Church Planting (Page 10)
T4G Conference 2012 (5): The Message That Saved My Ministry!
Speaker: Ligon Duncan Text: 1 Kings 19 Title: The Underestimated God: God’s Ruthless, Compassionate Grace in the Pursuit of His Own Glory and His Ministers’ Joy I tell you what they don’t go for the snappy soundbite titles these boys! This one was definitely up there for the…
What’s the Best Way to Plant a Church on a Housing Scheme?
There are all sorts of models and debate about how, why and when we should plant and/or launch new churches. Some people prefer the small group/house church/community group model which is certainly a tried (not to mention biblical), proved and tested way of planting new congregations within certain…
Transforming Peoples Lives in Inner City Belfast!
Check out the work of Jonathan Pollock in a difficult part of inner Belfast. Follow him @jonnypollock. If you know of any other church planters/pastors working in inner city areas (any country, but particularly Europe) where we could highlight their work, show a film (if they’ve produced one)…
Five Tips on How to Survive Long Term in Housing Schemes
By Andy Constable It can be tough working and living in a scheme at the same time. There are the ‘normal’ ministerial pressures like preparing sermons, counselling and driving the vision of the church forward. And then there are the added stresses like reaching out to the people on the scheme and…
An Assessment of T4G, City2City & Acts29WE Conferences
Right, let me get something straight right off the bat. I am not a conference junkie! It just so happened that I squeezed in these 3 during a manic 2 week period. In fact, this is the most conferences I have been to in 10 years! I do not usually like these things. I hate the crowds and the whole…
One Gospel Conviction But Two different Outlooks on Outreach!
Can the outlooks of two generations coexist in one church? James Merritt, 59, serves as senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia. His son, Jonathan Merritt, 29, joined the church staff in 2008. In many respects, they couldn’t be more different. James represents the Boomer…
Gentrification: Help or Hindrance to Housing Schemes?
Gentrification is a phenomenon that is occurring in schemes all over Scotland (indeed the UK). It is a word that has been in use for many centuries but was brought to the fore in the early sixties by a sociologist who observed how middle class people moving into traditional working class areas,…
What is the Church Actually For?
Phillip Jensen gives his opinion here. I will say straight off the bat that I am not certain that I agree with some of his conclusions (or presuppositions) in this piece – but it gets the ol’ juices flowing at least!
My Top Tips For Surviving Ministry In Hard Places!
It’s been an up and down week in Niddrie. A man was stabbed to death in a drug related incident, two young boys crashed their stolen motorbike into a lamp-post being chased by the police, a young man killed himself, there was a knife fight on the steps of the church and an African man was…
Are You a Controlling Leader?
Church planters and pastors of all ilks are united by the fact that they (normally) have strong personalities. This is doubly so for those of us who work in housing schemes and/or other similar situations. We have to lead, often make snap decisions and carry/encourage/develop/mentor a group of people seeking to live for Christ in hard places. I have to work very hard with…