How do we sow the Christian gospel in Japanese soil so that it thrives with multiplying disciples and healthy churches? To be effective in sowing the gospel we must know our seed and the soil. I had been sharing in seminars these ideas about culture and Japan for some time. From those experiences, equipping people to share the gospel with Japanese, I realized they needed somewhat more than an occasional seminar. This was a needy area no matter if workers were part of the new wave of people sent to Japan or whether they had long experience struggling with the missiological enigma of Japan. I am in a long line of people who have written on the gospel and the culture of Japan. I have tried to present a broadminded evangelical perspective on some complex issues. This book is written in two parts, the first explores the soil of Japan and the second focuses on sowing the gospel in Japan. Each chapter will attempt to answer several key questions of our quest to penetrate the beliefs and worldview of the Japanese. The book contains a handy index to the content.

Since the beginning of missionary efforts in Japan in the sixteenth century, the Japanese church has experienced periods of quiet flourishing and periods of intense persecution. Arguably, however, it has never managed to take root as a truly indigenous church-despite great effort toward that aim. In Multiplying Churches in Japanese Soil, John Mehn asks the question: Why? What factors have contributed to the Japanese remaining largely unreached? Mehn examines the current state of affairs and then, with some careful analysis and case study, delves into effective models and leadership for planting churches in Japan that not only grow, but are also equipped to reproduce and multiply. Within these pages, discover mission strategy, kingdom perspective, and hope for the church in Japanese soil.