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Why We Chose the Name Hikari International Baptist Church
Hikari (光) is the Japanese word for light, a name inspired by the vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:23–24: the glory of God gives the city light, the Lamb is its lamp, and “by its light will the nations walk.” Tokyo is famous for its earthly lights, yet millions remain in spiritual darkness. Our prayer is that, through the gospel, Tokyo would increasingly reflect the coming heavenly city as people from every nation come to walk in the light of Christ. Christ is the Light; the church reflects his Light; the nations walk by his Light. As an international, English-speaking Baptist church in Tokyo, we long to be a small outpost of the coming Kingdom. We pray to become a community where Japanese people and internationals hear the gospel, grow as disciples, and walk together in the light of the Lamb. Ultimately, Hikari is not about light as an idea; it is about Jesus Christ, the true Light, whose glory will one day fill the world forever.
Returning to Japan
For fourteen years after leaving Japan, David Rainer was, in his own words, “Japan-haunted” — unable to silence a longing to return. Then in early 2025 he encountered the #PrayForTokyo campaign, and God opened doors he “could never have imagined.”
Today the Rainers are preparing to move back to Tokyo to plant a healthy, word-centered church — one that can “launch gospel ministry, plant churches, sustain and equip missionaries, reach the lost, and model church health” in one of the world’s least-reached cities.
HEAR FROM CONCORD
In the video below, Pastor David shares the series of events that has led our church and the Rainer family to prayerfully consider how we may participate in a new church planting work in the world's largest city.
Reaching and Teaching in Tokyo
Take a look at these Reaching and Teaching podcast episodes to see what God is doing in Tokyo. You’ll hear what ministry in Japan really looks like, how the Lord is mobilizing the Church, and how you can pray for and support the Tokyo church plant. You can also listen to these conversations directly on the Missions Talk website.