THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES (ICM)

教会の歩み

Beginning roots

The International Christian Ministries (ICM), was established in October, 1981, by its founders U.S. Navy Lieutenant Donald and Missionary Evelyn Duplessis. It was organize as a Christian ministry fellowship, in the home of Reverend Paul Arrington at #3 Duncan Street, on the U.S. Naval Base, Yokosuka, Japan.

Organized under the name Full Gospel Christian Cell Fellowship (FGCCF) and officially sanctioned by the Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka Chaplain’s Office Command Chaplain to function as a Christian Prayer and Bible study fellowship, the FGCCF conducted weekly Wednesday and Friday meetings in the home of Paul Arrington.

FGCCF quickly expanded in numbers and on December 31, 1981, held the first home Watch Night service where the attendance reached a standing capacity of more than 31 people at #3 Duncan street. Realizing the need to provide more space for the growing fellowship, LT Duplessis opened the now available military base residence, his home, at #7 Second Avenue, Yokosuka Base as the second home for weekly meetings. Word had spread concerning this new Christian fellowship and by summer of 1982 the FGCCF expanded its prayer and bible study home meetings to the following military bases: Yokosuka, Atsugi, Kami Seya, Yokohama, Camp Zama, Sagamihara and Sagami Depot. Because of the significant impact and presence of FGCCF on the military bases, LT Duplessis was requested by U.S. Army Command Chaplain, Camp Zama, Colonel Gordon Prout, to conduct the first Gospel Worship Service, which took place in August, 1982 at Camp Zama Main Chapel. Word again spread to other military bases concerning Gospel worship services available on the Army base and in 1985, LT Duplessis was supported by military Chaplains on U.S. Naval Air Station Atsugi, U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka and Fleet Activities Base Yokohama to hold Gospel Worship Service programs. Military Gospel services were supported and strengthened by Christian Lay-Leaders who worked together with LT Duplessis and grew in numbers over the next decade. These Gospel services would remain until present and continue to be led now by succeeding military and civilian

Lay-Leaders

As the 1990’s appeared. LT. Duplessis had now returned to Japan as a navy Commander and received instructions from the Lord to continue building the ministry once organized as a home fellowship. Commander Duplessis had clearly received divine orders from the Lord to transition the military fellowship to an off-base location, in order that more Japanese would be reached with the gospel and in 1991, established the first off-base Full Gospel church in Yokosuka City, under the name of Full Gospel Christian Church. A Board of Directors was established and full-scale Christian ministry service programs went forth. The new church began to draw both Japanese and non-military base worshippers, which included Japanese university students, foreign embassy workers and English teachers, throughout the Kanagawa and Tokyo areas.

In 1996, Commander Duplessis, while preparing for military retirement, received a night vision from the Lord which showed him a multitude of people, from many nations, standing with raised hands in Japan. He questioned the Lord for understanding, which led to God’s instructions for him to change the name of the ministry to International Christian Ministry (ICM) , whereby it is known today. Commander Duplessis obeyed and followed the Lord’s instructions and officially established the ICM as a United States foreign missions ministry and transitioned into full-time ministry upon retiring from the U.S. Military. He changed uniforms from military officer to civilian clergy, and, as an already ordained Christian minister of many years, began a full time ministry work, along with Evelyn, as Missionary Pastors. The vision from the Lord was very clear and God instructed that it be written as such: preach and teach the Word of God (Bible), show believers how to receive the promises of God in daily living, find out the callings from God upon individuals and then send them forth into the world to serve the Lord in their callings. Five ministry pillars were given by God in this vision and they were to always be required for worshippers and never removed from the ministry vision. They are: 1) Prayer, 2) Study of God’s Word, 3) Tithing, 4) Fellowship, and 5) Living a Consecrated life. These pillars, along with adherence to the tenets of faith, church covenant and principles of commitment were to forever serve as foundational elements for the ministry.

Throughout the remaining decade, under the missionary leadership of Pastor and Missionary Duplessis the ICM would see tremendous change as many foreigners began to worship within its ministry doors. Now operating as an officially registered foreign missions organization, ICM was received into the Japan Evangelical Missionary Association (JEMA), where it holds a long-standing membership of many years. Outreach into the local Japanese and international community took place which included: feeding the homeless, visiting hospitals, prisons and shelters for battered women and holding dozens of Christian retreats and evangelism outreach activities. In 2005, upon receiving his ministry appointment as Bishop Duplessis, led the ICM to expand its missionary borders and church-planted into nations outside Japan in fulfillment of its vision requirements to send those forth with ministry callings - into the uttermost parts of the world. Thus, from 2006-2010, ICM mission branches were established in the countries of Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Philippines and pastors were appointed over each branch. A ministry headquarters was officially set up in Japan at the ICM ministry location in Ebina City, Kanagawa. A ministry book store was established to supply the ICM branches and a ministry gospel choir program was established as a pre-evangelism outreach program to reach Japanese people.

In 2010, the ICM officially launched its vision-based missions bible school and partnered with Good Shepherd Ministries International, by facilitating programs through its International School of Ministry (ISOM) under license, to educate believers in basic foundations of the bible. The ISOM program, which now outreaches to local Christian communities throughout Japan, now functions as an independent learning institution, established and operated under the name of International – Schools and Learning Academics (ISLA). To date, the ISLA ISOM School has held seven academic/education recognition and graduate ceremonies and continues to graduate dozens of students. The number of student enrollment continues to increase as more nations flow into the ministry vision and work. In 2014, the ICM transitioned into a fully Japan registered independent Church ministry and Christian business organization as it prepared to integrate completely within the Japanese Christian and general civic societies within Japanese.

The ministry continued to strengthen its ties with local, governmental and civic groups. In October, 2016, ICM celebrated its 35th year of ministry work in Japan. Anniversary programs were held and were highlighted by the return of Reverend Paul Arrington, a founding ministry elder and keynote speaker for the 35th Anniversary Worship Service.

In 2018, ICM ministry leaders saw the need to emphasize hearing from the Lord on the next steps for His guidance concerning the direction of the ministry and its vision. Ministry prayer coordinator, Minister Mera Tilos, took charge and led a 9-member missions team to Seoul, Korea from Tokyo, Japan for a combined 4-day church growth conference and prayer summit. The results of the 4-day mission ignited spiritual transformation throughout the ministry and led to an all-ministry focus on living a more empowered life through the presence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and an uncompromising prayer life.

Throughout the remaining decade, ICM remained dedicated to soul-winning, increasing its presence and Christian witness in its local communities and pre-evangelism. These years witnessed significant ministry achievements, accomplishments and developments.

To highlight a few, in December, 2018 the ICM expanded its evangelism effort to include a deeper penetration into the harvest of souls, by expanding its global presence through the introduction of online line ministries in 2019. It was truly a God-directed move as both ICM and the world had no idea that the devastating presence of the global Coronavirus Pandemic would strike all nations and severely cripple the mission of the church to provide in house places of worship and Christian programs. ICM was ahead of the Christian communities as it already had ministry in place and smoothly continued its mission from the Lord.

In 2019, ICM witnessed its first-ever Japanese seminary graduate, Reverend Maki Enomoto, from Central Bible College and Seminary, Tokyo. Upon graduation, she received her ministry ordination, along with her appointment to the five-fold as pastor, during her coronation , with the laying on of hands by her renowned Christian community leaders, the Honorable Reverend K. Kitano, former chancellor and president of Central Bible college and Bishop D L Duplessis, Founder and Overseer of ICM. Pastor Enomoto began effectively shepherding the ICM flock, song with outgoing ICM pastor, Reverend Roslyn Miyazaki, who transitioned to the very demanding ministry assignment of international outreach pastor, Both pastors served faithfully and tirelessly.

As the year waned, there was concern by leadership for whether to remain in the current church worship facility, Apollo Building, Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture, due to continued long-term building lease requirements. Both ICM Overseer and Pastor Enomoto discussed this concern and sought what would be God’s next instruction for a physical place to worship. Pastor Enomoto emphasized the need for the ministry to acquire land in order to be more deeply rooted and organizationally registered in the nation of Japan. After fervently seeking the Lord and hearing from Him, Pastor Enomoto transitioned the ICM in Japan from a church-building based organization to that of a home church fellowship and online worship service ministry. This was done in order to begin preparing the church to purchase and own land and a building for the future. By doing so, the ministry would be meeting one of the major requirements to be legally registered in Japan as a religious organization. The full start of the "Nehemiah Building Plan", led by Pastor Enomoto began. This plan serves as the main ministry vehicle to provide future funds, through seed faith, to purchase and build ICM facilities in Japan.

In 2020, a new Pastor by the name of Reverend Kenneth Evaurherhe joined in pastoral ministries in the ICM, who received confirmation from the Lord to both enter into holy matrimony with ICM Pastor Enomoto and work alongside her in the ICM Vision. Reverend Evuarherhe was welcomely received in to ICM and consecrated into the ministry pastoral ship in May, 2021, where he received the laying on of hands, by a 12-clergy, multi-nation presbytery, during his installation service, led by Bishop Duplessis who appointed Reverend Evuarherhe to lead the team of ICM pastors and serve as the ministry spokesperson for the ministry founders and overseer. Through the direct combined efforts of Pastors Evuarherhe, outreach and ministry expansion continued and in mid-2021, the planting of a ministry branch was established in the Tokyo, Japan district of Shinjuku. ICM graciously enjoys the benefit of having all its currently serving pastors, being fully trained seminarians, who hold ministry degrees from Covenant Theological Seminary, USA.

In early 2021, after months of consecration and meditation by the ministry founder concerning how to bring forth, what is often referred to as the “Great Commission” deeper into the communities of the world and into every nation, through showing the love of God in a greater way, Bishop Duplessis consulted the ministry Board of Directors concerning how he was hearing from the Lord. The ministry Board of Directors witnessed that what was presented before them was in line with the will of God as ICM needed to demonstrate, in an everyday and common way, the love of God by helping others who needed help in ordinary societies throughout the world. In August, 2021, as ICM entered its 40th year of missions ministry, it received a change of ministry status to that of a fully registered, independent, USA 501c3 organization and named International Christian Ministries and Mission Society- ICMMS. In this capacity, the ICMMS organization was now able to more directly and openly carry out the ministry of Jesus Christ, by helping others and meeting greater needs of the community by concentrating on rendering charitable works, with the ultimate goal of sharing both the love and knowledge of God to people everywhere. Operating now under the new name of International Christian Ministries and Mission Society, abbreviated “ICMMS,” it now has ministry presence through its home fellowship, ministry branches and headquarters locations in Columbo, Sri Lanka, Douala, Cameroon, Manila, Philippines, Tokyo, Japan and Dallas, Texas, USA, where its ministry headquarters is now established. In addition to its USA ministry headquarters, the ICMMS is in it's final stages of purchase and full ownership of its first-ever 3-story ICM Japan Church and Missions Society Headquarters.

Throughout its 40 years of missions work, the ministry has impacted the lives of more than 8,000 worshippers, with hundreds of souls making the decision to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. More than 250 Christian water baptisms, 80 Child / Infant dedications, 35 Christian wedding ceremonies, and 3 Memorial (Funeral) services have been conducted. Dozens of five-fold ministry, apostolic and evangelical ministry representatives have been send forth both in Japan and throughout the world, where they serve as Pastors, Missionaries, Teachers, Seminarians, Diaconate, Prelates, Chaplains, Institutional Christian Representatives, Christian (Artist) Singers and Musicians. To date, the total number of worshipping nations throughout the history of ICM has exceeded 52. The ICMMS continues to positively impact the lives of many worshippers in their spiritual capacity, bible knowledge and everyday kingdom living for Jesus Christ. With a decisive determination to continue reaching souls everywhere, the ministry of ICM and its Mission Society endeavors to more widely demonstrate the love of God as it fullfils its calling and purpose by the Lord until the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.