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YouTuber or missionary? No need to choose just one!
February 2021

SEND Japan missionary Kevin often asks his support team to focus on an acronym as they pray for him. One year it was PB&J: Protection, Boldness, Abiding in Christ, and Joint Unity for his team.

This year, Kevin is asking for JOY: Jesus First, Open Doors, and YouTube—a site not generally associated with missionary service!

COVID-19 seems to have accelerated the potential for sharing the gospel via the internet. One Ukrainian church just baptized eight new members, including several people who heard the gospel via online sermons. In Japan, a young man was so deeply depressed that he became a recluse. Alone in his home, he turned to YouTube to find a way out of the darkness—and discovered someone sharing about Jesus. He accepted Christ and started attending church alongside one of our missionary families.

Over the past several months, Kevin felt prompted by God to make a series of evangelistic videos based on John 3:16. He hopes his YouTube videos will result in many more stories like the ones shared above. You can watch the videos Kevin has posted here. 

“I plan to break down John 3:16 phrase by phrase in Japanese and explain how this one verse provides true hope for everyone,” Kevin says. 

Kevin originally planned to post the eight videos and be done, but God had a better plan. During a few unexpected production delays, God began to expand Kevin’s vision and impressed it upon his heart to start releasing regular YouTube videos, in addition to the evangelistic series centered around John 3:16. 

“In these videos, I will be sharing about Jesus and what he is teaching me,” Kevin said. “I’ll talk in Japanese and then translate for myself into English. Although it is a bold prayer, I am praying that one day, literally millions of Japanese people will be exposed to these videos, watch them, and ultimately believe in Jesus and be transformed by the power of the gospel.”

SEND missionaries work in community with other teammates, and Kevin’s church-planting team has also recognized the strategic value of using the internet in multiple ways moving forward. While they are still doing traditional missionary activities like Bible studies and street evangelism, the potential to reach people using the internet and social media is also shaping the team’s efforts as they move ahead.

God has led Kevin into YouTube ministry. What unique path might he have for you? A SEND mission coach can help you explore your role in God’s plan to reach the nations. Click below to get in touch!

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