The RJC network is a registered 501c3 charity powered by passionate volunteers. There are no membership fees to join and members range from individuals to organizations each bringing their knowledge and skill set. The network runs an online learning academy (RJC Academy), equipping webinars, and prayer gatherings as well as regional and international conferences and connections via email newsletters, Facebook and network partner events.
Our Story
As Told by Liz Godwin
I came across Don Wright's name when I was putting up the mission bulletin board at my church. I was running a homestay program for Japanese at my church and on the mission committee at my church. In 1995 I was given free airfare to go to Japan from the homestay program I was working with as a gift for my work. On this trip I chose to meet this missionary that our church supported, so that I would have a contact in Japan for my Returnees.
In the summer of 2000 Don sent me a letter asking if we would be available to come help in August. In my mind I'm thinking why would anybody go to Japan in August? I wrote back and said do you need any help in Hokkaido? He replied back no.
So in August of 2000 we went to serve for two weeks at Minami Urawa Church. There Don had us putting advertisements in mailboxes in the heat of Japan. After several hours, I felt I was surely going to die in this heat and we sought refuge in a royal fork cafe.
Over iced tea, Don stated, that "he'd like to network with others like us who are working with Japanese in the states." Don said he was interested in something like a worker's conference.
After we returned home I called our friend John Whitehouse and asked if he'd be interested in helping with a conference to train and network with others working with Japanese in the states and he said yes. So I emailed Don while he was in Japan and we started planning our first RJC conference and launched it in February 2001.
Ray Gosden was our first main speaker.
For the first couple conferences I set up all the lunches. I found house families for everybody that came from out of town. I personally received all the registration myself via email. For dinner, we went out to local restaurants, carpooling with everybody.
Our first conference, I think we had 78 people. And slightly more a second conference and third conference.
By the third conference I started making a list of jobs that I did to put on the conference: registration, meals, transportation, budget, ministry tables, packets, workshop hosts, decorations and called these subcommittees. I then started looking for people to do different parts of the conference. By about our 4th or 5th conference we had about 300 people. It was an exciting time.
2009 we wanted to see if it's possible to do the international conference in northern California and that one was held at North Creek Church Walnut Creek California.
In 2010 we did a regional conference in San Francisco at San Lorenzo Japanese Church with the help of Leon Harper. Then we added So. Cal and Hawaii to the regional list. We now have had about 17 different regional conference sites and building our network in other countries.
Our Statement of Faith
We believe in the Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, verbally inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy; and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. II Tim. 3:16; II Peter 1:21.
We believe in one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10,11; I Tim. 2:5; I Cor. 8:4; Matt. 28:19.
We believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, His virgin birth, His sinless human life, His divine miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, His mediatorial work, and His personal return in power and glory. Jn. 1:1; Jn. 1:18; Heb. 1:8; Tit. 2:13; I Jn. 5:20; I Cor. 15:3,4.
We believe in the salvation of lost and sinful man through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith apart from works, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Rom. 3:23; Jn. 3:7; Luke 24: 46,47; Jn. 1:12,13; I Pet. 1:18,19,23; Rom. 10:9,10.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the believer is enabled to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ. Tit. 3:5; Gal. 5:22,23; I Thess. 5:23,24.
We believe in unity in the Spirit of all true believers, the Church, the Body of Christ. Rom. 12:5; ICor. 10:17; Gal. 3:28; Jn. 17:21; Eph. 4:13.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. Jn. 5.
Be Part of the Movement
The strength of our network is in our members! We need your skills and giftings to, together, be all that we can be.