November 28 Today in OPC History

On November 28, 1945, the Rev. John Verhage was received by the Presbytery of Wisconsin. Among Orthodox Presbyterian ministers of that day, he had an unusual pedigree. Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he attended Calvin College and then the Evangelical and Reformed College and Seminary in Sheboygan. He was ordained in the Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1939 and served three Wisconsin churches in that denomination before joining the OPC. He pastored at Bethel OPC in Oostberg, Wisconsin (1945-1962) and then Bethel OPC in Grand Junction, Colorado (from 1962 until his retirement in 1968).

After Verhage passed away on December 4, 1982, Jim Bosgraf paid tribute to him in the pages of New Horizons: "John Verhage is remembered as a beloved pastor who preached God's Word fervently and pastored his flock faithfully. His sincerity and concern to spread the gospel were communicated in many ways. Long daily walks provided a unique point of contact with people who were then directly touched by his personal relationship to Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in applying God's Word through him. His love of the Reformed faith as well as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church have inspired many young ministers, and his ministry will be carried on by those who remember his joyful spirit—even in times of suffering and hardship."

Picture: John Verhage in the early 1970s.