Stories of Gospel Engagement

by OP Church Planters and Evangelists

We in the OPC, as fellow believers, are knit together in Christ’s Spirit, and the labors of one of us in his name are united to the whole. While you are reading this article—or at work, or caring for loved ones, or serving your church, or chatting with new acquaintances—at that same moment Christ’s servants ordaWe in the OPC, as fellow believers, are knit together in Christ’s Spirit, and the labors of one of us in his name are united to the whole. While you are reading this article—or at work, or caring for loved ones, or serving your church, or chatting with new acquaintances—at that same moment Christ’s servants ordained in the OPC and called to serve as church planters and evangelists are bringing the gospel in all its fullness to a perishing world. To unite us more closely with these church planters and evangelists in prayer, and to encourage us in God’s faithfulness, we asked five to share with us their stories of engaging others with the gospel. Mercy after Helene Johnny ... Read more

A Faith Still Worth Sharing

by Jeremiah W. Montgomery

In the last weeks of his life on earth, Rev. C. John “Jack” Miller dictated a short book entitled A Faith Worth Sharing . This book contains nine stories of personal evangelism—a memoir of his personal evangelism efforts. These stories offer encouragement to believers as we seek to bring good news to a lost world. With the hope of encouraging readers like Jack’s stories have encouraged me, I share the following two accounts from my ministry. An Unexpected Opportunity: Mr. Smith Who Went to Washington I met “Mr. Smith” in 2011. By all human accounts, he had enjoyed a full life. During World War II, he had worked for Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet. After the war, he practiced law—first with the federal government, and then in private practice. The apex of his legal career was a successful case tried before the United States Supreme Court in 1968. He was ninety-four years old when we first met. I met Smith through his wife, who had visited our church ... Read more

Parachute Church Planting: A Biblical Model

by Eric B. Watkins

Historically speaking, there are three models of church planting that have been practiced in the OPC. The first, and arguably most common, is the mother-daughter model. This happens when an established congregation plants a daughter congregation on the other side of the city or in a nearby area from which people drive to the mother church. Planting a daughter congregation can help address the need for more room as a church grows or help those commuting a long distance to have a shorter drive, enabling a stronger sense of community and outreach. This model of church planting is the most familiar, is likely the most promising—as it is the safest—and is widely practiced in the OPC and among like-minded denominations as well. The second model could be referred to as the “core group” or presbytery model. This is when a group of believers contacts a presbytery’s home missions committee, requesting to become a mission work of the OPC. The members of this group may or may not already be part of the OPC, ... Read more