Hi ministry partners of Sunrise!
We’re Peter and Wendi Thomson, and wanted to let you know what brought us to the Sunrise family.
Over the past four years our ministry in leadership development and church multiplication has shifted from a focus on pastors and established churches to seeking Kingdom transformation in businesses, schools and communities by more actively engaging these arenas. Our previous mission (which we love!) is fully focused on pastors and established churches and doesn’t have the capacity to support moving in new directions right now. We already work with a great collaborative network of Japanese leaders and believers, but also need a mission more able to provide synergy for this ministry philosophy and strategy.
So after much pray and intercession, this fall we transfered from Asian Access to Sunrise. As you already know, Sunrise is a mission organization that ‘exists in order to make disciples and multiply churches in Japan and throughout Asia.’ In terms of vision and mission, it is similar to Asian Access, and Sunrise has highly influenced much of the leadership development Asian Access does in countries across Asia. Our first connection with Sunrise was while we served in Yokohama with Jim and Masako from 1997-1999.
During these two years, we served in an internship under Jim and Masako to help prepare us for future church-planting projects. Highly formative to our growth in the Lord and as missionaries, our time together has influenced our entire ministry since then. The centrality of the love relationship with Jesus to all we do, the importance of listening to and aligning with God, reproducible discipleship models, and simple structures are some of the main principles they imparted to us. Since 1999, we have stayed in contact with the Millards and have benefited from their discipleship and input into our lives.
Jim spends a large portion of his time facilitating Asian Access’ leadership development in other Asian countries, which is one reason why we love Sunrise. Sunrise and Asian Access have demonstrated successful collaboration for many years, and we look forward to continued collaboration with the Asian Access family of missionaries.
Other reasons we are drawn to Sunrise include: Jim and Masako’s love and passion for Jesus and people, and their focus on relationships. They never fail to challenge us to love Jesus more. In addition to Jim and Masako, their sons, Joey and his family, Noah, and Davy and his family serve with Sunrise. That all of their children were raised in Japan, including their youngest daughter in the US, and are living in love-relationships with Jesus, is a model that greatly encourages us as our eldest children have moved into secondary education. Our family holds similar ministry philosophies to everyone in Sunrise, and we believe the counsel and discipleship we will receive as part of this mission will take our ministry forward. Additionally, we love the culture (Jesus-focused, edgy and familial) of Sunrise.
Essentially, our ministry as a part of Sunrise will look much like it does now. However, we are not joining Sunrise because it will simply allow us to keep doing what we are doing. We are joining Sunrise because we believe it can provide needed direction, accountability, experience and honesty to take our ministry further. We are excited to go deeper in loving on Japan and seeing transformation take place throughout society.
We look forward to getting to know you, the ministry partners of Sunrise, and to many fruitful years of ministry.
Blessings,
Peter, Wendi and kids
