David Nakhla speaks about the work of deacons and how the Orthodox Presbyterian Church is working to assist the diaconate in its labors for Christ’s church. Mr. Nakhla is the administrator for the OPC’s Committee on Diaconal Ministries and the Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response Coordinator.

Links

• OPC Diaconal Ministries Website
• OPC Disaster Response
• OPC Short-Term Missions
• OPC Refugee Ministry
• The Reformed Deacon Podcast
• National Diaconal Summit

Chapters

• [00:00] Introduction
• [04:46] Overview of the work of the Committee on Diaconal Ministry
• [16:15] An Expanding View of the Church through Short-Term Missions
• [27:31] The Challenges of COVID
• [30:22] Encouraging Diaconal Ministry at Home
• [36:25] Diaconal Ministry, Insurance, and the Government
• [48:10] Podcast and Case Studies
• [53:56] Resources for Diaconal Training
• [58:31] Conclusion

Participants: Adam York, Camden Bucey, David Nakhla

Dr. Cornelis Van Dam, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, joins us to speak about the biblical office of deacon and the Church’s responsibility to provide for those in need.

Dr. Van Dam has written The Deacon: Biblical Foundations for Today’s Ministry of Mercy (Reformation Heritage Books, 2016). In this excellent book, Van Dam addresses the office of deacon, including the Old Testament background, New Testament times, the history of ancient, medieval, and Reformation practice, and the current functioning of the office.

Dr. Van Dam has also written The Elder: Today’s Ministry Rooted in All of Scripture (P&R Publishing). His bibliography is available online through the seminary.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Cornelis Van Dam, Glen Clary