Church in Hard Places, by Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley

Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley are pastors in different countries and have different stories about their journey to faith in Christ.  In Church in Hard Places: How the Local Church Brings Life to the Poor and Needy the write about their shared vision for reaching the poor through the local church. 

There is a lot to like in this book.  First of all, they speak from experience.  McConnell lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.  His ministry plants churches among the "schemes" of Scotland (essentially what we in the U.S. call housing projects).  (Check out 20schemes.com.)  His story is unique in that he was a poor resident of a scheme when, as a teen, he met some people who shared the gospel with him.  20schemes's goal is to support indigenous Christians like Mez who can share the gospel in the schemes.  McKinley's story is a more typical American college--seminary--church planter--pastor route, but his church has active ministries among the poor in the D.C. area, especially among immigrants.

Second, the gospel is central to them.  An understanding of the saving work of Christ, including a solid theological grounding, doesn't take second place.  Further, they resist any inclination toward dumbing down theological understanding.  If someone is poor, living in a housing project or in a new country, we should not assume that he or she is incapable of understanding theological concepts, much less the gospel message.

Third, McConnell and McKinley advocate for the centrality of the local church.  While they acknowledge the role of parachurch ministries, the local church, they argue, should be the primary base for ministry.  The local church provides structure, authority, and accountability in ways that parachurch ministries typically do not. 

McConnell and McKinley offer a challenge to Christians: we and our churches need to step out of our comfort zones and bring the witness of the Church to the underserved poor neighborhoods in our communities.  While clothes closets and food banks have their place, the concern of Church in Hard Places is, as the title suggests, the church itself.  This work (as, again, the title suggests) is not easy, but it is needed and necessary.