PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NATIONS
(PART 1)
By Christopher Quah
When Pastor Spencer Richard McGurk of Lifeline House Of Triunity met Pastor Emmanuel at a conference, he did not expect that this would lead to a new ministry partnership. This ministry, the Unconditional Love Ministry (ULM), started by Pastor Emmanuel, would eventually witness the starting of the reconciliation process between the Chinese and the Japanese, beginning with the Church first. Thanks to Pastor Emmanuel, Pastor Spencer was given the privilege to meet up and to work together with Pastor Koji Hayashi, Pastor Hideki Kita and Pastor Kosei from Tokyo, Japan. In the recent launching of Lifeline House of Triunity Church’s new building at Kelana Jaya Business Centre, all of them managed to come together in celebration for the joyous ceremony.
Here Pastor Spencer tells his tale of how he was led by the Lord to make Lifeline House Of Triunity a place where different Churches from the nations of Asia, including the Chinese and the Japanese Church will converge for God’s will and purpose.
This also comes in perfect timing for their partnership as Pastor Emmanuel was tasked by the Lord to fulfil the reconciliation works between the Chinese and the Japanese via the Church of these nations.
Here Pastor Emmanuel shared the reason why, and of the purpose he was led by the Lord to start the ULM ministry.
“In order to understand why the Chinese Church need to reconcile with Japan, we start of with the animosity that happened during World War 2 in the 1930’s and 1940’s. During that time, Japan invaded China and had committed a lot of war crimes and atrocities against the Chinese there and all-over South-East Asia. Since then, even after the war, many Chinese have not been able to forgive Japan for what they have done. And as such, for more than 70 years, the enmity between them has caused many Chinese to curse Japan continuously. To make matters worse, Japan denies and refuses to acknowledge that whatever war crimes they did on World War Two ever happened,” Pastor Emmanuel explains.
As such, the Chinese people, Pastor Emmanuel explained, have always been demanding an apology from Japan before they could consider forgiving them. This he adds, has been going on for decades, as Japan never issued any apology. He added that this cultural attitude of anti-Japanese sentiment has also been unconsciously brought into the Chinese Church.
“Even though the Chinese in China like to use products and follow pop culture from Japan in present days, they actually care very little for the Japanese people. From what I observed, many Chinese Churches have no interest at all for their salvation. For me previously, I also shared the same sentiment. It wasn’t until a vision in 2015 I had from the Lord about Japan that I changed my perspective altogether. In this vision, Jesus appeared to me and asked me one question. “When I died for your sins, did I ask you to apologise first? Why then do you need an apology from others before you can forgive them? Even though you have followed Me for so many years, you still have not fully understood My love” That revelation from God changed my entire perspective on this issue,” Pastor Emmanuel explained.
He further added that God revealed to Him, that due to the constant cursing of the Chinese towards Japan, it has also caused the spiritual atmosphere in Japan to become very oppressive. This he believes contributed largely to the high depression and suicide rates, and in the slow growth of Christianity in that country.
“The war between China and Japan was from 1937-1945. The war lasted only few years but it has already been 70 now that the Chinese have been hating and continually cursing Japan for the atrocities they have committed. China is one of the largest population in the world today, so imagine having a majority of its people hating and cursing a country for such a long time, it definitely have some effect on the place somehow. Jesus revealed to me, this is another one of the reasons why it is so difficult for Christianity to grow in Japan. This is because we have become fellow workers of satan, in bringing the curses upon Japan. Therefore, changes can only start happening not just by sending more missionaries to Japan but to start praying and to bless Japan, not only with words but also in action,” Pastor Emmanuel explained.
“That is why I started this ministry of reconciliation between the two countries which I termed Unconditional Love Ministry. The meaning of Unconditional love is actually a very challenging term for the Chinese people because it meant that they need to forgive and love the Japanese people, even if they are offered no apology. If we Chinese Churches cannot forgive and love Japan, how can we preach and spread the Love of God to other nations?,” Pastor Emmanuel said.
From this vision given by God, Pastor Emmanuel was also inspired to start a sponsorship and support program for young Japanese pastors and missionaries instead of sending people there.
“I believe the Japanese people will be more open to their own Japanese Pastors compared to the many foreign missionaries which are over there. Therefore, through Unconditional Love Ministry (ULM), any Churches are welcome to participate and contribute to this sponsorship program by ULM for young Japanese Pastors and Missionaries. Besides financially supporting them and their ministry works, we are also supporting them with proper ministry work trainings,” Pastor Emmanuel states.
Under the ULM ministry, they have already managed to gain support from 4 Churches to support 6 young Japanese Pastors this year alone, with Pastor Spencer’s Lifeline House Of Triunity supporting two of the candidates.
“We plan to continue supporting more young Japanese pastors under this ULM program known as “Gideon 300”, where we are targeting to sponsor and to train 300 young Japanese pastors under the ULM ministry to reach out to Japan. We are opening this initiative to other Churches in this region of Asia, in which they can also contribute and support these young Japanese pastors unconditionally through ULM ministry,” Pastor Emmanuel said.
Unconditional Love Ministry (ULM) have also gained the cooperation and partnership of Pastor Koji Hayashi, and Pastor Hideki Kita who both have their own Ministry and Church in Tokyo, with Pastor Kosei being the appointed Director of ULM Japan.
Pastor Koji Hayashi from Tokyo Metro Church states that he is very thankful for ULM as it is a much-needed ministry to reach out to his country. He told his story from the side of Japan, where he says that the generation after World War 2, have not been taught or informed about the war atrocities that the Japanese had done to the Chinese and the Koreans.
“Here in Japan we were never taught that these things actually happened. If there was, it was never emphasized, and it was even denied. They are even edited out of the school textbooks. I knew of a fellow Japanese Pastor who was in America, who got acquainted with a South Korean and Chinese Pastor. There was once when they prayed together, the other two Pastors suddenly started praying for forgiveness for Japan. My friend was curious and wondered why. When he was told and informed about the reality of the war, and how it had affected the Chinese and the Koreans, he was shocked beyond words. He too begun to ask for forgiveness on behalf of Japan,” Pastor Koji explained.
That story made Pastor Koji become more aware of the historical strife that was underlying the relationship between the two countries. He added that because of this, he went to China, and also to the Chinese Churches to reach out and apologise on behalf of Japan.
“We would go in front of the Churches and talk about what happen in World War 2, and then begin asking for forgiveness. Many of the Chinese Churches were touched by my gesture. Some approached me and said that we need not apologise but instead to partner together for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom. Previously whenever I talked about the war, I felt guilty and sad. But from this experience for the first time, it made me realised how we can overcome all this and love each other through the Body of Christ. It was through this effort of reconciliation with the Chinese, that in 1991, I met Pastor Emmanuel. And from Pastor Emmanuel, we got to meet Pastor Spencer who has the same spirit that wants to work for revival of Japan,” Pastor Koji said.
He added that in the present, he found that there are no longer any anger towards Japan from the younger generation. It is the older generation that are still holding on to all these unforgiveness. So, in his recent visits to the Chinese with Pastor Hideki Kita, it is more of preparing a new generation of believers to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to all of Asia.
To find out more of this story, tune in to PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NATIONS (Part 2)
