A Tale of Two Ghettos

On a muggy night in September of 1751, a six story tenement in Edinburgh, Scotland, collapsed.  What should have shocked many, shocked no one, as this was just one building among many made of rickety old boards.  The likelihood of a building failing in Edinburgh was about as likely as rain on a cloudy day.  Yet, people lived in them as there was no space for new neighborhoods to be built.  The Nor’ Loch bordered the city to the north.  The lake had been made for defense, which it kindly provided, but it was neglected and was now only stocked with sewage.  When the people managed to dodge falling buildings and sewage filled waters, it was the fires, disease, and crime that caught them off guard.  Edinburgh was a ghetto, and it needed help.

However, help would not come.  Scotland hadn’t held royal court since 1603.  Help from their federal government was about as likely as suddenly finding cell service when your car has broken down on a deserted mountain highway.   People would also not get any assistance from their local city government.   The city which had limited resources, was also led by a buffoonary of men.  They often held their meetings in taverns, acting more like drunken frat boys than officials running a city.  The possibility of the citizens of Edinburgh receiving help from anyone in government seemed bleak.

The people of Edinburgh faced a choice.  They could have left.  Truthfully, that is what I might have done.  I might have packed up my family and my possessions and headed out to the countryside.  I could have found a bit of land, livestock, and lived on my own far away from the problems found in the decaying prison of Edinburgh.  One man, however, did not leave.  He chose a second option, reform.

George Drummond was a hard worker.  He had to be to get ahead, as he wasn’t born into money or power.  George worked his way up through the ranks, first serving on the board of customs, then as city treasurer, and finally as Provost of the City.  It was as Provost where Drummond began his life’s work.

Revolted with what his city had become, Drummond launched the Commission of Proposals for Public Works, with an ambition to “improve and enlarge the city and to adorn it with public buildings which may be for the national benefit.”  It was an audacious goal, considering he had no money, government support, policy, or even the belief of the citizens that it could be done.  Undeterred, he fought like a heavyweight boxer to get legislation passed.  Slowly, over the course of more than ten years, legislation was developed and money was raised. City administrators, however, dug their heels in and drug the planning on for another year before finally approving the architect’s designs.  It was arduous work, but Drummond met the challenge.

Eventually the city would be improved.  George would begin the Royal Infirmary, one of the world’s chief teaching hospitals.  He was pivotal in seeing the University of Edinburgh expanded. The crown jewels of his accomplishments, which he wouldn’t live to see their completion, was the building of Edinburgh’s “New Town” and the draining of the Nor’ Loch.  The work would take most of his life, but Edinburgh would go from ghetto to renowned city because one man did not give up.

Unfortunately this would not be the last ghetto this world would ever see. The world we live today in is becoming increasing polluted. Hatred is ravaging our streets. The internet is littered with trash. Our schools are papered with violence and drugs. The sense of despair leaves millions worried and concerned. Society is hurting.  However, our society is not the ghetto, at least not yet.  The ghetto is actually created by the church’s response to this culture. One author put it this way:

Today, the lack of a “critical mass” of Christians who are visibly present in their communities may be the biggest single barrier to churches becoming local movements. With the secularization of the West, a great many churches have circled the wagons, often withdrawing into Christian enclaves or networks in which Christians socialize with each other; buy their homes, furniture, appliances, and cars from Christians; exercise at the church’s gym (rather than the local health club); homeschool their kids or send them to private school (rather than the public school); and send their kids to Christian colleges (rather than state or secular colleges), while preparing to eventually retire in a residential facility for senior Christians. As Pope Francis has observed, far too many Christians now live in “a ghetto of our own making.”  George Hunter III in Go: The Church’s Main Purpose

A ghetto of our own making.  Many Christians, often with great intentions, make a choice to abandon the society around them.  They witness the hatred, violence, drugs, despair and decide to go live a life that is separate, more Godly, more pure and holy.  What they end up creating is indeed separate, however, it is something that is inbred, ungodly, and unholy.

The dead sea is an overplayed illustration, but it’s overplayed because it is often the perfect illustration, as it is here.  The dead sea is just that, dead.  It is dead because although it receives all sorts of nutrients from the everlush Jordan River, it has no natural outlet to let nutrients go.  Great nutrients come in, nothing goes out, things get overloaded, and everything dies.  It’s just what happens when you get too much of a great thing.  Unfortunately, this is also what the lives of many Christians look like.  They obtain all their healthy nutrients and vitamins from their walk with God, daily devotions, churches, and faith.  Then, like the Dead Sea, that is always receiving and never letting anything go, they too get overloaded and die.  Lots of christians dying in this way creates some rather abhorrent christian ghettos.

Other illustrations from the Bible make the point equally well.  Christians are to be the salt of the earth, a city on a hill, and the light of the world.  When Christians withdraw they end up being nothing more than salt in the cupboard, cities hidden behind walled gates, and lights only to their own homes.  We are not living the way God intended if we withdraw from society.

I can hear people saying, “yeah, but shouldn’t we support christian businesses?”  “Yeah, but are we not suppose to fellowship with other believers?” “Yeah, but God invented education, and christian schools to teach His word and values.”  Please don’t get me wrong, we should faithfully support christian businesses, fellowship with believers, and pray about whether God would have us send our kids to christian schools and colleges (in fact, I personally have attended three christian colleges and seminaries); however, we should also pray about how God wants us to be involved in our community.  The challenge might simply be, do we at least put as much time and prayer into how we influence our neighbors for Christ as we do trying to avoid them influencing us?  Do we actually think about how we can be a light into our kid’s schools, or do we just think about how to afford getting them out of the public school system?  Do we invite our neighbors over for dinner, or do we just enjoy hanging out at church potlucks?  Jesus, our best example, ministered to a lot of ungodly people, however, many christians spend all their time avoiding them.

Edinburgh was a ghetto.  The only way to fix it was to drain the swamp and build some new buildings.  Ignoring the problem wouldn’t have fixed it.  Moving might have saved some individuals some pain, but ultimately the city would have went completely to ruin.  Thankfully there was one man that stood up, worked hard, and made something better.

The lives of many christians today are ghettos.  The way to fix them, like in Edinburgh, is to drain the swap and build some new buildings.  We need to get out into our communities and build some new relationships with those around us.  We need to be involved in our children’s schools, coach their soccer teams, volunteer in community organizations and serve in city government.  We need to engage our neighbors and be the light to them that God has called us to be.

I said earlier that our society is not the ghetto, at least not yet.  I hope and pray that it never will be.  It is no doubt hurting, but if christians will stand up and engage the culture around us, like George Drummond stood up for Edinburgh rather than running the other way, I believe we can make this a great place once again for God’s glory.

Posted on
Category: Church Life

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

Leave a Reply to https://tinyurl.com/ymjk7uac Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

57 thoughts on “A Tale of Two Ghettos”

  3. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering problems with
    your RSS. I don’t understand why I am unable to subscribe to it.
    Is there anybody else getting identical RSS problems? Anyone that knows the answer can you kindly respond?
    Thanks!!

    Here is my web-site Nordvpn Coupons Inspiresensation (T.Co)

    Reply

  10. hello!,I like your writing so a lot! percentage we communicate extra about your article on AOL?
    I need a specialist on this space to resolve my problem. May
    be that’s you! Having a look forward to peer you.

    Reply

  11. Having read this I thought it was extremely enlightening.
    I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this short article together.
    I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of
    time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

    Reply

  30. Bereid je voor op een spannende Plinko plezier bij vulkan spiele casino, aangezien spelers echt enorme winsten behalen van de Plinko spel en kunt u ook genieten van exclusieve bonussen. Deze complete gids behandelt alles wat u moet weten om te spelen Plinko succesvol te zijn en uw winkansen te vergroten. Contact opnemen met de redactie kan, via: contact(at)casinozonderregistratie.net Wallacebet biedt verschillende betaalmethoden aan. Dit zijn Mastercard, Visa, MiFinity, AstroPay, Volt (direct banking) en Zimpler. Ook is dit een Cashlib casino. Helaas ontbreekt Play’n Go hier echter. Maar met meer dan 60 providers, is er voor iedereen wel iets te vinden. De spellen zijn verdeeld in categorieën zoals live, nieuw, fruit, slots, top, Megaways, bonus games, book en drops & wins. Op deze manier kun je gemakkelijk navigeren door het assortiment en de gokkast die het beste bij je past vinden.
    https://makabeer.space/fat-pirate-casino-de-favoriete-bestemming-voor-nederlandse-online-spelers/
    Het speelveld is wel veranderd. Zoals we gewend zijn van Megaways gokkasten heeft ook Buffalo King Megaways 6 verticale rollen met tussen de 2 en 7 symbolen per rol.  Wanneer je LeoVegas opzoekt op bijvoorbeeld Trustpilot moet je er wel voor zorgen dat je de goede te pakken hebt. Doordat het een internationaal bedrijf is kun je nogal veel verschillende LeoVegas websites vinden. De Nederlandse website scoort echter niet zo fantastisch hoog, met een 2.0. Dit komt door het overgrote deel aan 1.0 ster reviews die worden gegeven. De 4 en 5 sterren reviews wegen hier niet tegenop.  Prof. dr. Berend van der Lei is één van de bekendste en gerenommeerdste plastisch chirurgen in Nederland met meer dan 20 jaar ervaring in de esthetische (cosmetische) plastische chirurgie en cosmetische behandelingen.

    Reply

  35. Leider gibt es im Moment keine Anbieter für Spieler aus Deutschland. Ein weiterer Pragmatic Play Slot, auch wenn etwas unbekannt, ist John Hunter and the Book of Tut. Hier findet sich eine ähnliche Gewinntabelle und entsprechende Auszahlungen wie beim Book of the Fallen Slot, der maximale Gewinnfaktor ist aber mit dem 5.500-fachen etwas höher. Die Freispiele können auch hier mehrfach verlängert werden, sofern die entsprechenden Symbole auf den Reels landen. Book of the Fallen ist ein visuelles Vergnügen, dessen Grafiken und Designelemente zum Gesamterlebnis des Spiels beitragen. Das Spiel findet vor dem Hintergrund des alten Ägyptens statt, ein Thema, das in den Grafiken wunderschön eingefangen ist. Dieses aufregende klassische Spielautomatenspiel im Rückblick-Stil klingt sicherlich wie Vegas und spielt wie Vegas, aber es ist ein wahres altägyptisches Abenteuer in jedem Sinne des Wortes. Mit 5 Drehwalzen, 3 Reihen und 9 Gewinnlinien ist dies ein klassischer Spielautomat für die heutige Zeit. In Kürze werden wir Sie durch einen Intensivkurs in ägyptischer Mythologie und Artefakten schicken. Bereiten Sie sich auf das Book of Ra in all seiner Pracht vor.
    https://pristineoftheocean.com/ice-casino-erfahrungen-ein-umfassender-uberblick-fur-spieler-aus-deutschland/
    Wie auch schon Crazy Taxi Classic unterstützt Sonic the Hedgehog Classic sämtliche HID-kompatiblen Controller. Wenn ich persönlich regelmäßig Spiele auf einem Tablet spielen würde, wäre ein Controller für mich Pflicht, aber seine Benutzung ist völlig optional. Wer dauerhaft werbefrei zocken möchte, kann auch hier ein paar Münzen in den In-App-Käufe-Topf werfen. Sehen Sie sich die von uns am besten bewerteten Tablet Casinos online, die Sie hier auf dieser Seite in unserer Top Liste finden, einmal genauer an und entscheiden Sie sich dann für den Anbieter, der Sie persönlich am meisten anspricht. Natürlich sind auch Tablets zum Spielen von Spielautomaten sehr populär. Daher bieten viele Casinos auch eigene iPad Slots an. Ein loser Spieler spielt gerne viele Hände, die Ansprüche auf die Meisterschaft erheben. Glücksspiele für handy und tablet wenn Sie Fragen, das viel Glück erfordert. Aber hier bei Casinomeister ließen wir uns nicht leicht täuschen, captain cooks casino 50 free spins wenn die Bankroll wächst – oder schrumpft. Casino anmeldung ohne einzahlung es gibt sechzehn Stockwerke, NJ.

    Reply

  37. RTP gry wynosi 96.01%, a zmienność gry określa się jako wysoką. Automat oferuje 20 linii wygrywających. Later I’ll probably move to a better neighborhood and support my family. Table Etiquette how long has semaglutide been on the market Semaglu Pharm Rybelsus for blood sugar control Age of Troy to 5-bębnowy slot wydany przez EGT w 2016 r. Do podboju Troi zapraszają nas greccy bogowie, zachęcając do wygranej skarbów o maksymalnej wartości 1000x stawki. Nie sposób nie zauważyć nowego trendu, który szczególnie widoczny jest w branży motoryzacyjnej. Dotyczy on znacznego upraszczania logotypów, które zastosowano już m.in w Volkswagenie, Nissanie, Citroenie czy Renault. Age of Troy to 5-bębnowy slot wydany przez EGT w 2016 r. Do podboju Troi zapraszają nas greccy bogowie, zachęcając do wygranej skarbów o maksymalnej wartości 1000x stawki.
    https://ckan.obis.org/user/kworlimelworl1975
    Bonus powitalny 100% + 50 FS od Mirax Casino Copyright © 2025. Wszystkie prawa zastrzeżone. Gra oferuje ekscytujące funkcje, takie jak darmowe obroty, w których bębny 2, 3 i 4 łączą się w symbol giganta, zapewniając większe wygrane. Dostępna jest również funkcja Money Respin, która uruchamia się po wylądowaniu co najmniej sześciu symboli Money, oferując do 100-krotności całkowitego zakładu, a nawet Mega Jackpot. Bonus powitalny 100% + 50 FS od Mirax Casino Jewel Rush od Pragmatic Play Darmowa gra Jewel Rush od Pragmatic Play ���� ������������ ������� ������ ��� ���� � ������-�������-leovegas, ��� ��� ������������ ��. Nasza strona obejmuje wszystkich popularnych dostawców slotów. Szczegółowo przeanalizowaliśmy setki gier od najlepszych dostawców automatów. Nawet mniej znani dostawcy, ale wykonujący wyjątkową pracę, tacy jak Print Studios i Stakelogic, są opisani na naszej stronie. Na naszej stronie znajdziesz szczegółowe recenzje slotów od następujących najlepszych dostawców:

    Reply

  40. Boni geben den Spielern nicht nur die Möglichkeit, was Sie spielen. Die Essenz der heißen Zonen ist leicht zu verstehen, kostenlos spielen wicked witch freispiele ohne einzahlung Teil des gesamten Abenteuers. Simulation, 1995Playable demo (installed), Playable demo, Playable demo Ein anspruchsvolles Projekt, dessen Ziel es ist, die größten und verantwortungsvollsten Unternehmen im Bereich des iGaming auszuzeichnen und ihnen jene Anerkennung zukommen zu lassen, die sie auch verdienen. Betrachten wir das Beispiel: Book of Dead hat eine RTP von 94,25%. Das bedeutet, dass man erwarten kann, langfristig 94,25$ von jedem 100$ Einsatz zurückzuerhalten. Die verbleibenden 5,75$ behält das Casino. you just received freespins for Völlig eigenständige, 100%ige API Lösung, die in jedes Online Casino integriert werden kann
    https://burtanater1986.cavandoragh.org/alle-bewertungen
    Die beeindruckendsten Features von Money Train-2 finden in Verbindung mit den Bonusrunden statt. Dort kommen mehrere Spezialsymbole zum Einsatz, die ihre Spezialkräfte online während der Freirunden einsetzen können. Die meisten von ihnen basieren auf Gewinnmultiplikatoren und tragen Namen wie Payer, Sniper und Collector. Im Laufe der Free Spins können sogar zwei weitere Walzen genutzt werden. Beachtet, dass ihr Automatenspiele für High Roller nur in Casinos ohne Einsatzlimit findet. Wenn ihr an Online Spielautomaten nicht nur hohe Einsätze, sondern auch schnelle Runden zu schätzen wisst, dann schaut auf der Themenseite rund um die Casinos mit Spielautomaten ohne Zwangspause vorbei. Ich habe mich derweil für euch umgesehen und herausgefunden, welches High Roller Online Casino die meisten High Stakes Slots im Portfolio hat:

    Reply

  46. *50 Free Spins credited upon your first £10 deposit on Big Bass Splash slot only, valued at 10p per spin. Free Spins must be used within 48 hours of qualifying. All winnings are uncapped and credited to your real money balance. Speed auto roulette hack a treble cleft represents In Jazzs Wild symbol, many of them have this feature. The first thing I noticed with Dragon Ship is the lack of background music, 21+3 blackjack examples Paddy Power Games is licenced by the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) and the Malta Gaming Authority. How offers work depends on the website itself as there is a fair amount of variation, but I don’t see a path to victory for you. 50 Free Spins No Deposit No Wager Uk A non GamStop casino UK licensed by the MGA is a solid choice for British players. The MGA enforces responsible gaming practices, secure payment handling, and data privacy rules. While slightly less strict than the UKGC, the MGA provides high player protection standards. This makes MGA-licensed Non GamStop sites a safe option for UK users looking for freedom without sacrificing security.
    https://30lat.fnp.org.pl/blog/play-twin-spin-login-bonus-uks-latest-offers/
    Microgaming has been around since 1994 and is a big name in the slots world. They really set the industry standard. With over 800 titles in its collection, you can play free demo slots like Mega Moolah or Tomb Raider to name a few. Microgaming has been around since 1994 and is a big name in the slots world. They really set the industry standard. With over 800 titles in its collection, you can play free demo slots like Mega Moolah or Tomb Raider to name a few. Software coupons additional setup for streaming This seed is one of the legends with all the stars aligning. By opening the Spectral and Arcana Packs, you can easily get all five Legendary Jokers. In Ante one you can find Triboulet as well as Yorick, then in Ante two you get Chicot and Perkeo and, finally, the collection is complete with Canio being found in Ante three.

    Reply

  48. Landing three to five ‘scatters’ awards 10 to 20 free spins, while two scatters can activate a ‘hook’ feature, “randomly granting entry to the bonus game”. Immersed in the watery world, players will lose themselves in the holiday vibe. The colourfully-hued fish swim tantalisingly within reach, and players will have fun reeling them in. Big Bass Bonanza is a worldwide success and it’s no wonder. The game has high volatility and many free spin options for players, and also allows for multipliers on each spin. Whether you’re fishing for peace and quiet or looking for a big prize, you won’t regret joining the Big Bass Bonanza fan club. Keep an eye out for our deals and offers to see how you can make the most of Big Bass Bonanza and other slot or casino games to win real money prizes.
    https://yetundebernard.com/overzicht-van-features-in-sugar-rush-slot/
    media.mig8.site mostbet-casino-tournaments-and-promotions-detail offers maximum prompt withdrawal money with cryptocurrencies and digital funds in same hour as traditional manipulations with financial institutions and cards take 3 3-5 days. Ultimately, all this ensures that the final product meets customer needs and can quickly respond to market demands. Once you’ve completed all testing phases, it’s time to deploy your new application for customers to use. After deployment, the launch may involve marketing your new product or service so people know about its existence. If the software is in-house, it may mean implementing the change management process to ensure user training and acceptance. Following each phase of a system development life cycle the team and project manager may establish a baseline or milestones in the process.

    Reply

  49. Depois de comprar Minecoins, elas estarão disponíveis no Marketplace do Minecraft quando você entrar no Minecraft: Bedrock Edition com a mesma conta usada para comprar Minecoins. Ao comprar Minecoins no Minecraft.net, você pode ver itens que deseja comprar. Selecione o botão Obter este item. Se o Minecraft estiver instalado no mesmo dispositivo, o jogo abrirá diretamente na página do Marketplace, onde você poderá comprar o item. Você pode começar a jogar o Minecraft criando objetos simples. Confira o artigo Como sobreviver no primeiro dia para obter dicas sobre o que fazer ao começar a jogar o Minecraft. Você pode começar a jogar o Minecraft criando objetos simples. Confira o artigo Como sobreviver no primeiro dia para obter dicas sobre o que fazer ao começar a jogar o Minecraft.
    https://md.cysec.com/s/ceY6cDgn9
    Drive – WASD Nitro – LShift Jump – Barra de espaço Trocar câmera – F Este jogo tem uma política de privacidade personalizada: nopressurestudios privacy Resgate aqui o seu item exclusivo do criador de personagem da Mattel! Insira, no campo acima, o código 5×5 que veio com a compra do Minecraft. Compre para coletar todos os três itens de criador. Drive – teclas de seta W S ou para cima para baixo É importante explicar que o RTP é calculado no longo prazo. Ele é calculado a partir da fórmula: (dinheiro total devolvido aos jogadores) (dinheiro total apostado pelos jogadores) = RTP em %. Se você estava jogando Minecraft enquanto comprava Minecoins no Minecraft.net, talvez seja necessário sair do Minecraft e reiniciar o jogo para que seu novo saldo apareça no Marketplace.

    Reply

  50. The main bonus feature within Fruit Shop is free spins. Free spins will be awarded when fruit symbol combinations are formed. With the cherry a winning combination of two or three symbols will provide one free spin. With four cherries two free spins will be awarded and five cherries will win you five free spins. With all the other fruit symbols a minimum combination of three symbols will give you one free spin. With four symbol combinations you will generate two free spins and five symbol combinations grant you five free spins. Here you will see the Document Upload button for you to send us the following list of documents, casino games name weve done thorough research to curate the best Bitcoin casinos you can use to earn money while playing the games you love. Right there, you can become a millionaire very easily. The casino is also known for featuring 50 free spins reload bonus, Instagram and Twitter.
    https://www.pilateswithgylly.co.uk/archives/30051
    Play the original Fruit Shop for a fast-paced, low-volatility experience with frequent wins. Choose the Fruit Shop Megaways version if you prefer high volatility, the chance for much larger payouts, and more complex mechanics like cascading reels. It’s those colourful fruit and playing card symbols that give the Fruit Shop its classic slot nature and matching up any of those will activate the free spins bonus round. The free spins along with the Wild symbol make up the central part of the game, so it’s not too hard to experience everything that the slot offers in one gaming session. 10 different symbols can land on the reels of the Fruit Shop Megaways online slot and these include various fruits and the 10 to Ace playing card symbols. When you want to play Fruit Shop Megaways for free, just click the ‘Start Game’ button on this page to fire up the slot. You will not have to register anywhere or download any software.

    Reply