Living Christ One Ear of Wheat Church
The Living Christ One Ear of Wheat Church (Japanese: 活けるキリスト一麦教会, Ikeru Kirisuto Ichibaku Kyōkai) is a Japanese church that was founded by Matsubara Kazuhito (松原和人) in 1939.[1] This is an independent and indigenous church, but the evangelical and holiness mission traditions provide the primary theological foundations for the church. Like the holiness traditions, the church emphasized baptism of the Holy Spirit and healing; speaking in tongues, however, is not recognized as a legitimate practice for public worship, although some members exercise the "gift" in private. The founder emphasized divine healing and often anointed individuals with oil and held special healing services. This is much less common today, but occasionally a healing service is held. The church observes both baptism and the Lord's Supper.
A memorial service is held for the founder each May and for other deceased members on Easter Sunday and in the fall (autumn) on a Sunday preceding the autumn equinox (秋分の日).[2] Various Christian memorial services are also held in the homes of members on special death anniversaries in accord with Japanese tradition. These services are regarded as an excellent opportunity for evangelism. A common practice of church members is to divide the ashes (分骨) of the deceased between the church cemetery and the Buddhist family grave in an effort to accommodate the needs and concerns of non-Christian relatives.
At the head church in Nagoya average Sunday attendance is over two hundred and sign language is provided for a small deaf group in the front of the church. The church service has a Biblical and evangelical orientation, with members following the sermon with their Bibles opened . The church actively supports revivals and crusades directed by various evangelical groups in Japan, making its identity as a distinct and separate subculture weaker than other indigenous movements.
History
The founder of the Living Christ One Ear of Wheat Church, Matsubara Kazuhito, first came into contact with Christianity through the Mino Mission while a junior high student. While a student at Kyoto University he began to study Christianity more seriously after hearing lectures on science and religion by Satō Teikichi, a Christian professor. Following graduation from university he moved to Kōbe and became an elementary school teacher. He converted to Christianity as a result of attending services led by an evangelistic group related to Barclay Baxton (1860–1946), a low-church Anglican who served as a missionary in Kōbe and Matsue from 1890 to 1891.
Matsubara subsequently felt a call to be an evangelist and attended Bible school (Shioya Seisho Gakusha) for one year to prepare for the ministry. He began independent evangelistic work in 1939. During the postwar period, the Living Christ One Ear of Wheat Church has grown to include eighteen churches (primarily in the Nagoya and Kansai areas) and a membership of over one thousand.[3] Matsubara died in 1966, and his wife, Saki, has led the church since that time.
