Our Letters

Here are our most recent prayer letters. Enjoy!

  • Carter Connection- April 2015

    As the cold of winter passes, and the new life of spring blooms around us, I am reminded again of that new life that God has breathed into my sinful, dead heart, and the grace that He gives each day to live for Him. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) Church Growth Over the past several months, God has continually been bringing more people to our church family. We are starting to run out of room in our small building, and are gradually running out of ways to get everyone seated in our small auditorium. We have also had a steady stream of visitors that have been brought to church by our church family. In March, we had 17 first-time visitors who came for our regular Sunday services without any special evangelistic promotion. In our last prayer letter, I mentioned the need for Christian men, as well as Christian families in our church. God is continuing to answer those prayers. We have been blessed to have another family attend our services for the past month or so, who recently have expressed an interest in joining our church. The father, Yuzo Sakai, is a dear brother I ...

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  • Carter Connection- January 2015

        As we begin the new year, I am reminded of Paul’s resolve. “…This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13, 14) Regardless of the means, or the capacity in which God chooses to use me, my desire is to continually be molded and shaped as His vessel, until I am completed in His presence in glory. Christmas Service Christmas is a special time for our church, simply because of the interest Christmas draws to Christianity during this season. It is a great opportunity for our church family to reach out to their family and friends to hear the Gospel through the story of Christmas. Because we were so limited on space at our church for our Thanksgiving outreach, we decided to rent a hall for our Christmas service. God blessed the service immensely, with 52 people attending, and 10 visitors; 3 of which were first-time visitors. Again, my neighbors Norio and Mieko came, and Norio jumped in to help out throughout the time he was there. Please continue to ...

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  • Carter Connection- September 2014

    Family Camp Every year in the month of August, our church gets together with several other independent Baptist churches in the Tokyo area for Family Camp. This is a time of much needed Christian fellowship and preaching. This year we were able to have several ladies attend, as well as a man named Mr. Hanagaki, a noodle restaurant owner who was saved recently. Because of his busy schedule, he and his wife (who is still unsaved) were only able to attend one day. However, while they were there, their hearts were touched by the time they were able to spend with other Christians. This year I was able to teach several young adults throughout our time at camp. Please keep these young people in your hearts as you pray for us. They are among the next generation of Japanese who will win their country for Christ. Akigawa Baptist Church Family In our church, we are constantly praying for and reaching out to the families of our Christians. Currently, we do not have any Japanese families in which the entire immediate family is saved. Therefore, the reality of unsaved husbands, wives, parents, and children is constantly in front of us. There are two ladies ...

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  • Carter Connection- July 2014

    Home Church Visit As missionaries, one of the obstacles that is difficult to overcome is the disconnect that naturally happens between home church (or supporting church) and missionary. For many missionaries, it is very difficult to explain living conditions, the culture, spiritual obstacles, and the people to whom you are ministering, simply because there is often no frame of reference that can be used to adequately explain those things without actually being there. Last month, we had the privilege of having our pastor and several members from our home church come to visit us for a week and a half. They came specifically for the purpose of ministering to us and understanding how we live and minister so that they could better pray for us and our people. Words cannot describe what an encouragement this was, and still is, to us. Not only because of the encouragement that we personally received, but also because our church family in America was able to build ties with our church family in Japan. We are very thankful for the sacrifice that they made, both financially and in their time away from home, to come to be such a blessing to us. Annual Church Cookout While our ...

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  • Carter Connection- March 2014

    English Class Visitors (Continued) In our last prayer letter, I mentioned several English class ladies, who had started to come to our Sunday afternoon Bible class. I am happy to say that Mieko, Sumie, Yoshiko, and Yuechin have been continuing to come faithfully, studying God’s Word, and learning more and more about who God is. Thank you so much for your prayers over them. There is still a long road ahead of them as they continue to learn more fully their need for salvation, and the gift of redemption offered to them by Christ Jesus. So please continue to keep them in your prayers! The “Blizzard of 2014” In February, we experienced similar weather to what many of you back in the States are “enjoying.” In Tokyo, there is very little snowfall. We usually get a few inches of snow in February or March, which clears up after a few days. But this year, in mid-February we were hit with the biggest snowfall in 45 years which accumulated over a foot of snow on one weekend, followed by the biggest snowfall EVER RECORDED (over a foot and a half) the next weekend! Our area shut down for several days because traffic just couldn’t ...

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