Church in Hard Places: How the Local Church Brings Life to the Poor and Needy (9Marks). This item is unavailable.Church in Hard Places: How the Local Church Brings Life to the Poor and Needy (9Marks)

It is impossible to alleviate poverty―in its fullest sense―apart from the local church.

In recent years, Christians have shown an increased commitment to helping the poor. But this renewed interest in poverty alleviation is doomed to fail if it is not rooted in the local church―God’s established means of drawing downtrodden people into a transformative relationship with himself. Emphasizing the priority of the gospel, Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley, both pastors with fruitful ministries among the poor, offer biblical guidelines and practical strategies for planting, revitalizing, and growing faithful churches in hard places―in our own communities and around the world.

• Published in partnership with 9Marks, a popular evangelical ministry with a large and committed following
• Written by two pastors with years of experience ministering among the poor
• Emphasizes the priority of evangelism without neglecting the importance of addressing issues of social justice
• Includes a foreword by Brian Fikkert

Mez McConnell is senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has been involved in pastoral ministry since 1999 and is the founder of 20schemes, a ministry dedicated to planting gospel-centered churches among the poorest of the poor throughout Scotland. He is the author of Is There Anybody Out There? and Preparing for Baptism.

Mike McKinley (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary) is senior pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia. He is the author of a number of books, including Am I Really a Christian? and Church Planting Is for Wimps. He and his wife, Karen, have five children and live in Northern Virginia.