07/16/2021
Praying for Tokyo Olympics - Doug Stringer
In 1945, during prayer services held at Baylor University before classes began, a group of student leaders cried out to God for a spiritual revival on Baylor’s campus, located in Waco, Texas. During their times of prayer, the Holy Spirit laid it on their hearts to begin holding revival meetings. The meetings caught fire.
A group of university students—unproven in ministry and unproven in life—may seem an unlikely bunch to begin a revival movement, but that’s just what happened. These “unlikely” revivalists carried a passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Because of their commitment to be bold and not shrink back, God used them to ignite a fire, the effect of which can still be seen today.
I was privileged to know one of these unlikely heroes of the faith—perhaps the most unlikely of them all. Reiji (Ray) Hoshizaki was a student at Baylor University in the mid-1940s, preparing for seminary. At a time when many Japanese Americans were being interned at camps across the nation, Ray chose to be bold in his faith.
Hebrews 10:38-39, the final verses leading into the great Heroes of the Faith chapter (Hebrews 11), describe my friend Ray very well:
“…’But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
Many of these student leaders from Waco, including Ray, were asked to come to other cities across Texas and in neighboring states to lead more revival meetings. At a time of great uncertainty in our nation, especially for those of Japanese descent, Ray did not shrink back. Soon, the movement was spreading throughout Texas and across the South during the 1940s and 50s.
Ray and his fellow students at Baylor didn’t let anything hold them back. And like the believers of old whose stories we find in Hebrew 11, Ray’s story became one for the history books. Some of the Baptist historical writings, such as Riding the Wind of God: A Personal History of the Youth Revival Movement, tell about Ray and the other Baylor revivalists and the impact they made. Ray later become one of the first missionaries sent to Japan after WWII where he and his family served for many years.
I believe there are hundreds like Ray Hoshizaki out there who will not shrink back from the challenges they face—be it because of their race, or economic status, or whatever the case may be. They are a new generation of leaders who will respond to the call of the Holy Spirit and usher in a new revival movement. Just as in the mid-1940s, the nations of our world face uncertain times.
This provides a ripe harvest field for the gospel of Jesus Christ. So many are searching for answers, for peace, and for hope. These are found only in one place—the Cross of Christ.
As we anticipate the upcoming Olympic games from Japan, I am reminded of my ongoing prayer for the land of my birth, that “The Land of the Rising Sun” will become known as “The Land of the Risen Son,” with the Gospel going forth into the nations of the world. In 2019, in fact, I visited Japan and met with leaders who were praying for the 2020 Olympics, not knowing it would be delayed by a worldwide pandemic.
We have no way of knowing what effect your prayers during this time will have in the coming weeks and years. But we can be sure that the prayers that you pray and the impact you have when you refuse to shrink back are perpetual—no matter how “unlikely” you may feel!
THE BUSHIDO CODE: REDEMPTIVE BIBLICAL VIRTUES:
My heart still holds a special place for Japan. My mother was Japanese and I was born in Japan, but I have lived in America most of my life. We moved to the U.S. with my dad, who was in the Navy, when I was nearly three. Later, after my parents had divorced and my mom re-married—my stepfather was also in the Navy—was stationed in Japan, so we moved back to Japan during most of my High School years, where I attended an American high school there. Later we moved to Washington State.
In 1995 I had not been to Japan for two decades, since my High School days, but when the Kobe earthquake occurred, I went back to see how our ministry could help. One evening while I was there and staying with some Baptist missionaries in Kobe, I went up to my room and began to weep uncontrollably. I was so overwhelmed by the needs of the Japanese people. Not only were there great material needs because of the earthquake, but there were vast spiritual needs. I was burdened by the brokenness of the people and I began to once again hear the cries of the multitudes of people in the valley of decision. The Lord was allowing me to feel a small part of His heartache for the lost.
Since that time, God has taken me back many times to meet with and speak in gatherings of leaders, pastors, and marketplace leaders, as well as to serve and help following earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. I’ve had the privilege of praying for and serving many people, including meeting with and praying with some members of their DIET (their Parliament), and have prayed privately with other leaders there as well. My heart’s desire is to see the Land of the Rising Sun become known as the Land of the Risen Son.
I learned early on that honor is still a way of life in Japan, especially when it comes to honoring previous generations. It is not considered unusual for parents and grandparents to be cared for in their latter years in the homes of their children and grandchildren. Instead of the elderly being a burden, they are viewed as a blessing, a vast resource of wisdom and knowledge.
I was reminded of my own heritage of honor when I watched the movie The Last Samurai. The Japanese word samurai simply means “servant.” The entire duty of a samurai was to serve the emperor and defend his honor.
The Samurai of Japan and ancient warriors of China and Korea lived and died by a set of virtues known as The Bushido Code. However, while known throughout Asia, this title is mostly used in Japan and thought of as being of Japanese origin. It can also be translated as “The Way of the Warrior” or “The Warrior’s Code.”
Credit is generally given that a Chinese man (known in the west as "Confucius") is the father of these values in China. Therefore, you'll find these concepts belong not only to the Japanese samurai, but have spread throughout Asia. Variations of these soldierly and moral values can be seen in China, Korea, Vietnam, and elsewhere.
However, while known throughout Asia, this title is mostly used in Japan and thought of as being of Japanese origin. It can also be translated as “The Way of the Warrior” or “The Warrior’s Code.”
Although there may be some Shinto and Zen adaptions over the centuries, I believe there are redemptive core values rooted in biblical scripture that can be prayed. Here are some of the Bushido Code virtues that have been adopted over the centuries. We’ve included some bible verses to each as we pray for the redemptive purposes of the Lord.
• Rectitude (Eph 6:14, Isa 26:7, Prov 14:34)
• Courage (Deut 31:6, 1 Cor 16:13)
• Benevolence (Prov 28:27, Eph 4:32, Heb 13:16)
• Respect (1 Peter 2:17, 1 Thess 5:12-13)
• Honor (Prov 16:11, Prov 12:22)
• Honesty (Prov 16:11, Prov 12:22)
• Loyalty (John 15:13, Prov 24:21, Prov 17:17)
These teachings came hundreds of years after Christ, so the Christian and biblical influence was already existent in the known world. My prayer for the people of Japan, the land of my birth, is for God’s love to tap into these biblical virtues that are an inherent part of the Japanese culture, for the gift of His grace to be revealed, and God to reveal His redemptive plan and purpose for the people of Japan.
PRAYER POINTS:
• Pray for the hearts of the Japanese people. May the Holy Spirit give renewed revelation of the biblical roots of the virtues that are already engrained in their culture.
• Pray for pastors and leaders from the Japanese church to create an atmosphere conducive to what the Lord wants to do through others from around the globe who will be there during the Olympics to share the Gospel.
• Pray for the “Land of the Rising Sun” to become known also as “The Land of the Risen Son” and for the light of the Gospel to go from Japan and touch the nations of the world.
• Pray for boldness, discernment, and protection for all who are coming to share the love of Jesus.
• On a personal note: I’m also continuing to pray for all my Japanese family in Japan, friends, pastors, and churches there.
