Jim & Chris Milby SEND International – Japan

Contact Information: 741-30 Komejima Kasukable Shi, Saitama Ken JAPAN •  344-0115 •  phone: 81-48-745-2515 (from the states) perfectshepherd-team@yahoo.co.jp

Anniversary: August 28, 1971

Birthdates: Jim 7/21 • Chris 3/16

Mission Agency: SEND International  • P.O. Box 513 • Farmington, MI •  48332 •  800.SEND.808 •  Fax: 248.4232 •  www.send.org personnel@send.org

Place of Service: Japan

Synopsis of Ministry:

We work with an established Japanese church in the city of Kasukabe.  Our specific role in ministry is to help the church reach out into their community with the Gospel.  The church people are very bold and creative in using varied interests and community needs to communicate God’s truth.  What consistently reaches the most people by far are our English classes.  English is now taught in elementary schools, so parents are eager for their children to have exposure to native speakers of Englis.  We reach the same 120-180 people each week with the Word of God through chapel times.  We host social events, spend time outside of class with students so we can gain a hearing for God’s Word.  Japan has a sophistcated, complex and controlling culture.  Conformity to the group is the prime virtue; anyone who is different is bullied into submission.  Christians are called to be different, so the consequent pressure is tremendous.  Even those who receive the Word with joy very often become exhausted fighting against the current of society and are swept back into traditional idolatrous ways.  Sometimes the toil seems long and the fruit few, but everyone needs to hear the message of God’s love and forgiveness.  We are here by God’s grace to communicate His good news by whatever means He makes available to us.  We look to Him for His wisdom and guidance, giving thanks for the privilege of serving Him with our Japanese brethren.

About SEND International

In light of the urgency of the hour and the lostness of men, we are committed to a life of obedience to Jesus Christ to proclaim the Gospel and establish His church.  Our ministries involve the following:

• Starting Church – SEND’s primary goal is to start churches where none exist and serve the church where it does exist.  This is done through evangelism, nurturing disciples and developing leaders.
• Evangelizing the Unreached – SEND missionaries use a wide variety of outreach methods to meet unbelievers and bring them to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
• Nurturing Disciples – SEND missionaries strive to disciple new believers into responsibile, reproducing Christians who will form reproducing churches.
• Developing Leaders – SEND is committed to train, teach and develop leaders in every place of ministry, under the accountability and authority of the local church.

More Interesting Tidbits from the Milbys

We have no other family members living here on the field with us.  Our two children are both grown, have their own families and live in the U.S.  Jim has learned to play shogi, a popular Japanese board game with the same roots as chess.  He has made many firends from all over Japan through Shogi.  Jim won a chess tournament at men’s retreat one year.  He also plays the guitar and loves sports.  Chris likes to make things – cooking, sewing, crafts, and uses these interest mostly in the context of our ministry.  She is alwys looking for receipe ideas to feed groups from 15-60, and for craft ideas for kids’ and women’s outreach and social events.  Chris usually runs her routine errands by bicycle, inclding grocery shopping.  We both like photography, and occasionally take daily walks to take pictures together.