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TRAINING LABORERS
IN ASIA
By David Harris
Steven Maldoff, BIMI Southeast Asia Director,
said, “Missions is not just preaching and
evangelism and church planting. It also includes
the establishment of seminaries, colleges, and
institutes to help propel national believers into
being better equipped and trained for God’s
service.” This is so true and is a vital part of the
work of missions around the world. In Asia
there are several examples worth noting of
training laborers by BIMI missionaries.

second largest unreached people group in the
world and remains in great need of preachers
and missionaries. We must remember that
those who do come to Christ are often very
dedicated and faithful servants of the Lord. It is
worth everything that we can invest to see more
laborers enter this needy harvest field. Japanese
believers and those trained for ministry often
give their entire lives to the proclamation of the
Gospel in difficult and obscure places.

Because of our years in Japan, we are most
familiar with the Kansai Independent Baptist
Bible School (KIBBS) in Kobe, Japan. This
ministry was started by Don Sisk, Ron White,
and other missionaries who understood the
need to train new believers. Now for 54 years,
this ministry continues through dedicated local
pastors and missionaries who devote their time
to teach the next generation.

An example of this comes from the very first
graduating class of KIBBS. Though this was
many years ago, this ministry continues to be
very fruitful. Back in the early 1970s, there were
three men who graduated in the first graduating
class. To date, after more than 54 years, these
men are still pastoring the same churches and
have been used of God to see scores of people
come to Christ and many laborers trained
and sent into the harvest. Men such as Pastor
Ogawa, Pastor Omote, and Pastor Uehara are
legendary and wonderful examples of Christ-
like leadership. In addition, all of these men are
blessed that their sons are trained and in place
to continue their ministries in the future.

Japanese pastors with Don Sisk & Ron White
front: Pastor Omote, Pastor Uehara, , Pastor Ogawa
back: preachers & pastors trained at KIBBS
In the early days, some of the students were
actually kicked out of their homes by their
parents after placing their faith in Christ.

KIBBS, as it is called in the English-speaking
world, has produced over 200 of the most
committed and finest missionaries, pastors, and
ministry personnel in the world who are now
proclaiming the Gospel of Christ throughout
Japan and the world.

Despite much effort in evangelism, Japan is a
difficult field for seeing results by those in the
West, but for those of us who labor (or labored)
in Japan, every soul saved reminds us that there
is great rejoicing in the presence of the angels
when one comes to Christ. Japan remains the
12 In the Philippines there has also been a great
emphasis by BIMI missionaries to train
laborers for the harvest. One of the most
amazing ministries is that of Rick Martin. The
ministry of Iloilo Baptist Church and their
training of laborers for the harvest is a story
that needs to be told.

Iloilo Baptist Church, Iloilo City, Philippines