Lavern & Clara Rodgers
BBFI Missionaries
Planting Churches in Japan since 1950


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Prayer Letter

February 2010

Dear Pastor and Praying Friends:

Blast-Off for 2010!

The New Year opened with a BANG the first week of January during our annual Home Missions Conference meeting at the Bible College! Ken Board was the main speaker and really rang the bell with the keynote “PUSH” starting new churches in “NEXT TOWNS!” “PUSH Until Something Happens!” The front was filled with many of us praying with tears, and asking God to help us make something happen this year for planting new churches!

During that meeting I was asking, “Lord, is this the start of what we’ve been praying for so long?” Then I got a Jolt! My cell phone rang right there in the middle of the service! I had forgotten to turn it off! A member on the missions committee of CBT was on the line asking if I would go and see a good place in HACHIOJI CITY to start a new church! Wow, talk about timing for “seeing something happen?” I hung up thanking the Lord for the “jolt” answering our prayers so quickly!

Two weeks ago Pastor Ishikawa and Pastor Tokoro along with Dr. Takasaka, Brother Uchiyama, Brother Kashiwagi, and Sister Yasuba went with me to see that “good place” where Sister Saito lives and who is the lady who sparked this challenge. She has been holding children’s meetings the last five years in the community hall near her home with great turn out of kids and parents !

I tried to get into Hachioji City 40 years ago but the Lord didn’t open the door. Instead He opened the door in Chofu – and the result has been Chofu Baptist Temple! With these “happenings” I feel Him nudging me, “Try Hachioji again! The door’s open now!” And try we will! Hachioji has doubled in population and is over half a million and still growing! I am looking forward to helping CBT plant their 6th extension church! It’s a great challenge! Please put this new satellite church on the top of your prayer list. God is indeed opening doors the devil has tried to keep closed for centuries!

The past year I have been on the “Anniversary Circuit,” speaking in 7 churches, and believe it or not, challenging each church to “Focus on the Future Planting Churches in the Next Towns!” Many have filled the altars praying God will give them a part in starting a new church. The first one was the 20th anniversary of my Evelyn’s call to glory. Needless to say, but the altar was full of CBT praying for courage to be a witness like Evelyn Sensei! She still lives in the hearts of everyone, especially mine! My Lord has been so good to this missionary – in the valleys and on the mountain tops! In that valley of tears 20 years ago He gave me Clara to climb back up to the mountain top !

In October we had the privilege of having Dr. Jon Konnerup, our Missions Director visit each of us missionaries in our homes and churches from one end of Japan to the other – a first! This was a huge encouragement to every missionary. CBT also welcomed him as speaker on our 41st anniversary. I believe you read his report in the latest Tribune..

The last anniversary was an 8th anniversary of the Tachikawa BBC and Pastor Iguchi. He led his people to accept the challenge I gave them eight years ago to “Go Dream!.” That dream they embraced was for land and a building for their church to get out of their rented house meeting in only two rooms.! Pastor Iguchi is one of Clara’s “preacher boys” and his church is a mission out Takiyama BBC, which was started by Clara’s first husband Alvin Marsden.

The Tachikawa church is seeing their dream COME TRUE! They have raised the equivalent of US$400,000 together with their home church ! Although they lacked $50,000 they found a builder who would finance their shortfall and build their building as well! God rewards His people who dream right! This is the kind of churches and people the Lord gives us on this difficult field the devil has tried for centuries to close off to the Gospel! God is at work in Japan!

I am happy to announce: Brother Irie is ordained and installed as pastor of the Miyota church. That means “I am now free to move about the country!” preaching in mission conferences, revivals, anniversaries while encouraging church planting. It looks like it’s gonna be an exciting year! My goal is to “Ignite Churches to Start Churches!” This year is my 60th since coming to Japan and I have a secret goal for encouraging 60 new churches to be started! Don’t tell anybody –shhhh, just pray with me ‘til it happens!

Now, last but not least, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR CLARA!. She has come through the operation to repair her hip after the fall. She is finally beginning to take a few steps with a walker and a nurse supporting her. I even helped her take a few steps recently! Now God has sent me another blessing! I have been able to move Clara to a new care home closer the Chofu and Takiyama churches where more can visit her! The Lord has been so good to this missionary in these times of coping!

Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support each month. It is such an honor to represent you to the Japanese people. I am forever grateful.

Again, Thank You !
Lavern & Clara
Clara says: Thank You for Praying for me
and my husband!
 The Iguchis with
their “Dream”
 Survey Team with the sprawling city
of Hachioji in the background

Note: Hachioji is pronounced Ha-chee-oh-gee

Click here to download this letter in MS Word Format (160kb)

 

"Cast thy bread upon the waters:
thou shalt find it after many days."

Ecclesiastes 11:1


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