KingdomTalk! with our guest Mas Suzuki

00:00:10 Host - Mark Banyard

Welcome to Kingdom Talk, the podcast where we talk all about things Kingdom. I'm your host, Mark Banyard, and I'll be interviewing a variety of people who, through their lives and ministries, have been committed to advancing the Kingdom of God. Church planters, church leaders, pioneers of missions and ministries, both at home as well as abroad. So let's go straight to today's episode of Kingdom Talk. 

My guest today is Mas Suzuki. Mas and his wife Barbara pastor a church in Higashikurume, Tokyo, Japan. Mas is also a Bible teacher and he has taught at the Japan Assembly of God Bible College for the last 28 years. I met with him today and had an interesting conversation about his journey as well as his perspective on the church in Japan. Well, good morning, Mas Suzuki, welcome to our podcast. 

00:01:19 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Thank you, Mark, for inviting me here. 

00:01:22 Host - Mark Banyard

It is our pleasure and we're really excited about talking with you today. Just for our listeners, just a little bit of background that, oh, I think I met Mas ten years or more ago on one of my many trips to Japan and was invited to speak one Sunday morning at his church in Higashikurume, Mizuba Church. But since then, Mas and I have been in touch and we had opportunity, just on my last trip in Japan, to meet with him and over lunch, and have a wonderful time of sharing. And that's really inspired me to get back to Mas and ask him today if he'd be a guest on our show. But I have so many things I would like to ask you and talk with you about. Maybe we could just start in the beginning. And for those who don't know you, just give a little bit of background about where you're from and where you grew up and how, probably more importantly is how you came to faith in Jesus. 

00:02:27 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay? So I was brought up in a small, like, rural fisherman's town in Chiba Prefecture. So my parents were not Christians and more like a traditional Japanese family. So we had a Buddhist altar and a Shintoist, you know, shrine and everything in my house. And so I never went to church or anything. So I didn't know the Christianity at all. But my father and my mother were into education, so I went to a Christian boarding school in Tokyo. So there I was in 7th grade, twelve years old, and at that school I encountered, not encountered, I say I touched the Bible and read the Bible for the first time in my life. And when I was 17 in high school, I decided I wanted to take a year off. And I went to United States to high school for an exchange program and I was picked by a Christian family at Boise, Idaho, middle of nowhere for us, for me from Tokyo, Japan. But they were honest Christians and they attended one of the Assemblies of God churches there and I went to church with them and I think that during that time the church was going in revival in a way and I saw a lot of miracles and healing happening in front of my eyes. And I think after a couple months I became a Christian and stayed there maybe eleven months and I kind of trained in the basic things then I came back to Japan. So that was a long time ago. I came back to Japan age 18, 1985. 

00:04:23 Host - Mark Banyard

1985? 

00:04:26 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right. Oh, sorry, I made a mistake. 1975. 

00:04:31 Host - Mark Banyard

Oh, 1975, well, that makes more sense. 

00:04:34 Guest - Mas Suzuki

You can tell my age. Yeah. So it's a long time ago, close to 50 years ago. You know, I became a Christian in the US and came back. Yeah. But so when I came back, I didn't know in a way any Christians in a way. So I was given the address of headquarters, Assembly of God headquarters in Tokyo. And I went and unlocked the door of one of the houses there and I met a missionary, Malcolm, a missionary there and that was my encounter with Japanese Christianity. 

00:05:15 Host - Mark Banyard

Just back to your, to the context of your coming to faith in Christ. So you said it was, there were signs and wonders and miracles, that the church itself was kind of in revival. 

00:05:28 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, yeah. So the first time, first time I went and it was kind of, how do you say, eye opening. And I never went to a church like that. So at night before going to bed, my host mom came to my bed, said, what do you think about the church? And then I said, okay. And then she opened the Bible. And opened the Bible, to the second chapter of Acts, and she explained what you saw and maybe heard is from there. So she explained to me from the account of Pentecost. So anyway, so that was my first time being a church. And the church’s pastors were famous at the time and later became famous because he wrote a book. He wrote a book called Angels on Assignment, Pastor Roland. Assignment, assignment. The pastor. Roland Buck. So anyway, so I went to the church and I joined the choir and choirs sing behind the altar. So I see many people come for altar calls and receiving Christ, and at the same time I saw many healings and different things. Yeah. 

00:06:49 Host - Mark Banyard

Wow. So that was the context for you coming to faith in Christ? 

00:06:55 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yes, that was, yeah, yeah. So every week people come and become Christians. You know, that's, that's what happened. 

00:07:05 Host - Mark Banyard

So that was for you. If that was your beginning, then the signs and wonders context was normal. 

00:07:14 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, that's, that's my initiation. So every week, so often I saw people being healed and different things, so, and I have to make a big question mark in the Bible, is this real, but anyway, that, that's what's in front of me and. Yep. 

00:07:32 Host - Mark Banyard

So you got back to Japan? 

00:07:34 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yep, yep. 

00:07:36 Host - Mark Banyard

What happened then? 

00:07:38 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So I was a bubbling Christian in a way. And so I have to adjust to Japanese Christian life, even the Assembly of God, Pentecostal church. The atmosphere is different, the songs we sing are different, and culture is different. So first I have to adjust in a way. Japanese, the Assembly of God or Japanese church is in a conservative old style, so I have to act like a polite Japanese Christian, so I have to learn it. Even languages are different. 

00:08:15 Host - Mark Banyard

Interesting. So your Christian experience was started in the US with English language and now you were back in Japan and it was kind of like figuring out how to talk about this. 

00:08:30 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah. So when I came back to Japan, I talked to somebody and said that, oh, I became a Christian in the US. He said Christian, just no good. And I went then to a Japanese Christian, and I said, I became a Christian in the US. And he said which denomination did you go to? Pentecostal Assembly. And then I was kind of rejected. So in a way it was like, wow. So I didn't know anything about Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals and all that. So that was my first experience. So I have to understand where I stand and what I believe, you know, I have to think about it. 

00:09:07 Host - Mark Banyard

So that was the beginning. Now you went on to do further study and? 

00:09:12 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right, right. 

00:09:14 Host - Mark Banyard

You've taught now at a Bible college for how many years? 

00:09:17 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, teaching at the Assembly Bible school for, this is since 1998. So 26 years or something. I've been teaching church history. 

00:09:27 Host - Mark Banyard

Wow. 

00:09:28 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Wow. 

00:09:30 Host - Mark Banyard

Just give again, our listeners a little bit of your story. When you got back to Japan and told your own family about your faith, how did they respond? 

00:09:43 Guest - Mas Suzuki

My father was kind of upset because I'm the only son. I have two big sisters, but he thought I'm the heir and I have cousins. On my father's side, in fact, it’s kind of funny, all my cousins are all female. I'm the only male, in my, you know, household. So he was upset without his, you know, permission I became a Christian. But I didn't know I needed permission. So I, we talked a lot about faith and religions and family and all that, but the funny thing is that while I had a kind of heated discussion, my mom called me and said, Mas, your dad is like that, but he wanted to become a Sunday school teacher when he was little, and that's what's shocking, because… 

00:10:36 Host - Mark Banyard

Wow. 

00:10:37 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So while I was growing up, there's no church, no Sunday school. But before the war, when my father, my mother were younger, little, we had an active Sunday school and a church in my town. So then what happened to the church and everything? That was my kind of entrance to the study of the church history. What happened? The church, which was in my town at one time, in fact, in front of my house. 

00:11:04 Host - Mark Banyard

Did you know that growing up, were you aware of that? 

00:11:06 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Not at all. Nothing. That's incredible. But, yeah, incredible. So another story is that when my wife and I got married, you know, my wife is from the US. Anyway, we had a wedding in Long Island, New York, and a reception in Tokyo, but I had to throw a party for my neighbors in my town. So we had a party inviting old aunts and uncles and old people. And I said, we are Christians. And then they said, oh, okay. And one lady said, let's sing Jesus Loves Me to the other old ladies. And they say, oh, you went to Sunday school? You went there, too! They started singing Jesus Loves Me in front of us. It was shocking in a way. I didn't know anything. So, you know that from 1900, like, 40 years, that there was a thriving church with a Sunday school in my township. 

00:12:13 Host - Mark Banyard

And you didn't know that growing up? 

00:12:16 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Not at all. 

00:12:17 Host - Mark Banyard

Oh. 

00:12:18 Guest - Mas Suzuki

I mean, I. So many other stories I have to tell you, but it's just crazy. So, yeah, I didn't know. I went to a Buddhist kindergarten, so… 

00:12:29 Host - Mark Banyard

Wow. 

00:12:30 Guest - Mas Suzuki

But in fact, the remnants of the pre-war church was at a Christian kindergarten, so my elder sisters went, but I went to the Buddhist kindergarten, so I didn't know anything about it. 

00:12:45 Host - Mark Banyard

And so you were raised in this without any knowledge of this. Go to the States, get saved, come back filled with the Holy Spirit, and then all of a sudden, you're learning about your history, your family history, but also you're learning about Christianity in Japan. 

00:13:05 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah. Yeah, that's correct. So, yeah. 

00:13:10 Host - Mark Banyard

So that kind of put you on a road to discovery, but also research. 

00:13:16 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right. So in the beginning, I researched about the women missionaries to Japan and Japanese women Bible ladies, how they ministered. That was my initial research on Japanese church history. So the church, which was in my town, originated from one of the first churches, the first church in Yokohama. So starting with trying to study about the church in my town, just starting to study about the whole history of Japanese Christianity. 

00:13:53 Host - Mark Banyard

Tell us a little bit about, just keeping on that topic, but let's talk just a little bit about. I know you've done study in the area of the Pentecostal movements in Japan, but to talk about for a few minutes just about the moving of the Spirit historically in Japan and what your understanding on that is. But where you think we are today, where Japan is, the church is today in Japan. 

00:14:23 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay. I don't know where to start. When did Christianity come to Japan? Some people say the fifth century, but people know that like in the 16th century the Catholic missionaries came to Japan and we had thriving churches and many Christians, but they were persecuted in the end and they hid for more than 200 years. So Japan opened the door to the western countries and the first missionaries came back in 1859. Okay, so in 1859, both Catholic and the protestant missionaries came and started doing some kinds of ministry. And the first church was established in 1872 before the ban on Christianity was lifted. Christianity was banned until 1873. So anyway, so one thing is that, so Japan had been closed for a while and opened the door to western countries and Christianity came with western civilization. That's the thing. So anyway, so with the western civilization, the churches were founded in the different areas of Japan. Those were more like traditional mainline churches. So yeah, so you're talking about more like a Pentecostal spiritual ministry. That's what you're asking? 

00:16:01 Host - Mark Banyard

Yeah. 

00:16:01 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay, so in 1872 is the first church, Protestant, in Japan. So, in the 1890s, more like a Holiness group or different groups like, so called full gospel people came in the 1890s. And then when the first Pentecostal missionary came to Japan was 1907. The missionary led by his name was Martin L Ryan and he went to, he was originally a Holiness minister, but he went to Azusa street revival in 1906. And next year, he brought dozens of missionaries to Japan and started his ministry in 1907. So that was the beginning. 

00:17:00 Host - Mark Banyard

And what was that like? How did that impact? 

00:17:06 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay, that's the thing. Okay. Right after the Ryans came, one of the leaders of the Japanese holiness movement said they are cultic, they are kind of off, so stay away from them. And that message was strong and he repeated that so often. So, among the holiness people, among the Christians in Japan, it was labeled clearly that Pentecostals are kind of off. So that, so the Pentecostal message was not really accepted. But you know, of course, some of the holiness people are open to Christianity, the Pentecostal movement, because they, the Pentecostal movement came out of them. So, some people were open, but the label as you know, kind of off. 

00:18:00 Host - Mark Banyard

Right. How long did it take before that changed? 

00:18:07 Guest - Mas Suzuki

I don't think it has changed in a way at all in the present days, okay. So, after 1907, we have had many, many Spirit-filled missionaries and workers in Japan. And America Assembly of God did have the chapter started in 1920 and then, well, so before the war started, maybe we have altogether in Japan, maybe a thousand or more Pentecostal Spirit-filled Christians. But the war kind of disrupted many things. Missionaries had to retreat, go back to their home countries. And in a way a great percentage of Japanese Pentecostal male pastors, they went to the war and died. 

00:19:03 Host - Mark Banyard

So after the war, it was in some ways starting all over again. 

00:19:09 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, right after the war. So, leaders got together and bringing all the remnants together and Japan Assembly God was founded in 1949 spring with the help of America Assembly of God and became one of the strongest denomination in Japan since they started the Bible school the next year in 1950, so that the other Pentecostal missionaries were able to send their local leaders to the school. So anyway, so started 1950. Yeah, yeah. 

00:19:54 Host - Mark Banyard

Right. Let's talk about the moving of the Spirit outside of the context of the Pentecostal movement. So there was the charismatic movement. Of course, there was John Wimber and the Vineyard church, there were other denominations, what happened in Toronto and the moving of the Spirit that, of course, was brought into Japan. How do you see, let's say, in the last 50 years or so, how the moving of the Spirit has, what's come out of that in Japan? Do you see a difference in the churches? Has there been a shift to a more Spirit-based encounter rather than just the Word of Faith movement, where it's just simply a revelation through the study of the scripture? 

00:20:52 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So, I have to go back to a little bit before that. After the war, the Japanese churches, many missionaries came. Many, many missionaries came and they started many churches. We kind of many churches were birthed, established in the 1950s, sixties, but they started to calm down. And especially mainline churches hit a plateau soon. And by the 1980s, evangelical and the Protestant Pentecost is growing. But after 1980s, the evangelicals hit a plateau, and maybe after 1990s even the Pentecostals hit the plateau, in a way. So, you're asking about those charismatic renewal. The thing is, Christianity wasn't able to really penetrate Japanese society. 

At the same time, the Pentecostal charismatic movement hadn’t been able to penetrate the Japanese society or churches, either. So, in the 1980s the charismatic movement came to Japan. Yeah, say 1970s. Okay, sorry. And Catholics charismatics kind of burst from it. And some Pentecostal ministers helped. So, the Catholics had like a few thousand or couple thousand Catholic charismatics, and they went to mainline churches. Some of them became charismatic but actually only a handful of them. So, the charismatic movement, 1970s-80’s didn't penetrate Japanese mainline churches, except some Catholics. You're talking about the Third Wave or the ministry. It came with different waves. Or the Bible movement in South America, like Toronto Blessing or even Pensacola. And it affected some, but not really. And especially like, I don't know, like say Latter Rain Movement, you know, it was in Japan to the 1970s, we call, we didn't call it the Latter Rain Movement, we called it Restoration Movement. So even Pentecostals, among the Pentecostals, a different stance and understanding of the Latter Rain or Restoration Movement. 

So, there's not much like working together, but they have to have what is right or good theology doctrine about Pentecostals. It was an issue, the Pentecostal, Charismatics or Third Wave. And then, and it's just like, anyway, so yes, it has influenced some, but didn't really penetrate. Some of the churches, some of the ministers took the fire and revived, but not as the general atmosphere. That's is my understanding. And also like, you know, that some of the scandals in the Pentecostal, you know, the leaders, so that's also kind of pushed back the work of the Holy Spirit in a way, too. 

00:24:40 Host - Mark Banyard

Right. In terms of having a major influence and impact on church growth as a whole, it really didn't, it had, you know, in certain places, obviously things were happening. But if you look at the church as a whole, it really didn't have a major impact on the church. Is that what, would you agree with that? 

00:25:04 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, but say, you know, Japan is regarded as one of the strongest churches among the evangelical Protestant. So, in that way there is, but not like, you know, comparing to what is happening, what has happened in the world, in the whole globe. You know, it's just we are completely different. Different place, you know, so different from China, Korea, different, so different, you know, minority Christianity and minority and Pentecostals, we are here, but not like other continents of the world. 

00:25:42 Host - Mark Banyard

So let's talk about that because I think that's what it comes down to for Christians, Christian leaders, ministers in Japan, but also for all the missionaries over time that have come to Japan. I think it doesn't take very long to come to the conclusion there's something wonderful, wonderfully unique about Japan. But when it comes to actually the ministry, it's very difficult. It's almost like it's a quiet resistance, a pushback, something. And I'm interested in your opinion. What do you think? How do you understand it? 

00:26:23 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So, there's many people think many different ways. But what I think now is that the Japanese people want to control their life well, so that something different from what they experience, they don't want to jump in and they like new things, but they are very careful. And the Japanese Shintoism is more, is more like a pantheistic religion. But Buddhism came, you know, like, and then, but in order for Buddhism to settle in Japan took several hundred years. And for Christianity, you know, of course the Catholics came during the 1600s, but, and it arrived strongly. It's like a foreign religion. And then it's just like they don't know what put that the Christianity in their mind, the box especially like a creator God concept of creator God. And if they won’t put God in their brain or in the drawers in their brain, the creator God doesn't fit it because it's so big, bigger than our mind. And that means you can’t control it. So, it's just easy to reject, in a way, “that's a foreign God”, “that is different”. And, also, they just maybe put some part of Christianity in their box. They use, oh, good, good for wedding time or good for this. And they just use even Buddhism or Shintoism, they're taking out from the different boxes in that time. They like to use it. So, if you want to be, if God is creator God, but you are not, you can not put this God in a box. Rather, you just go dive into the reality of God. But then you need, need a faith and a jump, jumping or strength, whatever this going. So it's not easy for normal Japanese unless you really experience God's presence or God's love, something, you know? Yeah, that's what I think at this moment. 

00:28:47 Host - Mark Banyard

So, for those Japanese that, you know, that have really come to faith, how are they different from those, the many who haven't? 

00:28:58 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So, some famous Japanese protestant pastor said Japanese Christians graduate from church within three years. They become a Christian, they get happy and come to attend church. For some reason they leave church in three years. Okay, maybe people get discouraged seeing reality or get burned out. All the things to do or discourage about the reality of pastors or membership, whatever it is. Okay. So, but in order, I mean, …unless the person who has decided to follow Jesus to really experience God also learns to read Bible and pray, and also has a good Christian body to be with, I think it is difficult. The Japanese society doesn't encourage you to go to church. We are a minority. Becoming a Christian is not, (in becoming a Christian), you choose to be minority and, then, if you go to church on Sunday, you’ll definitely have more work to do. You know. It's just like so you have to be ready to bear your own cross. So then, then in order to do that, you have to have a motivation or experience or something there. 

00:30:25 Host - Mark Banyard

Let's, let's take a slight turn and talk about the prophetic in churches in Japan. 

00:30:31 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay. 

00:30:32 Host - Mark Banyard

Do you believe that Japanese Christians have embraced the prophetic ministry? 

00:30:39 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay. So like 1980s on this, like a new apostle movement or prophetic movement or hidden ministry, came as a new wave. So sometimes, you know, people were, people were open and wanted to follow, but maybe sometimes they just didn't follow God, but maybe tried to follow the persons who are prophetic. And I have seen or felt a kind of abuse of that ministry, you know, especially prophecies. Some of my friends just went to all the prophetic ministries just wanted hear, wanted hear. And just like, just wait. You need to listen to God, not, you know, those kinds of things. So I feel it might be wrong kind of history of abuse of prophetic ministries. So, also, Japanese people are afraid of a new style. So, if people came up saying, oh, “I'm a prophet” or “I'm an apostle”, it is like sometimes people feel kind of not offended, offensive, or just made them cautious to accept the person. So, prophetic and apostolic ministry, that for sure has influenced. But even now, you know, some people wrote a book about like a new apostle, you know, new apostolic revolution was there and then such a kind of negative way. So, some people tried to label prophetic and apostolic is kind, … be careful, be careful. The message always be sent. 

00:32:51 Host - Mark Banyard

But yet, I know from my own experience in being Japan, there has been an attempt to bring a balanced understanding and teaching to the apostolic and the prophetic. 

00:33:04 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right, right. So, I think the new season now, you know, so we have to kind of shake off old experience or something. They had it or maybe some of mysteries have bad taste, but they just, it's a new season, receive like a new wave of power, Holy Spirit coming to Japan. That's what I feel. Some people are so much kind of discouraged or dismayed about what happened before, too. But some people, of course, encouraged and still standing. 

00:33:41 Host - Mark Banyard

Let's talk about revival. Revival is talked a lot about in Japan, either about the revival that's coming or when it's coming, or, maybe, there's even some that say that revival is happening now. But what's your understanding? How would you define revival? 

00:34:03 Guest - Mas Suzuki

You know, the other day I heard the same question from somebody. One theory is we cannot have a revival in Japan because the word revival means something was there and was revived again. But we haven't had anything before. So, the word terminology “revival” cannot be used. But, of course, we can use a word like revival. We have “like revival”, you can use that. In fact, in order for Japanese people to come to know God, there is like a really like a revivalistic feeling, atmosphere to birth a church or for people to become Christians. You know, in 1872, the first Japanese church was founded in Yokohama, you know like, 30 or 40 Japanese samurai boys, they became Christian. Okay. And then when I studied about this really strong presence of the Holy Spirit and they just, they really encountered God and their sins and became Christians. So, if you call that revival, we have had many revivals and that's why the churches have been birthed and are standing because people experience God. But if you define revival as a massive movement and then how massive is it? You know, so how long is it? But in fact, you know, there have been a few revivals in last few years and spread in the history of Japan. Yes, we have. Even then after the war that many missionaries came and then so many churches at birthed, it's kind of revival. But it's totally, it all depends on how they define the word and, if you say revival like the Welsh revival, when the whole family changed, country changed, everything? No, we haven't had it like that before and I don't know, it is happening now. I don't know. 

00:36:15 Host - Mark Banyard

So, let's agree to call it a move of the Spirit rather than revival. Do you believe there's a move of the Spirit coming to Japan? 

00:36:28 Guest - Mas Suzuki

I sense it, yeah. New season and even for me, I want to be part of a new season. And that's what I think. A new season to open up different works of power. The ministry of Holy Spirit needs to come and it's coming and I just sense it and also claim it. 

00:36:53 Host - Mark Banyard

What do you think some of the signs are? Before things come, there's usually signs. 

00:36:59 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Well, there's more hunger and a desperation in a way among us too, you know; so like, so say the numbers. Okay. We have about 7000, 8000 Japanese protestant churches and maybe 4000 around Tokyo area and churches have been struggling because of different Japanese society shifting and demography changes - a lot of older people, less young ones and children. So, it's really, society is shrinking and the church is more shrinking. In a way. It's really, in a way, we are in a desperate season. So, because of that, I sense our hunger and so that's why I sense it. But in a way, for me that I'm not pessimistic, it might not happen right away, but if we can be a part of it, what's coming, I'm happy about it. If you are trying to see the results and numbers right away, it's easy to be discouraged. So, but it has been like been persons and numbers and those things, we should throw away. That's what I feel. It's easy to be discouraged seeing the reality of Japanese churches. 

00:38:28 Host - Mark Banyard

When I was in Japan, when my wife and I were in Japan earlier this year, that was after October 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded Israel. And when I got to Japan, it was February or so earlier this year, there were a lot of Christians that were asking me the question about the end times. And a lot of those, I always point them to the Bible, of course, because the Bible, they don't want opinion, but they want answers. And a question that I was asked a lot is what do I think about the rapture. And, of course, I talked to them about that a little bit. But with regard to what's happening right now around the world, world, how do you see it affecting the church in Japan? 

00:39:29 Guest - Mas Suzuki

I sense, I mean, of course it's end time, you know, end time and we’re expecting the Lord’s second coming. I don't like the, how do you call it, the fear, concept of fear. Japanese are easy to make afraid or fearful in different ways. And in Covid season, you know, people were so afraid that people were wearing masks. Even now people wear masks, you know, just like being afraid. So, fear for some, for sometimes some people, fear brings them to God and, but fear sometimes, you know, I think I feel like blinds people's minds, too. We have already authority and power from God, so all the end time, but we live in end times, but we shouldn't fear like the others do. You know what I mean? I don't know. I can explain to that. So, I sense the end time. I sense, how do you call it, the stress from Japanese churches and all that. But we shouldn't just catch fear, but we should just claim victory. 

00:41:02 Host - Mark Banyard

Yes, I agree. I agree. I do think, however, that in understanding that we're in the end times, that it can be an opportunity, a positive opportunity to make people aware of Jesus’ return, that eventually time will run out. And that if, if they were thinking about turning to God, repenting, putting their faith in him, now is a really good time. 

00:41:29 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right? Right. Then each Christian should be ready to share their own stories. And like you say, we know that Christians love each other, they know we are Christians, by how we love God, love each other, love neighbors. That's one of the things we just always put our minds on. We cannot come up and hit their head open and bring the gospel in. We cannot do that really. 

00:42:08 Host - Mark Banyard

Our testimony, sharing Jesus through what God the Father has done, through Jesus the Son, through the cross, through paying the debt of our sin and the forgiveness of sin. That testimony is really about the Kingdom of God, isn't it? It's that revelation of God through Jesus. 

00:42:32 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Yeah, but that what you not only understand your head, but you have to experience it, you know, and that experience is so important and because demonstration in Japan or wherever you are, maybe negative or maybe, you know, like discouraging, but you can come back to what you, the first love you had from, you know, God and all that. So that's so important, you know, hold that tight. 

00:43:01 Host - Mark Banyard

Yeah, so that experience, that encounter with God is, yeah. More than just a decision that's made. There needs to be an encounter. 

00:43:11 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right, right. And, also, that have to understand each one of us has a mission to do on this earth. That Christianity is not just, oh, we are going to heaven. No, we have authority and power, but to live on this earth, to bring the Kingdom of God, that's not only the ministers, missionaries, evangelists, every Christian needs to be taught and understand. 

00:43:39 Host - Mark Banyard

Amen. Yeah. Yes, I agree. And of course, Jesus taught us his prayer to the Father, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, which really meant that we were asking God to help us to advance his Kingdom on earth, to be that testimony, to be that Ark, the torch of his testimony upon the earth. 

00:44:04 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So we don't need to be discouraged, we just need to do what we are asked to do. The result is God. It's not a formula. We do what God, God shows us and leads us. And my prayer is in God what I can do, you know, and God show me and not result, you know, really, I see so many people try to see the result and the result doesn't come up and they get discouraged and just forget about it. It's God's work. 

00:44:38 Host - Mark Banyard

Put your faith, do what you're called to do and put your faith in God to bring the fulfillment of his work through your life. 

00:44:45 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right, right. So in order for me to be here, you know, in Japan, with other Christians, God has sent so many people to me, you know, so many people, and they loved me, cared for me and led me. So, and maybe we, we can be one of the hundreds for the one person and then for this reason let's love and serve this person and we might not see the result, you know, like throwing bread in the water, the bread won't come back. But like Ecclesiastes says, the bread will come back in the future at unknown time. So, feel like, you know, throwing the bread in water in Japan, but it's okay. 

00:45:37 Host - Mark Banyard

Tell me two more questions. What do you believe the church needs right now in Japan to move forward? 

00:45:47 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Okay, that's a big question. Okay. In a way that we have to have a new wine skin in a way, too, in order to have new fresh living water come in. Like even in the 1970s, that one missionary wrote in Japan, wrote a book, and said the Japanese church is pre-reformation. And the reason why he wrote is that he asked Japanese Christians, why don't you evangelize? And the answer was, we don't have money because we cannot hire a full-time pastor. We cannot build a church. We don't have money, finance, for doing evangelism. So. But evangelism is not the full-time pastor and not the building. The concept needs to be changed. Each one of us is a witness, you know, a layperson. Everybody is a missionary in a way. So that concept needs to be expanded or made for every one of us have a missionary heart. Shift. Yeah. Shift in thinking even like if church is shrinking, that society is shrinking, you know, like, then we might need however more bi-vocational lay ministers or different things. You know, if churches are getting smaller, then even a small church can be run by themselves. So the whole thing of church. Whole thing, a whole kind of concept of church, or even like a minister may need to be shifted. And of course, Bible training and all the training is so important, but the work is not, …the work is for all. That's what I think. 

00:47:48 Host - Mark Banyard

So anyway, so in terms of going forward, in terms of advancing the Kingdom of God in Japan, the church really needs to come back to that place of the. The inspiration of their own testimony in order to continue to share God's love. But a shift in the thinking that it's not just a hired pastor and a church building that you need, that you, in fact, are the Church and that each one of us have been called to be part of that testimony. 

00:48:25 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right. Also, then in order to do that, you really have this power of Holy Spirit experiencing, it is so important because the situation won't change. But we need Holy Spirit a lot. And, also, we need, like a single-hearted body of Christ to pray together, walk together. That kind of comradery, or how do you call it, is necessary in a way, even though we are small numbers, but we can be together, pray together and work together for the Kingdom of God together in Japan, going over the many differences, but we should. Yeah. 

00:49:13 Host - Mark Banyard

Thinking about culture and its influence, people will often say of Canadians that we’re very polite. You know, we say, you know, how are you? Excuse me. Pardon me. Thank you very much. Have a nice day. And in contrast to our American brothers and sisters, that perhaps maybe seem only in contrast, maybe a little bit more brash, at times. But talking about Japanese culture, is there something in the culture of Japan, again, that politeness, honouring each other, that kind of gets in the way of the church being powerful in their testimony? What do you think? 

00:50:00 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Politeness is, of course, important, but we have to be careful. What is the true humble and a fake humble? And Japanese like to make ourselves small. Small. But, yeah, we should be humble, but we should be bold at the same time. 

00:50:22 Host - Mark Banyard

Bold. 

00:50:22 Guest - Mas Suzuki

And. And each person. Oh, I'm not a missionary. I'm not. No, everyone is God’s temple, you know, so we shouldn't make ourselves smaller. And each person has got talent. So, humbleness, politeness is important. Yes, yes.  But also, everybody has to realize you have a power and authority and also, like, a mission to do. And you have to stand up, firm. But it's difficult being different. The people try to hit them down. So, in order to escape being punched down, you can be humble and hide. But I've been hiding for a long time, and it's a season for me not to hide. It took me a while.

00:51:16 Host - Mark Banyard

To be humble, but yet bold at the same time. 

00:51:22 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Right, right. And it's difficult, you know, even though what I speak can offend people, may not, maybe it's better not to say. But anyway, it always like, I'm praying, even this, you know, I'm saying it. If I say it, something clear, some people might be offended. But if I don't say anything, and then what's going to happen? So. 

00:51:51 Host - Mark Banyard

So, my second question is, and perhaps my last question, is with regard to the gospel, with regard to a move of the Spirit, with regard to an end time move of the Spirit in Japan, what does Japan need? Or perhaps, I should ask the question, how should we pray for Japan? 

00:52:15 Guest - Mas Suzuki

So that many people will experience God strongly, clearly. Also, the Christians, evangelists, missionaries won't be discouraged not seeing results, but we can be faithful and keep working and even when not seeing the results right away. And, also, we need more fire of God and more workers to work with and to encourage each other being encouraged. We need people to work together, I guess. In order to go on, we need a new power, new strength, new wave from God and from brothers and sisters from all over the world. We need a prayer covering. Covering prayers for the Christians in Japan. 

00:53:22 Host - Mark Banyard

Very good. Well, we're just about finished our time today. It's gone quickly, and I really enjoyed my conversation with you. In fact, I can think of many more things that I'd like to ask you, but maybe we'll leave that for another time. But perhaps before we go, you could just pray, pray for those who are listening, but to just to pray for the church in Japan and for the believers in Japan. And we'll agree with you in that prayer. And, also, for those who are perhaps maybe today from listening to you think that they would like to be a missionary to Japan, and they haven't yet responded to that call. But even now, God's calling their hearts. And, so if you would, I would love it if you could pray. 

00:54:12 Guest - Mas Suzuki

Thank you, God, for remembering Japan. Thank you, God, for those people who've been praying for Japan, you know everything. You know the situation of Japanese society, Japanese churches, Japanese Christians, you know them. I just pray that Father, strengthen every single Christian, strengthen the ministers and pastors, Father, and I just pray that the new wave of Holy Spirit comes upon Japanese churches. We lift our eyes to you, not people, not the traditions, not the doctrines, but we just lift up our eyes to you. We open up our ears and our heart to you, Father. I just pray that you, you give us new blessings and to all the churches in Japan. Father, you hold past and present and future. We lift up our future of Japan in front of you. Father, lead us and guide us. Raise new leaders and younger ones and older ones, but raise new, strong leaders who can listen to you and who can follow you, putting everything away. Father, raise the generation of people who follow you, Father. Father, thank you for remembering Japan. Thank you for guiding Japan. I just pray for the blessing of all the Christians and churches in Japan. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. 

00:55:49 Host - Mark Banyard

Amen. And that's our show for today. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Kingdom Talk. You can find all the notes and links for today's show at our website, www.kingdomadvancedministries.com/podcasts. And once again, if you enjoyed our show, be sure to subscribe so that you won't miss any of our upcoming episodes. Bye for now and may God bless.