About Us
Lavern Franklin Rodgers was born the first
of two sons in Dallas, Texas to Burleigh and Lillian Rodgers on
July 25, l927 and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Lavern graduated
from Brackenridge High School in 1946 and served in the US Navy
at the end of WW2 during which time he surrendered to full time
service to go as a missionary to China. His grandfather had led
him to the Lord a few months before Pearl Harbor in 1941.
After discharge from the Navy, Rodgers entered Bible Baptist Seminary, Ft.
Worth, Texas and graduated in 1949 with a master of arts degree
in theology. He married Evelyn Minshew in August the same year.
He surrendered to go to Japan after the doors closed in China
following the communist revolution. Almost the same time General
Douglas McArthur appealed for missionaries to come to Japan to
share the love of God with the people of Japan that we might
never face a Japanese army across a battlefield. Rodgers saw
this as ‘God’s finger’ pointing him to an open door in Japan.
He and Evelyn arrived in Yokohama, Japan May 5, 1950 to join two
other couples, Ike and Jane Foster, and Olson and Lelia Hodges.
Alvin and Clara Marsden arrived in November. They were among the
first missionaries of the BBFI when it was founded in 1950.
The four immediately went about the task of establishing the
first four churches that became the charter churches of the
Japan Baptist Bible Fellowship. It was recognized by the
Japanese government in 1952. Two years later the Japan Baptist
Bible College was founded by the same four missionaries in 1954.
The school has now graduated more than 250 pastors,
missionaries and church leaders. Mr. Rodgers also taught in the
college for 35 years.
Doors opened to Rodgers to plant churches in Shizuoka, Shimizu,
Yokohama, Sakura, Chofu, Uenohara (now Minami Alps), Atsugi Air
Base, Wakaba and Miyota. He helped other pastors and
missionaries planting churches in Nagoya (Bill Hathaway), in
Kyoto (Pastor Saburo Chikamatsu), and in Ohira (Pastor
Yoshimoto) a mission of the Oyama church (Pastor Hamada).
However, Mr. Rodgers says it wasn’t him. He just tried to stay
out of the Lord’s way, while HE was building churches in Japan.
The Lord just kept opening doors for Rodgers to enter.
Mr. Rodgers says also that he would be remiss if he didn’t give
credit to the two wonderful helpmeets the Lord has given him –
Evelyn and Clara.
In 1989 the Lord called Evelyn Rodgers home to glory, after
serving and loving the Japanese people for over 39 years.
Earlier, in 1983 the Lord had called Alvin Marsden home to his
crown of glory after 23 years of faithful service in spite of
physical handicap. The Lord brought Clara and Mr. Rodgers
together after Evelyn’s death to finish the course they had
started forty years before. Together they have seven children,
eighteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.
Three years ago Clara was diagnosed with the dreaded disease of
Alzheimer’s. Many of you have been praying for them as they cope
with this dreadful disease. Clara is now in a Care Home in
Japan, and in good hands. She is happy, bright and cheerful and
in good physical health otherwise.
In 1998 a marvelous gift of the campsite in the Japan Alps was
given to the churches of JBBF by the Rawlings Foundation . The
JBBC also was invited to relocate to the campsite in Naganoken
to meet the challenges of the 21st century starting 100 new
churches in the first decade. The marvelous gift became a
miraculous one that resulted in the present new campus for JBBC.
That is the goal now before us. To achieve that goal at least
100 men and women are needed, to “leave their nets” to become
fishers of men and be part of this 21st century challenge.
That challenge becomes more and more urgent. The Lord will
return soon. And, up ahead there will be more and more empty
shoes to be filled – with young feet!.
Will you be one, to fill one?
