OPC and Mercy Ministry

[scotthill]

Good afternoon,

(I hope I am writing this in the correct forum).

My question is about the OPC and Mercy Ministry—as I’m sure you’ve gathered from the title.

I know that the PCA has a good history in terms of reaching the marginalized and caring for the poor. Regarding the OPC, what do ministries of mercy look like in the church? Is mercy ministry something that the OPC focused on or is it not a main focus of the church? Thank you in advance.

Have a blessed one.

 

[Brett]

Ministries: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church

We're the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Our purpose is simple: to bring glory to God through our churches and individual lives to make known to the world the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ

opc.org

OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries

OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries exists to aid OPC deacons in their service to the local church.

www.opccdm.org

I linked some info on diaconal ministries the broader denomination has taken up.

For what it looks like in the local church, I've been a member of two OPC congregations, and both are blessed with wonderful deacons who have gone out of their way to care for and counsel members of the church who are in need.
The official duty of the deacons is to care for members of the church. I don't believe you'll see many OP churches adding an extra duty to the session or deacons to run an official charity out of the church (like having the church be a food bank on Saturdays for example). However, both congregations I've been a part of have had members volunteering their time for things like prison ministry and local charities.

 

[scotthill]

Thank you, Brett, for your response. That makes sense. Additionally, thank you for the link—it was filled with great insight and resources.

 

[jwithnell]

Focus? Local churches in the OPC preach the word, administer the sacraments, and preserve the integrity of the congregation. We demonstrate the love of Christ in obedience to his Word and to further the gospel.

Here in Leesburg, Va., the deacons are active in assisting people inside the church and in responding to requests from people in our community. They generally try to meet the immediate need and provide counsel to guide folks over the longterm. As a congregation, we've worked through organizations with a similar gospel-centered approach and often hear from the pulpit about showing mercy to our neighbors.

The OPC has a denomination-level disaster relief group that has responded both in the US and abroad.

 

[scotthill]

Oh wow, that’s incredible, especially about the disaster relief program. Thank you for the insight. And wise to counsel and guide folks. Thank you so very much for your reply.

 

[jwithnell]

You can get more info on disaster response here:

https://opcdisasterresponse.org