Category: Article

March 17, 2015
Why 'Loving People' Can Be a Bad Reason to Help the Poor

“As with persons in any other helping profession, sometimes the motivation to enter the ministry is to gain the appreciation, attention, and acceptance which is personally needed but which is not being supplied elsewhere. Sometimes it is the unconscious desire to dominate others and in effect to become little popes, which is an easy goal […]

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March 9, 2015
Is There Any Future for the Impossibly Hopeless in Our Communities?

Listen to Paul speaking to a church dividing on ethnic and social lines in Ephesians 2:14–17: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was […]

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March 4, 2015
Single in the Schemes: Gift or Curse?

“Singleness is a gift from the Lord.” Sometimes the way this phrase gets bandied around in churches is often glib and unhelpful for those of us who are single. Of course, there are lots of benefits to being single, and we should enjoy the blessings that undoubtedly come our way. Now, I’m not saying that […]

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March 3, 2015
Are the Schemes as Needy as We Say They Are?

“It doesn't look as bad as I thought.” “I’ve seen worse.” “I thought it would be rougher than this.” “I don’t know what I was expecting but this looks OK.” Just some of the comments I have been noticing more and more from overseas visitors to the schemes (specifically Niddrie). It’s fascinating, to me anyway, […]

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March 2, 2015
Lessons from the Front: What I Would Do Differently if I Had to Plant Again (4)

If I was going to plant again. . . . I would be far more careful about who I encouraged to join the church. This is probably . . . definitely . . . the most controversial post in this mini-series! Basically, EVERY planter wants to see their church plant grow. This invariably involves people […]

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February 23, 2015
Lessons from the Front: What I Would Do Differently if I Had to Plant Again (3)

If I was going to plant again . . . I would be far less bothered by what others are doing. I think it was Theodore Roosevelt who said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.”For what it’s worth, I agree with him! This is especially true when it comes to church planting. I’d like to […]

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February 15, 2015
What Exactly is Poverty Anyway?

Poverty can be a tricky thing to get your mind around. Our church’s ministry brings me (Mike) into contact with different kinds of people in need. In one suburb nearby, we distribute food to Latin American immigrants who may not have the legal standing to pursue government assistance. In another suburb, we work with people […]

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February 12, 2015
Is There Much of a Reading Culture in Poor Communities?

I want to do a longer blog about this at a later date, because there is a lot of misinformation about literacy and the poor. But, for now, you may be interested in this interview I did for 9marks along with some other brothers working around the world in poor communities. Enjoy.

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February 11, 2015
What Are Some of the Dangers and Pitfalls Single Christian Women Face?

Being a woman and being single is very difficult. Being a godly single woman is awash with all sorts of pitfalls and minefields. The big question for today is, “What happens when we don’t do it well?” I’d like to be able to say that I have always handled being a single woman well and […]

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February 10, 2015
Why is 20schemes So White, and What Do We Intend to do About It?

London is a cosmopolitan city. It is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. It’s a whole swirl of colours and people and nations. It’s almost the very definition of cultural diversity. We find this to be the case even in its housing estates too (although there are always exceptions!). Birmingham is similar, but with a higher Muslim population […]

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