March 11, 2011. 15 years have passed since that tragic day. The day northern Japan was hit by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, giant tsunami waves, and a nuclear disaster. The day when life, as we knew it before, changed forever… As I have been glancing through 15 years of prayer letter updates, however, the theme I see over and over is God’s faithfulness in providing exactly what was needed, at exactly the right time.

Why does the CLB pursue mission endeavors in places unreached with the gospel? It’s a matter of family! Not just the family in Christ many of us have been privileged to know over the years, but the brothers and sisters we don’t know yet. 

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren, through her international missions department, have always prioritized sending missionaries to serve in unreached places and among unreached peoples. Even considering the discouraging reality of the status of the Church and mission in Japan, it did not seem right that LBIM should shrink back from this mission, but rather should lean into it, and further invest in it.

Since LBIM began its mission in Japan in 1949, we at JLBC have received the blessing of the gospel through many missionaries. Together with these missionaries, the Japanese Church has built its foundation.

Since LBIM began its mission in Japan in 1949, we at JLBC have received the blessing of the gospel through many missionaries. Together with these missionaries, the Japanese Church has built its foundation.

Since I studied at Lutheran Brethren Seminary, I have never forgotten the love we received. If it weren’t for your love, I might have burned out along the way. But when I thought about your prayers, I was able to stand up again and again. Now, after all this time, I am grateful that, once again, I have the opportunity to work directly with the CLB.

September/October 2025 issue of Faith & Fellowship

Today marks the 14th anniversary of the 3/11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in northern Japan. We turned on the 7 o’clock news this morning and watched people standing by the ocean at sunrise, praying for the souls of those lost in the huge tsunami waves.

On the weekend of September 6-8, Lutheran Brethren International Mission (LBIM) hosted a retreat for former missionary kids at Inspiration Point Christian Camp & Retreat Center in Vining, Minnesota. This time away was meant for those who had spent a portion of their childhood as children of missionaries serving with the Church of the Lutheran Brethren.

The Glimpse Project is a resource that gives you the ability to peek into the life and ministry of our Lutheran Brethren missionaries. New Glimpse Projects of Taiwan and Japan were released this year, along with companion study guides for each series.

In late 2023, LBIM was blessed to facilitate, for the first time ever, a global LBIM missionary retreat. Our missionary families from Chad, Japan, and Taiwan made their way to the Suan Bua resort outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

LBIM is a mission committed to serving in unreached places and among unreached people. As such, we are entering into a new partnership with our Japanese brothers and sisters for a renewed mission focus in Japan. Rather than shrinking back from the challenge, we are choosing to lean into it, for the sake of the gospel going forth in Japan, by God’s grace and for his glory.