Hello readers! I’m so excited to host my first interview with a Japanese artist, and not just any artist, a Christian one: 4.5Music! If you haven’t heard of them yet, you can find them on these platforms ( Website | Youtube | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | Tunecore ).

While Japan has the 2nd biggest music industry in the world, Japan has also always had a very small (less than 2%) Christian population due to persecution in the past and evangelism struggles. It was even titled as the ‘missionary graveyard’. But over the last few decades, God has been flipping this country and we now have various churches and children growing up in Christian homes. With faith comes music, and one artist that has been contributing to the creation of original Japanese songs and hymns is 4.5music!

While I was on the search for Christian Japanese music to cover, 4.5Music was one of the first few artists I managed to find, and from there, I was able to discover over 50 other Japanese Christian Artists! But while I was amazed by this number, a great majority may only have a Youtube channel and have not officially distributed their songs on places like Spotify. Others may not have any kind of social media or places to learn more about them, but I could tell 4.5Music has put a lot of work into quality videos and branding.

Additionally, I haven’t found many artists with their own official website which I feel is the ultimate test as to how serious any artists or business is. 4.5Music not only has a beautifully designed website, but they have gone out of their way to create chord and lyric documents for all their songs, which has been a huge blessing for churches who may want to adopt their songs into their service, and people like me who love to cover Japanese songs as close to the original as possible.

As I continued to check out this artist, their most recent video on their channel at the time is the one below where they talked about their vision, future activities, and need for financial support. I’m aware of the low Christian population and how most struggle to fit in with their peers, but I only learned more recently that Japanese people are considered to be quite cold. According to The Japanese Reporter, while Japanese people are certainly polite and respectful on the surface, they do not like to get involved with others, and they ranked very low when it comes to how much the general person donates or how much time one would volunteer.

So when you add religious differences and the general negative view towards Christianity, I could only imagine the struggles for a Christian music group to flourish in Japan. Music production requires time, equipment, software, one may need to rent a studio space or videographers to ensure high production, and of course money to distribute. Japan really needs the hope and joy that comes from knowing Christ, and gospel music has the power to touch and convert others; thus, I was eager to have an interview to help bring awareness and assist with their music ministry.

In this interview, as with all my interviews, I like to go in deep with people and really flesh out who they are, their backstory, why they chose this path, their struggles and successes, and their experiences with evangelism. People don’t always get a chance to share their stories, so I want my platform to be a chance for people to not only share and build a deeper connection with the audience, but also a chance for the audience to really learn something and gain value, edification, and encouragement from the interview.

I hired the only English/Japanese/Christian translator I could find on Fiverr to translate my questions into Japanese for them to answer, and to translate their Japanese answers back into English. I noticed some errors, so I used Google translate to double check, and edited for clarity on the English side. If anyone has a better translation for any answer, please let me know. It would be greatly appreciated!

And without further ado, here is my interview with 4.5Music!!~~

ENGLISH

INTRO / HISTORY

1. Please introduce yourself and your brand/platform/music!

Our names are Shinri Nakura and Ayumi Nakura, and we are “4.5Music”. We live in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, a city with a population of 650,000. I have two sons who are in elementary school. We have been active as 4.5Music since 2017, and have mainly been releasing worship songs, covering traditional hymns and original worship songs, through music distribution services such as Spotify and Apple Music. And from 2019, we have also started distributing music videos through YouTube.

2. How did you get into music or when did you start playing instruments?

I (Shinri) started playing music when I was in the third grade of elementary school by participating in a kid’s band that started at church. At that time, I was playing electric bass. When I was 15 years old, I bought an MTR (multi-track recorder) and started recording worship songs.

Ayumi discovered the joy of singing when she joined the children’s choir at the church she attended at the time when she was in the third grade of elementary school, and began participating in praise service at the church from around the age of 15. Since then, she has been involved in the children’s ministry, composing hymns and several hymns for children.

3. Who are some of your favourite artists or sources of inspiration? (Christian or non-Christian)

My biggest influences were the Japanese band ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, which I listened to a lot when I was in middle school, as well as Planet shakers and Hillsong.

For Ayumi, J-pop’s SuperFly, Ayaka, and Christian artist Darlene Zschech were her favourite influences.

4. Please share your Christian testimony with us. Why did you start a ministry?

I (Shinri) grew up in a Christian family and went to church every week. From an early age, I believed in the existence of a Creator and that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried in a tomb, and rose again on the third day. And when I was 18 years old, I was baptized. However, somewhere in my heart, I believed that all Christ did was open the doorway to salvation, and once I passed through that door, I would prove myself to be a good Christian by doing the right thing to complete my salvation. At the time, I subconsciously thought that the salvation achieved by Jesus is free to enter through grace and faith, but once you enter, you have to make payments in order to maintain your salvation.

As a result, my way of life became legalistic, and believed in my heart that my worth depended on my actions. In order to erase my guilt and for my own pride, I tried my best to serve at church, pray, praise, and read the Bible. However, when I was 23 years old, I was taught the gospel in a systematic and thorough manner through the associate pastor of the church I was attending at the time, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, I had the experience of being saved by having all my wrong understandings about the gospel corrected. Little by little, I changed from a legalistic lifestyle to one in which I lived by the grace of God.

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My (Ayumi) mother became a Christian when I was one year old, so my mother, older brother, and older sister started going to a Baptist church every Sunday. My father was born in an area where there was a custom called Danka and grew up in a Buddhist household, so he and his family were against the idea of his mother becoming a Christian. I loved church. I remember having so much fun participating in the elementary school choir, singing praises, dancing, playing with my classmates, and listening to God speak. At that time, for me, the existence of a Creator was a matter of course, and I had no doubt that God really existed. It was something I could genuinely believe.

So, when I was eight years old, I decided to get baptized; however, my father did not allow me. Around that time, the relationship between my father and mother deteriorated, and violent fights began to occur frequently. My heart was always filled with fear and anxiety. As I spent many years living like this, my fear and anxiety eventually turned into anger towards God. “Why won’t God help my family? Why do bad things happen even though I believe in God?” No matter what I did, whether I prayed, went to church, made offerings, or served, my family relationships did not improve. In fact, they just got worse and worse. At that time, I couldn’t talk to anyone about my painful feelings, so I kept a lid on my heart, did stupid things, and struggled desperately to fill my heart with a boyfriend. However, my boyfriend also betrayed me, and I became desperate. I lost all faith in God, and even wanted to die.

Then, when I was in the third year of junior high school, I decided to live without God and went to a meeting to say goodbye to the church leaders who had helped me so much. At that meeting, I kept swearing and complaining to God in my heart. Then, just as the meeting was about to end, the light suddenly brightened up in front of my eyes, the voices around me disappeared and everything became quiet, as if I heard God’s voice saying, “Ayumi, I will never let you go.” At that moment, I felt like I was being surrounded by something warm, and I couldn’t stop crying. I then realized that that “something warm” was “God’s deep love for me,” and I was convinced that “God does exist and will never leave me!” and I was filled with an absolute sense of security.

God’s sudden and overwhelming presence made me cry, and I asked God to forgive me for my foolishness in trying to abandon him. I repented and prayed for God because I couldn’t live without Him. This was the moment I received my salvation, and from that moment on, my life completely changed and Jesus Christ became my everything. Since then, my desire to dedicate my life to Christ has led me to serve the church and use my music and gifts to serve God and others.

My family relationships are currently in the process of recovery. God is faithful and wonderful, and He never gives up on our family. I will continue to trust this person and pray that my family will be saved.

5. What inspired you to start evangelizing through music?

From here on out, I (Shinri), who mainly composes 4.5 Music, will give you my answer. The main reason for this was that I had a wrong understanding of the gospel, so I wanted to firmly communicate God’s nature, work, and gospel through praise lyrics to both believers and unbelievers.

MAKING JAPANESE CHRISTIAN MUSIC

6. What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you considered making Japanese Christian music? Did you expect people to pay attention or listen to it?

The first time I composed a praise song was when I was in junior high school, and the pure process of composing music was so much fun that I didn’t feel like I answered the fifth question at all. At the time, I did it because I thought it was fun to record and hoped that I would get attention and praise for my songs. However, as I answered in the fifth question, after having the experience of having my heart changed by the gospel, I started listening to songs that centered on the gospel to encourage people who don’t know about Jesus yet, as well as people like me, to hear the gospel. My desire to convey the truth of Jesus to those who misunderstand it has become stronger.

When we first started as 4.5Music, we expected that many people would listen to it if we distributed it, but due to issues with the quality of the songs and the fact that we weren’t good at branding or self-production, things turned out worse than we expected. I was disappointed that there was no response. However, my desire to create praise songs and my desire to express the wonders of the gospel through songs never changed, so I have continued my activities.

7. What has been the hardest part about making music in Japan or for Japanese people?

What I find difficult when composing a song is that when I try to make a catchy, short song, the lyric content gets diluted, and when I try to enrich the lyrics, the number of verses increases, making the song itself long. Additionally, if there is a lyric for “you” in English, it can be expressed with one sound/syllable, but in Japanese, it uses three sounds/syllables for “you” (anata), which is always difficult.

Also, apart from songwriting, the proportion of the Christian population in Japan is quite low at 1%, so even if you write a praise song in Japanese, fewer people will listen to it than in Europe and the United States, thus, you wouldn’t be able to make a living off Christian music. I find it difficult to find the time to compose, record, and film because I don’t make any money off our music and have to do other work.

8. What has been the hardest part about promoting and spreading your music?

The most difficult part was breaking out of the shell of our personalities. We were not very outgoing and were not comfortable with self-production.

9. How has God led, inspired, or encouraged you to keep at this when you had doubts?

As for doubts about being involved in music, I have never had any doubts about doing so. This may be a little off topic, but I feel like God is always telling me that since I (Shinri) tend to get absorbed in my creative activities, I need to balance my time with my family and rest. I am always encouraged to take my time as I go along.

10. What tips and advice would you give to someone who wants to create or cover Japanese Christian music?

It goes without saying, but it’s important to actually try what you want to do. Also, when it comes to composing or performing covers, I personally think that completing the song is more important than perfecting it in order to grow.

11. What sites, platforms, or apps are best when spreading your music around to Japanese people?

We’re also looking into it, so we’d rather you let us know.

12. What has the reception been like to those who have heard your music? (Optional: Has anyone shared that they were touched and sought God after hearing your music?)

There were many people who said ‘they felt God’s love’, people who said ‘their hearts were focused on God’, people who were depressed but were overflowing with joy after hearing the praise, and many people who said ‘they felt encouraged’. I’ve also heard that 4.5 Music’s songs are helpful for foreigners studying Japanese.

OUTREACH EXPERIENCE

13. What is the best approach when sharing the gospel to Japanese people?

This may not be unique to Japanese people, but I think it’s best to slowly build a relationship of trust before sharing the gospel.

14. Please share your most positive/favorite interaction when evangelizing to a Japanese person.

Same as answer #13, but build a relationship before evangelizing. I especially try to listen carefully to what the other person has to say and try to find out what kind of background they have.

15. What has been the hardest part about sharing the gospel with Japanese people?

Japanese people are a race that doesn’t like conflict and likes ambiguity, so they find it difficult to accept the idea of “oneness,” such as “one and only God” or “one salvation”. They also don’t know the general story or outline of the Bible, so I have to explain a lot of things, and I find it surprisingly difficult to explain the gospel without using Christian terminology. They also find it difficult to accept blessings or prayers because they live in a culture that sees virtue in working hard and not relying on others.

16. Please share your most negative/most-hurtful interaction when evangelizing to a Japanese person. How did you handle it? And how did you recover from the experience?

I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve only recently started sharing the Gospel with unbelievers with the firm purpose of evangelism, so I haven’t heard any negative comments yet, but I’m a little wary as I speak to Japanese people. There are some people who feel like I’m not in good hands with them, so I feel a bit disappointed.

17. What would you say is the general reception for Christianity within Japan? Are they open-minded and curious? Hateful? Defensive? Ignorant? Uninterested?

Recently, there has been a lot of news about heresies in Christianity, so I think many people are wary of the dangers of religion. Personally, I feel that there are many people who are not interested in it.

18. What has been the biggest lesson you personally had to learn when it comes to evangelizing? (ie patience, not taking things personally, more studying and preparation)

Before preaching the Gospel to others, I feel it is important to examine whether you are walking in the Gospel and whether you feel in your heart that it is truly good news.

I learned once again that in order to love others, if we do not feel in our hearts that we are loved by God, there is a danger that even something as wonderful as evangelism will be replaced by something that proves our worth.

19. What motivates you to keep evangelizing and ministering despite any cold or hateful experiences?

I want them to know that they can live with God forever instead of eternal destruction, and I want them to know that God loves them so much that he would sacrifice his son for them.

20. Are there any bible verses you use all the time when evangelizing to Japanese people?

Although there is no specific scripture, when Paul preached to the Gentiles, he focused on God the Creator, and based his teachings on the premise that there is a Creator who created humans and this world. I always talk about it.

21. What bible verses do you say to yourself to stay motivated and to combat fear/anxiety?

A scripture that always makes me examine myself so that I don’t engage in heartless superficial work or wrong motives is Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

22. Please share some words of encouragement to your fellow brothers/sisters in Christ who are interested in sharing their faith to anyone around the world.

Just as Paul’s imprisonment in Philippians 1:12 actually helped advance the gospel, there are times when you cannot see the fruits of your own evangelistic labor, or when the visible circumstances don’t seem to be good, yet you can continue to advance the gospel of God. It is our responsibility to share the gospel in words and deeds, and it is God’s responsibility to change people’s hearts and save them. So even if you feel conflicted, don’t lose heart and continue to be bold as the Holy Spirit guides you. Let’s share our faith boldly and work together to make many people disciples of Jesus.

CONCLUSION

23. Any final words for the readers?

I (Shinri) finished my internship at the church in March 2024 and I am currently collecting donations to continue the work of praise. My wife Ayumi is currently attending university to obtain a childcare worker qualification. The goal is to donate 3 million yen per year, but currently only about 25% of the total has been raised, less than 50%. In Japan, the culture of giving has not taken root, and the size of the church is small, making it very difficult financially. I am grateful to be able to take this opportunity to address everyone. (You can support them via this Paypal link).

Through praise in Japanese, the name of Christ will be highly praised in Japan, and Japanese people will understand the gospel in their minds and hearts, be encouraged, and live their lives powerfully as disciples of Christ. I hope to continue to compose praise frequently so that I can continue to do so. We would be happy if you could financially support us so that we can reach our target amount.

24. If anyone would like to contact you and ask more questions, how can they reach you?

Here is my personal email: shinri.nakura@gmail.com

25. Are there any additional resources you would like to share or other individuals/platforms that you would love to recommend?

There is a Japanese composition community that I am also a part of called Unison Worship (www.unisonworship.com). From this site, you can download the audio source of the New City Catechism created for children in Japan for free.

I also have some of my background music registered on music stock sites like Audiojungle and Audiostock (audiostock.net/artists/2131/music) , which unfortunately aren’t free, but if you need background music, please use them.

JAPANESE

イントロ/歴史

1. 自己紹介とブランド、プラットフォーム、音楽を紹介してください。

4.5Musicとして活動している名倉真理(Shinri Nakura)名倉あゆみ(Ayumi Nakura)と申します。私たちは日本の千葉県船橋市という人口が65万人の街に住んでいます。小学生の息子が2人います。夫婦で4.5Musicとして2017年から活動していて、主にトラディショナな讃美歌のカバーやオリジナルのワーシップソングをSpotifyやApple Musicなどの音楽配信サービスを通して賛美の楽曲を配信する活動を行ってきました。そして2019年からYoutubeを通してMusic Videoの配信も始めました。

2. どのようにして音楽を始めましたか、またはいつ楽器を演奏し始めましたか?

私(Shinri）は小学3年生のときに教会で始まったキッズバンドに参加することを通して音楽を始めました。そのときはエレキベースを演奏していました。15歳の時にMTR(multi-track recorder)を買い賛美の録音をはじめました。

あゆみ(Ayumi)は小学3年生の時に当時通っていた教会の子ども聖歌隊に入ったことをきっかけに歌う楽しみを知り、15歳頃から教会で賛美奉仕に携わるようになり、20代からは子どものミニストリーにも携わり、子ども向けの賛美や幾つかの賛美を作曲しました。

3. あなたの好きなアーティストやインスピレーションの源は誰ですか? (キリスト教徒でも非キリスト教徒でも)

私(Shinri)が一番影響を受けたのは中学生の時によく聞いていたASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATIONという日本のバンドとPlanetshakersやHillsongです。

あゆみ(Ayumi)J-popのSuperFly、綾香、そしてクリスチャンアーティストのDarlene Zschechです。

4. あなたのクリスチャンの証を私たちにシェアしてください。 なぜ奉仕活動を始めたのですか？

(真理 / Shinri)

私(Shinri)はクリスチャン家庭で育ち教会に毎週通っていました。小さい頃から創造主の存在やキリストが自分の罪のために十字架にかかり死に、墓に葬られ、3日目によみがえられたことを信じていました。そして18歳のときに洗礼を受けました。しかし、心のどこかでキリストがしたことは救いの入り口を開いただけで、その入り口を通ったたら自分の正しい行いで立派なクリスチャンであることを証明し、救いを完成させないといけないと考えていました。当時の自分は、イエスが成し遂げた救いというのは、入場するのは恵みと信仰で無料だけれども、一旦入ったら色々と行いという救いを維持するための支払いが必要であると潜在的に感じていました。それゆえ生き方も律法主義的になり、頭では違うとわかりつつも、自分の価値は自分の行いに左右されると心では信じていました。そして、罪悪感を消すために、また自分のプライドのために頑張って教会の奉仕を行い、祈り、賛美し、また聖書を読んでいました。しかし23歳のときに当時通っていた教会の副牧師を通して、福音を体系的にしっかりと教えてもらい、福音について間違って理解していたことが聖霊の働きによってすべて正され救われるという経験をしました。そして、律法主義的な生き方から、少しづつ神の恵みによって生きるという生活に変えられていきました。

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あゆみ(Ayumi)

私(Ayumi)の母は私が1歳の頃にクリスチャンになったため、私は母と兄、姉の四人で毎週日曜日はバプテスト系の教会へ通うようになりました。父は檀家と呼ばれる習慣のある地域で生まれ、仏教徒の家庭で育ったため、母がクリスチャンになることを彼と彼の家族は否定的でした。

私は教会が大好きでした。小学生部の聖歌隊に参加して、賛美を歌い、踊ったり、同学年の友達と遊んだり、神様の話しを聞いたりすることがとても楽しかったことを覚えています。当時の私にとっては、創造主の存在は当たり前であり、神様は本当にいると何の疑いもなく、純粋に信じられる対象でした。ですから、8歳の頃、私は洗礼を受ける決心をしました。

しかし、父は私が洗礼を受けることを許してくれませんでした。そしてその頃から父と母の夫婦仲が悪くなり、暴力や喧嘩が頻繁に起こるようになりました。私の心はいつも恐れと不安でいっぱいでした。何年もそのような日々を過ごしていく中で、その恐れや不安はいつしか神様への怒りに変わっていきました。どうして神様は私の家族を助けてくれないのか。なぜ神様を信じているのに苦しいことが起こるのか。祈っても、教会に行っても、献金しても、奉仕しても、何をしても私の家族関係は改善されないままで、むしろどんどん悪くなっていく一方でした。当時の私は、このような苦しい心の内を誰にも相談できず、心に蓋をして、バカなことをやったり、彼氏で心を満たそうと必死にもがいていました。しかしその彼氏からも裏切られ、いよいよ自暴自棄になり、神様への信仰は全くなくなり、死にたいとさえ思うようになっていきました。そして中学3年生の頃、神様無しで生きていこうと心に決めて、お世話になった教会のリーダー達にお別れの挨拶をしに行く為にある集会に訪れました。その集会で私は悪態をつき、心の中で神様に文句を言い続けていました。そして集会が終わりかけた頃、突然、パッと目の前が明るくなり、周りの話し声が消えて静かになり、「あゆみ、私はあなたを決して離さないよ」と神様の声が聴こえたように感じました。その瞬間、私は暖かい何かに包まれているような感覚になり、涙が止まらなくなりました。そしてその”暖かい何か”は”私に対する神の深い愛”であることが分かり、「神は確かに存在し、私を見離さない！」と確信を得て、絶対的な安心感で満たされました。

あまりに突然な、神様の圧倒的な臨在に、私はただ泣くことしかできず、この神様を捨てようとした愚かな自分を赦してほしい。あなた無しでは生きていけないと悔い改め、神様を求める祈りをしました。

この時が、私にとって救いを受け取った瞬間であり、この時から、私の人生が全く変えられ、イエスキリストが私の全てとなった時でした。それから、キリストのために人生を捧げたいという思いから、教会に仕え、音楽や賜物を用いて神様と人々に仕える歩みをしています。

現在、私の家族関係は回復の途中にあります。神様は誠実で素晴らしい方であり、私たち家族のことを諦めない方です。この方を信頼して家族が救われることを祈り続けて行きます。

日本のキリスト教音楽を作る

5. 音楽を通じて伝道を始めようと思ったきっかけは何ですか? 

ここからは4.5Musicの作曲をメインで行なっている私(真理/Shinri)の回答になります。

きっかけは自分が福音を間違って理解していたので、賛美の歌詞を通してしっかりと神の性質や働き、そして福音について、信者、未信者を問わず伝えたいと思ったのが一番の理由です。

6. 日本のキリスト教音楽を作ろうと思ったとき、最初はどんな思いや気持ちでしたか？ 人々が注目したり、耳を傾けたりすることを期待していましたか?

賛美の作曲を初めて行ったのは中学生の時で、純粋に曲をつくる作業がとても楽しくて、5番目の質問で答えたような気持ちは一切ありませんでした。当時は録音したりするのが楽しいという思いと、作った曲が注目され、褒められるということを期待して行っていました。しかし、5番目の質問で答えたように福音によって心が変えられる経験をしてからは、福音中心の曲を通して、まだイエスのことを知らない方や、私のように福音を誤解している方にイエスの真理を届けたいという思いが強まりました。4.5Musicとして活動を始めた当初は配信すれば多くの人が聞いてくれると期待していましたが、曲のクオリティの問題や、ブランディングやセルフプロデュースが得意ではなかったことも重なり、思ったよりも反応がなく残念でした。しかし、賛美の制作が楽しいという思いと、曲を通して福音の素晴らしいさを表現したいという思いは一切変わらなかったのでこれまで活動を継続してこれました。

7. 日本で、あるいは日本人にとって音楽を作る上で最も難しかったことは何ですか?

作曲する上で難しいと感じるのは、キャッチーで短い曲を作ろうとすると歌詞の内容が薄くなってしまい、また歌詞の内容を充実させようとするとVerseがいくつも増えてしまい曲自体が長くなってしまうということです。たとえば、”あなた”という歌詞があったとして、英語では『You』という1音で表現できるの対して、日本語では『あなた』に対して3音使ってしまうので、その点がいつも難しいと感じています。また作曲とは別に日本はキリスト教人口の割合が1%とかなり低いので、日本語の賛美を作っても、聞いてくれる方がそもそも欧米に比べて少く、曲をリリースしても生活できるだけの収益は出ないので音楽以外の仕事をする必要があるため、作曲する時間や、録音、撮影する時間を確保するのが難しいと感じています。

8. あなたの音楽を宣伝し広める上で最も困難だったことは何ですか?

社交的ではなく、セルフプロデュースが苦手な自分たちの性格の殻を破ることがもっとも困難でした。

9. あなたが疑問を抱いたとき、神はあなたをどのように導き、霊感を与え、このままにし続けるよう励ましましたか?

音楽の活動をすることに対する疑問ということであれば、今まで一度も感じたことはありません。質問の趣旨から少しずれてしまうかもしれませんが、神様からいつも言われているように感じるのは、私(Shinri)は制作活動に没頭しやすいので、家族との時間や休息のバランスをしっかり取りながら行うことを常に励まされています。

10. 日本のキリスト教音楽を創作したりカバーしたいと考えている人に、どのようなヒントやアドバイスをしますか?

当たり前のことですが、やってみたいと思っていることを実際にやってみることですね。あとは作曲やカバーをするにしても、完璧にすることよりも、完成させるということが成長する上でとても大切なのかなと個人的には思っています。

11. あなたの音楽を日本人に広める場合、どのサイト、プラットフォーム、アプリが最適ですか?

私たちも探っているので、むしろ教えて欲しいです。

12. あなたの音楽を聴いた人たちの反応はどうでしたか？ (オプション: あなたの音楽を聞いて感動し、神を求めたという人はいますか?)

神様の愛を感じたという方や、神様に心が向けられたという方、落ち込んでいたけれども賛美を聞いて喜びに溢れたという方や、励まされたという反応が多くありました。あとは外国の方で日本語を勉強するのに4.5Musicの曲が助けになっているという声も聞きます。

アウトリーチの経験

13. 日本人に福音を伝えるときの最善のアプローチは何でしょうか？

日本人に限ったことではないかもしれませんが、ゆっくりと信頼関係を築いてから、福音を伝えることだと思います。

14. 日本人に伝道する際の最もポジティブな/お気に入りのやり取りを教えてください

13番目の回答と同じですが、関係を築いてから伝道することです。特に相手の話をよく聞いて、どんな人生のバックグラウンドがあるのかを知ることを心がけています。

15. 日本人に福音を伝える上で最も難しかったことは何ですか?

日本人はどちらかというと争いを好まず、曖昧さを好む人種なので、唯一の神や唯一の救いなど、『唯一』ということを受け入れるのが難しいと感じています。あとは聖書のおおまかなストーリーや概要を知らないので、説明しなければいけないことが多いことや、キリスト教用語を使わずに福音を説明するというのが意外と難しいと感じています。あとは頑張ることや、他人に頼らないことに美徳を感じている文化なので、恵みを受け入れづらいとも感じています。

16. 日本人に伝道する際に最も否定的で最も傷ついたやり取りを教えてください。 どのように対処しましたか? そして、その経験からどのように立ち直りましたか？

しっかりと伝道という目的意識をもって、実際に福音を未信者の方に話したのが、恥ずかしながら最近なので、まだそこまで否定的な声は聞いていませんが、少し警戒しながら私たちと接しているなと感じる人はいるので多少ですが残念な気持ちはあります。

17. 日本国内におけるキリスト教に対する一般的な受け止め方はどのようなものだと思いますか？ 彼らはオープンマインドで好奇心旺盛ですか？ 憎たらしい？ 守備的？ 無知ですか？ 興味がありませんか？

最近はキリスト教の異端のニュースが多いので、宗教は危ないと警戒している人が多いと思います。あとは興味がないという人が多いのかなと個人的に感じています。

18. 福音宣教に関して、あなた個人が学ばなければならなかった最大の教訓は何ですか? （つまり、忍耐力、物事を個人的に考えないこと、もっと勉強して準備すること）

まず福音を人に伝える前に自分が福音の中に歩んでいるかを吟味することと、本当に良き知らせだと心で感じているかが伝道する上で大切だと感じています。

人を愛するためには自分が神から愛されていることを心で感じていなければ、福音伝道という素晴らしいことでさえも自分の存在価値を証明するものにすり替わるという危険があることを改めて学んでいます。

19. 冷たい経験や憎しみに満ちた経験にもかかわらず、伝道と奉仕を続ける動機は何ですか?

永遠の滅びではなく、永遠に神と共に生きる道を知って欲しいという思いと、神が一人子を捧げるほどに愛しているということを知ってほしいという思いがあります。

20. 日本人に伝道する際にいつも使っている聖書の一節はありますか？

特定の聖句はありませんが、パウロが異邦人に伝道する際は創造主である神に焦点を置いて伝道していたことに倣って、人間とこの世界を造られた創造主がいるという前提を必ずお話しています。

21. モチベーションを維持し、恐怖や不安と闘うために自分に言い聞かせる聖書の一節は何ですか?

心の無い表面的な働きや、間違った動機で動かないように、いつも吟味させてくれる聖句は箴言4:23の「何を見張るよりも、あなたの心を見守れ。いのちの泉はこれから湧く。」というみことばです。

22. 世界中の人々に信仰を分かち合いたいと考えているキリストにある兄弟姉妹たちに励ましの言葉を送ってください。

ピリピ1:12でパウロが投獄されたことがかえって福音の前進に役立ったように、自分の伝道の労苦の成果が見えないときや、目に見える状況が良くないと思えるときでも、神の福音は前進しています。福音を言葉と行いで分かち合うのは私たちの責任で、人の心を変えて救うのは神の責任なので、葛藤を覚えていたとしても、失望せずに続けて聖霊に導かれながら大胆に信仰を分かち合い、多くの人をイエスの弟子とする働きを共に行っていきましょう。

結論

23. 最後に読者に一言お願いします。

私(Shinri)は2024年の3月で教会のインターンが終わり現在は、賛美の働きを継続していくために寄付を集めています。妻のあゆみ(Ayumi)は保育士の資格を取得するために現在大学に通っています。寄付は年間300万円を目標にしていますが、現在は集まっているのは全体の25%ほどで、50%にも達していない状態です。日本では寄付をするという文化が根付いていないことや、教会の規模も小さく経済的にとても難しい状況です。この場をお借りして皆さんに呼びかけることができることに感謝しています。日本語の賛美を通してキリストの御名が日本で高らかに賛美され、また日本人が福音を頭と心で理解し、励まされ、キリストの弟子として力強く毎日を生きることができるように、これからも賛美の作曲を頻繁に行っていきたと思っています。目標額に届くように経済的にサポートしてくださると嬉しいです。(Paypal)

24. あなたに連絡してさらに質問したい人がいる場合、どうすればあなたに連絡を取ることができますか?

個人の連絡先です。shinri.nakura@gmail.com

25. 共有したい追加リソースや、お勧めしたい他の個人//プラットフォームはありますか?

私も参加している日本の作曲コミュニティーがあります。www.unisonworship.com

このサイトから日本の子供たちのために作ったニューシティーカテキズムの音源やを無料でダウンロードできます。

あとは、Audiojungleのような音楽のストックサイトに私のBGMもいくつか登録していて、これは残念ながら無料ではありませんが、BGMが必要な方はぜひ使ってください。-Audiostock-

Final Words From Nostalgia

Thanks again for checking out my interview with 4.5Music. We’d both appreciate it if you shared this article with your friends or any Christians or Artists who may be interested!

Please check out and follow 4.5Music on these various platforms ( Website | Youtube | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | Tunecore ).

As mentioned, they are in desperate need of financial support to continue making gospel music that will bless Japanese Christians and other foreigners, so please consider sparing a few dollars to help with their ministry.

And that’s all from me. Have a wonderful day everyone! God bless~<3