Meet Tristen and Sierra White, IM Missionaries to Japan
We are Tristen and Sierra White and we are IM missionaries to Tokyo, Japan. Tristen was born and raised in Gastonia, North Carolina, and received a degree in Ministry and Intercultural Studies from Randall University. Sierra grew up in Owasso, Oklahoma, and graduated with a degree in elementary education from Southern Nazarene University. We met while serving at Sierra’s home church and have been married for 2 years. We currently live in Oklahoma where Tristen serves at Kingsview FWB as the worship pastor and Sierra works at Southern Nazarene University serving college students. In our free time, we enjoy cooking, listening to records, board games, going to concerts, and thrifting!
We are both passionate about sharing the gospel and making disciples in Jesus’ name. We plan to use our experience in worship, kids, and student ministry to contribute to the Hope Alive team when we arrive. Our long-term vision is to assist with planting additional churches in the Tokyo area as the Hope Alive network continues to grow.
Why Japan?
Despite Japan’s impressive modernity and staggering population of over 125 million people, less than 1% of Japanese people have a relationship with Jesus. This makes Japan the second largest unreached people group in the world. Most Japanese people will go their entire life without ever reading a Bible, meeting a Christian, or even hearing the name of Jesus.
There is 1 church for every 6,000 people and the average church size in Japan is 10-15 members. If disciples are to be made in Japan, more missionaries must be sent, more churches must be planted, and more Japanese leaders must be trained and equipped for discipleship.
112 million people live in Japan, and 99.7 of Japanese people are lost, with many never hearing the Gospel.
Hope Alive Church in Japan
Hope Alive is an international church planting network in the Tokyo area of Japan. It was planted in 2019 by Heath and Joni Hubbard and since then we’ve seen 15 salvations and 11 baptisms. In 2023 alone, Hope Alive has averaged an attendance of 75 people and welcomed over 100 first time visitors.
We plan to use our experience in worship, kids, and student ministry to contribute to the Hope Alive team when we arrive. Our long-term vision is to assist with planting additional churches in the Tokyo area as the Hope Alive network continues to grow.
How you can pray for the Whites
- Pray for the Lord to provide partners as we begin to raise support.
- Please pray for us to lean into the Lord through this season, and trust His plans as we transition.
- Pray for God to help us in our study of the Japanese language and culture.
- Also pray that God would reveal to us and help us build discipleship relationships with Japanese people.
Tristen & Sierra White
You can partner with the Whites to reach people in Japan with the Gospel. Contact them to invite them to your church to share their heart for the Japanese people. Pray for them as they raise funds and prayer support.
