JEMS AACF

Organizational Principles

Purpose & Mission Statement:

Jesus to every Japanese, Jesus every day. This vision statement conveys our passion to share Jesus to every Japanese person, whether in Japan, US or any area where there is a high concentration of Japanese. We also want the sharing of the Gospel to be done wherever we may find ourselves. This includes our families, our campuses, and our work places. But this occurs as we fully embrace Jesus and grow in Him (thus Jesus every day). To this end, JEMS will provide opportunities to share Jesus to the Japanese, in Japan, South America and the US. JEMS will also provide ministry opportunities to help cultivate growth in our relationship with God through AACF, Mount Hermon and PNW conferences, and other specialized ministries.

Doctrinal Statement:

We, the Japanese Evangelical Society, believe... That the Bible is God's Word, written by men divinely and uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit, and that is is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. In one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ, the world's only Saviour; in His pre-existence, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial, bodily resurrection and personal return. In the Holy Spirit as a Person, in dwelling and empowering the believer, convicting the unsaved, and presenting the claims of Christ. That sinful man is lost and can be redeemed only by the death and shed blood of Christ upon the cross through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. In the resurrection of the dead, the believer to life everlasting and the unbeliever to eternal condemnation. That the Church, the Body Christ, is comprised of all who have accepted the redemption provided by Christ.

Core Values:

Organization Provided Funding:

Our training includes doing a Conflict style inventory, cross-cultural communication tool, creating of a team conflict covenant, Japanese lessons, Japanese cultural lessons via videos and reading materials and instruction on how to write a testimony. This is for short-term teams.

Trip Costs Details:

Career missionary budgets are based upon location and the size of the family. Average minimum for support raising would be about $65000 up to $90,000 Short-term mission teams generally cost between $3000-$3500 per person.

Training Required for Service:

Cross cultural training, Basic Japanese language training, knowledge of how to write a testimony and present it. Basic history of Japan. Conflict resolution skills. If going to Brazil, we would also include "survival" Portuguese.

Training Provided by Organization:

Our training includes doing a Conflict style inventory, cross-cultural communication tool, creating of a team conflict covenant, Japanese lessons, Japanese cultural lessons via videos and reading materials and instruction on how to write a testimony. This is for short-term teams.

Long-Term Missionary Accountability Practices:

We belong to a group called JEMA (Japanese Evangelical Association). They provide a directory of all the foreign missionaries in Japan (who are members of JEMA). Our missionaries fellowship with them. We have a Japan coordinator who acts as a liaison between the Japanese church and our missionaries. Currently we are looking at long term options pertaining to Member care. The Executive Director goes and visits the missionaries out in the field as well. The missionaries have direct access to the Executive director via emails, skype or facetime.

Application Process:

Download application from our website, www.jems.org Fill out application, also get three references (for short-term) or five references for one year and beyond (Career missionaries). Pass background check Interview with Japan Sending Committee The JEMS Board of Directors' will take the JSC recommendation to make final decision. We are in the process of also incorporating a more detailed personality, cross-cultural communication style and aptitude testing, as our organization is starting to receive more inquiries to become JEMS missionaries.

Speaking to Past or Present Missionaries:

Yes, contact the JEMS office.

Characteristics of the Ideal Missionary:

And ideal candidate loves Jesus and has a deep appreciation for Japan and their people. This would include Japanese cultural, language, and food. Someone who is humble and willing to learn. A person who has some working knowledge and experience with Japanese people, or Japanese cultural (i.e. lived in Japan, married to a Japanese, has done short-term missions to Japan, studied Japanese language in college, etc). Emotional maturity, flexibility, a willingness to work with others. Solid personality. They don't have to be an extrovert, but can be friendly and caring in the proper context. Humility and a learning posture (this is important since it's repeated twice).

Training Process:

Clerical positions will involve some training unless the person is already proficient in things like Word, Excel, etc.