Mission: Then and Now

Abstract

Six years after Jennie M. Gheer arrived with Elizabeth Russell and established Kwassui in Nagasaki, she turned her face towards Fukuoka to plant a “daughter” school.2 Greeting her upon her arrival were a great many people eager to meet their new teacher.3 From the beginning the school was prosperous and by the grace of God is soon nearing its sesquicentennial. The academy of Fukuoka Jo Gakuin has a reputation as a “Mission” school. Beginning in 2005 the Junior College adopted the name, “Mission,” for the cover of its publications.4 In 2022, the primary focus of the philosophy of the academy is “connecting to Jesus.”5 In addition, the diploma policy of the junior college has “fearing God through Jesus Christ”as its primary goal.6 This paper investigates the “mission” of Fukuoka Jo Gakuin in its earliest sense through the archive of data recorded by missionaries. Furthermore, it combines the eternal sense of “mission” generated in the Father heart of God as recorded in Bible history. Lastly Mission: Then and Now contributing to the overall understanding of “mission” developed in this paper is the impression of “mission” given by Elizabeth Lee, Principal of Fukuoka Jo Gakko (1915-1924).