Is AICF a normal church? If we answer normally, we would say “No, AICF is not a normal church. It is a unique church.” So, then, what is a “normal” church? What kind of answers would we get? Maybe an answer might be something like a building with a cross on it, and inside out of the building, there are banners of scriptures, the seats are bench style, hymns are sung with organ or piano, people who seem somewhat fancy gather together in western clothing with smiles on their faces. The pastor is calm and preaches in a soft yet dignified manner.

I think such a church is wonderful too. But AICF is not a church like that. AICF doesn’t
even have “church” in its name. So, then, are we a church? Are we an odd and not normal
church?

During this February’s mission trip to the Philippines, I wrote you an email from the mission field as my daily report at the end of the day. Now, I’ve bit edited the report and made it as whole days report. When I was reading back on them, I thought AICF’s mission trip is like the extension of the Acts of the Apostles led by the Holy Spirit. Every day we entered into an unknown world, God guided, placed in situations of difficulties and hardships, and in it, we didn’t know what was going to happen next. But in the midst of it, there were something marvelous things that happened, people were delivered, given hope, saved and lives were changed greatly. Perhaps that may not be normal in the “normal” church today, but in the days of the Acts, that was normal. So, are we a church outdated?

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I don’t care about being outdated or not. If God uses us for His ministry and mission of
love, it’s a blessing whether we are normal or not. We, AICF, just want to be God’s church
anyhow!

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Pastor Takeshi