Flowers and friends greet these members of the World Vision team arriving in Japan for the Osaka Christian Crusade. From lett: Ellsworth Culver, executive vice president of World Vision, Pianist Charles Magnuson, Organist Lorin Whitney, Music Director Ralph Carmichael and Missionary Joe Gooden. Jack Conner favors the welcoming group of Japanese with a melodious hymn.
Missionary Evangelism’s New Look
How Ja p a n ’s Osaka Crusade Made History
Dr. Bob Pierce speaking in the Osaka Crusade
T h e c u r t a i n rose over an illuminated stage . . . a 500- voice Japanese choir sang a worshipful hymn accompanied by the 75-piece Kyoto Philharmonic sym phony orchestra... . . an American evangelist preached a sermon and an hour later 155 Japanese walked down plush-lined aisles of beautiful Festival Hall to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. Such was the opening service of the gigantic Osaka Christian Crusade in one of Japan’s most cultured cities. “At last,” a missionary to Japan observed, “the glorious message is going forth in a place that becomes the Gospel!” Another missionary added: “ Japan has never seen an invitation like this . . . so solemn, so reverent!” The Crusade, conducted from May 12 to June 1, was Japan’s first evangelistic effort in celebration of its 100th anniversary of Protestantism. Overwhelming nightly response during the 21-day Crusade registered a total of 7,467 decisions among an aggregate attendance of 96,200 people. More than 70,000 different individuals heard the Gospel in Festival Hall through ticket-controlled seating - this is an area of only 25,000 Christians in a nation which claims a Christian population of less than one half of one per cent.
These history-making meetings were sponsored by World Vision, Inc. Featured nightly speaker was Dr. Bob Pierce, president of the organization. His team included Dr. Paul S. Rees, vice president of World Vision, who conducted daily seminars for pastors in the area. Gospel musicians Norman Nelson, Gary Moore, and Fague Springmann aided the meetings, accompanied by Sym phonic Marimbist Jack Conner, Pianist Charles Magnuson and organist Lorin Whitney. The unique feature of the 75-piece Kyoto Philharmonic s y m p h o n y o r c h e s t r a , described by Crusade spokesmen as “ a natural attraction for cultured Osaka,” appeared each night, along with the choir, under the baton of American music composer Ralph Carmichael. In addition to the Festival Hall meetings, the message was carried each night to many millions of speakers by radio and TV throughout the nation. William C. Jones, Los Angeles author and publisher, successfully demonstrated what he terms “ banquet evan gelism.” Jones held eight luncheons in the Osaka-Kyoto- Kobe area which brought together 1,610 business, profes sional and government leaders to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Osaka Crusade was bom last year in the hearts and minds of dedicated Japanese laymen who met each morning for prayer in a prominent hotel. These men took an active part in World Vision’s 1958 Pastors’ Conference in Osaka. At the close of the meetings which drew pastors from remote villages and towns of the nation, the men formally invited Dr. Bob Pierce to return for a tri-city crusade encompassing the cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Mr. Motoo Sakata, president of the Laymen’s Associa tion, Church of Christ in Japan, told Dr. Pierce on that Festival Hall, scene of the Osaka Christian Crusade, was packed nightly for three weeks with approximately 3,800 people. Total number of decisions were 7,467. Nearly 100,000 heard the Gospel. TH E K IN G 'S BUSINESS
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