In our next Outward Preaching clip, the pastor chooses to bring current events into the opening of his sermon even though it’s a difficult & divisive topic. He does so with skill and does it for a particular reason. Because the way people were feeling on this day, at this time, in our country made […]
Outward Preaching (Video #9) – History, Governments, & Jesus
Our next Outward Preaching video is a clip about God, history, and governments applied to our current setting. Check out video #9: Outward Preaching
More Outreach & Church Planting in SoCal – Chris Hartshorn Part 2
Here is part 2 of our interview with Chris Hartshorn now that he has moved from local pastor to RHM (Regional Home Missionary) in Southern CA. We talk about the unique gifts and graces that are helpful in a church planter, and how to develop a core group that includes outsiders to the church and […]
Outward Preaching (Video #8) – Daniel For Today
Moving along in building the Outward Preaching page. This week is an OT story–well known to church people–opened up in a way that engages both church folks and outsiders. Check out video #8 and catch up on the prior videos here: Outward Preaching
Outward Preaching (Videos #6 & #7) – A Focus on Jesus
If you are new to the ‘Outward Preaching,’ take note of the intro at the top of the page that describes how the sermons are chosen and categorized. This week we are adding 2 sermon clips–one from the recently former General Secretary of Home Missions and one from the still current Associate General Secretary. It […]
From Local Pastor to RHM With Chris Hartshorn
Our first podcast of 2024 is with Chris Hartshorn. Chris has been a guest before, but the difference now is that he is no longer a local pastor. He is now an RHM (Regional Home Missionary) for Southern CA. We talk about the ways churches in his Presbytery are thinking intentionally and creatively about doing […]
Outward Preaching (Video #5) – 1st Century Passover, 21st Century Analogy
Continuing to build the Outward Preaching video clips…This week is an engaging exposition and illustration of life during the Passover put in a current context that will help people of any level of knowledge of the Bible to get a tangible feel for the text. Check out video #5 and catch up on the first […]
Outward Preaching (Video #4) – Lawsuits in Corinth
Last week we introduced the new feature page called “Outward Preaching.” and released the first 3 videos. We will keep adding to the page. This week’s video (marked #4) is a sermon opening that does a good job of illustrating the theme of the text and the theological point in a way that engages long-time […]
Introducing ‘Outward Preaching’ – First 3 videos
We are excited to release a new feature called ‘Outward Preaching.’ We will be curating clips from sermons by OPC preachers that we think are great examples of preaching that are accessible to visitors and outsiders to Christianity and remain robust and rich in what we expect from reformed preaching. You will notice some tags […]
Top 3 Posts of 2023
We appreciate all of you and your interest in reading, watching, and listening to things that spur on our desire and ability to be witnesses for our Lord as he redeems sinners. We are grateful for the encouragement, feedback, and stories we hear about how individuals and churches are using Outward OPC. Sharing the top […]
Hidden Gems – Part 10
Our final post in this series called “Hidden Gems” is simply a great story of God’s work and grace. No more intro is needed. It’s from Pastor Jay Bennett in Neon, KY. 21 years. Almost to the day. God answers the prayers of his people as they gather as a church to seek His favor. […]
Hidden Gems – Part 9
There are 2 posts remaining from a series we called “Hidden Gems.” These are posts that after 5 years of Outward OPC we noticed had a distinct influence on people who saw them, but maybe the posts didn’t get the attention warranted. So we are sharing them again. For this installment… We were able to […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #7 – 3 Realities As Exiles
This week’s post is really the culmination of the last post from Evangelism as Exiles (Exiles #6), but we thought it served as a nice, short, and crisp application of what we’ve been considering. Here Elliott Clark gives us 3 very practical realities of sharing the gospel in a world where WE are the exiles: […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #6 – Praise
For a series intro, check out the first post: Intro The title of this post is “Praise,” but it will take a minute to get to that….Elliot Clark (the author) first wants to discuss the reality of the world we live in and how we think about evangelism… “We increasingly define “evangelistic opportunities” as those […]
John Shaw Home Missions Retro – Part 3
This is our final installment talking to John Shaw about his 10 years with Home Missions. We talk about what he will miss when he’s no longer serving on Home Missions, how seeing the big picture of OPC church affects his view of pastoring in a local church, and how his time has informed his […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #5 – Showing Respect
For a series intro, check out the first post: Intro This week continues last week’s topic of respect and honor to everyone in the name of evangelism in a world where WE are the exiles. Clark picks up on this note in the American church which, of course, hits home: “American Christians no longer have […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #4 – Respect For Everyone
For a series intro, check out the first post: Intro Let’s jump into this week’s summary… Clark offers this summary after discussing 1 Peter 3: “In this short passage we see several themes found throughout the entire letter. Peter spoke of holy women who hope in God, who don’t fear anything, and who respectfully submit […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #3 – Fear: The Right Kind
For a series intro, check out the first post: Intro Let’s dig in this week: Clark (the author) raises the question: Is fear the great hindrance to evangelism or something else… “Most Christians would identify fear as the primary reason why we don’t speak the gospel to others with more frequency or fervency. But I […]
John Shaw Home Missions Retro – Part 2
Here is part two of our interview with John Shaw looking back at his 10 years as General Secretary. We talk about how the previous team of Ross Graham and Dick Gerber paved the way for John’s time on the committee, what life is like as a General Secretary, the spiritual nature of the work […]
Evangelism Reader’s Digest: Exiles #2 – Future Hope
Here’s the next part of our “Evangelism Reader’s Digest” series from the book “Evangelism As Exiles,” by Elliot Clark. Clark is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, served as a missionary in Asia, and writes for groups like The Gospel Coalition and 9Marks. We readily remove extended biblical exposition and stories to distill […]