On pages 121-122, McGarvey tells us, ‘The conversation about poverty is usually dominated by people with very little experience of being poor…. It’s this deficit between those who tend to lead the conversation and those who experience the issue that not only impedes progress but also leads to people
Understanding Britain’s Underclass: Part 2
McGarvey is at his angriest (and most correct) when he is disseminating the effects of gentrification in our schemes. To him, this process is basically about ‘the practice of getting rid of any evidence that the community is working-class’ (p74). It’s hard to disagree when I look at my own
The Beautiful Field of Housing Schemes
This is the final section of a three-part series on Theodore Dalrymple’s book Life at the Bottom, which explores the lives of the ‘underclass’ living on schemes. In the chapter ‘Choosing to Fail’, Dalrymple strikes right at the heart of the problems we face in the schemes. Commenting on the many
The Old Made New in Bingham
This post was written by Paul McLoughlan, 20schemes church planter in Bingham, Edinburgh God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said this: ‘Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it (Is.
Salvation in the Slums: A Family Legacy
My great-grandfather was born in 1905 in a tenement block in Townhead, Glasgow. He was born into extreme poverty with an alcoholic father, a chaotic home life and a mother who pawned anything and everything of value she could get her hands on. My gran and my mum tell tales of how as a small boy my
Accountability, The Why and the How 2: What Accountability Looks Like
Titus is to set an example for the flock. Paul says the same to Timothy when he writes to him as well (1 Tim 4:12). Paul consistently taught this to young pastors specifically, but I think we can apply it to ourselves too. Be an example to others. God is interested in how we live our lives as well
Accountability, The Why And The How 1: Why Have Accountability
This is the first of a 2 part post on accountability. This is a word that can conjure up different emotions. Some people are scared of it; they think that another person is going to be prying into their lives and might not like what they find. Some people think it’s great; why wouldn't you want
Announcing 20schemes Weekender February 2018
[bctt tweet="Info about @20schemes #Weekender here! 16-18 February 2018 @NiddrieChurch. Places limited. #20we18"]We’re excited to announce that 20schemes will be running another Weekender mini-conference in February 2018 at Niddrie Community Church. The theme for this weekend is Family Issues in