Seven Christian Academy in Japan focus groups met this morning to:

• Build relationships.
• Deepen understanding about school improvement.
• Reflect on data from the school’s profile and survey.

Close the Gap Now helped develop the meeting agenda and provided support for focus group facilitators.

As part of its Bible curriculum review, International Christian School (Hong Kong) invited Michael Essenburg to serve a curriculum consultant. Essenburg reviewed curricular documents and then visited the school for 3 days. During his visit, he facilitated focus group meetings and visited classrooms. Essenburg will compile his findings and submit them to the school.

Christian Academy in Japan staff met in 7 different groups to focus on best practices regarding student learning, program, culture, staff, finances, and physical plant. Staff reflected on what success and failure looked like for a given best practice and considered how effectively the school was using best practices.

Close the Gap Now helped develop the meeting agenda and provided support for group facilitators.

Members of the Kanto House Church Network are meeting monthly to get encouragement, training, and accountability. At the July 25 meeting, the group will focus on evangelism by discussing 4 questions:

1. How can you pray for the lost? 
2. What's your evangelistic "conversation" style? 
3. What are basic Bible truths we need to talk about when evangelizing?
4. How often do you share your faith?

Close the Gap Now worked with the network coordinator to develop the meeting agenda.

Christian Academy in Japan staff met in different groups to focus on 6 areas: student learning, program, culture, staff, finances, and physical plant. Groups reflected on a variety of questions including:

• What are key strengths? 
• How do these strengths positively impact student learning?
• What are critical areas for follow-up? 
• How do these critical areas for follow-up negatively impact student learning? 

Close the Gap Now helped develop the meeting agenda and provided training for group facilitators.

At Connect2Empower's April 2 meeting, JEMA members from 3 missions:

• Shared about their ministry.
• Reflected on home-service debriefing.
• Discussed ways to help others target their strengths.

Facilitated by Close the Gap Now, Connect2Empower is a network of JEMA members (tasked with professional development) that connects to empower Christian leaders and organizations.

On February 18, the Leadership Team of TEAM Japan invested 4 hours in reflecting on 5 questions:

1. What’s the big picture?
2. What does TEAM emphasize?
3. What’s involved in achieving the vision?
4. How can improvement plans help?
5. Now what?

Close the Gap Now facilitated this reflection time.

At Connect2Empower's Jan. 29 meeting, JEMA members from 5 missions reflected on the purpose and structure of monthly reviews. Participants:

• Shared about their ministry.
• Reflected on monthly reviews, using questions like: What excites/frustrates you about monthly reviews? What makes a good monthly review good?
• Talked through questions/issues raised by participants.

Facilitated by Close the Gap Now, Connect2Empower is a network of JEMA members tasked with professional development that connects to empower Christian leaders and organizations.

Eighteen members of Christian Academy in Japan’s school community gathered on December 5 to review the school’s improvement report. Participants included parents, students, staff, and administrators. After celebrating God’s blessings in terms of student learning, community, facilities, and program, participants worked in small groups to review sections of the school improvement report.

Close the Gap Now facilitated the meeting.

At this morning's Connect2Grow gathering, cell church planters:

• Discussed how the house church model is a usable model for church multiplication.
• Explored using questions for ice breakers.
• Emphasized the importance of having cell/house church members relate to each other from the heart.
• Reflected on key questions like “Which groups in Japan have dynamics that are similar to cell/house churches?”
• Talked about ways to set goals and measure progress.

Connect2Empower is a network of Japan Evangelical Missionary Association (JEMA) members connecting to grow cell churches and house churches.

At Connect2Empower's Sept. 19 meeting, JEMA members from 5 missions focused on the purpose and structure of annual reviews. Participants:

• Used a set of questions to coach each other.
• Reflected on annual reviews, using questions like: How can annual reviews empower? What hinders your staff from being empowered by annual reviews?
• Talked through questions/issues raised by participants.

Facilitated by Close the Gap Now, Connect2Empower is a network of JEMA members tasked with professional development that connects to empower Christian leaders and organizations.

At this morning's Connect2Grow gathering, cell church planters:

• Discussed how to structure church activities in such a way that all members participate.
• Shared ministry challenges.
• Celebrated the news of a new cell church that will start on Sept. 6.

Connect2Grow a network of Japan Evangelical Missionary Association (JEMA) members connecting to grow cell churches and house churches, is facilitated by Close the Gap Now.

At Connect2Empower's May 30 meeting, JEMA members from 6 missions focused on the power of conversation. Participants:

• Used a set of questions to coach each other.
• Reflected on the power of conversation, using questions like: What do people in your mission talk about? What satisfies/concerns you about conversations with those in your mission? How do conversations help?
• Talked through questions/issues raised by participants.

Facilitated by Close the Gap Now, Connect2Empower is a network of JEMA members tasked with professional development that connects to empower Christian leaders and organizations.

On January 31, several Japan Evangelical Missionary Association members interested in growing cell churches and houses churches attended Connect2Grow's first network meeting. During the meeting, participants discussed their visions and began the documentation of goals for cell/house churches.

Connect2Grow was created and is facilitated by Close the Gap Now.

At Connect2Empower's January 24 meeting, JEMA members developed work-related debriefing tools. Participants:

• Discussed current practice.
  
• Learned about the DRAW inquiry process (Define • Respond • Analyze • What's next).
  
• Watched a video on Lencioni's 3 signs of a miserable job (anonymity • irrelevance • immeasurement).
  
• Used a template to begin development of a work-related debriefing tool.

Connect2Empower was created and is facilitated by Close the Gap Now.

At Connect2Empower's November 29 meeting, members discussed the power of reflection, how to cultivate reflection within their mission organizations, and procedures and tools their organizations use.

During its Jan. 24 meeting, Connect2Empower's members will design debriefing tools that address work-related topics. Started by Close the Gap Now, Connect2Empower is a community of practice for Tokyo-based missionaries interested in member care and professional development.