As most of you know, I will be moving in January to Japan. The Lord has called me to give at least 3 years of my life to build His Kingdom in the city of Osaka. I am ready, willing, and more than excited to give everything I have for Him.
Listed below is the general and basic vision for the two ministries I will be planting in Japan. Thank you for sharing and joining in this adventure with me! God Bless you!
MINISTRY INFO FOR Aganai(REDEMPTION) MINISTRIES
BASIC INFO:
Who: Zach Cobos and friends; connections with Adventures In Missions
What: Men’s Discipleship House, Women’s House of Healing
Where: Osaka, Japan
When: Starting January
Why: To bring the love and FREEDOM of Christ to Japanese men and women and to teach Japanese men and women to love each other as brothers and sisters in order to radically change the misplaced heart of the Japanese culture.
Also, because Japan is the least visited country by missionaries that is legally open to evangelism. Less than 1% believe in Christ, yet very little are doing anything about it.
BASIC OVERVIEW:
The vision the Lord has given to me for Japan consists of two separate ministry houses that will eventually work together for greater unity.
Men’s Discipleship House (Sons of Redemption)
The first ministry house will be a self-replicating Men’s Discipleship House. These houses will be set up with two spiritual mentors and 4-6 disciples (however many the physical house can hold).
The men of Japan lack any real identity of manhood. Women are considered objects of pleasure in society, and cheating, even for a husband, is considered normal and necessary. Their identities are fully in their work and what they can accomplish. This causes massive depression and rampant suicide. The average suicide rate in Japan is 27,700 per year, putting them at number 10 for the countries with the highest suicide rates.
The house will be built on biblical principles and the mentors be expected to seek the Holy Spirit on all things. The goal will be to bring the men into a genuine relationship with Christ and an understanding of their identities as men in the Kingdom of God. The disciples will be expected to participate in:
- · Community Living
- · Community Prayer
- · Bible Studies
- · Ministry Outreach
- · Camping Trips
- · Feedback
- · One-on-ones
- · Part-Time Job
- · Paying a minimal sum for rent
A one-year lease will be given to each disciple on arriving at the house. At the end of their discipleship year the current mentors of the house will decide if the disciple is capable of becoming a mentor and establishing a new discipleship house with one other mentor. If the disciple is not able, the house will extend the lease until the disciple is capable.
Women’s House of Healing (Masumi Ministries)
The women’s house will be a home for Japanese women who have experienced traumatic circumstances, i.e. prostitution, social rejection, sexual or physical abuse. Japanese women are highly neglected in Christian Missions, and there are very few ministries that focus on them. In Japan, if one does not graduate high school they are cast out of normal society and seen as absolute rejects. For a Japanese women, this leaves few options, and none that are healthy for the women herself.
This house will be built more around the principles of sozo ministry; healing, encouragement, empowerment, and a greater understanding of their identity as daughters of Jesus Christ.
Each house will be led by one or more powerful and confident women who will listen to the Holy Spirit, and who can pour into these women.
After both ministries have reached a somewhat healthy place in their men and women’s identities, they will begin to interact with each other in order to learn what a relationship between a brother and sister in Christ looks like. This unheard of in Japan as men and women only see each other as objects to fulfill each other’s desires and needs.
These relationships will hopefully and prayerfully be the beginning of a radical change in the society of Japan that will eventually bring immense healing to the country and to the hearts of the oppressed.
NEEDS:
– Mature Disciples of Christ who have a desire for Japan, are willing to learn the language, and are capable of mentoring Japanese men in Discipleship Houses.
– Powerful women of Christ who are confident in their identity and are able to provide healing, encouragement, and empowerment to Japanese women who have experienced traumatic circumstances, i.e. prostitution, social rejection, sexual or physical abuse.
– Continual Monthly Support, both prayerfully and financially, for the beginning and future growth of the ministry.
SHORT TERM GOALS:
– Develop deep relationships with Japanese university students and men while sharing the Gospel and walking them into a genuine interest and desire for Christ.
– Invite a select number of Japanese university students or men, who have an adamant interest and desire to follow Christ and pursue a relationship with the Lord, to live at the Discipleship House and dedicate themselves to becoming Disciples.
– Spend one year discipling the group of Japanese men and teaching them how to have an honest, open, and free relationship with Christ and develop their abilities to eventually disciple other Japanese men.
LONG TERM GOALS:
– Provide a self-replicating ministry in the Men’s Discipleship House that raises up able-minded disciples into the position of Mentor, and send two of those Mentors to establish a new Discipleship house under the authority of the organization.
– Establish Masumi Ministries, a women’s house for healing that targets women who have experienced traumatic circumstances, i.e. prostitution, social rejection, sexual or physical abuse.
– After both houses come to a healthy point in their identities in Christ, to bring the men and women together in order to teach them how to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, something that is unheard of in Japan.
To Support me and Aganai Ministries, please send MONTHLY or ONE-TIME donations by:
Going to CODE MINISTRIES and clicking on the MONTHLY or ONE-TIME donation links. After entering your Donation Amount and Credit Card information, click on the “Review Donation and Continue” link.
Then, under the “Add Special Note To Seller” box, write “FOR SAIDO MINISTRIES” and complete your donation!
OR
Write a check to CODE MINISTRIES and send to:
18 Lyons Drive
Horseheads, NY 14845
In the “For_________” line, write AGANAI MINISTRIES, and send!
Thank you for your support and prayers! I am so excited to begin the work the Lord has called me to for Japan and I hope you are too!
God Bless you for all you do!
Zach Cobos
