have been invited to conduct a month long evangelistic crusade in Tokyo during May, 1961—in the very heart of the huge student population num bering some 300,000. In this the world’s largest city, a gymnasium has been secured which will seat over 10,000 people. ( “ A miracle,” mission aries and Japanese church leaders agree. The Rotary organization sought the same building for a one-week international convention next May, and was turned down despite Japan’s interest in world trade and the obvi ous necessity of impressing the world’s businessmen. But the gymnasium was made available for the Crusade for an entire month — including the very week for which Rotary was turned down!) “ Over 90 per cent of the churches of Tokyo have participated in this invitation,” says Dr. Pierce. “They know that we are forthrightly evan gelical, and they want us to come and present the message of salvation through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Last year, Dr. Pierce served as evan gelist for the Osaka Crusade in Japan’s second largest city. Over 70,000 separ ate individuals attended the evening sessions; thousands more were reached through school and factory meetings and businessmen’s luncheons; multi plied thousands more heard the Gos pel for the first time over radio and television—and an exact 7,500 deci sions for Christ were recorded in the main Festival Hall meetings. “We urge the Christians of America to pray for Japan,” says Pierce. “ Pray for the church in Japan in these days, that it may speak with conviction and authority and Holy Spirit boldness in a day of political unrest and confu sion. Christians in Japan have been used to being a persecuted little minority. If we are going to help them find convictions rooted so deep in the Person of Jesus Christ that they can stand without being swayed by poli tical changes . . . if we are going to help them emphasize not only the worth of the individual but also the necessity of the New Birth . . . we must do it now." And he adds with deep conviction: “ I must go to Japan for this Tokyo Crusade. I have no choice. So please —pray for us.”
Decision time at Festival Hall, Osaka, during 1959 Crusade in Japan's second largest city. Six 500-voice choirs participated, along with the famed Kyoto Philhar monic Symphony Orchestra. An exact total of 7,500 decisions for Christ were recorded.
The gymnasium in Tokyo— a miraculous provision for the Tokyo Crusade to be held in May, 1961.
AUGUST, 1960
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