The Skinners are participants in the Rural Japan Church Planter Training Center with an unreached/unengaged area focus in Co-operation with EPC World Outreach and RJTA.
To support the Skinner’s Ministry in Japan, Click here: epcwo.org/dh
The Skinners are from Louisiana and serve at a church in Monroe. David has led the church’s media team as well as a Trail Life boys’ scouting troop. Heather has served as a musician and vocalist, led children’s music, and has been coordinator for an American Heritage Girls scouting troop. Eben and Omri faithfully assist their parents and have also served alongside them as a foster family for seven years, sharing their home with children who need a safe place to live.
The Skinners began focusing their prayers on Japan in 2021 during a sermon series through the book of Acts, when they began to realize their interest in Japanese language, media, and culture was another part of their lives that should glorify God. Heather began seriously studying Japanese, followed by the rest of the family, thinking they might one day participate in translation work or connect with Japanese university students. Heather providentially came upon information about the Rural Japan Church Planter Training Center while searching for language resources. When she and David learned that there are 1640 municipalities in rural Japan with no church presence whatsoever, they knew their language study was preparing them to live and serve among the unreached in these areas.
They will participate in a 4-year program with the training center in Iwate prefecture, gaining hands-on ministry experience as they serve under the direction of the leader of the Kita Sanriku church plant team in diverse capacities while continuing to study language and culture, taking seminary classes (David), and homeschooling the children (Heather).
As first term missionaries, their initial ministry focuses on the field will include:
- Japanese study
- Actively participating in a rural Japan church plant by:
- Attending and contributing to the worship services and/or Sunday Schools within the Kita Sanriku Christ Church multi-site church plant.
- Assisting with the Kita Sanriku Christ Church ministry in worship service locations, neighborhood small outreach groups, kid’s events, and other activities in the communities throughout the Iwaizumi Town and Tanohata Village, Fudai Village, and Noda Village area (These areas were all unengaged and had no church until the Kita Sanriku church plant started). Their ministry responsibilities will deepen and broaden along with their language skills.
- David will periodically be dispatched for short periods of time to assist in other rural ministries in the region to further broaden his experience base.
- Supplemental video and in person lectures and interactive discussion opportunities will also be part of their training periodically, along with David’s continuing seminary studies.
This ‘learning by doing’ environment will prepare them by the end of their first term to relocate for their second term to an untargeted unchurched community in rural Japan to start a new church plant within it. They are raising funds for this ministry and are hoping to move to Japan in 2024.
To Support the Skinner’s Ministry in Japan, Click here: epcwo.org/dh