Joel & Kelly Kaylor

I wanted to send out a quick update of what is happening next week and a prayer request.

Next week our whole family will be attending the largest pastor’s conference in Japan and the guest speakers are Frank Damazio, Sharon Damazio and Marc Estes from City Bible Church! We are so excited to have our Senior Pastor minister to 700 Japanese pastors and leaders from around the country! One of the main themes of the conference is “Raising up the next generation!”

After the conference Pastor Frank will spend the weekend at Hope Church in Tokyo! To say the least, we are looking forward to next week!!

Pastor Frank’s visit to Japan is very timely and strategic for Japan and also for us as we move forward with our church plant!

Pastor’s Conference: Feb 3 – 6 (Mon – Fri)

Weekend at Hope Church: Feb 7 – 8 (Sat & Sun)

Prayer Points:

Health and traveling mercies for Pastor Frank, Pastor Sharon and Pastor Marc

Anointing on all three of them as they teach and minister

Impartation to all pastors and leaders that attend.

Health and traveling mercies for everyone that attends—we will be driving 4 hours to get there.

Recession will NOT effect the attendance of the conference.

Last week was a significant week for us. We had our first Osaka church plant team meeting. The two families from southern Kyushu that will be moving up to Osaka to help us start the church flew up for the weekend for the church plant team retreat. To say the least, it was a historic weekend for our church. And what made that much more special was our fist day of the retreat was my birthday!!! YEP, I can officially say that our church plant journey with the team was “birthed”(started) on my birthday. I can’t think of a better birthday present than that (for what its worth, no one planned it that way, it just happened!)

We heard how God had specifically spoken to and led each one on the team to Osaka to our team, I shared the vision of the church and watched everyone get excited and the vision and possibilities, we ate, we hung out, we worshipped, we prayed, we shared, we ate and kept eating. We were all stirred, challenged and humbled to know that we are a part of something that is way beyond us. Something that God is orchestrating and He just so happened to ask us to be a part of it. WOW!

I am definitely sensing a shift in my spirit of who I am. The reality and the responsibilities of a Sr Pastor and a church planter has begun to set in. This is a sobering feeling. It is a feeling of destiny, responsibility, bigger-than-me feeling. It is a feeling of excitement for the future and to be a part of what God is doing and also a feeling that is driving me to my knees to cry out to God.

2009 is going to be one incredible year!!!

Stayed tuned for more info about the Osaka church plant, the vision, the name, the time line, the strategy and much more.

I am in the midst of our Osaka Church Plant meetings/retreat. What an incredible team I have. Stay tuned for reports and updates. In the mean time I will post this blog. A person who I worked with who quickly became like a father to me while we were in Portland sent this to me. He is a retired sheet metal worker who is in love with God and his wife. He is one of the wisest, most humble, positive and balanced person I know. This is so much like him! I just had to post it. Thanks Doug!

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Have a Great Year!

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New Year’s Recipe

Great Recipe (one of the best that you will ever read)

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

Talk to God about what is going on in your life.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________’

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds &walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You’ll be smiling before you know it.

26. Send this to everyone you care about.

This weekend (Friday - Sunday) is a very significant weekend for us. We are having our first official Osaka Church Plant Team meeting/retreat here in Tokyo.

Right now we have 10 on the team (including our family) that have committed to moving to Osaka with us to plant the church.

Some of the things on the agenda this weekend are:

vision casting
strategy discussion
team and relationship building, etc etc.
AND the anouncement of our church name:)

It is going to be a great 3 day retreat that will no doubt be a historical day for our church and for Osaka!

We wanted to keep you informed with our church plant progress and we also wanted to ask you for your prayers for this weekend.

Here are a few prayer points for the weekend

Safe travel for the 2 families flying in for the retreat

Health for everyone on the team

Strong presence of God

For Kelly and I as we lead the group.

Just think—this has all been possible because of your support! Imagine what is to come!!

Last week was a very interesting week for me. Even though it had already turned 2009 I felt as though I was standing in the middle of a bridge that connected 2008 and 2009.

2008 was a year of provision, preparation and addition as we launch our church in 2009! YES, that is right. This is the year that we will launch a church in Osaka (starting from scratch).

It has been a long time coming (21 years to be exact. “Calling is not always the Sending”, but that is another story). For what its worth, God knows everything and I wouldn’t trade the timing of our church launch for anything. “It’s Perfect” (quote from The Last Samurai).

As I look ahead into the year I see a healthy church launching in Osaka that will be instrumental in so many lives changed, disciples made, leaders raised & potential released.

Having said that, everything I am doing now is focused on the church plant starting with something VERY significant that will happen this weekend……..

…..Stay tuned!

Joel & Kelly Kaylor

January 2009

Largest Pastor’s Conference in Japan

Church Plant Team Meeting

New Year’s Recipe

Our FIRST Osaka Church Plant Team Meeting Weekend

Bridge between 2008 & 2009–Part 2

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