COMMUNITY ARTS TEAM
The Community Arts Team seeks to cultivate new Christians, establish nurturing communities, and nourish missional churches in the center of Tokyo, Nagoya, and the rest of Japan through the arts for the glory of God.
The Mission to the World Community Arts Team is comprised of 7 missionary units (27 people including children) that include the following three ministries:
COMMUNITY ARTS TOKYO
Community Arts Tokyo was started in direct response to the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters on March 11, 2011, when we experienced firsthand the power of the arts to encourage, build community, and bring healing. Since that time, we have continued to work through the arts as a powerful tool for church growth. As a partnership between MTW missionaries and Japanese nationals, we work alongside local churches to disciple artists, develop leadership training, and assist in worship, evangelism, and other needs of the church.
Our staff lead worship in churches around Tokyo, and we are encouraging a movement of new hymn and song writing and translation. In 2017, we printed our first songbook CITY PRAISE 2017 Worship Songbook with 96 pages of newly-composed or newly-translated Japanese songs and have been recording these songs. They also offer musical instruction in piano, organ, and guitar to train the next generation of worship leaders.
NAGOYA ARTS NETWORK INTERNATIONAL (NANI)
Art invites questions and plays a unique role in creating culturally relevant dialogue and communication. This is especially true for Japan which has a very aesthetically-minded culture. Nagoya Arts Network International (NANI) recognizes the strategic role of the arts in fostering creativity and imagination to engage and connect with others through God-given doors of opportunity. NANI seeks to expand the work of church planting through the arts. Exhibitions, artist residencies, and discussion groups give opportunities to talk about life, faith, and God. Artistic creativity can be a conduit of grace and faith to others, helping connect and further reach out to local communities.
COMMUNITY ARTS MEDIA
Community Arts Media began in 2020 to encourage the publication and proliferation of books, music, and video. We help Christian authors and artists reach broader audiences by publishing their work or helping them do it themselves. As technologies continue to rapidly change, we help the Japanese church get resources into people’s hands.
