Church planter, don’t underestimate the value of patience in ministry.

20schemes is five years old this month (although the idea was birthed over a decade ago while church-planting in Brazil). Personally, I am entering my nineteenth year of pastoral ministry. During that time, I have worked in council estates in the UK, the slums of Brazil, and now in Scotland with 20schemes. We currently have […]

Did you know that less than one-third of 18-year-olds went to university in 2016? Even if we include those who took a gap year, that means that about 60% didn’t go to University. Yet, UK evangelicals have a disproportionate number of churches in student areas and planted to reach students. What if two-thirds of our churches were […]

In March of 2016, Kevin DeYoung, author and senior pastor of University Reformed Church (East Lansing, Michigan) visited Niddrie Community Church to meet some of the members and check out 20schemes. In this sort video, Kevin shares some reasons why he loves this ministry. Video Transcript – Kevin DeYoung Kevin: I’m grateful for the ministry of […]

I think growing local churches is the key to ministry in needy communities because it’s the key to ministry everywhere.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21) It’s been a Proverbs 19:21 start to the year in Barlanark. In fact, our whole experience here is summed up in that one verse. 18 months ago, we left our roles as […]

20schemes exists to build healthy, gospel-centred churches in Scotland’s poorest communities—the housing schemes—but we’re also seeing an increasing number of churches and individuals burdened for the deprived communities on their doorstep in other parts of the world. On Saturday 6th February 2016, Hamilton Road Baptist Church hosted our first Church In Hard Places Workshop in […]

In this video, Mez and Lewis discuss how churches from different areas and social backgrounds can be working together for the furtherance of the gospel.

I am being approached more and more by people (always middle class) who are not convinced by the issue of class within the UK. According to one recent conversation, 20schemes is“over egging the pudding” and, incredibly, “deliberately and provocatively stirring up dissension that doesn’t really exist”. Certainly, whenever I am invited to speak about the […]