LEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) — When John Livingston went to Japan in 1987 to be an English teacher, serving the Lord and ministering to people was not on his agenda. But God began to give him a burden and heart for the Japanese people, and after years of ministry in Oregon, he and his wife have planted the first Japanese church in Kentucky.
Izumi Community Church began last June and meets in the youth room at Porter Memorial Baptist Church on Sunday mornings.
The arrival of John and Yoriko in Lexington was providential for Porter Memorial. “We had a lot of Japanese people who met on Monday morning for an ESL (English as second language) class,” said Nick Sandefur, Porter’s senior pastor. “We had prayed for an opportunity to connect with them for several years, and we sought out a person,” Sandefur said, but to no avail.
“Then God brought John and his wife to our church — God was answering a long-offered prayer. After conversations, they offered to start a worship service. They meet while our English service is going on. We’ve seen three baptized. Attendance ebbs and flows with Asbury because a lot come from there, but there are large days where many Japanese come on our campus — some days over 100 people. We are incredibly thankful for it and excited for it. They are great partners.”…