I don’t know anyone else in the UK who is doing what Mez is doing at Niddrie. If there is one thing that I have admired about Mez over the years, it’s his tenacity in the face of popular descent. Both he and Miriam can look back at a succession of ‘monuments to obedience’ they have built because they listened to God and not man. As I read this blog, I was again impacted by the risk taking a-traditional approach that typifies Mez’s passion to see Gospel-extension and the saints achieve maximum joy.

For some church leaders, a plan or strategy that posited a 50% success-rate would not make it past round one of a leaders meeting, while others will choose not to denigrate the brand- identity of the church. Safe bets with good margins for success are often the order of the day, or to be extra-safe, not betting at all.

I hope that you feel as challenged, motivated, inspired and excited as I do when you read this.

Any fool can build a big crowd. It takes real men of God to build a big people.

niddriepastor

Our current church membership stands at about 55, with another 15 or so waiting in the wings to be baptised. We have a Sunday attendance of anywhere between 70 and 100 (I suspect that’s roughly the same number of urinals found at any Mars Hill Church). By any description we are a small church. Yet, as of October 2012, we will have, at varying levels, 13 people being trained and/or discipled full-time in various capacities.

• We have 4 young men being intensely discipled for a year in ‘James Ramsay House’ our discipleship home for new believers. All of these men will study with Porterbrook Scotland as part of other responsibilities. They will serve in our local cafe, at local clubs, in the church and begin to play a positive role in their local community.
• We will have 3 paid interns who receive a stipend in order to train and develop…

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