(If you missed the first two reasons you'll like 20schemes, be sure to check out part 1)
3. We answer to our local church elders for our life and work in the gospel.
What we don't mean: we are not primarily accountable to an organization, denomination, or any other entity outside the local church.
What we do mean: we gladly submit to the spiritual oversight of godly men who provide watchcare for our souls and our work in face-to-face relationships with them. These are godly men who know us, invest in our lives and ministry, and edify us in our progress in Christlikeness as we seek to honor the Lord, His Word, and His Church. In Scotland, these men are the pastors/elders of Niddrie Community Church.
4. We are local church centered in our philosophy of ministry.
What we don't mean: we are not parachurch focused and we are not promoting or seeking to build a parachurch organization to supplant the local church.
What we do mean: by God's grace we are building the Kingdom of God on earth, and we understand that the local church is God's blessed and purposed means for His gospel to go out and to be lived out. 20schemes is a conduit for this work and exists to build up and further the work of local church ministry.
5. We are fully committed to raising up indigenous leaders who will shepherd the flock of God as a plurality of godly men.
What we don't mean: we are not looking to create ministry jobs in Scotland for American pastors, church workers, and church planters who are discontent or disenfranchised and looking to escape something in their current situation.
What we do mean: we understand that long-term health in gospel churches means investing in leaders who come up through the ranks of discipleship over time. People brought to Christ out of scheme life will grow in grace and reinvest themselves in others who are being won to Christ. The pool of future leaders will come from within this discipling culture over the course of many years of concentrated spiritual investment.
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