Why Japan?
Jesus told his followers to go and make disciples of all nations.
Japan is one of the least Christian countries with some of the greatest opportunity to see the gospel spread among those who do not know Jesus, making it an incredibly strategic location for planting churches. The Japanese people are the second largest unreached people group in the world, and while it is an open country, it is estimated that 95% of Japanese people have never heard the message of the gospel.
<1% Christian
.2% attend a protestant church
1 Church for every
16,700 people
Arkansas: 1 Church for every 435 people
37 million people in Tokyo
Largest metropolitan area in the world
More info on why Japan is strategic for church planting
OUR STORY
Hi! We’re Kyle, Elise, and Yuna McCarthy and we’re grateful followers of Jesus and want to see Him known throughout the world.
Before moving to Tokyo in March 2022, we have lived most of our lives in Arkansas. We spent several years on staff with Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas working in media and college and young adult community ministry, while also serving in other areas of ministry.
Since moving to Tokyo, we have spent a lot of time learning Japanese (and still have a long way to go!), getting to know people, praying, learning, and serving at Mustard Seed Church Tokyo. We current plans are to continue working in Tokyo, helping to lead the church there as well as work in helping to equip other churches in our network as well as churches outside of our network across Japan. Yuna was born in Tokyo in September 2023!
We are humbly praying that God will work through us to make his name worshipped among those who do not know him.
To hear more about us, connect to our email list or send us a message!
Our Mission
We are currently working at Mustard Seed Christian Church Tokyo as a part of Mustard Seed Network to see Gospel Centered churches planted in Japan. The mission of Mustard Seed Network is to glorify God by making disciples through planting gospel-centered churches in urban Japan.
Mustard Seed Network is currently seeking to see 12 churches planted in the 12 largest cities in Japan by 2025, but the long term hope is that these churches plant other churches, led by Japenese people, and one day Japan is sending out disciple makers to other unreached people.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Romans 10:14-15
We cannot and would not want to go on this journey without the support of the global church. God has called some of his followers to go cross-culturally and some to be senders by providing for the needs of the mission, praying, equipping, and enabling others to go. We are currently building a team of people who want to support the mission of Mustard Seed Network through prayer and regular financial giving. We prayerfully hope that you would consider partnering with us in seeing gospel-centered churches planted in Japan and disciples who love Jesus and his word.
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