I sat down with Nathan Coker, a former CF Resident who now serves as a missionary in Tokyo, Japan, with Nevertheless Missions, an independent missions organization based in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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1. Tell us about yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am Nathan Coker, a missionary serving with Nevertheless Missions in Tokyo, Japan. I am from Bossier City, Louisiana. I studied Business Management at Louisiana Tech University. From there, I joined the Champion Forest Residency Program in June 2022. While in the residency program, I earned my Master\u2019s from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Once I received my clearance to move to Japan, I finished my time with the residency and moved to Japan in July 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Tell us about the ministry you are serving with.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am serving as a missionary with Nevertheless Missions, an independent missions organization based in Houston. Our mission is to take the message of the risen Son to the land of the rising sun and beyond. We have five non-Japanese missionaries and three indigenous missionaries. We also host many mission teams throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Tell us about the area and community you are serving.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When we say that we live in Tokyo, it is like saying The Woodlands is in Houston. I live about an hour away from downtown Tokyo. Most of our work is done in Tokyo prefecture. We also work in the neighboring prefecture, Kanagawa. The city we work in most often is Machida. My train station is a smaller area with many college students because there are two major universities. Our area is known as the last part of the Tokyo Metroplex before getting to the countryside. One significant upside of this area is that it has one of the highest percentages of young families in Japan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. How long have you been serving in this area?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have been serving here for a little over 6 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. What has surprised you about serving in Japan?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the things instilled in us in the Residency is that the gospel moves at the speed of relationships. What surprised me about Japan was how long it took to build relationships. I remember that I became instant friends when I met Kal Kilgo. It felt like we were long-lost brothers. Here, friendship is optional and transactional. Since most Japanese people are cautious about missionaries and religion, it takes many months for non-Christians to accept that I\u2019m not in Japan to steal their money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. What is one of your greatest challenges so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The greatest challenge, as I mentioned above, is building relationships. The root of this is a fundamental lack of understanding of real love. Love is transactional or fantasy. I have had multiple Japanese tell me that romance is for children and real love is not real. Most feel love for their family (especially their children) but not for anyone outside that circle. So when I say that God loves them, they hear that a distant great power that created the world loves them like they love their kids. It fundamentally doesn\u2019t make sense to most Japanese and is heartbreaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. What is one of the greatest joys of your ministry so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My greatest joy is when people begin to see that God really loves them. It takes more time, but they are radically changed when it clicks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n My favorite journey so far has been with a young man named Satoshi. As we were getting to know each other, I asked if he would become my best friend in Japan. He laughed and said, \u201cMaybe friends, but we could never be best friends.\u201d He explained that he doesn\u2019t understand what it means to have a best friend he can trust and feel safe with. I couldn\u2019t believe how casually he said something so utterly depressing. A few months later, we were getting lunch, and he said, \u201cI think you are my first real friend.\u201d Although he has not openly professed faith, I believe that God is working in his heart and that he will be baptized soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. What are you learning?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Firstly, I am learning the language. I meet with a tutor weekly and do homework daily. The language is difficult to read and write but not so hard to speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Spiritually, timing and patience are being drilled into me. Everything in Japan seems to take double the effort and time it would for me in the US. That is partly the result of being in a foreign culture and also due to the culture. In business school, I learned of a cultural index that compares cultures based on six core factors. There is one named time orientation. The US is typically low on this scale because we value quick fixes and immediate results. Japan is extremely high on this scale. Most decisions are made not based on the results after one to five years but fifty years. There is little spontaneity and most people have their full month booked for the month preceding. Spiritually, this means that I rarely see fruit. There is, instead, a more significant focus on tending the soil, cultivating, and giving the seed all it needs to sprout and grow. God is the only one who can do either of those things. As missionaries, we must focus on what we can control, work tirelessly, and leave the rest to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Are there any stories you would like\/can share? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The best story that summarizes the work here is from my first month. I went to a dinner party where everyone could share a two-minute presentation on their business. So when my turn came around, I shared about our church and the gospel. One woman approached me afterward and began to ask questions. She asked me how I became a Christian. I shared with her the story of how I was depressed to the point of suicidal thoughts, but a friend shared the gospel with me, and God gave me joy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She is still the only person I\u2019ve seen cry in my six months here. She cried and said, \u201cIf my dad had known this Jesus that you\u2019re talking about, then he would not be dead.\u201d Her dad committed suicide a year earlier. We continued talking, and she became interested in the gospel and learning more. I got her contact information, and we parted ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, she has rarely responded to my messages and has never shown interest in the gospel again. My Japanese friend explained that she was ashamed of crying in public, especially before a stranger. Her shame and fear keep her from seeking the hope she had seen so clearly. She was able to articulate the truth of the gospel clearly but has run far from it out of fear of public perception. This is the kind of struggle we have here. If there is a mighty move of the Spirit, people are vehemently attacked by the Enemy. Spiritual warfare is not a theory. It is the reality of living here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Have you eaten any interesting foods?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have eaten natto (fermented soybeans) and ikura (salmon eggs). I will never eat either again unless I win a million dollars or something similar. Maybe not even then. Remember, though, that my weirdest foods are behind me since I am from Louisiana.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I really enjoy sushi here. My favorite fish cuts are ika (squid), saba (mackerel), and kaki (oyster). This is where Japanese and Louisiana culture intersects most. We both love rice and seafood. Usually, ours is just deep fried (with some Tony\u2019s) instead of raw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. What is one encouragement or challenge you would like to share with Champion Forest?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I would love to see people interested in full-time ministry come to see what it\u2019s like here in Japan, especially college students or young adults. If you can share the gospel clearly and effectively in Japan, you can do it anywhere. Nevertheless Missions is open to applications for 3-month interns to learn missions in Japan. We also have independent teams that come to serve for ten-day trips. Even if you come to Japan for vacation, we would love to have you join our church on a Sunday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 12. How can Champions Forest be praying for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Please pray for me, as described above, for patience and endurance. Please also pray against Satan’s stronghold in Japan. Spiritual warfare is real, but that is also great news because (spoiler) we\u2019re on the winning side! Still, we must persevere in prayer. We also need \u201cworkers\u201d because workers are what Japan needs most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I sat down with Nathan Coker, a former CF Resident. Nathan now serves as a missionary in Tokyo, Japan, with Nevertheless Missions, an independent missions organization based in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2069,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Growing up, Ana Alonso attended a Catholic Church, but for whatever reason, she never really felt connected. She thought she couldn't have a relationship with Jesus. This all changed when her aunt invited her to a new church. Ana was struck by the beauty of this new church. The way they worshipped God and talked about Scripture opened her eyes and heart. It made her want to start going to church more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But soon after this, she found herself in an unhealthy relationship. This relationship eventually led her astray, and she stopped going to church. She focused so much on this relationship that she quickly lost herself. She wrestled with depression and anxiety during this season, and to make matters worse, her mom was also going through her own mental health battle. It was a difficult period in Ana\u2019s life. She felt like everything was spiraling out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One day, she had a terrible argument with her mom, and in a moment of intense emotion, she found herself yelling at her mom. She had become someone she didn't recognize. \u201cI don\u2019t yell at my family like this,\u201d she thought to herself. She was devastated and heartbroken that she had let things get to this point. In a state of despair, she left and headed to a nearby park, alone. At the park, she just cried. \u201cThere\u2019s no hope left for me,\u201d she thought. She felt like the only way out was to end her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amidst her desperation, she turned to God and whispered for help. She apologized for distancing herself from him and asked for strength to endure. Moments later, two older ladies walked towards her. As they approached, Ana couldn't stop crying, until one of them reached out her hand and placed it on Ana\u2019s shoulder. The woman spoke softly, saying, \"I'm so sorry.\" Ana knew God had answered her prayer. It was the spark of hope she needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then, Ana\u2019s relationship with Jesus and her faith has grown tremendously. Of course, it has been a journey, but Ana has seen God\u2019s faithfulness time and time again. She set a goal to begin reading the Bible daily, and now she can't wait to read it every day. Even in times of frustration or bitterness, she will pray or go to her Bible, asking God for answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But her journey didn't end there. She eventually found her way to The Grove, a young adult gathering at Champion Forest. She started attending regularly. Now, she serves at the Grove as part of the weekly hospitality team. She continues to meet new people each week who share her hunger for the Lord. When asked about her time at the Grove, Ana said, \u201cWe worship Jesus together and discuss Scripture, and I've even had the chance to pray over others. Being part of this community has been a huge blessing for me, and I believe it was completely the Holy Spirit guiding me to this place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ana\u2019s testimony is a good reminder that no matter how lost you may feel, God is always with you. He will guide you and give you the strength you need to get through even the toughest of times. It's okay to ask for help, to pray, and to turn to God in moments of desperation. It's also important to surround yourself with a community that shares your faith, where you can grow together in Christ.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-missions","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n