My Story :
I’m Nicole, living my life to the fullest. For me, that means two things: Loving God and Loving Others.
I was born and raised in Michigan in the United States and early on in life I felt the burden for ministry and missions. At the young age of 12 years old I went on my first short term mission trip and since then have been blessed to travel to 9 counties on 11 different short term missionary trips.
I received my Masters in Biblical Theology from Christian Life School of Theology while interning at Cornerstone Church in Highland, Michigan and I received a Bachelors in Social Work from University of Michigan.
I have always had a heart for serving in my local church and prior to moving to Japan I was the Generations Director for Alive Family Church and helped raise up the next generation to know God personally and live for him passionately.
In 2020 the Lord spoke to my heart “Japan '' and once borders reopened in 2023, I was able to move out to Japan for six months to confirm his calling and experience the culture, build relationships and serve at Paz church.
I am now a full time missionary with Paz International and will be living in Japan full time, going to Japanese language school and furthering the gospel message in Japan. Please be praying for me as I make preparations to live full time in Japan!
While in Japan:
My first two years in Japan, my regular “work week” will be focused on language study. I will be attending Japanese language school full time starting in April (2024). While I will be studying up on Japanese grammar and vocabulary, my goal in attending language school will be to open up the doors of communication in Japan. I am excited to learn Japanese and start talking to my friends, fellow church members and community. It is important for me to learn the language in order to effectively communicate in Japan.
While focusing on learning Japanese, I will also remain plugged in and serve with Paz Church. I will continue to serve in the kids ministry, social media team and a variety of other areas on a weekly basis. I deeply believe that if you “see the need, you should take the lead”. Whatever areas of ministry need extra help, I am ready and willing to help in those areas until language school is completed for me and I am able to step into more specific areas of ministry.
I am also passionate about serving and helping my Family Group grow closer to God and grow closer in community with one another. I am a part of the Young Adults Family Group at Paz Church which consists of college students and young professionals. We meet every week and I have loved being able to build community and friendships through this group. I am a part of the planning team and continue to help brainstorm, plan and execute ways for this community to have fun together and grow in the Lord. We plan events from ice skating in downtown Tokyo to our monthly worship and prayer nights. I have already seen so many breakthroughs and victories in our Family Group and I am expecting to see more of what the Lord is going to do in and through this amazing group of people.
A big focus of PAZ is discipleship. My young adults family group began two discipleship groups with some of the young women in our group. Me and another friend are leading discipleship group with three phenomenal other girls. I am excited to be back in Japan and meeting face to face with these girls and help them grow with the Lord.
Paz Church believes in church planting. We are called to plant churches. The actual practice of church planting occurs through the "multiplication" of existing churches. This occurred in the middle of 2023 during my first six months in Japan, Paz Church multiplied and started Paz Church Hiratsuka. I know more churches will be planted in Japan. Down the road I potentially could be apart of the great commission and help plant another church in Japan.
A personal goal of mine, that I can't wait to see come true, is to have my own (little… because everything space wise is smaller in Japan) place to welcome friends into. I desire to have an open door policy in my home and I can’t wait for the amount of ministry and friendship to be built in my own home.
"Nicole Kalowick served on staff and in a variety of roles at Alive Family Church for 6+ years. She is an absolute treasure to the Kingdom of God. She excelled in pioneering and growing our kids ministry from the ground up and faithfully multiplied any ministry she oversaw. Additionally, she has been a tremendous blessing to our family personally as she helped babysit our three children, which helped both multiple the ministry and invested relationally & spiritually into our kids. We know that the ways she has multiplied the Kingdom of God at Alive will continue as she is faithful to follow God's call to Japan"
- Eric & Erica Giesow, Co-Lead Pastors of Alive Family Church (USA)
“We have known Nicole for over 11 years now, in ministerial capacity and as a personal close friend. We have always been amazed at Nicole's consistently great attitude, servant's heart, and teachable spirit. Her love for Jesus is evident in all she does. Nicole works with excellence in all the ministry areas we have seen her in. She is someone we can hang out with and talk to for hours as a friend, as well as someone we can confidently trust to babysit our kids. We are so grateful for the way Nicole has blessed our lives and the Kingdom of God!”
- Ben & Debbie Block, Paz International Missionaries (Japan)
I have had the opportunity to work with Nicole in a number of ministry settings. From discipling youth and young adults in the local church to the global church on mission teams which required much resilience and flexibility. Nicole not only has the spiritual maturity to recognize the vision God has given to the pastors and leaders she serves, but she wholeheartedly jumps in because of her own surrendered life to Jesus while walking by his spirit in her own life.
I can confidently say she is exactly the kind of person pastors, church leaders and mission directors want on their team! Nicole takes seriously her call to the great commission, the local church & God's heart for the world. She is willing to serve wherever needed & over the years has come into her own leadership journey as well. She is full of wisdom, strength and joy! I believe in Nicole, the anointing on her life and excited for wherever God has her next!
- Amreitha Jeeva, Lead Co-Pastor of Kalos Church (USA)
