Big Question about Translation

I would a expect that a Westerner in Japan would have a difficult time gaining acceptance.

Well, I would suggest exploring your options through a college or seminary, preferably one which will give you field training in ministry. Training and experience at home can be valuable preparation for traveling ministry, because each and every part of the world has been touched by sin and human need. There is much to learn at home which would help prepare you for ministry abroad. Regarding the language barrier, I would think that taking some basic classes in the language would certainly help you get the most out of your "on the spot" language learning. So essentially, I recommend preparation: spritual, pastoral, educational, and linguistic. All the best to you in discerning your call.

One of the wisest men I have ever known was a missionary in Okinawa and Japan when he was younger. He was very well-received there because the Japanese people on the whole accept and respect wisdom, honor, and integrity, and those characteristics describe Jack Locker really well. One of my closest friends during my college years was a Japanese girl, from a suburb of Tokyo. I never had any trouble being accepted by her or her friends, and I had a part in leading her to Christ. (of course, when I prayed for her father to be healed and her mom called and told her that he sat up in bed after being pronounced DEAD, it kind of helped....) All of this to say,the Japanese people are no less accepting than any other people, and many would be glad to help you learn the language. I was a missionary in Siberia for a short time, helping some people with a church plant. They started their work like this (very ingeneous):

1. In 1991 a heavy metal Christian rock band played at a venue near the foreign-language-college sector of town. They interspersed their songs with in-your-face gospel preaching and gave an altar call to which hundreds of kids responded.

2. A small group of people sent by my church held intensive nightly classes for six weeks for whoever wanted to learn more about their new-found faith. Of course not everyone could come every night, but they also gave out books and Bibles. One book was a translation of More Than a Carpenter. Many kids who came were students of English, and they became translators immediately.

3. The small group from my church left, and then they came back several months later. They found a dozen or two kids (mainly between ages 15 and 20) who were still interested in following Jesus. They started a cell church with those kids. Several of those kids are missionaries in other countries now.

pretty cool, amen?
tal

There are a lot of Americans stationed in Japan - why don't you talked to the armed forces about becoming a chaplain?

That way, you could minister to Americans on base (boy do they need it) and to the people in the neighboring areas as well.

Constance

I have been on short term missions trips to Mexico and the language barrier is for real. But it is a relatively easy barrier to knock down. Just go learn Japanese.



The cultural barrier is a lot tougher since it depends on the other people too. I lived in Scotland for two years and ran into some unacceptance and rejection just because I was American. Some of those people were won over by sheer kindness and patience but some never were. On the whole, my own attitude and kindness had the biggest impact on my acceptance. Yours will too. If you respect their culture and show genuine interest in them then I think you will find acceptance.

I am right there with whoever it was who recommended training. There is a whole lot you can learn about how other people have done what you want to do. I recommend New Tribes Mission, Faith Mission Bible College and YWAM. But anywhere can teach you.