What can Japan teach the global Church?

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman welcomes Jay Greer and Chad Farmer of Mustard Seed Network to discuss what it looks like to share the gospel in Japan, where less than 1 percent of the population is Christian.They explore Japan’s complex history with Christianity, the cultural blend of Buddhism, Shinto, and secularism, and the deep skepticism toward organized religion shaped by persecution and modern tragedies. Jay and Chad also reflect on the challenges of ministry in one of the world’s most urban and aging societies, and what believers everywhere can learn about faithful presence, church-centered mission, and praying for God to move in spiritually resistant places.Topics(0:00) Introduction(1:19) Japan culture and gospel need(4:26) Population and urban life(10:00) Aging society and family vision(16:07) Church planting challenges(18:10) Christian history in Japan(24:17) Religion mix and gospel conversations(28:26) Cults and public outreach(32:29) Religion seen as dangerous(37:32) Harmony with the Creator(40:58) Mustard Seed Network origins(48:18) Abiding through evangelism hardship(51:47) Prayer needs and Tokyo School of Theology(56:00) ConclusionResourcesMustard Seed NetworkMustard Seed Christian Church Tokyo Ask Us Anything: [email protected] for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeDonate: SupportDF.org About Jay GreerJay Greer and his wife Caitlin moved to Japan in 2008 with the hope of making disciples of Jesus and establishing churches in major cities. He is the pastor of Mustard Seed Christian Church Tokyo which was planted in 2020 and he has worked with church plants in Osaka (2011) and Nagoya (2009) as well. He serves in leadership with Mustard Seed Network. He studied biblical literature at Ozark Christian College and theology at Gateway Seminary. He has also worked with City to City Asia Pacific as a coach and serves in leadership with the Church Planting Institute of Japan. Jay and Caitlin have four kids and a goofy, tiny dog in west Tokyo. About Chad FarmerChad Farmer serves with Mustard Seed Network, a church-planting network focused on urban Japan. After more than a decade living and ministering in Japan, Chad helps oversee operations, missionary deployment, and long-term strategy while also serving in the life of a local church in Tokyo. His work centers on planting gospel-centered churches, training leaders, and helping the local church take responsibility for reaching the unreached. Chad is passionate about seeing the gospel take root in places where fewer than one percent of people identify as Christian, and about reminding churches that missions is not a side project but a central part of God’s purpose for his people.About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.