We are Dean and Sue Zemke, missionaries with Baptist World Mission. In June 1996 we began serving in Japan.
ABOUT US: Dean and Sue grew up in Christian homes and, as children, both accepted Christ as their Savior. Dean graduated from Northland Baptist Bible College in May 1990 with a bachelor of arts degree in missions. Sue graduated in 1984 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a bachelor of science degree in nursing; she has worked as a registered nurse. We were married in 1988. God has given us three children, two of whom are married.
OUR CALL: Dean was called to Japan during his enlistment with the United States Marine Corps. Before we met, Sue committed her life to the Lord however He would direct. She has shared Dean's burden for the people of Japan. Dean was in Japan during his time in the Marine Corps and did a six-week missionary apprentice program in 1987 in Japan. Dean and Sue took a three-week survey trip to Japan in 1992.
OUR MISSION BOARD: We were appointed by Baptist World Mission, a fundamental mission agency that expresses biblical, Baptist and separatist convictions in doctrine and practice. Baptist World Mission, established in 1961, has more than 200 missionaries serving in 40+ countries.
OUR HOME CHURCH: Dean's church since childhood, Union Grove Baptist Church in Union Grove, Wisconsin, is our sending church.
OUR MINISTRY: With thirty-seven supporting churches and several individuals faithfully supporting us, we left for Japan in June 1996.
Dean and Sue graduated from Karuizawa Language School in 1999.
During that time we ministered at Saku Baptist Church, which began in 1995, working with a BWM missionary family. We did tract distribution on a regular basis. As Dean's language ability increased, he taught Sunday school and preached on occasion.
From September 1999 through March 2022, we were church planters at Chuwa Bible Baptist Church in the city of Asahikawa.
We are now working in a church planting role in the city of Sapporo at Sapporo Bible Baptist Church.