Who We Are
Our Vision
To fellowship in the love of Christ, become disciples of Christ, spread the Gospel, and to enlarge the Church (the body of Christ), ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
International Chapel Ministries (ICM) is a conservative Evangelical, Protestant, and Bible-teaching group of churches begun in the Kansai area of Japan in 1981 through the work of Jim and Barbara Blocksom (Jim retired as director of ICM in 2010).
International Chapel has churches in two locations: Kyotanabe City (Kyoto Prefecture) and Ikoma City (Nara Prefecture). Currently, there are two pastors serving the two Chapels.
Each Chapel is bilingual. The music and message of each worship time are in both English and Japanese. We try to create a warm, friendly environment for both English and Japanese speakers, as well as provide a bilingual environment for those wanting to improve their language skills. Professional teachers teach English conversation to those who want to study before the worship services.
Our goal is to bring the message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ to those living in Japan, regardless of nationality, and to train them to be committed followers of Christ who are able and willing to share in spreading the same message to the people around them. We believe that every Christian has some special gift given by God for service in the local church, and our desire is to train those who come to our Chapels to develop and use their gifts in the Church and in their vocation.
ICM is a lay movement, fully independent of overseas control. Its doctrinal roots go back to the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Please see our Statement of Faith below.
What We Believe
Each ICM Chapel takes a Biblical position on its governing doctrine and values. In our statement of faith below, you can see what we believe about:
- The Bible: We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
- God: We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons— Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost and born or the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, he rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.
- The Holy Spirit: We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
- Sin: We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost. Only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can man obtain salvation and spiritual life.
- Salvation: We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.
- Baptism and Communion: We believe that baptism (which means immersion) and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by those who are born again by faith in Christ. These are not to be regarded as means of salvation.
- The Church: We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which he is the head.
- Church Membership: We believe that only those who are thus members of the true church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.
- Church Governance: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.
- Christ’s Return: We believe in the personal second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer.
- Eternal Judgement: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.
International Chapel Leadership
Chris & Nancy Momose
Ikoma Chapel Pastor
Gregg & Becky Hutton
Kyoto Chapel Pastor