Our current church membership stands at about 70, with another 10 or so waiting in the wings to be baptised. We have a Sunday attendance of anywhere between 70 and 100 (I suspect that’s roughly the same number of urinals found at many mega-churches). By any description, we are a small church. Yet, as of […]
We have baptised at least a dozen people in Niddrie over the last six months, and it has been a powerful reminder to the congregation and the local community of the saving power of Christ even in the most hardened heart. When I came to Niddrie over seven years ago, there was a young woman […]
Despite lots of discussion on working with the poor and mercy ministry in many evangelical circles, not much is said about the ‘undeserving’ poor. In other words, those who purposely do not want to work or better their current situation. Shouldn’t Christian ministry focus its attention on those who ‘deserve’ our kindness, particularly in housing […]
Many great, Western missiological thinkers have battled with the issue of paternalism in cross-cultural contexts for decades. What exactly is paternalism? “The essence of paternalism is providing outside direction and resources by some “mature” party to someone considered “immature” and not yet capable to carry full leadership responsibility. Though it is much more than providing […]
Mark Dever, in an article published at The Gospel Coalition, notes that: “Since the Fall, the trajectory of unredeemed human history—the City of Man—is always in the Bible to judgment (the Flood, Babel, Canaan, Egypt, Jerusalem, Babylon, Rome & then Rev. 19). (Not quite as universal as gravity, but seemingly as inevitable in its overall […]
Part A: Church Based Community DevelopmentIn his book, Generous Justice, Tim Keller states: “All I know is, if I don’t care about the poor, if my church doesn’t care about the poor, that’s evil.” Jesse Johnson, writing an article for The Cripplegate Blog, has a somewhat different perspective. He writes: “. . .the fact of […]
It is noticeable in Niddrie that there are many housing association groups and various other social agencies, largely staffed by outsiders, some of whom impose their ideas and ideals on to the community without much prior discussion. It is often taken for granted that these ‘professionals’know what we need. Likewise, many church plants, churches and […]
This is a key area of gospel ministry in housing schemes. Many local churches completely devolve their responsibility in this area to Bible Colleges which I think can be, in some cases, to the detriment of the church and the person being ‘trained.’ Certainly, in housing schemes, we need to have a clearly defined, multi-faceted […]
This is a key area of gospel ministry in housing schemes. Many local churches completely devolve their responsibility in this area to Bible Colleges which I think can be, in some cases, to the detriment of the church and the person being ‘trained.’ Certainly, in housing schemes, we need to have a clearly defined, multi-faceted […]
Robert Lupton would call this a “redistribution of resources.” His logic being (albeit from a community development perspective). Christians should live in the area they are trying to reach. Christians should work toward a ministry of reconciliation at both a “Godward” and community level. Communities are then, hopefully, going to see a redistribution of community […]