I recently discovered that Toyohiko Kagawa autographed my father-in-law’s Bible in 1941.
Known as the St. Francis of Japan, the Japanese Ghandi, and other similar monikers, Kagawa was a Japanese theologian, peace activist, evangelist, friend of the poor, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Seminarian Joe Davis wrote a thumbnail sketch of his life, as well as a creative “celestial conversation” with him, if you want to know more about this great man, whose life example places him among the likes of Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. So, beyond the personal “wow!” of discovering his signature in my father-in-law’s Bible, I invite the church at large to discover the legacy of Toyohiko Kagawa.
Holistic Ministry Tool # 3: Personal Preparation for Ministry Action (P.R.A.Y.E.R.)
Launching a new ministry can be personally rewarding, but also draining. Like athletes warming up before a sporting event, ministry leaders can intentionally prepare to enter the ministry arena. This personal preparation will pay off not only by enhancing the ways that God can use you to bless others, but also by cultivating the soil of your own life for God’s ongoing work within you.
