Leadership

Tim began ministry to the Japanese people as a college student in Oregon in the 1980s. A student from Yokohama once asked him, “Do I have to pray in English or does God know Japanese, too?” That question hit Tim hard and helped give him a vision to use his life to lead as many Japanese to Christ as possible.

Wakako grew up in a typical Japanese household—a non-religious family that occasionally observed traditional religious customs. Wakako’s sister was the first to believe. When Wakako flew to Florida for her sister’s wedding in 2001, she noticed something very different, a spiritual presence that left her wanting to know more. Wakako returned to Japan and soon believed and was baptized.

Tim and Wakako married in 2008 and have served together in church planting and family ministries. Highlights of their ministry together include

• Hosting friends in their home for informal get-togethers

• Holding English classes, Alpha, and parenting events in their home and various public spaces throughout their neighborhood

• Coordinating a six-church multiplication network in Sapporo

• Introducing Alpha’s marriage and parenting courses to Japan

• Starting and developing missional groups at Fuchinobe Community Church

• Equipping the Church of Japan for new ministry by coordinating the Japanese publication of Restored Lives, a divorce-recovery book

With advice from Japanese pastors and others whose ministries have inspired them, they continue to fine-tune the Harvest Church Tokyo vision.

We are coached by and encouraged by our Advisory Team, three leaders with vast experience ministering to and with Japanese people:

Robert Logan, Author, The Church Planting Journey – LoganLeadership.com

Mitsunobu Matsumoto, Pastor, Koinonia Gospel Church, Kobe – Koinonia.jp

Sylvia Ramquist, Minister of Outreach, Westminster Chapel, Bellevue, WA – Westminster.org

For more information about the organizations that Tim and Wakako are partnering with click here.