For those of you just tuning in to the Seed blog, every Friday we give away a free book that has been instrumental in our understanding of mercy ministry.  This week’s book is Tim Keller’s Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road.  You might know Tim Keller from other books (The Prodigal God, Counterfeit Gods, or The Reason for God) or from his preaching at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.  I was familiar with Keller’s work when I came to Sojourn, but I had no idea that he had written on mercy ministry or that he had a diaconate ministry that is the standard for many churches in the U.S.

Ministries of Mercy unpacks the theological framework for the mercy and benevolence ministry here at Sojourn Community Church.  Keller uses Luke 10, the parable of the Good Samaritan, as the paradigm for the church’s understanding of mercy.  He seeks throughout the book to answer the question the expert in the law asked to Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”, by explaining the parable and bringing the rest of Scripture to bear on the question.

Some of the questions Keller addresses in the book include:

• Is everyone called to mercy, or only those who are gifted in mercy?
• Should I show mercy to my neighbor even if I don’t feel like it?
• Didn’t the poor just get themselves into the mess they’re in?  Do they really deserve my help?
• Is it ever merciful to withhold giving to someone?
• How do sharing the gospel verbally and living out the Christian life balance?

The first half of the book deals with the principles of mercy ministry, and the second half gives some practical ways you can start putting the principles into action at the church level.  You will learn much from this book, whether you have worked in mercy and benevolence for years or if you have never thought about how to be merciful before.

All you have to do to enter the drawing for the book is enter your name and email address below.  You may only enter your name once for the drawing.  You will be able to qualify until noon on Saturday, February 26, when we will take all names entered and use a program to randomly pick a winner.  We will contact you by email if you won and give you instructions about picking up the book.