[3] To students primarily from Churches of Christ for whom the use of scripture was dogmatic proof-texting, Osburn emphasized literary and historical controls to biblical interpretation.

Utilizing discourse analysis, Osburn conducted numerous short-term, one book workshops for translators in Central and South America in the 1970s and 1980s.

He was on the Steering Committee of the International Greek New Testament Project on John (Birmingham, England) and co-editor of Acts of the Apostles in Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior (Institüt für neutestamentliche Textforschung; Münster, Germany) until 2004.

[10] In addition to challenging fundamentalists to rethink polemical interpretation of biblical texts,[11] Osburn also worked to expand boundaries of exclusiveness.

His challenges to rethink crucial issues met forceful opposition, but with passing of time, were accepted by increasing numbers of moderates.

[15] Following construction of medical facilities in Guatemala[16] and Haiti,[17] he concentrated on providing water, food, shelter, clothing, medicine, and education in Africa from 2004 to 2008.

In addition to arranging care for hundreds of orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,[19] he enabled the Fistula Hospital to construct a midwife training college at Desta Minder.

He arranged construction of a major facility at Kijabe for an accredited residency program in pediatric orthopedic surgery for African doctors,[22] and funding for hundreds of clubfoot treatments in Kenya and Ethiopia.