LBC Echo Fall 2022 - 21

But LBC graduate Chuck Powers
('82), Ruth's son-in-law who was on
furlough from the mission field in
France, had a different opinion. Chuck
convincingly told Tomoyoshi that
" going to the mission field untrained
is like going to the forest with an
unsharpened ax. It may harm you,
and it may harm others. "
Yamanaka took those words to heart
and enrolled at Lancaster Bible College.
On his first day, then-president Dr.
Gilbert A. Peterson shared an impactful
message to the freshman class:
" Welcome to boot camp! " Yamanaka
soon realized President Peterson
meant those words. The young college
student found LBC to be rigorous and
challenging, especially since English
was his second language.
" Now I can confidently say it was
necessary training, " Yamanaka shared.
" If you are committed to do God's
work as a missionary or as a minister
through the local church, you will be
looked up to as a teacher. Without
acquiring the proper biblical teachings
and sound doctrine, people will soon
know you are a mere imitator. "
Yamanaka went on to earn his master's
degree from Alliance Theological
Seminary and today serves as Senior
Pastor of Kyoto International Church
in Japan and as the National Director
of Evangelism Explosion Japan, still
grateful for his education at LBC.
Through God's power and his own
willing hands, Yamanaka has planted
four churches in Japan and is now five
years into the process of growing a
fifth church.
" Being a Christian [here], you're in the
total minority, " Yamanaka explained.
According to the 2020 Report on
International Religious from the U.S.
State Department, just 1% of Japan's
population practices Christianity,
posing many challenges for local
churches and Christ-followers.
" Being a minister has never been easy, "
Yamanaka added, yet it is evident that
God is using him to tell others about
Christ.
" Even in a difficult mission field like
Japan, the gospel is still the power to
save souls, especially when you preach
it with rich assurance and joy of your
own salvation, " he said, as he is spurred
by Ephesians 2:8-9: " For by grace you
have been saved through faith. And
this is not your own doing; it is the gift
of God, not a result of works, so that
no one may boast " (ESV).
When he shares about Christ and His
salvation, Yamanaka presents three
thought-provoking questions to
Japanese minds that can be soaked
with materialism.
First, he asks, " In your pursuit of
whatever you are pursuing, have you
ever come to the place where you
know for sure that you are going to
heaven or a better place than this after
your death? "
Next, he asks, " Suppose you leave this
world today and find yourself standing
before God. If He asks you, 'Why
should I let you come into my perfect
heaven?' what will you say to Him? "
Then, he politely asks, " May I share how
I came to know that assurance? "
" Many Christians know the expected
biblical answers to these questions, but
do they really mean it? " Yamanaka asks.
" I knew the answers, but LBC cleared
many patches of fog from my eyes
and led me to stand where I am today.
I can share why I am so excited about
Jesus Christ and His salvation, even
when I am surrounded by millions of
Buddhists and atheists in Japan. I knew
so little back then about how my days
at LBC would later come to mean so
much to my ministry. "
If you're interested in cross-cultural
ministry, check out LBC | Capital's
Intercultural Studies program at
lbc.edu/intercultural.
Tomoyoshi Yamanaka ('96)
with his friend, Ruth Powers,
who helped lead him to
Lancaster Bible College.
ECHO 23
21
http://www.lbc.edu/intercultural
LBC Echo Fall 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LBC Echo Fall 2022
