Since the mid-1990s, the demographic of the UK has shifted from the 1950s/60s pyramid, with the bottom layer being the working poor, to a diamond. The thickest middle layer includes the aspirant middle-class that has grown from the manual labouring working class; there is a narrower layer of labouring working class; and then a growing […]

I recently returned from a two-week trip to the U.S.A, in an effort to drum up support for the work of 20schemes. In a packed schedule, I visited Immanuel Baptist Church in Sacramento, pastored by Robert Briggs, one of the members of our advisory board. In partnership with 9Marks, we did a one-day conference on […]

An article on the BBC website caught my eye recently. “London’s New Housing Loses The “Dirty Word” Apparently new homes being built in London are now being renamed, ‘neighbourhoods’ instead of‘estates’, because the powers that be feel that the latter has a pejorative association. Indeed, according to the report, which you can read here, the […]

“When all your favorite preachers are gone, and all their books forgotten, you will have your Bible. Master it. Master it.” — John Piper Bible study is an important topic for all of us trying to help people grow in the knowledge of God and for pointing unbelievers to Jesus Christ. There are very few […]

I am a (very convinced) Reformed Baptist, ministering and working in an independent Evangelical Church. I have even written a short book on preparing people (confessing believers) for baptism (see here for details). Since my move to Scotland six years ago, I became aware of ‘Presbyterians’ of all shapes and forms. Free Church, C of […]

1. Make sure that your personal walk with Jesus is firing on all cylinders. Take the time each day to be with God in his Word, meditate on what the Spirit is saying to you, and pray that he would fill you and keep you in step with his will for your life. 2. Remember […]

Housing scheme ministry is a tough gig. It is made somewhat harder when you are and/or have renewed a stagnant and/or dying congregation. We do have to watch out for all sorts of obstacles. 1. People Fatigue – I know I am tired and I need to refocus spiritually when I get sick of people and […]

“A fourth threat to undermine a man’s ministry is a non supportive wife. It could also extend to the children, but particularly a non supportive wife, one who nags and battles a pastor as he tries to be faithful and loyal to the Lord and the church. If she is negative on the church or […]

“I am a physician with but one medicine to prescribe, and that is the gospel of Christ. It may need to be applied in various ways, various aspects of it may need to receive the right emphasis, and it may need to be administered in the right form. But only the gospel of Jesus Christ […]

When you try your best, but you don’t succeedWhen you get what you want, but not what you needWhen you feel so tired, but you can’t sleepStuck in reverse And the tears come streaming down your faceWhen you lose something you can’t replaceWhen you love someone, but it goes to wasteCould it be worse? Lights […]