by Whitey | Nov 7, 2007 | Thoughts
I saw a short documentary recently on the history of anime (Japanese animation). Some may think that cartoons are not a real view into the culture of a country. But I think that pop culture as a much a part of culture as more traditional forms of art. They give us a glimpse of how history and religious belief influence people and the arts even in modern times.
Here are some bullet points I took away from the documentary. I think it’s interesting how the differences between Japanese and American animation show some of the differences between the cultures at large.
- In American animated film making, the emphasis is on “animated”. In Japan, the emphasis is on “film”. In other words, animation is just another tool used in making films and telling stories, so the kinds of stories one can tell in animation are not limited as they usually are in the west. That’s why Japanese ‘toons aren’t always “kid-friendly”.
- Anime is often post-apocalyptic because Japan itself is post-apocalyptic.
- Manga (comics) and Anime took off in popularity soon after World War II because there was a “hole” in culture for entertainment.
- Budget limitations early on in anime led to the development of certain styles, which are still part of anime today even though the budgets are bigger (for example, panning the camera across a scene — one picture — to give the illusion of movement where no actual animation is taking place).
There are also elements of Japanese religious tradition that show up in anime. Paul Nethercott has an article HERE pointing some of these aspects out. The fact is that there is a different story-telling sensibility in Japanese animation, and in film making in general. If you’ve watched any, you’ve probably noticed this, and may not have understood some things. As THIS article points out, an understanding of Japanese religion and other aspects of culture is needed to fully understand and appreciate many of these works.
I would add, too, that knowing about Japanese tradition, religion and, yes, even pop culture is important for those of us seeking to build bridges with Japanese people. People are a product of culture as much as culture is a product of the people.
by Whitey | Aug 28, 2007 | Thoughts
Back in June during my missions training week, one of our teachers, Jim Lo, did a session where we talked about the importance and power of prayer. The best part was that, instead of just talking about it, he actually took the time to lead us in an extended time of group prayer. It was an inspiring and impacting time for all of us.
I want to recommend a great little book that Jim told us about, a book on prayer called The Hour That Changes the World, by Dick Eastman. (If you follow that link you’ll see that you can actually pick up a used copy for as little as 1¢! Plus shipping, of course)
In this book, Eastman lays out a challenge: What if you were to spend one hour every day in prayer? How would that impact your personal life, your family, the world? Eastman goes beyond challenging the reader, though, and lays out a very practical plan for getting it done, breaking an hour into 5-minute segments, each focusing on a different aspect of prayer.
This book has really encouraged me to spend more time in prayer, to make it a priority, and to pray specifically. I don’t follow Eastman’s exact method every day (in fact, he recommends coming up with your own version), but I have found it a helpful model to use and learn from.
I would encourage anyone who’s serious about prayer, who wants to go deeper with God, and who wants to be a part of changing the world to read this book. And pray.
by Whitey | Aug 12, 2007 | Thoughts
Over the next little while, I thought I’d share some stories and thoughts from my past experiences in Japan. As many readers probably already know, I spent a year in Osaka, teaching English at Grace English School. I was there from August 2002 until August 2003, and maintained a website where I posted photos and writings on what I was experiencing. The following is one of those journal entries…
Sunday, December 1, 2002: Thoughts on Culture and Ministry
Sometimes when teaching English it is hard to explain simple concepts like when to use “a” and when to use “the”, or the difference between “this” and “that”. It is difficult because I don’t know Japanese and the students don’t know enough English.
A similar problem is found, too, when trying to communicate the gospel. The language barrier is always a factor, of course. But even without language barriers, there are always cultural differences to take into account; things that are different between those from the east and those from the west, those that are churched and those that are unchurched, and so on. These differences can lead to misunderstandings and barriers to sharing ideas.
My fellow teacher and missionary, Samuel, is doing his thesis on this very idea – how to contextualize the Gospel, interpreting and theologizing in such a way that a person will understand and relate to, given their particular background. When ministering in a country like Japan, where Christians make up about 1% of the population (if that), Christians need to overcome the misperception that Christianity is a foreign religion. So those of us ministering here (and in other places where the Gospel seems foreign) need to drop our theological jargon, learn who it is we are trying to reach, and speak to them on their level.
So we need to know how the people we are ministering to think. But we also need to know their hearts. In Japan, ministry is very relational; you need to get to know a person before you can share your beliefs with them. Having said that, I believe that that is true in most cultures. Other methods may work to an extent, but the Gospel – which is all about our relationship with God – is best spread through relationships. If you want to share the love of Jesus with someone, you’d better be ready to share your own love too.
So this is the bottom line of I am trying to express: As Christians, wherever we come from, whatever culture we are in, and whatever the background of those we are trying to reach, we need to speak the truth in love and in a way that our hearers can understand and relate to. And we really need God’s help to do so.
by Whitey | Apr 18, 2006 | Thoughts
I just finished KP Yonanna’s Revolution in World Missions tonight. KP is the founder of Gospel for Asia, a missions organization whose policy is sending native missionaries to reach people in their own countries, regions and cultures. As a non-native missionary, it reminds me of some things I’ve been mulling over anyway:
First, it reminds me of the importance of presenting the Gospel in a way that is culturally relevant to the people I’m trying to reach. We need to “speak their language” both literally and figuratively.
I’ve also been thinking about the importance of discipleship. Ultimately it’s the Japanese who are going to reach the Japanese. My vision is to not only share God’s love with those who don’t know Christ, but also to disciple Believers to the point where they will be motivated, prepared and mobilized to minister to their fellow-Japanese.
Here’s some other stuff that stood out to me:
“When the Holy Spirit moves and does His work, we become restless because we want to control it. It is an inherent weakness of the flesh.”
“The life of the missionary is the medium of his message.”
“The only ones who can win others to Christ are men and women who are so lost in Jesus that they are like Him.”
Lord, make me like Jesus!
