Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension

of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

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Planting an Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Cover of Planting an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 2nd ed.

Download the full book as a PDF, ePub, or mobi file.

Index of book Chapters/Appendices:

Preface

Introduction

  • Why a manual?
  • This manual will be for establishing Presbyterian and Reformed churches
  • Other resources

Chapter 1 – Understanding the Work of Church Planting

  • The spiritual nature of church planting
  • Understanding church growth
  • The distinguishing characteristics of an organized congregation
  • Establishing the right precedents

Chapter 2 – Beginning a Mission Work

  • Sound reasons for beginning a mission work
  • Gathering a core group
  • Forming a group into a mission work
  • Finding an organizing pastor

Chapter 3 – Overseeing a Mission Work

  • The nature of a mission work
  • The overseeing session of a mission work
  • The work of an overseeing session

Chapter 4 – Doing the Work of an Organizing Pastor

  • Set in order what remains
  • Care deeply about people
  • Be concerned for what is believed
  • Reach out to the unsaved
  • Be concerned for how things are done
  • Encourage the church to grow
  • Manage yourself and your family

Chapter 5 – Developing a Mission Work into an Organized Congregation

  • Governing commitments for the development of a maturing Reformed congregation
  • Some practical preliminaries
  • Develop means to promote the spiritual growth of the people
  • Develop ministries of outreach and evangelism
  • Develop ministries of mercy and concern
  • Develop sound administrative practices and procedures

Chapter 6 – Organizing a Mission Work as a New Congregation

  • Discerning a mission work’s readiness for organization
  • The training of office-bearers
  • Developing congregational documents, policies, and procedures
  • The involvement of the presbytery
  • The Ecclesiastical Development of an Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Chapter 7 – Leading the Particular Church into Its Future

  • Being part of your denomination
  • Being part of your presbytery
  • Thinking to the future
  • Moving forward in the strength of the Lord

Glossary

Appendix 1 – How to Receive a Mission Work into a Presbytery

Appendix 2 – How to Call an Evangelist to Labor in a Mission Work

Appendix 3 – How to Supervise the Progress of a Mission Work toward Its Development as a New and Separate Congregation

Appendix 4 – How to Organize a Mission Work into a New and Separate Congregation

Appendix 5 – How a Presbytery and the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension Work Together to Start New Churches

Appendix 6 – Sample Documents

Appendix 7 – Enabling Motions

Appendix 8 – A Procedure for Receiving an Organized Congregation into a Presbytery