Blog (Page 31)
Are You a Porn Addict?
by Andy Constable We live in a highly sexualised culture with a multi billion pound sex industry. In the USA, 3000 dollars per second is spent on pornography. Sadly, this is a problem that many Christian men struggle with. They try to escape the reality of their lives through sexual fantasising. They give in to their lusts and seek fulfillment through sexual…
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…
What Happens When Your Church has No Christian Youth?
by Mike Stark (Children’s, Youth & Community Worker) Historically, we haven’t had many ‘Christian’ young people in Niddrie Community Church. We have a vibrant and active work among children and youth in the community, yet this is almost exclusively evangelistic, rather than…
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…
Men: Are you being lazy?
by Andy Constable One of the biggest struggles for Christian Men is the sin of laziness. It is a difficult term to pin down because it comes out in so many different forms. The dictionary gives us characteristics of laziness, such as ‘unwilling to work or use energy’. In the New Testament laziness is defined as a failure to use the gifts that God has given us…
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…
Evangelising the Young on Housing Schemes
by Mike Stark (Youth & School’s Worker for NCC) I recently attended “Deep Impact”, Scotland’s National Christian Youth Work Conference in Aviemore. I came back refreshed, inspired and excited about all the work ahead. I’ve got a lot to reflect on over the next couple of weeks: the people I met, the things I learned, and truths I just…