COMMITTEE ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FEATURE

[Photo: Westminster Seminary California]

The Subcommittee on Ministerial Training of the Committee on Christian Education plans to hold the next OPC Timothy Conference on April 20–23, 2022, hosted by Escondido OPC in Escondido, California. Conference participants will be introduced to a seminary environment and attend classes at Westminster Seminary California, also located in Escondido.

Conference speakers include OP ministers David Crum, Joel Fick, David VanDrunen, Danny Olinger, and Christopher Hartshorn. Mr. Crum, retired regional home missionary of the Presbytery of Southern California, will speak on the office of a minister with special attention paid to its accompanying responsibilities and privileges. Mr. Fick, pastor of Redemption OPC in Gainesville, Florida, will address the issue of the call to ministry, particularly what it means to be called and how one might know if he is called. Mr. VanDrunen, Robert B. Strimple Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Westminster Seminary California, will detail why it is important to receive seminary training in preparation for gospel ministry and what that training involves. Mr. Olinger, general secretary of the Committee on Christian Education, will put forth the process of becoming an Orthodox Presbyterian minister from coming under care of a presbytery to being ordained and installed in a local congregation. Mr. Hartshorn, regional home missionary of the Presbytery of Southern California, will impress upon participants what they should be doing in preparation for a life of ministry even now.

Time for fellowship will include swimming, surfing, and beach games on the Pacific with Eric Watkins, pastor of Harvest OPC, San Marcos, California, and Zachary Keele, pastor of Escondido OPC, and Mr. Watkins will also share about beach evangelism. One of the hidden treasures of the Timothy Conference is the friendships that develop as young men from congregations across North America meet one another and share a love of the Lord.

Those eligible for the conference are young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years old who are members of the OPC and have been identified by their local session as having potential gifts for ordained gospel ministry. If there is a young man who has demonstrated godliness and giftedness towards ministry, please consider approaching him about his willingness to attend. All expenses are paid.

Applications for sessions to submit candidates can be found on OPC.org under “Christian Education.” Completed applications should be sent to Danny Olinger (danny.olinger@opc.org). The application deadline is January 21, 2022.