On October 6, Churches Helping Churches had the honor of hosting Pastor Akira Sato, Senior Pastor of Japan’s Fukushima First Baptist Church, as guest speaker during an evening of fellowship, encouragement and praise at Park Community Church.
Pastor Sato is a humble man. He is well educated, and speaks proudly and poetically of his church, which was planted by a 25-year-old American missionary 60 years back – well before a nuclear reactor site was built several miles away. As a young man, Pastor Sato had accepted Christ in that church.
Two years ago, he built a new church that he believed would provide 100 years of service or more to their congregation. But on March 11, the church’s story took an abrupt detour that began when the tsunami hit.
An alarm sounded. The entire town was evacuated by bus. In an instant, the church’s congregation of 150 scattered. Of that number, about half regrouped. They lacked adequate clothing and food, many of them ended up sick. When the group was invited to a German Christian retreat center near Tokyo, it was the first warm meal, shower and bed any of them had in weeks. Without homes to return to, the congregation found themselves on their own Exodus journey.
“I never knew what it would be like not to have a wallet for 6 months,” Sato said. Still, his work continued – performing baptisms one day, and funerals the next.
Hey says there were days where their new reality seemed like some kind of cruel joke.
“We had seen things like this in the news,” Sato said. “But we never thought this would happen to us.”
In the midst of this trial, he often found himself mediating on Romans 8:18-23.
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Reflecting on this passage of scripture, he said, “It’s not just people who need Jesus. All of creation is groaning for my Jesus’ return. I want my Jesus to say to the people: ‘Have peace’. I want my Jesus to command the ground: ‘Never split again.’ I want my Jesus to command the tsunami wave: ‘Stop.’”
In spite of the obvious suffering Pastor Sato has experienced, he does not have a hint of bitterness in his voice.
He notes three facts that comfort him.
First, his church’s name. It is called Fukushima Daichi, the same name as the nuclear power plant that caused their evacuation. The same nuclear power plant that prevents them from returning to their church.
Second, years ago, his wife dreamt the entire church was loading onto buses and evacuating.
Third, Pastor Sato’s birthday is March 11th, the day the tsunami hit.
Reflecting on these three points, he says feels that he was born for this moment.
And today, speaking to a group of people interested in the call to help rebuild a suffering church, he proves that this is his moment. It is the calling of his life. The day he shared his story with Churches Helping Churches, he spoke to four other groups about his experiences as well.
This is a man on a rampage for Christ, sharing what God has done, what He is doing, and what He can do.
Today, the congregation of 150 is still in tact. Seventy of them are living together just outside of Tokyo. Some of the other members have moved away. Others would like to move back. Pastor Sato plans to replant their church in the town of Iwaki, not terribly far from their old home, but far enough to be safe from radiation.
Churches Helping Churches is honored to help fund the purchase of the new land for this building, supporting a pastor who has embraced the detour his life has taken.
