What a joy it is to commend to you the life and ministry of two dear members of our church who are uniquely gifted and called by God to reach Japanese with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Tim and Jenelle McCown came to Grace as a newly married couple and quickly began to grow in a biblical understanding of the Christian life and the call to serve Christ.   God prepared them for foreign missions in our church through their teaching in children’s church, the Jr. High department, and hosting small growth groups.

God began to burden their heart for the Japanese people, so they reached out to the local university and began hosting Japanese bible studies in their home.  They learned to patiently walk these students through the story of the Bible in order to present the life and death of Jesus.  After our church sent them on a survey trip to Japan in 2010, God confirmed in their hearts that it was his will for them to spend the rest of their lives reaching this nearly unreached people.

With less than one half, of one percent, of the 121 million Japanese people holding to Jesus as their payment for sin, the urgency for the McCowns to get to the field and begin ministering could not be greater. They are called, gifted, and willing.  They have over half their necessary funds raised.  They are praying about getting to the field by the end of 2015.   Your support will help the gospel go to Japanese cities which currently have no gospel witness.  Please consider partnering with this fine family for the sake of the lost souls in Japan.

Kevin Kolb
Sending Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Saint Charles, Missouri

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! It is with great pleasure and personal assurance that I recommend Tim and Jenelle McCown to you. We have known the McCowns for almost five years now. We first met them in 2006 when we were visiting their home church, Grace Baptist Church in St. Charles, MO. We listened then to their burden for the Japanese people and their questions concerning going to the foreign mission field.

After we left for Japan, we stayed in contact. After a little over three years, Tim wrote to me and we began planning for them to come to Japan on a mission trip. God’s plan was a little sooner than ours, so they came to Japan a couple of months after we started planning. Throughout the planning process, Tim confirmed their trip schedule with me. I warned him that I thought their schedule was too full, especially since Tokyo time is 14 hours ahead of Central Standard Time. Tim and Jenelle had a number of goals they wanted to meet so they did not change their schedule. When they came, they met all of their goals and completed everything on their schedule to my knowledge. I was certainly impressed by their work ethic. Not only did they travel the country north to south, they assisted wherever they went and however they could.

In addition to a good work ethic, they have a solid spiritual foundation. During their visit to Japan and through the internet, we have had scores of personal conversations. As a result of those conversations, I can reassure you that Tim and Jenelle are very serious about their relationship with God and His direction for their lives. And I am not just saying that. As a result of our relationship with the McCowns as well as God’s leadership, we are planning on working with them during their first term in Japan. We are looking forward with anticipation to their return to Japan.

Therefore, it is with my utmost enthusiasm that I recommend the McCowns to you. Please, consider having them present the mission field of Japan to your church. May God bless you abundantly!

In Christ,

James A. Smith
BBFI Missionary
JAPAN