In this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey is joined by a panel of experienced pastors and church planters to discuss the vital role of the ordinary means of grace in church planting. The conversation explores how God’s Word, sacraments, and prayer serve as the primary instruments for planting and growing churches, contrasting these biblical methods with modern consumer-driven and franchise models. Together, they share their personal experiences, challenges, and insights on how a faithful adherence to Reformed theology and practices impacts church planting efforts.

Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on the importance of maintaining theological integrity while engaging in evangelism and community outreach. Whether you’re involved in church planting or simply interested in how the ordinary means of grace shape the life and mission of the church, this episode offers rich theological reflection and practical wisdom.

• Joe Cristman is Pastor/Church Planter of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lombard, IL.
• Neil Quinn is Senior Pastor of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church (PCA), in Kalamazoo, MI (a plant of University Reformed Church).
• Chris Hartshorn is Regional Home Missionary for the OPC Presbytery of Southern California.
• Eric Watkins is Director of the Center for Missions and Evangelism at Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

Watch on YouTube and Vimeo.

Chapters

• [00:00:07] Introduction and Welcome
• [00:01:18] Panelist Introductions
• [00:03:33] Reformed Forum Conference Announcement
• [00:05:15] Center for Missions and Evangelism Conference
• [00:07:26] The Shift in Church Planting Models
• [00:09:10] Eric Watkins on Postmodern Consumerism in Church Planting
• [00:12:33] Joe Cristman’s Experience in Lombard
• [00:15:17] Chris Hartshorn’s Journey to Church Planting
• [00:19:22] Neil Quinn on Church Planting in Kalamazoo
• [00:26:39] Generational and Consumer-Driven Church Planting Models
• [00:28:13] Challenges of Church Planting Using Ordinary Means
• [00:29:30] The Power of God’s Word in Church Planting
• [00:34:22] Different Church Planting Models: Mother-Daughter, Parachute, and Core Group
• [00:40:19] Importance of a Local Church Presence
• [00:46:11] The Role of Bible Study in Church Planting
• [00:54:23] Evangelism and Outreach in Church Planting
• [01:05:11] Developing a Culture of Evangelism in the Church
• [01:10:00] Overcoming Challenges in Church Outreach

Participants: Camden Bucey, Chris Hartshorn, Eric Watkins, Joe Cristman, Neil Quinn

This episode addresses the heart of Reformed evangelism, featuring a compelling conversation with the Rev. Paul Murphy, pastor of evangelism at Messiah’s Reformed Fellowship in New York, and Dr. Eric Watkins, director of the Center for Missions and Evangelism at Mid-America Reformed Seminary. In this conversation, we explore the unique approach of Reformed theology to evangelism, addressing common stereotypes, and addressing the challenges and opportunities for spreading the gospel in urban settings.

We unpack the misconception that Reformed Christians do not engage in evangelism, shedding light on the historical and theological roots of this stereotype. It also highlights the exciting new opportunities, including church planting and revitalization efforts in Chicago and New York.

Listeners will gain insights into the distinct aspects of Reformed evangelism, as outlined by the Reformed creeds and confessions, and the importance of understanding one’s role within the Body of Christ. The discussion emphasizes the need for a culture of evangelism within local congregations and offers practical suggestions for fostering this culture.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:01:00 Eric Watkins’ Ministry
• 00:05:31 Paul Murphy’s Ministry in Manhattan
• 00:11:19 The Stereotype of Reformed Churches and Evangelism
• 00:20:44 Distinctives of Reformed Evangelism
• 00:28:08 Understanding the Great Commission
• 00:37:48 The Urgency of Evangelism
• 00:55:30 Personal Stories about Evangelism
• 01:02:03 The Vitality of New Believers
• 01:05:28 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Eric Watkins, Paul Murphy

Dr. Eric Watkins joins us to speak about missions and evangelism from a Reformed perspective. Dr. Watkins is senior pastor of Harvest Presbyterian Church (OPC) in San Marcos, California as well as Director of the Center for Missions and Evangelism at Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

The Center for Missions and Evangelism is a new initiative at Mid-America Reformed Seminary designed to enhance the current M.Div. program with a great emphasis upon the Great Commission, as well as developing a new set of classes, conferences, cohorts, and internships focused on areas of evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and foreign missions.

The CME is hosting a conference in just a few weeks. There is still time to register:

More Salt, More Light: Church in an Age of Opportunity
January 28–29, 2022
Anastasia Church
St. Augustine, Florida

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:48 Background to the Center for Missions and Evangelism
• 11:29 Focusing on Missions and Evangelism
• 20:17 The More Salt, More Light Conference
• 30:54 Additional Benefits of the Conference
• 39:44 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Eric Watkins

Dr. Eric Watkins, Pastor of Covenant OPC in St. Augustine, Florida, joins Jim Cassidy, Chris Hartshorn, and Dale Van Dyke for a discussion on his book, The Drama of Preaching: Participating with God in the History of Redemption. Dr. Watkins explains how the idea of drama informs our understanding of peaching. Preaching is the telling of God’s drama of redemption in which believers find themselves as active participants. He further explains how the drama motif gives the church a ready entry point with a postmodern world in which story is so highly valued.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Chris Hartshorn, Dale Van Dyke, Eric Watkins, Jim Cassidy

Church planting is one way the Lord expands his kingdom on earth. Christ called his disciples to go forth and make disciples of men, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Faithful discipleship is connected with the local church. That point has been debated in and of itself, but the proper means of church planting has been a much more contentious subject. In this episode, Andrew Moody and Eric Watkins work through several dynamics of church planting. Rev. Moody serves as Evangelist at San Antonio Reformed Church in San Antonio, Texas, and Rev. Watkins is Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine, Florida. Both Eric and Andrew bring experience to this interesting discussion on planting Reformed churches.

Participants: Andrew Moody, Camden Bucey, Eric Watkins, Jim Cassidy