Glorious Gospel Christian Church
Encyclopedia
The Glorious Gospel Christian Church (Japanese
: 栄光の福音キリスト教会, Eikō no Fukuin Kirisuto Kyōkai) is an independent Japanese church founded by Sugita Kōtarō (杉田好太郎) in 1936. Sugita converted to Christianity
as a result of reading the Bible
during a long illness following a period of military service. In preparation for the Christian ministry, he enrolled in the theological seminary of the Holiness Church
in Tokyo
. Following graduation and ordination, he was sent by Bishop Nakada Juji to serve as the pastor of the Holiness congregation in Aso
, Kyushu
. Sugita could not accept the hierarchical structure of the Holiness Church and established the Glorious Gospel Christian Church as an independent movement in 1936. The name of the church was taken from 1 Timothy 1:11, which makes a specific reference to the "glorious gospel of God." Although he rejected the religious authority of the Holiness tradition, he continued to observe the sacraments of baptism
and the Lord's Supper
and maintained the Holiness Church emphasis on divine healing.
Sugita rejected the clergy-laity distinction and believed that all Christians are expected to be witnesses of the gospel and those who are called to be evangelists must be self-supporting like the Apostle Paul (who was a tentmaker). Sugita supported himself as a math and English
teacher and received no regular salary from the church. The church does not require a membership fee or tithe
, but simply encourages members to support the church as God leads them.
Over the years, anumber of members donated their land or homes to establish ten churches around the country. The membership peaked at approximately three thousand in the late 1970s
, but has declined rapidly over the past decade and is down to one thousand. The founder's wife succeeded him in 1972, but no clear program for training leaders was ever established. Worship services today follow the typical Protestant pattern of hymn
s, Bible
reading, and prayer
s, but members listened to a taped sermon by the founder since no one has been properly trained to continue this role. The annual convention held in August is still attended by 200 to 300 members, but observance of the Lord's Supper has been abandoned since it is too much trouble to distribute bread
and wine
to that many people.
The church has an extended or modified cannon. Sugita also took a 'hopeful approach' to the fate of the ancestors who died without hearing and responding to the gospel of Christ in this life. They allow the extension of salvation to the spirit world of the deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel. He was also tolerant of his followers participating in Buddhist memorial rites and provided alternative memorial services to meet the needs of Japanese to indicate that Christians also showed care and respect for the dead.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
: 栄光の福音キリスト教会, Eikō no Fukuin Kirisuto Kyōkai) is an independent Japanese church founded by Sugita Kōtarō (杉田好太郎) in 1936. Sugita converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
as a result of reading the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
during a long illness following a period of military service. In preparation for the Christian ministry, he enrolled in the theological seminary of the Holiness Church
Japan Holiness Church
The Japan Holiness Church traces its origins to the early evangelistic work of the Oriental Missionary Society, organized by Juji Nakada and by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cowman in 1901. Nakada had become acquainted with the Cowmans during a period he spent at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Following graduation and ordination, he was sent by Bishop Nakada Juji to serve as the pastor of the Holiness congregation in Aso
ASO
-Geography:* Aso , a river in Italy* Aso, Kumamoto, Japan* Mount Aso, a mountain in Japan* Aso Rock, a large outcrop on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria-Medicine:* Allele-specific oligonucleotide* Atherosclerosis obliterans* Anti-streptolysin O...
, Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. Sugita could not accept the hierarchical structure of the Holiness Church and established the Glorious Gospel Christian Church as an independent movement in 1936. The name of the church was taken from 1 Timothy 1:11, which makes a specific reference to the "glorious gospel of God." Although he rejected the religious authority of the Holiness tradition, he continued to observe the sacraments of baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the Lord's Supper
Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper may refer to:*Eucharist, Mass or Communion, a rite in Christianity*The Last Supper, the last meal Jesus of Nazareth shared with his disciples in the collection of Christian Scriptures called The Holy Bible....
and maintained the Holiness Church emphasis on divine healing.
Sugita rejected the clergy-laity distinction and believed that all Christians are expected to be witnesses of the gospel and those who are called to be evangelists must be self-supporting like the Apostle Paul (who was a tentmaker). Sugita supported himself as a math and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
teacher and received no regular salary from the church. The church does not require a membership fee or tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
, but simply encourages members to support the church as God leads them.
Over the years, anumber of members donated their land or homes to establish ten churches around the country. The membership peaked at approximately three thousand in the late 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, but has declined rapidly over the past decade and is down to one thousand. The founder's wife succeeded him in 1972, but no clear program for training leaders was ever established. Worship services today follow the typical Protestant pattern of hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s, Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
reading, and prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
s, but members listened to a taped sermon by the founder since no one has been properly trained to continue this role. The annual convention held in August is still attended by 200 to 300 members, but observance of the Lord's Supper has been abandoned since it is too much trouble to distribute bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
to that many people.
The church has an extended or modified cannon. Sugita also took a 'hopeful approach' to the fate of the ancestors who died without hearing and responding to the gospel of Christ in this life. They allow the extension of salvation to the spirit world of the deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel. He was also tolerant of his followers participating in Buddhist memorial rites and provided alternative memorial services to meet the needs of Japanese to indicate that Christians also showed care and respect for the dead.