Church Planting, Frontier Mission, & the Art of Gospel Conversation | Rev. Brad Peppo
Most church growth conversations focus on established congregations looking to grow. This episode is different. Rev. Brad Peppo is a regional home missionary with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who arrived in Cottonwood, Arizona last January without a single contact — not a name, not a face, not a connection. What he had was a calling, a camera, and a blog.
In this episode of The Great Commission Today, host Daniel Vos talks with Brad about what it actually looks like to plant a church from the ground up in an unchurched and culturally diverse community. Brad’s story is compelling not because it’s dramatic — though there are moments of real drama — but because it is so ordinary. He hit coffee shops. He started a photojournalism blog. He showed up to the local pastors’ group and asked if there was room for more gospel work. He ran modest Facebook ads. He introduced himself to the museum volunteer who shared his interest in archaeology. And slowly, steadily, God brought people.
Now House Mountain OPC Mission is worshiping together, running a discussion group called Cross Examiners for spiritually curious skeptics, and seeing people with no church background show up regularly and stay. One woman found the church because a Facebook ad appeared while she was researching the mountain the church is named after. A woman just beginning to call herself a professing Christian told Brad to stop apologizing for reading long passages of Scripture.
Brad also serves on the Navajo reservation in Tuba City and is four years into a sustained evangelistic effort with a group of Muslims in Dayton, Ohio — which he describes as a ’20-year endeavor.’ Over four years, their questions have shifted from polite and cautious to pointed and direct. He sees that as profound progress. Throughout the episode, Brad returns again and again to the ordinary means of grace and closes with three words for anyone who wants to start doing this kind of work: start small, lead with genuine curiosity, and play the long game.
What You’ll Learn
- How to use personal interests and gifts as bridges to initiate deep worldview conversations with complete strangers.
- Why working in public spaces is one of the most fruitful strategies for a new church plant.
- How the ordinary means of grace are having unexpected impact on people with little exposure to Scripture.
- Practical insight into Facebook advertising for small mission works — what to target and how to extend reach.
- How a seventh-time church planter’s honest reflection on dependence and prayer can encourage any ministry leader.
- Three clear, actionable principles for beginning your own evangelism efforts in unfamiliar or intimidating contexts.
Featured Pull Quote
“If you’re really willing and curious to find out where people are coming from, they will be curious to find out where you’re coming from. Every one of the deepest gospel conversations I’ve had over twelve years of doing this has started with my coming in and saying: I just want to know how you’re thinking about these things.”— Rev. Brad Peppo