Harvest Church | Tokyo

A New Kind Of Church

We are developing Harvest Church Tokyo as a church that is unusually generous, creative and welcoming.

We know many Japanese have found churches difficult to join.

We love to welcome young Japanese people, including those who are returning from life overseas, many of whom have new spiritual openness. We believe the best way to do this is to build on missional community teachings to develop Community Groups that are

      • A relationship pathway for people to enter the church

      • A meaningful place for growing deeper together with Jesus

      • Ministry teams where people discover and use their spiritual gifts

      • The setting for identifying and developing leaders

      • A fun place to make lasting relationships!

To make Community Groups central, we will start weekly worship services only after at least three groups have formed. So far we have two Community Groups, and are beginning to hold monthly worship celebrations. We expect to transition to weekly worship in early 2021.

Wakako’s friend Yuka shares her experience:

I first met Wakako when we were in high school in the 1990s. We were both non-Christians. When I was 23, a co-worker invited me to church and I went for the first time. This friend was kind to listen to me and give me good advice through the Bible.

When I saw Wakako in my twenties, I found she had become a Christian. She encouraged me to go to her church when I had hardship. After about 20 years of thinking about faith, at one time I was facing a hardship and visited the Clarks and after the worship service, I became a Christian.

After that I returned to my difficult situation overseas to quit my job and pack up my things. When I got back to my hometown in Japan Wakako introduced me to a church that was close by. But the people there did not welcome me. They all seemed too busy to talk to me. So Wakako helped me to try another church, not too far away. It was better. But even so, it seems people don’t have enough time to talk and pray for each other. But that’s where I attend now.

I’m so glad for Tim and Wakako’s vision for a church that is easier to join. I think Japanese people need to have relationship and a place for talking and sharing their problems, even small ones. I think the church Tim and Wakako are setting up will be good for this, for people to have deeper relationships. And new people can feel welcomed.

「人口の1%がクリスチャンだと言われる日本において、

クラーク夫妻は、その魂を愛し、神の召しに応え、教会を開拓しようとされています。

日本の文化や言語はもちろんのこと、

日本人に対する福音宣教の戦略に精通しておられる夫妻の

アドバイザリー・メンバーの一員であることは光栄であり、誇りです。

ご夫妻と素晴らしい二人の息子さんたちが、地域の塩と光となり、

新しい地で出会う方々に良い知らせを伝え、大宣教命令を成し遂げていかれることでしょう。」


"The Clarks love the people of Japan, a nation where just 1% are Christian. As they follow God’s call to start a new church, it is my honor to be a part of their Advisory Team, supporting this couple that is already so familiar with Japan’s culture and language, and strategic Great Commission ministry. I fully expect to see the fulfillment of their dreams as they and their wonderful sons are salt and light in the new area, bringing good news to the people they meet. "

—Mitsunobu Matsumoto

Read more about the Our Vision, our 3-Step Plan, our Timeline, and Our Values.