Crows Next Japanese Christian Church is a Protestant Baptist church meeting on the North Shore of Sydney. Their Sunday gathering is in Japanese with English and Korean translations are available. On Sunday afternoon the run Church School for children in their church community. Those who come to church are from all walks of life, including a variety of nationalities, singles, couple and families, making it a vibrant church with a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Pastor Hiidome, Senior Pastor, was seeing their church struggle with staying connected to the next generation. He was observing most of their young people moving to other churches that worshiped primarily in English. But without the support of their home church and Christian family can end up leaving the church.
“Young people who graduated from Sunday school, even with Japanese parents, went to different churches because they wanted to hear native English,” explains Pastor Hiidome, “I was disappointed that many even stopped going to church later.”
So, Pastor Hiidome and three of his children, with their spouses, launchedan English Ministry. The aim was to provide a space for the young people who had graduated from Church School to worship and fellowship in English. The service started small, but now about 20 people gather for their English Ministry each week.
“I believe in the English Ministry started in our church, and that it was God who started,” reflects Pastor Hiidome, “at first, it was with a small number of people, but as friends invited another friend, we have grown, and we have deep fellowship after the service.”
Last September, three young men were baptised from among this ministry. All three of them invited family and friends to join them for the baptism. The service was full of joy, excitement and fellowship, with many people from their broader community coming.
Among those attending the baptisms was a female student who had previously attended our church but had been away for some time.
Hearing the testimonies of three boys opened her eyes; she was baptised and became connected to the church.
Crows Nest Japanese Christian Church saw a need for an English service in their community and it’s bearing fruit with people coming joining the church, people returning to church and people being baptised.
As a movement, we’re excited to hear and share baptism stories! National Baptism Week is 12-19 October 2025! Find resources, stories and more at www.crossover.org.au/national-baptism-week/
