Shinji Seki

Naoto Kamano 

Once upon a time, long long ago, there were two old couples. One couple lived in the countryside of what used to be known as Tanba Prefecture (now part of Kyoto and Hyogo), and the other was a pastor near downtown Kobe. Later, the couple in Kobe moved to Tokyo and began evangelizing all throughout Japan. The couple in Tanba had a son that worked as an elementary school teacher in Kobe, while the couple in Kobe had a daughter that attended junior college. These two met at a church in Kobe, got married, were blessed with two sons and one daughter, and lived happily ever after. The end.

The eldest of the two sons is me, Naoto Kamano. I was born in Kobe in 1963 and grew up there. I attended Kyoto University’s School of Engineering; was called by the Lord during the second year of my Master’s degree; attended Asbury Theological Seminary, Kansai Bible College, Yale University Divinity School, and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (now known as Union Presbyterian Seminary); and earned my Ph.D in Biblical studies (Old Testament). I have pastored in Nara and Kobe since 2000 and have been serving full-time at Kansai Bible College since 2010. Currently, the Lord has given me the professional opportunities of being the Kansai Bible College principal, pastor of Japanese Jesus Christ Himejijohoku Church, and director of Japan Evangelical Theology Association. My family consists of my wife, a daughter in college, and a son in high school. By the way, my parents are still in good health.

Yuuichiro Inatomi

He was born and raised in Osaka, the city of laughs and good food. Since his mother was a Christian, he was half-forced to attend church from a young age. His life shifted in a major way when he met a very warm and loving missionary with a scary face when he was in elementary school. After high school graduation, as he was trying to decide on a major, the missionary recommended that he study abroad in South Korea. At the time, South Korea was burning with the flame of revival and the streets were filled with praise and prayer. There he met Jesus Christ, was later called to be a pastor, and moved on to seminary. He learned of love and forgiveness while facing trials in a population that was 99% Korean, and also learned of Korean hairstyles and fashion before returning to Japan (oops). After successfully maintaining a five-year long-distance relationship by the grace of God with a woman five years older than him whom he had met at church, they married. He served as an evangelist and associate pastor under a missionary for about ten years, working for spiritual revival in Japan. After that, God called him to South Korea again to study missions in graduate school while working as a youth pastor in a Korean church for three years. During that time, he was given a vision to minister to Japanese international students, and through prayer he was led to the United States. After many ups and downs, he now joyfully pastors two churches and commutes between Los Angeles and San Diego on a weekly basis. More than half the church members are young people, and it is a place overflowing with grace, laughter, and tears.

He loves playing, watching, and coaching sports, and played water polo in high school. Even now, he loves to take sports too seriously with young people. He has a family of four consisting of a wife who likes K-dramas and comedy (? years old), a son that likes soccer and comedy (16 years old), and a daughter that likes talking and is a huge fan of Yoshimoto New Comedy (8 years old).