Background
From 1988 to 2025, Gary and Barbara Bauman served full-time in Japan with A3 (formerly Asian Access). After 37 years as donor-supported missionaries, they transitioned to self-supporting retiree status on January 1, 2026. Although officially "retired" from donor-funded ministry, they continue to minister from their home in the Tokyo area with a focus on discipling, coaching, mentoring, and partnering with their local church.
History with A3
The Baumans have engaged in both local and national ministries, strengthening the Japanese church and the missionary community. Their journey began with A3 short-term summer outreaches in the Osaka area—Barbara as a single in 1981, and together as a couple in 1985.
During that 1985 outreach, they learned of a new A3 music ministry initiative called Song-Rise. Both Gary and Barbara have music degrees, and the following year sensed God’s calling to serve in Japan in the development of this new outreach.
After two years of support development, they moved to Japan in December 1988 with their one-year-old daughter, Jessica. Their son, Josiah, was born in Tokyo in 1990. From 1989 to 2002, the Baumans focused on music evangelism, worship seminars, and resource development. Key Song-Rise and personal projects involved producing two Japanese Continentals CDs and creating bilingual music resources, including the Exalt Him! praise and worship songbook, the Dickens Christmas Carolers audio cassette, and the Caroling Collection songbook and CD.
Expanding Ministry Focus
While raising their children, Barbara developed a passion for supporting Japanese mothers. She noticed them struggling alone with parenting challenges while their husbands worked long hours in Japan’s demanding work environment. This burden led to what became her primary ministry focus — biblical parenting classes.
Partnering with a Japanese co-worker, she developed Discovering the Joy of Parenting, a principle-based curriculum first published in 2002. That same year, the Song-Rise music ministry was successfully transitioned to local Japanese leadership, and from 2003 to 2005, the Baumans served as leaders of the East Kanto Church Multiplication Network missionary team.
In 2005, Gary was led into a new ministry focus when the Japan Evangelical Missionary Association (JEMA) asked him to become managing editor of Japan Harvest magazine. From 2005 to 2018, he guided its transformation from a black-and-white quarterly periodical to a full-color magazine and JEMA digital ministry. During his tenure, the Communications Facilitator position was created to define his expanding role.
Renewed Focus on Local Outreach
In 2018, Gary passed his JEMA responsibilities to the growing Communications team, and the Baumans entered into an A3 partnership with a Japanese church in their local community. With their new assignment, they began focusing more on neighborhood outreach and nurturing long-term personal relationships.
At the same time, Gary and Barbara were serving in A3 leadership positions — Gary on the Japan Leadership Team and Barbara on the Member Care Team. As they saw younger missionary staff members grow into key roles on the A3 team, they began to scale back their leadership responsibilities. Gary and Barbara felt the freedom to fully transition to “retirement” at the end of 2025.
Continuing Ministry (2026–present)
Following a seven-month "Supporter Thanksgiving Tour" in the U.S. during the last half of 2025, Gary and Barbara returned to Japan, where they continue to partner in ministry with their local congregation. As the Lord gives opportunity, Gary plays saxophone on church worship teams and coaches men in the church and missionary communities. Barbara facilitates women’s Bible studies and continues as an adjunct resource to the A3 Member Care Team. Together, they enjoy mentoring couples in multicultural marriages and discipling single women in their 20s and 30s.
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