Staff
Grant Buchholtz
Co-Lead Pastor
Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Grant has enjoyed living in four different US cities and five countries. He received master’s degrees at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the London School of Theology. He is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church. After college, he lived in France for two years working with a French pastor to start a new church. It was there that he met Miho (ask them about the whole story!). Grant is passionate about communicating the Bible with creativity and clarity. He loves helping people grow, use their gifts, and live with purpose. He is also an adjunct professor of communications at Tokyo Christian University. Grant is married to Miho with whom they have two beautiful young girls. He loves adventure, running marathons (ten so far), reading books, cooking, playing with his family, and traveling. He is fluent in French and aspires to similarly become fluent in Japanese (please feel free to speak with him in Japanese!). They have lived as a family in the greater Tokyo area since 2010.
Contact: grant@tokyolifechurch.com
Miho Buchholtz
Co-Lead Pastor
Miho was born and raised in Yokohama. She became a Christian through depression she suffered in high school. Though she earned a business degree in college and has worked in the fashion industry, God completely reoriented her life to pursue full time ministry. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has been serving in her home country as a missionary with her family. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. She is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church. She is currently serving as the Chair of the Japan Lausanne Committee. She is also an adjunct professor of ministry at Tokyo Christian University. She also serves as a Vision Time preacher on CGN Japan. Miho loves teaching the Bible and seeing people utilize their gifts to take part in God’s mission. She enjoys getting inspiration while taking a walk, drinking coffee, traveling to new places, and seeing her two daughters grow.
Contact: miho@tokyolifechurch.com
Hanna Fujiki
Director of Children’s Ministry and Administrative Coordinator
Hanna was born in Kyoto within a Christian home. She attended church from an early age and became familiar with the Bible and worship.
Since elementary school, she has loved to draw, so she majored in Japanese painting at university, where she studied art education as well as painting expression. After graduation, she worked as an art teacher at a private high school and a public junior high school.
She is currently a seminary student at Seikei Seminary. She loves to sing and has been taking voice lessons since she was 18. In addition to gospel music, she also enjoys singing J-pop and Italian art songs. She is the mother of one child.
Contact: Hanna@tokyolifechurch.com
Sayuri Hayashi
Intern
Sayuri was born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture. While attending Aoyama Gakuin University, she became a Christian following a chance encounter during a driver’s license training camp. Since then, she has found joy in sharing God’s love through her own experiences. She serves at church by interpreting during worship services and leading ministries for babies and moms, due to having a daughter in December 2025. She enjoys baking and going for walks. Her favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
contact: sayuri@tokyolifechurch.com
Amy Pao
Director of Connection and Mobilization
Amy was born and raised in Hong Kong. She became a Christian as a freshman while studying Social Work at Hong Kong University. She has the passion to help others and did lots of volunteer work in high school and university years. She found her life goal to help others to find God’s love and purpose in their lives. After graduation, she joined the Hong Kong Campus Crusade for Christ as a full time Christian worker and served in the campus ministries. Currently Amy is serving as a missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ in Japan and as volunteer staff at Tokyo Life Church. She is married to Andrew and they have 3 children. Since 2003, Amy and her family have lived in Japan. They first lived in Sendai for 3 years and then in Tokyo. She received her Master of Theological Studies degree from Tyndale University and Seminary in Canada. Amy loves chatting and being around people. She also loves doing fun things with family and others, such as baking and playing badminton.