Revival Report 6/22/97 - This report is from Jim Randall, the pastor of Yokohama Christian Center in Yokohama, Japan.
I am not sure what really happened last Sunday, but I want to encourage you with what God is doing here. Paula and I attended revival meetings at the Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Pensacola, Florida for a week. We were deeply moved and touched by the power of God working there and prayed for the "Revival Fire" to accompany us back to Japan. Last Sunday was our first Sunday back home in Japan.
We had a normal "Summertime" crowd of just over a hundred people. Our church is made up of a mostly Japanese since so many of the foreigners have gone home for the summer. We have side by side interpreting since we have outgrown the interpreting equipment. We have seen over 30 people saved since I returned from Toronto last November which is amazing since the average church in Japan sees only one or two new believers a year come into the church. Salvations have continued since Paula and I have been in the US these past two months, so it is not our presence making things happen.
On Sunday morning 6/22/97, I preached a fairly short message from II Chronicles 7:14 after giving a report on what I experienced in Pensacola. I gave an altar call and asked for those wanting to be born again to come forward along with the backsliders and those with sin in their lives and repent before God. We had about 75 people come forward. Some almost ran to the front. Many were weeping and some fell on their knees calling out to God for forgiveness. We prayed for everyone individually and many fell under the power of God. The morning service lasted until about 2:30 PM.
Sunday night was a similar response. About 80% of our Sunday night congregation is made up of people from different churches and others who do not attend the regular morning service. The same thing happened in that service. God is about to do mighty things in our land and this is preparation time. It is time to repent and draw near to the Lord. He wants clean vessels to pour Himself into so that we may be poured out to the lost and dying of Japan. I believe this is the beginning of the long awaited revival in our land!
I do not know how many people were saved last Sunday. I have not been able to talk with all of those who were ministering, but I will let you know as I find out. I do know this. God is preparing His ministers first! Be encouraged!!! I am. Please pray that this outpouring will continue and spread to all of Japan!
In His love,
Jim Randall
Revival Report #2 - July 6, 1997
It has been two weeks since God began to pour out a spirit of repentance and we are still experiencing His blessings here in Yokohama. Our Sunday morning attendance is about 50% above normal for this time of year. We have had 5 people saved in the past week. There are many new people coming to church at the invitation of friends. There seems to be a new openness and hunger in the hearts of the Japanese people.
Christians are still coming with tears to repent of their sins. Many are saying, "Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me." There is a real desire in the hearts of many to serve God in some way. Some are sensing that God wants them to prepare for full time ministry. Others are just wanting MORE of God in their life.
Thank you for praying for us and our country. I don't know if this is the beginning of the great Revival in Japan but it is the best we have ever experienced and momentum seems to be building.
Please continue to pray for the following:
In His service,
Jim Randall
* Pastor
* Yokohama Christian Center
* Dai Ichi Shinei Bldg. 3F
* 187 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku
* Yokohama 231 JAPAN
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