John Livingston
Church/Ministry Name : Izumi Community Church
Location: Lexington, KY
Ministry Description/Vision: Izumi Community Church exists to share the good news with the roughly 2,000+ Japanese people and other internationals, and Americans connected to them which God has sovereignly brought to the area of greater Lexington, Kentucky. To see them come to faith and be built up and discipled so that they then can put down root and bear fruit back in Japan, or wherever the Lord may lead them.
Spouse: Yoriko Livingston
Family Information:
My wife Yoriko is the daughter of a Japanese pastor who served his whole life planting churches and bringing the gospel to the people of Japan. Yoriko and I have been ministering to Japanese and other internationals together since we were married in 1998. We have three children. Hope is 25 and is seriously feeling led to some form of international missions and has completed a number of short-term mission trips. Trueman is 22 and just graduated from Asbury University. He also has a heart for people and is considering next steps for his future including ministry options. Walker our youngest is 15 and homeschooled. All of our children are helping with this new church plant in various capacities and as they are able.
Worship Information
Primary Language: English, Japanese
Worship Attendance: 41
Total Membership: 22
Worship Location:
4300 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY 40515
Worship Times:
11AM Sunday Mornings
Website/Social Media:
https://izumicommunity.church/
Ministry & Prayer Update
During the summer months when student numbers are lower will give me more time to focus on the adults and families that we are ministering to. Some things like my ESL class will take a break during the summer months, but now that we have established relationships through such avenues, we will use them as springboards to build on, and just as we did last summer, we will be starting new initiatives and meetings to do just that. For example, last summer I recruited some people from our church and other believes to work with me in doing fellowship through English Conversation and light sports with some of our ESL students. We are working to set some things like this in motion again for this summer.
In June we will also do a follow up trip to Japan to meet in person once again with those people that we ministered to here, who have gone back home, and in particular those who came to faith and who we baptized. It has been three years since we were able to do such a trip. On previous trips we met with more than 50 people, closer to 70 when we include their spouses and children. It will be especially great to see those who we lead to the Lord again, and to have the opportunity to speak once again into the lives of those who have yet to make a decision. We will do a couple larger gatherings or reunions and others who we will meet in person. Since Yorik's sister and her husband also pastor a church we will also be serving and supporting them on the Sundays when we are in their area.
Pray not only that God would move through all of this in a powerful way, but that things will go well with my 96 year old mother who will be still living in our home in our absence. To make this trip possible I have had to ask and line up four old friends and family members to fly in from out of state to come and stay with her at our home while we are in Japan.
Pray that God would continue to work through me, guiding me as I prepare messages which would meet people where they are at spiritually, and accomplish all that the Lord wants to do through the broad spectrum of where each person is at in their knowledge or lack of knowledge and relationship with the Lord.
Pray that as our many young people get scattered that just as happened in Acts 8, the Lord would do wonderful things through their lives.
See Full Planter List
