Christian Canaan Church

The Christian Canaan Church (Japanese: 基督カーナン教団, Kirisuto Kaanan Kyodan) was founded by Taniguchi Toku (谷口とく), who converted to Christianity through contact with Plymouth Brethren missionaries from England. After his conversion he experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit and formed this independent Japanese Pentecostal Church. The group began with house meetings in 1940. The headquarters of this church is in Sakai City south of Osaka and churches are concentrated in the Kansai area. Its pastors are trained at various Bible colleges and seminaries in the area. According to a recent Christian Yearbook, it now has ten churches, four evangelistic meeting places, a membership of almost two thousand five hundred, and thirty one pastors. The Bible is the standard of faith for this church, which uses the old literary translation with which the founder began. The primary concern of this group is to practice Christianity according to the Bible and the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptism of the spirit, speaking in tongues, healing, are all features this group shares in common with other Pentecostal churches. The church observes baptism and the Lord's Supper, as well as Christian memorial services for the dead according to the traditional Japanese calendar and family custom.