{"id":7418,"date":"2026-10-23T11:03:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T15:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/?p=7418"},"modified":"2026-10-23T11:10:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T15:10:42","slug":"slam-the-door-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/","title":{"rendered":"Slam the Door, Lord"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

My colleague Yukako handed me a tiny, printed list of titles, and I considered my options.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

I had been fascinated with Japan for decades. In the same month, I had my first taste of sushi and taught my first lesson on intercultural communication. Soon after, while serving at a Christian camp, I learned how unreached Japan was. I tried to go on my own, but repeatedly failed.<\/p>

If You Have Work for Me<\/strong><\/p>

Finally, in 2021, I applied for a Fulbright grant to teach in Japan for a year. I told God, \u201cIf I am only a tourist, slam the door, Lord. But if You have work for me, then no power on Earth can keep that door shut.\u201d With that, I clicked \u201cSubmit\u201d on my proposal and put it out of my mind.<\/p>

Long story, but God flew me to Japan, put me up in a house, and I stayed eleven months. I taught at Tsuda University, Tokyo International University, and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), where Yukako was my minder. It was exciting, but I still didn\u2019t know what work He had for me.\u00a0<\/p>

Anything You Like<\/strong><\/p>

One day near the end of the fall term Yukako told me I could teach a one-week intensive class if I liked: a whole semester in five days. I asked, \u201cWhat should I teach?\u201d She replied, \u201cAnything you like.\u201d<\/p>

The next day she handed me the tiny, printed list of course titles, which was a record of what previous instructors had taught. One course was titled \u201cChristianity: Unity in Diversity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

I thought \u201cHold up. Am I being offered the opportunity to teach a\u00a0class\u00a0about Christianity<\/em>?\u201d<\/blockquote>

I designed a class titled, \u201cHow Christianity Helps Explain the Way Westerners Communicate.” The cornerstone was Joseph Henrich\u2019s argument that the individualism-collectivism split grew out of Catholic teaching about marriage. I taught about relational mobility, power distance, conflict and forgiveness, explaining how Christian teaching had shaped communication differently from Confucian and Buddhist ideas.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

And Here I Was, the <\/strong>Sensei<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

TUFS scheduled the class. Only three students signed up for it, but we had wonderful conversations. Then, Tsuda and TIU both asked me what I planned to teach in their spring term, and I offered my spiffy new special topics. In the end, I taught these to more than 90 students. My friends, many of them Cru staff, were amazed: they told me how hard they had to work just to get\u00a0on\u00a0<\/em>campus, and here I was, the\u00a0sensei,\u00a0<\/em>explaining Christianity and fielding questions.\u00a0<\/p>

At the last meeting one young lady named Keiko approached me and said, \u201cI\u2019ve decided to become a Christian.\u201d She told me how many people she knew were in desperate need of forgiveness. I now pray for her all the time.<\/p>

God didn\u2019t open the door for me to minister to Japanese students; He kicked the door off its hinges.<\/p>

He gave me a role I never could have won by my own efforts. The thing I couldn\u2019t stop saying to my American students when I returned is, \u201cGod really is that good!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"unnamed_161446\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Doyle Srader<\/strong><\/p>

Speech & Communication<\/p>

Bushnell<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My colleague Yukako handed me a tiny, printed list of titles, and I considered my options. I had been fascinated with Japan for decades. In the same month, I had my first taste of sushi and taught my first lesson on intercultural communication. Soon after, while serving at a Christian camp, I learned how unreached […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45210,"featured_media":7419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2439,2437,2436],"tags":[3944,3426,4039,4020,2540,3851,4021,3943,3847,3828,3965,4015,4013,3996,4018,4017,4014,3826,3424,4019,3544,4011,3854,3477,4025,2910,4003,2460,2780,3496,2513,3995,3821,2791,4004,4032,3955,4040,3958,2936,4028,4029,3570,2785,2655,3837,4022,3886,4010,3852,2692,4005,4027,4024,4006,4037,3914,4023,3189,4026,2840,3250,3666,3785,2524,3845,3913,3459,3273,3827,3873,4031,4038,4016,4009,4008,4012,4034,4035,2569,4033,4036,4030,4007,3882],"class_list":["post-7418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grander-stories","category-personal-faith","category-professional-challenges","tag-academic-ministry","tag-answered-prayer","tag-becoming-a-christian","tag-buddhism","tag-calling","tag-campus-ministry","tag-catholicism","tag-christian-academics","tag-christian-apologetics","tag-christian-faculty","tag-christian-teaching","tag-christian-worldview","tag-christianity-and-communication","tag-christianity-and-culture","tag-christianity-and-eastern-culture","tag-christianity-and-western-culture","tag-christianity-in-academia","tag-college-students","tag-communication","tag-confucianism","tag-conversion","tag-cross-cultural-communication","tag-cross-cultural-ministry","tag-cru","tag-cru-staff","tag-discipleship","tag-doyle-srader","tag-evangelism","tag-faculty-commons","tag-faculty-ministry","tag-faith","tag-faith-and-culture","tag-faith-and-vocation","tag-forgiveness","tag-fulbright","tag-fulbright-grant","tag-global-ministry","tag-god-is-good","tag-god-opening-doors","tag-gods-calling","tag-gods-guidance","tag-gods-provision","tag-gods-sovereignty","tag-gospel-conversations","tag-gospel-presentation","tag-higher-education","tag-individualism-and-collectivism","tag-integrating-faith-and-work","tag-intercultural-communication","tag-international-ministry","tag-international-students","tag-japan","tag-japan-missions","tag-japanese-students","tag-japanese-university","tag-keiko","tag-making-christ-known","tag-marriage-and-christianity","tag-mission-trip","tag-missionary-work","tag-missions","tag-obedience","tag-open-doors","tag-opportunities-for-ministry","tag-prayer","tag-reasons-for-christianity","tag-sharing-christ","tag-sharing-faith","tag-spiritual-conversations","tag-spiritual-growth","tag-spiritual-seekers","tag-stepping-out-in-faith","tag-student-comes-to-faith","tag-student-evangelism","tag-study-abroad","tag-teaching-abroad","tag-teaching-christianity","tag-tokyo-international-university","tag-tokyo-university-of-foreign-studies","tag-trusting-god","tag-tsuda-university","tag-tufs","tag-unexpected-opportunities","tag-university-professors","tag-university-students"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSlam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Slam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"My colleague Yukako handed me a tiny, printed list of titles, and I considered my options. I had been fascinated with Japan for decades. In the same month, I had my first taste of sushi and taught my first lesson on intercultural communication. Soon after, while serving at a Christian camp, I learned how unreached […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Faculty Commons\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2119\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1415\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark Bouchillon\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mark Bouchillon\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mark Bouchillon\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/362446b1aaccc50e94a2ed21934ff909\"},\"headline\":\"Slam the Door, Lord\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":526,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Academic ministry\",\"answered prayer\",\"Becoming a Christian\",\"Buddhism\",\"calling\",\"Campus ministry\",\"Catholicism\",\"Christian academics\",\"Christian apologetics\",\"Christian faculty\",\"Christian teaching\",\"Christian worldview\",\"Christianity and communication\",\"Christianity and culture\",\"Christianity and Eastern culture\",\"Christianity and Western culture\",\"Christianity in academia\",\"College students\",\"communication\",\"Confucianism\",\"conversion\",\"Cross-cultural communication\",\"Cross-cultural ministry\",\"cru\",\"Cru staff\",\"discipleship\",\"doyle srader\",\"evangelism\",\"faculty commons\",\"faculty ministry\",\"faith\",\"Faith and culture\",\"faith and vocation\",\"forgiveness\",\"Fulbright\",\"Fulbright grant\",\"Global ministry\",\"God is good\",\"God opening doors\",\"god's calling\",\"God's guidance\",\"God's provision\",\"GOd's sovereignty\",\"gospel conversations\",\"gospel presentation\",\"Higher education\",\"Individualism and collectivism\",\"Integrating faith and work\",\"Intercultural communication\",\"International ministry\",\"international students\",\"Japan\",\"Japan missions\",\"Japanese students\",\"Japanese university\",\"Keiko\",\"Making Christ known\",\"Marriage and Christianity\",\"mission trip\",\"Missionary work\",\"missions\",\"obedience\",\"open doors\",\"opportunities for ministry\",\"prayer\",\"Reasons for Christianity\",\"Sharing Christ\",\"sharing faith\",\"spiritual conversations\",\"Spiritual growth\",\"Spiritual seekers\",\"Stepping out in faith\",\"Student comes to faith\",\"Student evangelism\",\"Study abroad\",\"Teaching abroad\",\"Teaching Christianity\",\"Tokyo International University\",\"Tokyo University of Foreign Studies\",\"trusting God\",\"Tsuda University\",\"TUFS\",\"Unexpected opportunities\",\"University professors\",\"University students\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Grander Stories\",\"Personal Faith\",\"Professional Challenges\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/\",\"name\":\"Slam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg\",\"width\":2119,\"height\":1415,\"caption\":\"Tokyo, Japan - Mar 31, 2016: Students go to the University of Tokyo as new academic year starts in April.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/2026\\\/slam-the-door-lord\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Slam the Door, Lord\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/\",\"name\":\"Faculty Commons\",\"description\":\"The faculty and grad ministry of Cru\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Faculty Commons\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2022\\\/06\\\/cropped-FClogoBlkRGB-Endorsed.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/652\\\/2022\\\/06\\\/cropped-FClogoBlkRGB-Endorsed.jpeg\",\"width\":1095,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"Faculty Commons\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/362446b1aaccc50e94a2ed21934ff909\",\"name\":\"Mark Bouchillon\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mark Bouchillon\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/campus.cru.org\\\/faculty\\\/author\\\/mark-bouchillon-4d9e0bb9\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Slam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Slam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons","og_description":"My colleague Yukako handed me a tiny, printed list of titles, and I considered my options. I had been fascinated with Japan for decades. In the same month, I had my first taste of sushi and taught my first lesson on intercultural communication. Soon after, while serving at a Christian camp, I learned how unreached […]","og_url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/","og_site_name":"Faculty Commons","article_published_time":"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2119,"height":1415,"url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mark Bouchillon","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mark Bouchillon","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/"},"author":{"name":"Mark Bouchillon","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#\/schema\/person\/362446b1aaccc50e94a2ed21934ff909"},"headline":"Slam the Door, Lord","datePublished":"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/"},"wordCount":526,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","keywords":["Academic ministry","answered prayer","Becoming a Christian","Buddhism","calling","Campus ministry","Catholicism","Christian academics","Christian apologetics","Christian faculty","Christian teaching","Christian worldview","Christianity and communication","Christianity and culture","Christianity and Eastern culture","Christianity and Western culture","Christianity in academia","College students","communication","Confucianism","conversion","Cross-cultural communication","Cross-cultural ministry","cru","Cru staff","discipleship","doyle srader","evangelism","faculty commons","faculty ministry","faith","Faith and culture","faith and vocation","forgiveness","Fulbright","Fulbright grant","Global ministry","God is good","God opening doors","god's calling","God's guidance","God's provision","GOd's sovereignty","gospel conversations","gospel presentation","Higher education","Individualism and collectivism","Integrating faith and work","Intercultural communication","International ministry","international students","Japan","Japan missions","Japanese students","Japanese university","Keiko","Making Christ known","Marriage and Christianity","mission trip","Missionary work","missions","obedience","open doors","opportunities for ministry","prayer","Reasons for Christianity","Sharing Christ","sharing faith","spiritual conversations","Spiritual growth","Spiritual seekers","Stepping out in faith","Student comes to faith","Student evangelism","Study abroad","Teaching abroad","Teaching Christianity","Tokyo International University","Tokyo University of Foreign Studies","trusting God","Tsuda University","TUFS","Unexpected opportunities","University professors","University students"],"articleSection":["Grander Stories","Personal Faith","Professional Challenges"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/","url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/","name":"Slam the Door, Lord - Faculty Commons","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-23T15:03:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-23T15:10:42+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","width":2119,"height":1415,"caption":"Tokyo, Japan - Mar 31, 2016: Students go to the University of Tokyo as new academic year starts in April."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/2026\/slam-the-door-lord\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Slam the Door, Lord"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#website","url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/","name":"Faculty Commons","description":"The faculty and grad ministry of Cru","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#organization","name":"Faculty Commons","url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2022\/06\/cropped-FClogoBlkRGB-Endorsed.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2022\/06\/cropped-FClogoBlkRGB-Endorsed.jpeg","width":1095,"height":300,"caption":"Faculty Commons"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/#\/schema\/person\/362446b1aaccc50e94a2ed21934ff909","name":"Mark Bouchillon","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69d9d6a36b873a1bbbf6108553cc32ee50c361912d8027596a46a156dd0279?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mark Bouchillon"},"url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/author\/mark-bouchillon-4d9e0bb9\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"meta_box":{"_cloudsearch_visibility":"0"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/652\/2026\/10\/unnamed-2026-10-23T105634.229.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7418"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7428,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions\/7428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campus.cru.org\/faculty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}