History of OIC

In 1974, God gave Rev. Peter Okayama a heart to begin an evangelical international fellowship in Osaka. As other Japanese brethren joined in prayer with Pastor Okayama, the vision gave birth to the beginning of the Osaka International Church.

In October 1974, at Rev. Okayama’s invitation, Rev. Jack Marshall began leading services in downtown hotels and Christian Centers. Rev. Marshall served as pastor of OIC for eighteen years until he returned to the United States in 1992. Under Rev. Marshall’s godly and steady leadership, Osaka International Church developed into a spiritual haven for the international community in Osaka.

After Rev. Marshall, Brian Cummins, Ron Hobden, and David Tomko each led OIC for three years each. After moving our meeting location several times, we were able to settle in at the Osaka Christian Center.

Pastor Daniel Ellrick served with a Japanese church in Hiroshima from 1996 to 2002. From 2002 to 2014, Dan served as pastor of OIC. Dan was the first pastor who was able to preach and counsel in Japanese as well as English. Also, from 2011 to 2014 Joseph Totsis was an assistant pastor and then associate pastor.

Rev. Alistair McKenna had an experience of serving in Kobe in the past and was called to serve in Japan again after ministering in the U.K. for more than 20 years. He served as a Senior Pastor of OIC for 5 years from 2015 to 2020.

And then Rev. Hugh Brown served as a Pastor of OIC from May 2020 to May 2021.