What is myうちそと?

myうちそと (uchi-soto) is an original suite of evangelistic resources designed to help you share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Japanese people, in terms and concepts that make sense to them and bring out the contours of the biblical story of redemption, leading to a call for a response. The myうちそとresources are all available free of charge (except shipping costs) in both print and online formats.

うち (uchi) and そと (soto) – meaning inside and outside – are well known concepts in Japan that are used to describe structures and relationships distinctive to Japanese culture and society. In the myうちそと resources, we trace the appearance of these ideas in the big-picture story of the Bible and show how they are connected to the experiences of many Japanese people living in a world shaped by うち (uchi) and そと (soto). This approach brings the message of salvation home to the Japanese heart in a new and powerful way.

Who is myうちそと for?

myうちそと is for Japan and the Japanese people and for anyone who wants to reach Japanese people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Many Japanese Christians feel ill-equipped to share the Gospel and may even believe they are unqualified to lead an evangelistic Bible study. The premise of myうちそと is that God can use any believer in this way if they are willing to step out in faith. The practical help offered in the suite of materials shows step by step how an evangelistic Bible study actually works, giving confidence to first timers and experienced evangelists alike.

myうちそと has been field tested on a range of ages and cultural/educational backgrounds within Japan. It is of course impossible to suit everyone’s taste, but we are confident that both the content and artwork will connect with a wide range of Japanese people. We prayerfully hope the resources will be shared and used widely, leading to the fruit of growth among Jesus’ people in Japan.

Pastors, ministry leaders, missionaries, and teachers may wish to use myうちそと in their training for evangelism. Members of the CBI team are available to come to your church or organization to run an introductory training session for your group on how to use the materials in your context. Please contact us if this is something you would like to pursue.

How can I start using myうちそと today?

  • Check out the myうちそと key resources online
  • Order your own free copies of the print resources
  • Use the booklets as invitations to ask friends to join the 10-part Bible study
  • Enjoy the manga story as the characters journey through the series of Bible studies – and see for yourself how you can lead a Bible study with your Japanese friends!

FAQs

myうちそと has primarily been designed by, and field-tested with, Japanese people. It tells the story of salvation in terms that connect with the hearts of many Japanese people and which also bring out key truths in the Bible. myうちそと is not just an another evangelistic tract or Gospel “summary”: at its core is a 10-part Bible study that leads towards the heart of the Christian faith, crafted to be experienced in relationship with others.

myうちそと has been developed by team members at Christ Bible Institute (CBI) in Nagoya, Japan. Our team is made up of experienced overseas missionaries and Japanese nationals. Visit the Team page to learn more about our team and the particular individuals behind myうちそと.

There are three newly developed resources that make up myうちそと (uchi-soto). All are available both in print and online, where you will also find additional video and supplementary content:

Opening the Bible with the Keys of Uchi & Soto

A 10-page A6 size color booklet introducing the key concepts and encouraging further investigation. The booklet is not designed to stand alone but is intended as an invitation to participate in a 10-part Bible study with a Christian friend or in a group.

my Uchi-Soto Bible Studies

A 10-part Bible study based on the booklet, which goes deeper into the Bible’s message and guides participants towards a response to Jesus Christ. These Bible studies are at the very heart of how we hope myうちそと will be used. It is by encountering and engaging with the written word of God that hearts are changed!

Doc Uchida’s Bible Study

A 170-page manga (comic) features a group of Japanese young people using the myうちそと materials in a small-group Bible study, and follows their story as they engage with the Gospel of Jesus through the studies. We have created this manga as a Leader’s Guide to help Japanese Christians lead the myうちそと Bible Studies for themselves.

myうちそと is free of charge (except postage costs for printed materials). This is possible thanks to the generous support of overseas partner churches and individuals. myうちそとprint resources must never be re-sold. If you find our resources offered for sale online or elsewhere, please let us know.

No. At present the print versions of the myうちそと resources are available in Japanese only. English translations are made available online. The translations are not professionally written and while they are accurate as to content they may be somewhat lacking in style! If you are interested in translating myうちそと into any other language please contact us.

No. The copyright for all text and illustrations in the myうちそと resources (both print and online) is held by CBI Press, which is an incorporated non-profit organization in Japan. All rights are reserved. While resources may be distributed, copied, and shared freely it should be noted that myうちそと uses the text of the New Japanese Revised Bible (2017 edition) with permission. Use of this Bible translation is strictly limited by copyright rules and any third-party users of myうちそと should be clear that they are not in infringement of copyright in respect to the Bible text. In addition, the text or illustrations of all the myうちそと resources must not be changed in any way without permission from CBI Press, and you must give credit if you use any of the text or illustrations in your own website or publications. The resources (whether as published by CBI Press, or in any other format) may not be sold. Any inquiries about copyright and use of the resources should be directed to CBI Press.

  • Sharing the gospel isn’t just for pastors and other specially trained Christians. It’s for every Christian, including me!
  • My story needs to be seen as part of God’s big story of salvation, and it comes with a personal call or invitation that I must accept or reject.

Meet the Team

Meet the team of missionary and Japanese national writers and designers behind myうちそと.

Online Lessons

View the myうちそと booklet, bible study and supplemental videos for each lesson

Print Materials

Order myうちそと booklets, bible study guides, and leader’s guide manga, free of charge!
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