Newspaper Page Text
12
January 5, 1995 AUGUSTA FOCUS
Spil‘it Church News
Who's doing mission work?
Blacks make up small percentage
of American missionaries
By The Southern Baptist Convention
LOUISVILLE, Ky.
(AP) The numbers are telling.
Only eight blacks have been com
missioned as career missionar
ies this century.
Of the 4,000 missionaries cur
rently sponsored by the denomi
nation,only three are black, says
David Cornelius, picked by the
convention to help increase the
number of black foreign mission
aries.
Among all denominations,
blacks make up only 250 of the
100,000 American missionaries,
he said.
Cornelius, director of black
church relations for the conven
tion’s foreign mission board in
Richmond, Va., is visiting Louis
ville this week for Mission 95, a
global conference on missionary
work that has drawn 3,400 col
lege students from across the
country.
He said convincing more min
isters of the importance of mis
sions and an increase in educa
tion on missions in the black
churchcan jump-startblack par
ticipation.
“The key is getting to the pas
tors and getting them to see the
importance of missions world
wide,” said Cornelius, a former
research chemist. “I don’t believe
Once-forbidden Japanese
Christianity slowly fading
By P. H. Ferguson
Associated Press Writer
FUKUE ISLAND, Japan
(AP) Centuries ago, samurai
ransacking the house would not
have looked twice at the Buddha
statue or the bedroom mirror.
But those objects contained a
secret that could have brought
death to everyone in the village.
Like their owners, they had
double identities. The statue
could be turned around to reveal
a crucifix. Held up to the sun, the
mirror could reflect ontoa wall a
forbidden image of the Blessed
Mother etched beneath its sur
face.
For more than 200 years start
ing in the 1600 s, members of a
Japanese Christian sect in re
mote villages clung to a faith
outlawed on pain of death.
Religious freedom w4s formal
ly ushered inmorethan 100 years
ago, but now the “kakure,” or
hidden, Christians face a worse
threat than samurai swords.
Young people are fleeing the
isolation of the villages around
the East China Sea where sect
members made their homes. And
those who stay are losing inter
est in the ways of their elders.
“Two generations from now,
there will probably be no more
kakure Christians left,” said
Kentaro Miyazaki, an anthropol
ogist at Nagasaki Jyun Shin
University, who has studied the
practices for more than a decade.
For generations, the hidden
Christians prayed secretly in
small groups on Sundays and
holidays. They worked as tenant
farmers and fishermen on the
fringes of Japan’s southernmost
main island of Kyushu, as far as
they could get from the shogun’s
watchful eye.
Secret groups began meeting
shortly after foreign missionar
ies were expelled from Japan by
leaders who feared Christianity
was the first step in a process
that could lead to colonization by
Western powers.
“Japan is theland of the gods,”
the powerful shogun Toyotomi
Hideyoshi declared in 1587. He
accused the missionaries of cor
rupting and stirring up the peo
ple, and gave them 20 days to
pack up and leave.
Many believers defied the ban,
soo to show they meant business
Toyotomi’s successors ordered
the slaughter of thousands of
Japanese Christians in the early
But hurts and slights the church
battled publicly in the civil-rights
arena still exist in the minds of
potential black missionaries, and
they have engendered in blacks a
mistrust of predominantly white
organizations.
a church can minister as effec
tively in a local sense ifit’s not in
tune with God’s world vision.”
Melanie Glover, an 18-year
old college freshman from Buffa
lo,N.Y., said she was involved in
a church that emphasized mis
sions. Glover said she even
helped a friend raise money for a
missions trip.
“Iknew when I wasachild that
I wanted to do this,” said Glover,
who is black. “I was really want
ingto know what it was like from
black people who actually went.
I wanted more information with
which to make a decision.”
Glover said she found the in
formation she sought, but she
was the only person to attend
Cornelius’ seminar Wednesday
on missionary opportunities for
blacks.
And that’s part of the problem,
“a lack of relevant models,”
Cornelius said.
and mid-1600s.
Large numbers of people
obeyed the shogun’s decree and
apostatized. But a few secretly
clung to their faith, even though
they were without churches, min
isters or Bibles.
They carved their ownreligious
items, ingeniously concealing
them, and wrote down the
prayers and Bible stories they
could remember to pass them
down to future generations.
The number of past adherents
is difficult to determine. But a
historian who specializes in the
kakure Christians, Diego Yuki,
estimated that there were about
50,000 of them when Japan de
creed freedom of religionin 1873.
About halfofthem immediate
ly declared their faith and re
joined the Roman Catholic
Church. Japan, with a popula
tion of 125 million, is about 1
percent Christian today.
For some, though, the centu
ries had so entwined their faith
with secrecy that they chose to
remain isolated. Even today,
many are reluctant to speak to
strangers or to be photographed.
Miyazaki, the anthropologist,
estimated there are only about
5,000 kakure Christians remain
ing, most of them in their late
60s. When it dissolved, Uramoto’s
group contributed its sacred ob
jects to a Catholic church.
We Invite You To
BAPTIST CHURCH
Dr. Sam Davis, pastor
1434 POPLAR STREET :
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 30901
: TELEPHONE: (706) 724-1086
Sunday Services at 7:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Baptist Training Union (8.T.U.) at 6:00 p.m. Sunday
Sunday School at 9:30 Sunday morning
Bible Study 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, and 9:30 a.m. Saturday
Prayer Service at 11:00 Saturday morning
Thirty-five Christian Ministries
All Services Are Bible-based and Holy Spirit-led
AUGUSTA IN FOCUS
Sunday Mornings at 10:30 on TV 26
The difficulties are also histor
ical, he said. Missionary work in
Africa has been a priority for
blacks since the end of the Civil
War, Cornelius said, but that goal
was overshadowed by the black
church’s leadership in struggles
for civil rights and against rac
ism.
“When people are hurting, the
first thing they want to do is get
that hurt off of their backs,” he
said.
That struggle has evolved into
an emphasis on local missions
for the black church.
“There’s nothing wrong with
that,” he said. “That’s needed.
But we need to do that and not
neglect the rest of the world.
There are enough of us to do
both.”
Cornelius said blacks do sup
port missions financially, “but
few of us go physically.”
“Africans are actually request-
CSRA Singlefest
January 20 & 21, 1995
First Baptist, Millbrook Baptist, and Grace United Methodist churches
have joined together with other members of area communities to minister
to adult singles of all ages.
Singlefest begins Friday, January 20, 1995 at 6:30 p.m. for registration.
Gospel music by “Voices of Praise” and a presentation by Rev. Dick Dunn
on the strengths of being single will be scheduled for the evening.
Saturday, January 21, 1995 will offer an array of interesting workshops to
choose from beginning at 8:30 a.m. for registration and breakfast.
Singlefest takes place at Grace United Methodist Church,639 Georgia Ave.,
North Augusta,For additional information call (803) 279-7525
Registration fee: $5, $7 at the door.
a
NEEDED surplus or used Blbles, Chris
tian books, Christian audios or video tapes
for Third World countries
where Christian teachings are very scarce and expensive. We will
send them to churches as libraries where they will be used gyer
and over. Our services and materlals are free to Third World coun
tries.
If you need a tax deduction, let us know the amount for each item.
An insertin your church bulletin would be appreciated.
Please ship to:
@@J/w@afi
5720 Willlamson Road, Sulte 111, Roanoke, VA 24012
If you need further Information, please call
703-362-1214 FAX 703-563-8285
Send your church news and announcements
to the Augusta Focus
Fax 724-6969 or call us at 724-7855
ingblack Americans, and we just
don’t have anyone to send,” he
said.
But hurts and slights the
church battled publicly in the
civil-rights arena still exist in
the minds of potential black mis
sionaries, and they have engen
dered in blacks a mistrust of pre
dominantly white organizations.
Cornelius said trust was an
issue for him. He said it was
difficult for him to place the fate
of his wife and children in the
handsofthe denomination when
he set out for Africa, where he
served as a church-growth con
sultant for the Nigerian Baptist
Convention.
For ashort time, he even main
tained an emergency fund with
enough money to return to the
United States if denominational
support ran out.
The Rev. Dan Mudido, who is
originally from Kampala, Ugan
da, and has worked with Baptist
missionaries there, said trust “is
the most critical issue. Those
trustissues haven’t been resolved
here.”
Mudido, pastor of Forest Bap
tist Church in Jefferson County,
said the answer tothe trust prob
lem relies on progress on the
race issue in America.
“I know that sounds like an
impossible task, but that is the
answer,” Mudido said.
Join us at
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Rev. Kenneth B. Martin, pastor
Corner of Augusta Avenue & Florence Street
1454 Florence Street - Augusta, Georgia
724-2809 Church Office
e R 4 iyfi
| - .
ks ;& i
% f; L o fl-' ' iw‘ji? il f“i
SERVICES
Sunday ‘ Wednesday
Chuteh Sehool....iiiviviininind93o am, Noon Service.........ccouuviiecerinnennn 12 pm.
Morning Worship..........ccovevennnnen. 11 @a.m., Prayer Service & Bible 5tudy...........7 p.m.
Underwood Housing Community Services
Every first and third Sunday - 6:30 p.m.
The Amen Corner
ANNIVERSARY
Springfield Baptist
Church will have its Sunday
School Anniversary on Sun
day,JJanuary 8, 1995 at 3 p.m.
The message will be delivered by
Rev. Wilbert Newman, pastor of
Silver Bluff Baptist Church,
Beech Island, S.C. Everyone is
welcome. Rev. E.T. Martin is
pastor of Springfield.
SPECIAL EVENTS
A Christian Weight Man
agement class called “Not By
Bread Alone” will be offered at
Augusta Technical School, 700
Building. Classes begin the
week of January 9, Monday
or Wednesday from 7-8:30
p.m. A $5 fee will be charged for
each session. Nodiet or member
ship required. Bring Bibles for
“A Spiritual Renewal Fellow
ship.” Rev. Josephine Tate, min
ister and teacher. Call 855-7698
for more information.
The M.L. King Fellowship
program willbe Monday, Jan
uary 16, 1995 at 5 p.m. at Gos
pel Water Branch Baptist Church
on Fury’s Ferry Rd., Martinez,
Ga., across from the fire station.
The program is sponsored by the
Columbia County Church Fel
lowship Association. The public
is cordially invited.
The Augusta Ministers En
gaged in Nuturing (A.M.E.N.)
announces a Citywide Annual
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Worship Service. The event
will be held at St. Mark United
Methodist Church, 1296 Marks
Church Road, Augusta, Georgia
on Monday, January 16, 1995
at 11 a.m. The Reverend
Reginald M. Copeland will be
the speaker. The theme for this
yearis “The Dream:An Old Prin
ciple with a New Vision.” For
more information call St. Mark
at (706) 733-3194. The public is
invited.
RETREAT :
Bethel AM.E. Church will
sponsor its second SAT Week
end Retreat on January 13-
15, 1995. Participants wili pay
S2O toregister. Make checks pay-
Williams Memorial
LY C.M.E. Church
Rev. Alex R. King
1630 Fifteenth St. Augusta, GA 30901
(706) 733-9430
Sunday: Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Ist Sunday Evening 6:30 p.m.
Wed: Praise Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Thurs: Senior Services 10:00 a.m.
Day Care
Center: 6:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
BROADCAST HOUR (WRDW 1480 AM)
6:00 p.m.
able to Bethel A M.E. Church.
Payments should be given to Ms.
E. Kay Curtis, Bethel AM.E.
Church, 623 Crawford Ave., Au
gusta, Ga. 30904, Any high school
student is eligible to attend; reg
istration is not restricted to mem
bers of Bethel. All participants
should come prepared to stay
two nights at the church. Bring
your sleeping bags, clothing, and
toiletries. A Martin Luther King
Special will be held in lieu of
regular church services on Janu
ary 15, 1995 at 11 a.m. Interest
ed students should pick up a reg
istration form at Bethel A M.E.
Church, 623 Crawford Ave., Au
gusta, Ga.
WORKSHOPS
Greater Young Zion Bap
tist Church Family Enrich
ment Ministry is conducting
two workshops at the church
on 516 Forsythe Street, Augus
ta, Ga. The first workshop, “Im
proving communication in
marriage,” will be held on Sat
urday, January 14, 1995 from
9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Registra
tion is $25/couple and sls/cou
plefor FEM Pariners. Deadline
toregisterisJanuary 8, 1995.
The second workshop, “How to
find the right mate,” is sched
uled for Saturday, January 28,
1995 from 9 a.m. until 3:30
p.m. Registration is slsand $lO
for FEM Partners. Deadline to
register is January 23, 1995.
Please send your name, address,
and telephonenumber with pay
ment to: Family Enrichment
Ministry, P.0.80x 1864, Augus
ta, Ga. 30903. For further infor
mation call (706) 724-1720.
Greater Young Zion Bap
tist Church Family Enrich
ment Ministry has scheduled
several workshops for the
month of January. Wednes
day, January 11 - “The Family
Convenant”; Wednesday, Janu
ary 18 - “Knowing Your Hus
band’s Unique Needs”; Wednes
day, January 25 - “Tough Love
for Singles.” All sessions start at
7p.m. at theGreater Young Zion
Baptist Church, 516 Forsythe St.,
Augusta, Ga. For more informa
tion call (706) 724-1720.