Click here to go to the website (in Japanese) for Sendai L'Abri Bible Church.

Sendai L'Abri Bible Church is a lively congregation with a wonderful fix of old and young, men and women, and those of various economic backgrounds.  It was started by the current pastor, Reverend Koetsu Fujimoto about 19 years ago.  There are currently about 140 members attending.

The name came from the influence that Francis Schaeffer had on Reverend Fujimoto during seminary.  Our pastor desires to have the same kind of atmosphere as the Swiss L'Abri:  a place where anyone can come, regardless of problems or questions or theological background, and find safe community and answers.

The church has two focal points:  outreach to children, and discipleship training for all ages.  We've  benefitted from participating in both of these.  There is also a neat emphasis on community;  there are currently numerous church members living in the church who have come because of addictions, family problems, inability to cope in their present setting, etc.  There are two junior high boys who live at the church and are attending a "free school" (like a charter school) at the church, because they had dropped out of their own school due to difficult pressures.

We are both teaching a course in the church's small seminary, designed to raise up young people to do children and discipleship ministry in churches.  

The church has published numerous materials, including devotionals (in Japanese) for children as young as 5 years old.  They are comic-style, and help even the youngest learn how to spend daily time with God.

Some church friends hanging out at our home 

We love worshipping here

This is how we were greeted at Sendai station when we first arrived at the church two years years ago... we knew it would be a good match!

The elders praying at our home

(Left - picture from our church's annual sports day.   Below:  at a retreat with our seminary students)

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