Like the wounded man on the Jericho road, there are needy people in our path - the widow next door, the family strapped with medical bills, the homeless man outside our place of worship. God calls us to be ministers of mercy to people in need of shelter, assistance, medical care, or just friendship.

Tim Keller demonstrates that caring for needy people is the job of every believer - not just church deacons - as fundamental to Christian living as evangelism, nurture and worship. But Keller doesn't stop there. He shows us how we can carry out this vital ministry as individuals, families and churches. Along the way, he deals perceptively with many thorny issues, such as the cost of meeting needs versus the limits of time and resources, giving material aid versus teaching responsibility, and meeting needs within the church versus those outside.