Niddrie Ministry
From October 26th - November 5th I'll be in Niddrie, Edinburgh. Niddrie is number 31 on the top 50 most deprived housing estates in Scotland. Unfortunately, it ranks number 1 in the city of Edinburgh! God has providentially brought about a friendship between myself and Mez McConnell, Pastor of NCC (Niddrie Community Church). Mez has invited me over to minister in a number of contexts from pulpit to recovery groups to evangelistic outreach events...oh and of course a football match for Niddrie F.C! As Home Missionary of Calvary Grace Church in Calgary where I currently pastor, this is also a great chance for our church to both serve and be served by Niddrie as Gospel partnerships are formed. Mez is launching 20 Schemes, a church planting initiative to plant 20 Gospel churches in 20 of Scotland's most deprived housing schemes: http://niddriepastor.com/2012/10/03/20-schemes-gospel-churches-for-scotlands-poorest/
“I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next
spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to her departure to
a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life?
Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence
of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation,
insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the
sake of Him who left His heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of
perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent
to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown
of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her
Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”
Adoniram Judson, letter to Mr. Hasseltine
Where are the men? Those who will be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong and let all that they do be done in love (1 Cor. 16:13-14)! Well maybe God is raising up a few in Edinburgh and maybe he will bestow his favor again on a land once a bastion for the Gospel in the days of John Knox. And maybe the fearless preaching of the Christ who was slain for the salvation of many sinners will resound from the pulpits once more. And maybe thousands will be saved as he continues to build his church for the praise of his glorious grace. This is my prayer for Niddrie and for Scotland.
One of these areas is West Pilton, into which Andrew Scott , his wife Susan and son Daniel moved a few weeks ago. I will be visiting Andrew and West Pilton to do some Gospel outreach ministry. There is no church plant yet, but Andrew and his wife are praying and you can join them. http://crosstaker.org/
What God is using Mez and guys like Andrew for is rare in the UK. Who is going into the schemes or housing estates and planting Gospel churches? Mez wrote a convicting post about this recently: http://niddriepastor.com/2012/10/01/where-will-our-future-leaders-come-from/
Where are the men of God? Where also are the women of God? For though men will lead in planting and pastoring, women will be alongside them all the way.
Only a clear understanding of the Gospel with a high view of a sovereign, holy God, a true view of sinful, lost and Hell-bound mankind and a glorious view of slain and risen Savior who has ransomed a people from every tribe and tongue will inspire a new generation to forsake the comforts of this world and count the cost and say, "Here I am send me!"
Only seeing God's purpose in suffering will cause a man to choose to suffer and set aside his "rights" for the furtherance of the Kingdom in hard places. Only seeing the purpose for which sin and suffering exists to be that the Son of God could come and die for sinners to save them from eternal suffering, will inspire a man to go towards the pain of mission in the schemes of Scotland. Only seeing purity of faith and strengthened hope in Christ as God's purpose in suffering for believers will lead a man to move his family into the area in which Satan has a foothold and opposition is great.
Where are the men like Adoniram Judson, who wrote the following letter to his prospective father-in-law to ask for his daughter, Ann's hand in marriage before setting off to Burma never to return?
spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to her departure to
a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life?
Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence
of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation,
insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the
sake of Him who left His heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of
perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent
to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown
of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her
Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”
Adoniram Judson, letter to Mr. Hasseltine
Where are the men? Those who will be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong and let all that they do be done in love (1 Cor. 16:13-14)! Well maybe God is raising up a few in Edinburgh and maybe he will bestow his favor again on a land once a bastion for the Gospel in the days of John Knox. And maybe the fearless preaching of the Christ who was slain for the salvation of many sinners will resound from the pulpits once more. And maybe thousands will be saved as he continues to build his church for the praise of his glorious grace. This is my prayer for Niddrie and for Scotland.