Patrick and Faith Hansen
Pat and Faith Hansen’s vision has not changed since they first moved to Japan in 1984. It is a vision to establish healthy, dynamic churches in the Tokyo area, which are reproducing disciples, leaders and new churches. The challenge of evangelizing and discipling the people of Japan remains great. Tokyo has a population of 27 million, and 99 percent of them do not acknowledge God or know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
From a military family, Pat committed his life to Christ in 1972 while at the University of South Carolina (USC). He was discipled through the Navigator’s ministry. After completing his BA degree in behavorial and social science, Pat attended Columbia Biblical Seminary (CIU) where he received a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree with an emphasis in missiology. He completed his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree at CIU in 2007.
Faith was born in Benin, West Africa, to missionary parents. During her senior year at Columbia International University, she visited her father’s grave in Africa and felt God calling her to be part of her father’s spiritual fruit, by taking the gospel to spiritually needy people. Pat and Faith met at a Navigator Bible study and married in 1977. Faith completed her MEd in elementary education at USC and taught in both private and public schools in South Carolina.
Although Pat and Faith were preparing to minister in Africa, God used a short-term mission trip with OMF in 1980 to redirect their hearts and minds to the Japanese. Their first two years in Japan were in language school, followed by three years as part of a church-planting team starting a church on the southern edge of Tokyo. During their second term Pat led a church-planting team starting a church in the city on the northern rim of Tokyo. During the third term Pat and another missionary began Saitama International Church (SIC), located on the western border of Tokyo. In their fourth term Pat and Faith ministered at SIC, teaching, counseling and developing lay leaders. Pat also serves on the leadership team of the Japan Church Planting Institute (CPI). Faith has been a teacher at the Christian Academy of Japan for 10 years, teaching middle school ESL, third and fourth grades.
Once they have increased their prayer and support base, Pat and Faith Hansen plan to return to Japan the summer of 2008 to continue planting new churches in Tokyo. The Hansens have three older children: Catherine (1982) working towards a PhD at Princeton University, Philip (1986) pursuing a degree in media arts at USC, and Chris (1988) studying journalism at Georgia Southern University.