Hope for Japan

In January 2024, Tokyo Life Church celebrated our 9th anniversary. After a unanimous vote by our members in November 2023, we have started a building campaign to establish deeper roots in the Ikebukuro community. This is the biggest ask we have ever made. Yet, we sense that God is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Our church has led a nomadic life. From an art gallery space to Italian restaurant to seminar space and language school, God has faithfully provided a space for us to gather over these past nine years. As we have grown, our options have limited. During the pandemic, three of our previous locations closed. We are grateful for our current space, though we recognize its limitations, as there is not a separate space for our children’s ministry.

The church is not a building, but a community. God has taught us that we can be a church even without a building. But we can do so much more with our own space. A building is a tool, which will allow us to grow as a community, serve our city, and become a training center for future church plants.

We now plan to purchase a property in Ikebukuro. After an extensive search, we made a list of six key criteria for what we are looking for. A short distance from the train station, multiple floors, enough room for around 100-person worship space, etc. It would be a multi-purpose space for ministries and gatherings throughout the week, serving as a community/ministry center. This would allow us space for our children’s ministry, youth ministry, and small groups.

We have found an ideal 3-story building. It sits on a 170 sq. meter lot (1,800 sq feet) with a total of 389 square meters (around 4,000 sq ft). They are asking 260,000,000 yen, which with the current exchange rate is around $1.7 million. Through our savings and fundraising, we already have ¥111,500,000 yen (around $750,000), or 43% of our target goal (Update for October 2025: we now have over 203,000,000 yen or $1.4 million, which puts us around 80%!). As banks are hesitant to give loans to churches in Japan, we will need to raise this total amount.

Already, we have experienced God’s goodness and provision through many people around the world. Thank you to all who have already donated, from the US, UK, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Holland, and Japan. We ask you to prayerfully consider contributing in order for us to purchase this property and continue to bring life and hope to Tokyo. Above is a video two members created that shares more of the vision for this project. Below is the link, as well as the address, if you would like to give to this opportunity.

https://giving.covchurch.org/priorities-detail/Tokyo-Life-Church-in-Japan (International Gifts)

https://campaigns.tithely.com/50519-tokyo-life-church/tokyo-life-church-building-fund (Japan Gifts)

Evangelical Covenant Church

PO Box 773420

Chicago, IL 60677-3420

Memo: Tokyo Life Church