Posts by Jason Nelson (Page 29)
Coping With Terminal Illness
This is an extremely emotive topic and anybody who has been in ministry for a length of time will have faced this particularly painful scenario. I have dealt with several sudden deaths in Niddrie, from overdoses to accidents, young and old. It is a brutal reminder of our mortality and the preciousness of life. Families are left, often bereft, with many questions and the…
What’s the Difference Between a Social Worker & a Rottweiler?
So went the (so-called) joke when I was growing up in a sink estate in Yorkshire in the late 80’s. The answer? ‘At least you get a part of your kid back from a Rottweiler’. The point? In Housing schemes, Social Workers are viewed as the gestapo, with the power to turn up at any…
Rediscovering The Lost Gospel
I have been studying several books on the gospel in recent weeks as I research a chapter for an upcoming book. I have to confess at the outset that whilst I have heard of Darrell Bock, I have never read any of his writings. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect as I opened it but I have to say that for its 136 pages it is real value for money. Bock felt the need to…
The 8 Keys to Ministry In Housing Schemes (3)
Part III: Developing Community Skills Robert Lupton would call this a ‘redistribution of resources’. His logic being (albeit from a community development perspective): 1. We live in the area we are trying to reach 2. We work toward a ministry of reconciliation at a Godward level and a community level Then (3) we are, hopefully, going to see a redistribution of…
It Takes a Church to Raise a Child!
On Sunday evening I have been teaching a parenting class for a group of about 15 people crammed into my front room. One of the dangers of parenting courses is that people think they are only applicable for those with children. Singles think they have no need to know, older couples think they have done it all, those struggling with having children find it difficult and…
The Marks of ‘real’ Manhood
Yesterday, my Pastoral Assistant, Andy Constable, posted on the issue of men and laziness. This begs the question of what constitutes real manhood in our feminised society which has blurred the distinctions between men and women, often not for the better. The ‘Mark Driscoll’ response to this has been to call for men to beat their chests, grab a keg of beer and…
The 8 Keys to Gospel Ministry in Housing Schemes (2)
Part II: The Ministry of Reconciliation All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of…
The 8 Keys To Gospel Ministry In Housing Schemes (1)
PART I: Live In If we really want to make an impact for Christ in the many housing schemes up and down our nations then we must be prepared to move into the area. This is the GOLDEN rule. There are no exceptions for our leaders. Ministry will fail dismally, particularly if the leader(s) is(are) not…
From Selling Heroin in the Car Park to Proclaiming Christ in the Community
When I came to Niddrie over 4 years ago there was a young woman involved in selling Heroin outside our doors in the car park. Most of the members were oblivious but I spotted it after about 2.1 seconds! Her name was Charlene and she had two young children. Before long she had heard the gospel of…
Would you fail the gospel quiz?
Great little article here.