The Reformed Deacon a Podcast from the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries

In this episode, Rev. Chris Cashen, pastor of Trinity Reformed OPC in Lanham, Maryland and member of the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries is joined by Rev. Charles R. Biggs, Regional Home Missionary for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic (PMA) and former pastor of Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church in Purcellville, Virginia.

Chris and Charles unpack a unique passage of Scripture, one that deacons are especially familiar with: Act 6 verses 1 to 8. We pray that in taking the time to look more in depth at passages like this is deacons would be strengthened in their understanding of and purpose for his office.

Referenced in this episode:
Presbytery Diaconal Summit V

In this episode, David Nakhla visits Chris Verdick, the administrator of the OPC Uganda Mission's Akisyon A Yesu Presbyterian Clinic in Karamoja, Uganda. Chris and his family have been serving in rural Uganda for over a decade. Listen as Chris describes how the mission serves this impoverished region by attending to their health needs  while pursuing the ultimate goal of leading lost souls to Christ. The OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries in conjunction with OPC Foreign Missions provides significant funding to aid with the operational costs of the Clinic as well as to missionary deacons who help with maintaining the Clinic building as part of the OPC Uganda Mission.

Referenced in this episode:
OPUM (OPC Uganda Mission) Website

You may remember our January 1 episode, where three deacons discuss practical methods for dealing with walk-in situations. This episode is a continuation of that conversation; same three deacons sit down with host David Nakhla: John Voss, Chris Sudlow and Doug Vos. David presents two new walk-in scenarios to the panel to tap into their years of diaconal experience on how to help.

The panel grapples with one scenario of a woman who is homeless, but needs a specific amount of money and another of a young couple who show up to the church asking for help with their pregnancy situation. The panel is not of the same mind, and the discussion is interesting. Do you know what you would say or do when put on the spot like that?

Participants: CDM Administrator, David Nakhla; and deacons John Voss from Covenant OPC in Orland Park, IL; Chris Sudlow from Bethel OPC in Wheaton, IL and Doug Vos from Oakland Hills OPC in Farmington Hills, MI.

Referenced in this episode:
AA Pregnancy Center in Michigan

In this episode OPC CDM Administrator David Nakhla is joined by OPC Communications Coordinator Jamie Dean to look back on a recent trip to Ukraine, where they, as two members of a four-person team, were able to follow the Crates for Ukraine as they arrived in L'viv for distribution.

David and Jamie quickly take you chronologically through the trip, highlighting the beauty of the country, even at war, and the forward-thinkingness of those who minister in Christ's name as they use the Crates program to leave a trail of breadcrumbs back to the church and ultimately to Christ.

Referenced in this episode: 


Ukraine Awareness Month VideoMission to the World (PCA)Crates for Ukraine 
Other Resources:


David's Trip Report to the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries with photos
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In this episode, Rev. Dr. A. Craig Troxel addresses the entire NDS IV 2022 group in his plenary session, "The Deacon and His Congregation." Rev. Troxel looks at the Confession of Faith chapter 26, "Of the Communion of Saints".  Grab a coffee as Dr. Troxel dives deep into the vertical relationship between you and God and the horizontal relationship you have with fellow believers.
This is the final episode featuring our National Diaconal Summit IV 2022 speakers. We hope you've enjoyed them and will share them with others. You can find all of the NDS IV 2022 episodes at thereformeddeacon.com. 


Dr. Craig Troxel serves as Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Seminary California. He has served on the Committee on Christian Education (CCE) since 2002 and was named president of the CCE in 2019. 
Referenced in this episode:
Dr. Troxel's outline for "The Deacon and His Congregation" from the National Diaconal Summit IV 2022.

Presbytery Diaconal Committee members, be sure to check OPCCDM.org to find out more about the Presbytery Diaconal Summit V 2023.

This episode is an interview our producer, Trish Duggan, had with OPC mission-work, Neon Reformed's elder Seth Long. His description of the current landscape of Neon is powerful, "The whole thing looks like a scene from The Hunger Games. It's dark; it's still muddy, there's still dirt on the streets, there are storefronts boarded up and down the streets.”  Last July’s record-breaking flood was a unique flashflood, raising a single stream into a raging river. “That little stream that runs through Neon, that you can normally practically jump over, became 300-yards wide and 12-feet deep,” Seth says. That’s a memory you don’t easily forget. It’s clear they continue to need the love and compassion that only Jesus, through his disciples, can give.

You can find a story from this interview on OPCDisasterResponse.org. If you would like to volunteer to help in the Spring Community Outreach effort in Neon, contact Jane Robinson: kentuckyvolunteers@opc.org. Consider bringing a youth group to build some Sheds of Hope! (Volunteers must be at least 15 years of age.)

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