graduation, my pastor, Dr. R. B. Ouellette, suggested I go to West Coast Baptist College. After looking into it, I knew that it was where God would have me to go. So, I packed up and moved from the cold state of Michigan to sunny California. My freshman year, I heard an amazing message by Dr. Don Sisk from Acts 19 that helped me make the decision to surrender my life to go wherever the Lord wanted me to go. Also, during my freshman year, I met James, a missions major with a burden for Japan. We started dating our junior year, and after graduation, we got married and moved to Texas. I began to serve in the bus ministry, children’s church, Sunday school, and, as an elementary teacher not only at Greater Waco Baptist, but also at Joshua Baptist.
Doctrinal Statement
The Scripture
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. We believe that God has preserved His Word for all eternity, and that it is infallible and inerrant in all matters, and can thus be trusted without reservation. By conviction, we will preach and teach only from the Authorized Version (King James Bible) when preaching to an English-speaking people. (Matt. 5:8; I Cor. 2:10-13; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20-21)
The Godhead
We believe in one true and living God eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe the Trinity is eternal in being, identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and has the same divine attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 14:7-12; 16:7; II Cor. 13:14)
The Deity of Christ
We believe Christ came to earth as 100% God and 100% man. We believe that He, the second Person of the Godhead, being one with God, was God and was in the beginning with God and is thus eternal. We believe that He gave Himself to be our spotless Sacrifice, a once-for-all atonement for our sins. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, literal death, and bodily resurrection and ascension into Heaven. (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:1, 18; Col. 2:9; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:26; I John 5:20)
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead, one with God and present at Creation. His purpose is to convict, guide, teach, and indwell all believers. We believe He also bestows spiritual gifts upon the believer. (John 3:5-8; 14:16-18, 26; 16:7-14)
Salvation
We believe salvation is by grace, through faith, apart from works. We believe that Christ purchased salvation through His death on the cross for any and all who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that once one has accepted Christ as his personal Saviour, his name is sealed forever in Heaven, and thus, he cannot lose his salvation. (John 1:12; Rom. 5:8-9; I Cor. 15:1-4; II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 9:12; 10:10; I Pet. 1:18-19; 2: 24)
Sin
We believe that the fall of Adam plummeted mankind into a sinful state. We are therefore born into sin, we are deserving of an eternity in Hell, which can be avoided only by putting one’s trust in Christ. (Gen. 1:26-27; Ps. 58:3; Rom. 1:20; 5:12-21; I Cor. 2:14; Rev 20:14-15)
The Second Coming (Rapture)
We believe in the literal, personal, pre-tribulational, pre-millennial, imminent return of Jesus Christ for His saints. (I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 4:14-17; Titus 2:13; I John 3:2-3)
The Local Church
We believe that a New Testament church is a local body of baptized believers, assembled for worship, service, fellowship, and the spread of the Gospel into all the world. Christ is the head of the church. Therefore, this institution is to follow Christ alone, and is independent of conventions or any other body. We believe that deacons are appointed to support and help the pastor. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41-47; II Tim. 2:12; 3:2, 12)
Prayer Letters
Thank you for all of your prayers for our family and ministry here in Japan. God has done some amazing things! Bellow you will find some of our more recent prayers letters.
Our Information
Japanese #:070-4811-0912
American #:254-304-0604
Japanese Address:
036-8232 Aomori-ken, Hirosaki-shi, Jounan, 3-15-5
Home Church
Joshua Baptist Church
P.O. Box 1210 Joshua, TX 76058
817-296-9070
Sending Agency
Baptist International Missions, inc.
P.O. Box 9
Harrison, Tennessee 37341