History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Source for all below is from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, its website including all dropdown sections, as well as it documents and reports available on the internet.

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) was founded on June 11, 1936, led by J. Gresham Machen in response to the rise of theological liberalism within the Presbyterian Church in the USA (PCUSA). Originally named the Presbyterian Church of America, it adopted its current name in 1939 following a lawsuit. The OPC holds to the Reformed faith as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.

Key Historical Events

• Founding (1936): Following the fundamentalist-modernist controversy, Machen and other conservatives left the PCUSA, citing the church's departure from biblical doctrines such as the virgin birth and substitutionary atonement.
• Early Split (1937): A faction led by Carl McIntire left to form the Bible Presbyterian Church due to disputes over alcohol consumption and premillennialism.
• Name Change (1939): The church changed its name to the Orthodox Presbyterian Church to settle a lawsuit from the PCUSA, which claimed the original name was too similar.
• Internal Debates (1940s): The church worked through defining its stance on matters like the Gordon Clark ordination controversy (1944–1948) and the regulative principle of worship.
• Development and Growth: The OPC launched its own foreign missions and published the Trinity Hymnal in 1961.

Doctrinal Stance

• Reformed/Calvinist: The OPC adheres to the Westminster Standards, emphasizing the sovereignty of God, the inspiration of Scripture, and salvation by grace alone through faith alone.
• Government: It operates under a presbyterian structure, with local churches governed by a "session" of elders.
• Characteristics: The OPC is known for being a conservative, confessional denomination with a strong commitment to historic Reformed theology.

The OPC Today

• Size: The denomination has grown over eight decades to over 30,000 members in more than 300 churches throughout the United States and Canada.
• Differences: While often aligned with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) – founded later in 1973 – the OPC is generally smaller and maintains a strict focus on Reformed theology.

The denomination has maintained a consistent emphasis on strict subscription to its doctrinal standards and a vigorous promotion of Reformed theological education.

History of Missional Discipleship in the OPC

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) was founded in 1936 with a strong commitment to missions, arising from a desire to preach the Gospel faithfully when foreign mission work in the predecessor denomination was deemed compromised. It prioritizes biblical discipleship, focusing on church planting, reformed theology, and training believers for evangelism.

Key aspects of the history of missional discipleship in the OPC include:

• Founding Principles: The OPC was established with a deep-seated belief that the church is inherently missionary, aiming to carry the full truth of Scripture to the world.
• Foreign Missions: From the beginning, the denomination was dedicated to evangelizing abroad, including historical work in areas like Eritrea.
• Home Missions: The Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension has been crucial in establishing new churches, often utilizing "three self" principles (self-supporting, self-governing, self-propagating).
• Methodology: The OPC emphasizes doctrinal faithfulness (Westminster Standards), the "three self" principles of mission work (republished from John Nevius' work), and training local leaders in the field.
• Christian Education: The Committee on Christian Education helps equip church members for disciple-making and supports the OPC’s educational mission.

Missional work is overseen by standing committees for foreign and home missions, reflecting a commitment to both local church planting and international missions.

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) promotes all believers to be missional disciples where they live by emphasizing that every member is called to be a witness, integrating evangelism into daily life, and fostering a "whole church" approach to missions. This involves viewing the church not just as a gathered assembly on Sundays, but as a sent community active in its local neighborhood and vocational networks.

Here is how the OPC encourages this missional living:

1. Promoting a "Whole Church" Missional Identity

• Everyday Evangelism: The OPC emphasizes that missions are not only for foreign missionaries but for all believers ("severally") in their everyday routines.
• The Church as Sent: Rather than sitting in church buildings waiting for people to come, the OPC teaches that the Lord sends the church out to gather worshipers in their local communities, workplaces, and homes.
• "Living Apostolically": Believers are encouraged to live as missionaries in their local contexts, combining verbal proclamation of the gospel with a lived testimony of grace.

2. Equipping for Local Missions and Outreach

• Home Missions Focus: The OPC Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension (CHMCE) partners with presbyteries to plant new congregations, encouraging members to be involved in evangelizing their own communities.
• Developing Core Groups: Members are encouraged to be part of "core groups" that act as the discipling nucleus for planting new churches, which involves intentional outreach to their local areas.
• Training in Evangelism: Through preaching, teaching, and resources, members are equipped to share the gospel in their vocational spaces, ensuring the "main thing" (the gospel) is shared in homes and workplaces.

3. Fostering a Culture of Hospitality and Service

• Mercy Ministries: Missional living includes "deeds of love to God and man," where members engage in acts of compassion and service that demonstrate the gospel to their communities.
• Hospitality: Members are encouraged to use their homes and everyday interactions as opportunities to build relationships with the unchurched.

4. Integrating Worldwide Outreach (WWO)

• Participatory Missions: The OPC encourages every member to participate in foreign missions through regular prayer, financial support (offering), study, and service.
• Information and Itineration: The denomination provides resources like New Horizons articles and missionary newsletters to keep members informed and engaged in the global mission.

5. Cultivating a Reformed Missional Theology

• The Gospel of Grace: The OPC focuses on bringing the good news of God reconciling sinners to Himself, emphasizing that all missions are a result of God's grace, and the church is to be a faithful witness.
• Worship that Sends: Sunday worship is seen as equipping believers to be worshipers in all areas of life, seeking to gather other worshipers for the glory of God.

In essence, the OPC aims for a "grassroots" collaboration where all members, under the leadership of pastors and elders, participate in the mission of God, making their local areas a mission field.