Acts 29 exists to support and catalyze church planting worldwide. Whether planting new churches or partnering with existing churches, we long to be a gospel-centered resource with nearly 700 churches around the globe. This is especially important for those in military communities. For many military families and service members, finding long-term discipleship and community can be difficult because of the transient nature of their occupation. But Acts 29 churches like Pillar Church of Okinawa seek to fill that void. 

Okinawa, made up of more than 160 inhabited and uninhabited islands, is located halfway between mainland Japan and Taiwan and has a strong US military presence. Pillar Church of Okinawa was planted in 2016 with a unique emphasis on serving US military service members and their families—they were welcomed into partnership with Acts 29 in 2018. 

In October 2022, Pillar Church of Okinawa sent out Jon and Melissa Simburger with a small group of core team members to plant a bilingual church that is missionally contextualized to the local Okinawan and Japanese people. That church, Gospel Life Church, was planted in December 2022. Since its inception, Gospel Life has organized outreaches to local families, college students, and single mothers.

Jon said, “Pillar Church and Gospel Life Church continue to work together to effectively reach, baptize, and disciple members of the US military in Okinawa, and are searching for church planter candidates to plant more churches in Okinawa.” 

When you support Acts 29, you are supporting the work of churches like Pillar Church of Okinawa around the world.