The Weight of Mercy

Book excerpt: -What kind of church nails its doors shut? -That would be the Triune Mercy Center. -And I am its pastor.- For 27 years Deb was a journalist in the Deep South. Then she retrained as a Baptist pastor, and accepted a post at the Triune Mercy Center, a run-down inner-city church where the homeless gathered. It was a shock. Gradually she learned whom she could trust ' and whom she couldn't. Sometimes the best person to handle a situation was a drug addict. Sometimes Jesus had the face of a prostitute. All were fiercely welcomed into this bewildering church family. Full of color and incident, Deb's story is a testament to messy grace and the presence of the Spirit in the hard places of the world. "Deb Richardson-Moore is one of my 'most admired' people. I love her heart, her experience-learned wisdom, her honesty and her passion. You will praise God for the work He is doing at the Triune Mercy Center." ' Ruth Graham, author of In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart -At the Triune Center, Deb not only found Christ among 'the least of these', but she also experienced Christ drawing her into His grand drama of redemption. Here is a loving, realistic account of a life commandeered for the work of God's Kingdom.-' Will Willimon, Bishop, The United Methodist Church and Professor of Christian Ministry, Duke University Divinity School -Immensely moving and inspiring, reminding us of the power of grace.-' Patrick Regan OBE, Founder and CEO of XLP -Causes you to see people in a way you never would have realised. Real, authentic and recommended reading.-' Roy Crowne, Executive Director, Hope