CBN’s Superbook Expands Gospel Reach in Japan Through ‘Joy Joy Festival’
Tokyo – Each Sunday, Pastor Nozomi Nishimura of the Jesus Family Church in Tokyo delivers sermons, but his outreach extends beyond the pulpit. He frequently utilizes costumed characters, such as Pikachu, to attract attention and share the gospel message, particularly with children.
Pastor Nishimura explained, “We wanted to find a way on how to share the gospel to more people, especially the children, and so we came up with this yearly evangelistic festival, which is called ‘The Joy Joy Festival’. It is an entry point of the church, like today we have 10 non-Christian families who came; and then they come to church.”
Japan’s Largest Evangelistic Event
The ‘Joy Joy Festival’ is recognized as Japan’s largest evangelistic event. This year marked the third participation of CBN’s Superbook, featuring Gizmo, known locally as Robic. The Superbook team performed a dance to the “Salvation Poem,” a song that has gained increasing recognition among children, with the hope that they will understand its core message of salvation through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
Impact on Children and Families
Isa Pun, a Superbook fan, articulated his understanding of the message: “Yeah, if I believe in Jesus, then I will proceed to heaven. My favorite story in Superbook is the one about Revelation. And I like it because heaven looked cool.”
Isa’s mother, Tae Pun, emphasized the importance of introducing the love of God to young children, especially considering that Christianity represents less than 1% of the population in Japan. She expressed her appreciation for Superbook’s ability to make the Bible accessible to children through song, dance, and visuals. “It’s remarkably hard for kids to read the normal Bible. But Superbook is easy for them, with a lot of song and dance and pictures,” she remarked.
Superbook’s 40-Year History in Japan
According to John Tan, CBN regional director for Japan, Superbook first aired nationally in Japan 40 years ago. He explained, “It was originally created for the Japanese market. It was a way for Dr. Pat Robertson to enter Japan and introduce the Bible. In the 80s, we continued to invest in Japan and show them God’s love and God’s purpose for their lives through Superbook and through CBN ministries.”
Expanding CBN’s Ministry in Japan
The Superbook team has as well been actively involved in visiting Sunday Schools to teach children about figures like Queen Esther, encouraging them to become part of a “Kingdom Generation” dedicated to serving God. CBN volunteers, like Shekinah Grama, have made efforts to learn Japanese to better connect with the community. “It makes a lot of difference to speak their language, and so I took it upon myself to learn Japanese. So I could really understand what they’re going through. And they would know the effort is put into the intentionality. And they are shocked, they know that it’s love because someone took the effort to get to know them. They started sharing their lives little by little, opening up. And they told me that’s something they’ve never done before,” Grama said.
Last Christmas, CBN donated Superbook DVDs and Christian materials to an elderly home, providing residents with their first exposure to the Gospel. A staff member, Ms. Yokota, expressed gratitude, stating that the materials brought “recent joy and engagement” to their daily programs.
Looking ahead, CBN plans to establish CBN Japan, with a focus on children’s programming and a 700 Club-style program for adults. Tan stated, “In the very near future, we plan to open CBN Japan especially for kids, but there will also be a 700 Club-type program for the adults here in Japan.”
CBN supporter and missionary Keishi Kasuya expressed excitement about these developments, noting that CBN is becoming increasingly accepted and well-received in Japan.