Recently, John Shaw published an article in Tabletalk magazine (Ligonier Ministries). The title in the magazine is “Prayer That Matters,” but as you will see if you read the article, the emphasis is on evangelistic prayer. The setting of the prayer discussed is an evangelistic setting and John was thinking about how it applies to all prayers, but particularly prayers for the lost in our families, among our friends, and in our communities. If you read the article, think about how John’s two main points would change your own prayers for the lost, and how they might change our church prayer meetings. Here is the online link in Tabletalk: “Prayer That Matters” – John Shaw (content taken from outwardopc.org)
“Christ’s Neighborhood”
Posted on a wall in Resurrection OPC is a large map of the city of Oshkosh, WI. Resurrection is pinpointed, and five blocks in every direction from the church are highlighted. Every Saturday at 10am, Pastor Bob Holda and a small group of church members gather in front of the map to plan their route for door-to-door visits that day, and to pray. It is a densely populated area, and in the span of these blocks there are thousands of homes and countless souls who need Christ. Armed with a checklist, outreach materials, and copies of Christ Proclaims a Better Way, Holda and the church members break into groups and spend about an hour canvassing the neighborhood. The checklist is for the church’s sake, to keep record of their visits. But
Building a Culture of Evangelism in Anaheim Hills
The church in Anaheim Hills is flourishing with multiple unbelievers attending regularly and new believers getting ready to join. When asked, “What do you attribute this to?” Pastor Chris Hartshorn’s response was multi-faceted and full of insights for us. Evangelism as part of everyday life To begin, Hartshorn responds: “This comes from people in our congregation being faithful to invite unbelievers to worship and reaching out to people wherever they go- stores, sporting events- you name it.” Recently Hartshorn’s wife Megan was at a store seeking to buy some patio furniture. A young man named Luis was helping her, and the two struck up a conversation. At one point, Luis gave Megan a business card for his side financial business. She
Ministry in the “Crown of the Valley”
Set off from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, the city of Pasadena, California, has a life, culture, and character of its own. Not nearly as fast-paced as L.A., Pasadena is also quieter, more relaxed, and definitely more floral. Situated in the beautiful San Gabriel Valley at the foot the San Gabriel Mountain range, it is, as its Chippewa name translates, the “crown of the valley.” Pasadena OPC began around three years ago when a small group of committed believers, led by Pastor Chris Hartshorn, a church planter in Anaheim Hills, began a home Bible study close to Providence Christian College. At the time, the Presbytery of Southern California and its Missions Committee were already stretched thin and working with several other
Introducing Ben Ward – Naples’ New Intern Starting this Fall
In September 2018, Ben (and Tiffany) Ward will begin his internship at Christ the King Presbyterian Church in Naples, Florida. Ben has a great testimony that Home Missions shares now as both an encouragement to your faith and a reminder to pray for him as he begins his internship and discerns his calling to ministry. Ben writes, "My upbringing was in a traditional middle class family in small-town New Jersey. My parents lived moral lives, we were members of a theologically Liberal PCUSA church, and personal fulfillment was a central part of our upbringing. It was a great upbringing actually, my parents loved me very much and I never wanted for anything materially or in the affections of my family. However, I was always a fairly