Feature

Gathering the Faithful in Japan

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s only missionary in Japan seeks to bring together faithful Lutherans scattered around the country.

Story by Megan K. Mertz | Photography by Erik M. Lunsford | Fall 2024

“[Jesus prayed,] ‘Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one. … But now I am coming to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.’” (John 17:11, 13)

One by one, worshipers arrived at the Lutheran church in Shinjuku, Tokyo. After removing their shoes and donning the supplied slippers, they took their seats in the small sanctuary. Some had traveled over two hours to gather for worship led by the Rev. Dr. Daniel Jastram, who is currently the only missionary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) serving in Japan.

The church is located in the lower level of an apartment building. From this modest space, three Lutheran pastors — one American and two Japanese — serve people from a variety of backgrounds.

On a Sunday in May, attendees of the English service included an English teacher from Fort Wayne, Ind.; an exchange student from Sacramento, Calif.; a new Lutheran convert from San Diego and his Japanese wife; a Japanese man who works as a lecturer at a local university; and a Japanese woman who lives in Booneville, Mo., but travels back to Tokyo regularly to see her family.

All are grateful to find faithful Lutheran worship in an area like Shinjuku that is well connected by Japan’s extensive public transit system. In fact, more than 3 million people transit through Shinjuku Station each day, making it among the busiest in the world.

English teacher Ryan Huizing learned about the English service from his pastor in Fort Wayne. Huizing travels an hour by train to reach the church. “Why do I come? To worship Christ, of course,” he said. “To celebrate in a true LCMS fellowship in the way that I feel most comfortable and that I feel is the best way to glorify God. I am very blessed to be able to receive the Sacrament here.”

New converts Cacey and Moeko Barnett started attending the church after learning about Lutheranism online. They pass other churches on their two-hour drive, but they are drawn to the “biblically centered preaching in the Lutheran church,” according to Cacey.

‘Something That Only God Could Arrange’

Jastram’s enthusiasm for his work is clear in every interaction. Born in Shibata, Japan, he spent the first 19 years of his life in the country and speaks Japanese fluently. When his parents arrived in Japan in 1953, they joined a group of about 35 LCMS missionaries there. His father served a house church, while his mother taught English lessons and cooking classes.

At 19, Jastram came to the United States for college and seminary, and he later took a call to St. Paul, Minn. Early on, he hoped that he might be sent to teach at a fledgling seminary somewhere in the world. But that wasn’t part of God’s plan.

It came as quite a surprise 40 years later when an unexpected encounter at an LCMS convention resulted in a phone call asking if he’d be interested in returning to Japan as a missionary.

“When a call came [from the LCMS Board for International Mission], I took a week to discuss it with my congregation and explain that to receive a call to mission work in Japan is something that only God could arrange,” Jastram recalled. Both his wife, Joan, and the congregation immediately recognized that he was uniquely suited for this role.

When Jastram returned “home” to Japan in 2016, he knew that the Synod’s relationship with the Japan Lutheran Church (JLC) was rocky. The JLC had long been debating women’s ordination and practicing open Communion. But Jastram soon saw that the situation was further along than Synod leadership had realized — a fact that was finally officially confirmed at the 2023 LCMS convention, when delegates recognized that fellowship with the JLC had been broken by false doctrine and practice.

Upon this realization, Jastram shifted the direction of his work. His top priority became “to establish faithful Lutheran worship. That’s why I started worshiping in my home, to make sure there was faithful Lutheran worship in English.” He also began forming relationships with a handful of Lutheran pastors who were either working independently or who were connected to other mission groups.

One of those is the Rev. Kiyoshi Taguchi, a second-generation Lutheran pastor whom Jastram met through mutual contacts at the Synod’s seminaries. The two men found that they had the same goal of providing essential Lutheran texts in the Japanese language, so Jastram asked Taguchi to assist the LCMS in this work. In nearly four years, Taguchi has completed seven significant translation projects, including C.F.W. Walther’s The Church and the Office of the Ministry and the Synod’s recent booklet Women’s Ordination through the Lens of the Apostles’ Creed.

When asked about this work, Taguchi shared that he loves digging deeply into theology and wants to share these resources with other Japanese speakers.

A Partnership in Niigata

Jastram also stays in regular contact with the Rev. Manabu and Michiko Wakabayashi, the force behind Kobari Evangelical Lutheran Church in Niigata City, an area several hours from Tokyo.

Wakabayashi took an unusual path to Christianity. When he was about 40 years old, he met a foreign missionary through a shared appreciation for the music of J.S. Bach. The woman insisted, “You should become a Christian,” so he started attending church and later was brought to faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. Soon after, he met Michiko, and she began attending church with him so they could spend time together on her only day off from work each week.

When Wakabayashi was in his 60s, he underwent heart surgery. The surgery was successful, and in thanksgiving to God Wakabayashi decided to become a pastor. He was interested in confessional Lutheran theology and found his way to Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, where his family lived from 1996 to 2002.

He later returned to Japan and served in the JLC, until mutually agreeing to separate several years ago. Thanks to his pension from his previous career as an engineer, he is now able to fund his ministry independently.

Kobari exists in a unique position as a “sister congregation” of the LCMS. Each week, the Wakabayashis receive the Sunday bulletin from Zion Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, and translate it into Japanese. For the last few years, they also have worked on a monumental undertaking: translating all the Introits into Japanese and setting them to music. Once complete, this collection will be a one-of-a-kind resource for those looking for traditional Lutheran worship in the Japanese language.

“The reason why we want to chant the Introit is because it gives us a worship atmosphere,” Wakabayashi said. “So, we continue to translate it into Japanese and use it every Sunday.”

In late May, Kobari hosted a theological conference attended by 24 pastors and laypeople from the various confessional Lutheran groups in the country. “Not only did the presentations strengthen a solid foundation for ministry with their teaching from Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, but the conference itself gathered together pastors and laypeople from different church backgrounds not currently in altar and pulpit fellowship but who have mutual goodwill and a goal of learning about each other as brothers,” Jastram wrote in his May-June newsletter.

Care for Military Members

Jastram’s focus on providing faithful Lutheran worship also takes him to Yokosuka, Japan, once a month. There, he leads worship for a small group of Lutherans at the American naval base, while Joan accompanies on the piano.

On May 11, Katie Terjesen brought her five children to the service. Her husband, Commander Steven Terjesen, serves on a U.S. Navy destroyer and was deployed with his ship that week.

“We feel beyond grateful and blessed that we have this opportunity [to attend an LCMS service] over here. We came over expecting absolutely nothing,” said Katie Terjesen. This is the family’s seventh move, so she’s grateful to be able to provide some continuity in church attendance for her children.

While most of those who attend the Lutheran service will eventually move on, Edward Robinson III, a retired U.S. diplomat and Navy commander, plans to stay in the area for the long haul. He’s not yet a confirmed member, but he attends worship regularly and loves Jastram’s preaching and teaching.

“He really preaches the Gospel,” Robinson said after the service. “He’s a real theologian. He asks difficult questions. He’s always putting me on the spot and challenging me.”

In addition to Yokosuka, Jastram has recently been asked to add Guam to his regular rotation so that he can provide pastoral care to a handful of Lutherans stationed there.

The groups that gather may be small, but Jastram never stops preaching, teaching and trying to build up Lutheranism in the country. “There’s only one Christian church throughout the entire world: all those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin through His death and resurrection,” Jastram reminded his listeners in his sermon for the week. “Jesus prays to the Father that we may be one, and that we could have His joy every day of our lives.”

Listen as the Rev. Dr. Daniel Jastram talks about his fondness for growing up in Japan.

Learn More

Meet missionary Rev. Dr. Daniel Jastram

Learn more about the work in Japan

Pray with Us

Mighty Lord, You have prepared for Yourself missionaries to go forth and proclaim the message of salvation in Japan. Continue to bless the work of the Jastrams, that the Gospel might have free course in Japan and be preached to the joy and edification of many; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Share Jesus with the World

Your generosity today makes possible your Synod’s witness and mercy efforts both at home and abroad.

Donate

Are you looking to direct your gifts for work that’s more specific?
Visit the LCMS online ministry and mission catalog to find those opportunities most meaningful to you!

Don’t see what you’re looking for?
Contact LCMS Mission Advancement at 888-930-4438 or mission.advancement@lcms.org to talk about all the options available.

Megan K. Mertz

Managing editor of Lutherans Engage the World and chief copy editor for LCMS Communications.