Mercy Ministries

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For the Catholic religious order, see Sisters of Mercy.

Mercy Ministries is an international Evangelical charismatic Christian charitable organization that offers a long-term residential program for young women aged 16–28 who struggle with various "life controlling"[1] issues. It was founded founded in Monroe, LA in 1983 by its President, Nancy Alcorn.[2] The charity is not affiliated with the Catholic order, the Sisters of Mercy, who sometimes use the term "Mercy Ministries" in relation to their own work.[3]

In 2008, the top issues that Mercy Ministries reported themselves to be dealing with were: eating disorders (69%), self-harm (60%), sexual abuse (55%), emotional/verbal abuse (55%), depression (55%), chemical dependency (49%), physical abuse (37%) and pregnancy (6%).[4] Some residents attend the program for help with issues that are defined as such because of the Evangelical world-view within which Mercy Ministries operates. These include lesbianism and sexual promiscuity.[5] The program also assists girls and young women who are seeking an alternative to abortion, giving them the option of placing their child for adoption or help in preparing to parent their child while they complete the program requirements.[6]

Contents

[edit] Ethos

Founder Nancy Alcorn worked for eight years for the state of Tennessee. At first she worked at a correctional facility for girls, as an athletic director. After this, she supervised foster-care placements, working also with the Emergency Child Protective Services Unit, investigating charges of abuse and neglect.[7] Her experience showed her that there was a need for a different sort of intervention, as secular state run programs were not producing the necessary results. Many graduated to the adult prison system without getting the help they needed. She was appointed Director of Women for Nashville Teen Challenge where she worked for two years. This experience brought her to believe that an approach based in her Evangelical Christian faith would be more effective.[8]

When the first Mercy Ministries resident gave birth, Alcorn reports "I sensed the Lord say, ‘If you will be obedient, this will be the first of hundreds of babies saved from abortion because girls have a practical way that they can come and choose life.'"[9] In addition to decision-making classes to help pregnant clients choose whether to parent their child or place their child, Mercy Ministries also runs an adoption agency, for clients who choose to put their child up for adoption. [6] Alcorn has stated that Mercy Ministries also welcomes girls who are "struggling with their sexual orientation."[10]

The organization has consequently faced controversy around the issues of sexuality and abortion; like many other Evangelical organisations, it has a counter-cultural standpoint.[11] Evangelicals believe that they should contradict the practices of their culture, where they believe the Bible considers those practices to be sinful. A former resident reports that educational videos from ex-gay spokesperson Sy Rodgers, formed part of the course. Rogers has said: "Homosexuality is out of tune with religion; it is not what God planned for human sexuality."[12] Residents were also issued “separation contracts” to prevent lesbian relationships from forming.[13] LGBT publication SX News has reported that then Executive Director of Mercy Ministries Australia, Peter Irvine, confirmed Mercy Ministries' "non-acceptance of GLBTIQ lifestyle and abortions."[14] and that "Mercy Ministries doesn't support the gay lifestyle." However, in an 18 March 2008 interview, Irvine insisted that “Mercy Ministries does not target any group, including the gay community, and does not have an anti-gay program."[15] Mercy Ministries maintains that conversion therapy is not a part of its program.[16]

Such controversy emerges from the different ethical standpoints employed by observers. Those who employ virtue ethics ask questions about the purpose of any practice, whilst others use a rights based, deontological or utilitarian approach. The Evangelical Christian commitment to virtue as a basis for ethics brings them into direct conflict with those who believe in moral relativism, or that someone should not be discouraged from doing anything they want with their own body.

[edit] Locations

The three Mercy Ministries' US facilities are located in Monroe, LA, Nashville, TN and St. Louis, MO.[2] A fourth facility in Sacramento, California will open in 2009.[17] The Nashville home is also the site of Mercy Ministries' international corporate headquarters and where its staff training takes place.[18] The organization is planning additional US locations in Charlotte, NC, Destin, FL, Houston, TX.[19] Beginning in 2001, Mercy Ministries expanded internationally and now operates three additional homes in Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and Bradford, United Kingdom. There are plans for homes in Peru and South Africa, and land has been purchased in Canada for a house in Vancouver, BC.[20]

[edit] Funding

Nancy Alcorn has quoted three core principles of the Mercy Ministries program when it comes to finance: take the girls in free of charge; tithe 10% of funds to other ministries; and never accept money with strings attached, such as state or federal funding.[21] In 2008 Alcorn revisited these principles while speaking at the Capital Christian Center in Sacramento about Mercy Ministries' plans to expand to the Sacramento area, stating "God spoke to me years ago, 'if you'll take the girls in free of charge, if you will be committed to give at least 10% of what comes into your ministry to other ministries, and offerings when I tell you, then I'll make sure that I set up divine connections, and your needs will be met through your giving.'"[22] Mercy Ministries receives the bulk of its funds from the Christian community, including: other ministries, businesses, foundations and private individuals. Individuals have several options for contributing to the ministry to include: pledging a one-time amount, becoming a “treasure builder” by committing to a monthly contribution, or sponsoring a girl by making monthly, quarterly, or annual payments.[23] Mercy Ministries also encourages its adoption clients to contribute to its program, although donations are not a requirement for adoptive parents.[24]

[edit] Australian controversy

On 17 March 2008, an article appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald containing allegations of mistreatment by several former clients of Mercy Ministries Australia. They claim the organisation has made false claims about its services, and that instead of receiving counselling from qualified professionals, they were placed in the care of Bible studies students who treated them with techniques including exorcisms and prayer readings.[25] Later articles also alleged that clients had been expelled without warning, follow-up or support. [26][27] In addition, former residents claim that Mercy Ministries falsely advertised their program as free of charge, when in fact qualifying residents were at that time required to sign over Centrelink benefits during their time in the program.[28]

On 4 June 2008, following allegations of abuse, Mercy Ministries Australia announced plans to close its Sunshine Coast facility, citing "strategic and resourcing issues[29]." On 1 August 2008, The Tennessean reported that Mercy Ministries Founder and President, Nancy Alcorn stated that the Sunshine Coast home lacked the financial and personnel resources to provide quality service. Alcorn said she agreed with a decision to close the Sunshine Coast home down, and said "What we are trying to do is to get back to the level of excellence and professionalism." "If there is a gross violation of the Mercy vision and a refusal to change — then we have the right to take action." "We have a right to tell them they can no longer use our name."[30]

Mercy Ministries Australia denied the allegations.[31] Peter Irvine, a director of Mercy Ministries Australia and co-founder of Gloria Jean's Coffees, quoted a 95% success rate and insisted that residents received daily counselling from qualified professionals. Irvine asserted that residents were made aware of the details of the programs before they joined[32] and that "claims of exorcism are simply untrue." [33] Irvine later retracted his statements and issued an apology, "I would like to apologise for the statements that I made to the press in March 2008. I did not accurately reflect the situation and I regret my comments," he wrote. [34]

On 16 April 2008, the Australian Democrats announced that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) would be investigating Mercy Ministries Australia over possible breaches of Australian trade practices law, including the allegations that it mislead clients into believing that the program would provide professional medical and psychiatric care for their patients, and that it was free of charge. [35]

Several of Mercy Ministries' Australian corporate sponsors publicly severed their connection with Mercy Ministries in the wake of the allegations.[36][37]

On 1 August 2008, The Tennessean quoted a member of the South Australian Parliament as stating that Mercy Ministries is "a particularly bad example of a money-making cult, posing as a Christian-based counseling service." Nancy Alcorn, Founder and President of Mercy Ministries, told the newspaper that she was disturbed that Mercy Australia asked girls to sign over their unemployment benefits. Despite advertising that their service was free, Mercy Australia had a standard policy of requiring residents to sign over payments from Centrelink, the Australian government's social security agency. "Taking those funds, it sends the wrong message," she said. "This is their money." [30]

[edit] Exorcism

As well as residents making official complaints about their treatment at Mercy Ministries Australia,[38] some former Nashville residents have also spoken about being required to take part in group prayer sessions for casting out demons. One former resident stated she was warned after the exorcism that if her eating disorder persisted, the demons would return.[30] A former resident leaked to the media a copy of "Restoring The Foundations", the previous counseling model used to treat residents at Mercy Ministries. The book contains sections including "Identifying Additional Demons", "Doing the Actual Deliverance", "Commanding", "What to do With Obstinate Demons", "Demonic Oppression" and "Scriptures that Demons Hate."[39] These documents seem to disprove claims that Mercy Ministries do not perform exorcisms, made by Mercy Ministries in March 2008."[40][41] The website now speaks of a replacement curriculum: "Mercy Ministries International formalized its Christian-based counseling curriculum in June 2008. This curriculum is now used in all Mercy Ministries homes throughout the world. It is called “Choices That Bring Change” and helps young women work through a counseling process that explores issues of faith, forgiveness, family, overcoming abuse and past hurts, and general life principles."[42]

Demonic oppression is addressed in a series of books by Nancy Alcorn that Mercy recently published. In a sermon posted on Youtube, Alcorn claimed Mercy's approach to be superior to conventional psychology, which often relies on psychotropic medication. She said that girls with issues like sexual promiscuity or eating disorders have opened themselves up to demonic activity. "Secular psychiatrists want to medicate things like that," she said. "But Jesus didn't say to medicate demons, he said to cast them out."[30] Nonetheless, the website currently displays the following information: "As a Christian organization, Mercy Ministries believes that spiritual warfare is real and that prayer plays an important role in healing and spiritual growth. Mercy Ministries does not perform or endorse exorcisms as part of its treatment curriculum. Our emphasis is on the power of God’s grace and unconditional love to help hurting young women overcome addictions and past hurts."[43]

The Nashville Scene reported that as at October 2008, almost 1/3 of young women who were treated at the Australian homes have reached out for help after they were damaged by their time in the program. ."[44]

[edit] References

  1. ^ About Mercy Ministries
  2. ^ a b Mercy Ministries. "History". http://www.mercyministries.org/AboutUs/OurFounder/History.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-06-17. 
  3. ^ "The business of giving Mercy" - Sydney Morning Herald, 18 March 2008
  4. ^ Statistics
  5. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Five St. Louis Graduates Find Joy and Freedom". http://www.mercyministries.org/LearnMore/MercyNews/FiveStLouisGraduatesFindJoyandFreedom.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-01-19. 
  6. ^ a b Mercy Ministries. "Our Program". http://www.mercyministries.org/OurProgram/Overview.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-06-17. 
  7. ^ They Found his Mercy
  8. ^ Our Founder
  9. ^ "Career Minded — Mercy Ministries President" – Brio and Beyond, July 2005.
  10. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Press Center". http://www.mercyministries.org/shared/audio/public/Nancy_Radio.mp3. Retrieved on 2008-06-16. 
  11. ^ "Borders passes the hat for anti-gay, pro-life charity " – Crikey, 14 November 2007
  12. ^ God's cure for gays lost in sin
  13. ^ "God’s Cure for Gays Lost in Sin " – The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 March 2008
  14. ^ "Gloria Jean’s Coffees under fire" - SX 21 November 2007
  15. ^ "In the Name of Mercy " – GayNT, 28 March 2008
  16. ^ "ACCC investigates Mercy Ministries" – SX News, 21 April 2008
  17. ^ Locations
  18. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Press Center". http://www.mercyministries.org/shared/audio/public/Nancy_Radio.mp3. Retrieved on 2008-06-16. 
  19. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Locations". http://www.mercyministries.org/AboutUs/Locations.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-04-06. 
  20. ^ History
  21. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Mission and Vision". http://www.mercyministries.org/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/Mission.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-06-18. 
  22. ^ Capital Christian Center. "Sermon Archives". http://media.ccconline.cc/sermons/2_10_08.mp3. Retrieved on 2008-06-18. 
  23. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Donate". https://www.mercyministries.org/HowToHelp/Donate.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  24. ^ Mercy Ministries. "Adoptions". http://www.mercyministries.org/OurProgram/Adoptions.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-06-19. 
  25. ^ "They prayed to cast Satan from my body" - Sydney Morning Herald, 17 March 2008
  26. ^ "They sought help, but got exorcism and the Bible" - Sydney Morning Herald, 17 March 2008
  27. ^ "No mercy for transgressions" - Sydney Morning Herald, 19 March 2008
  28. ^ Mercy Ministries Australia. "Frequently Asked Questions". http://www.mercyministries.com.au/pages/default.asp?pid=26. Retrieved on 2008-06-17. 
  29. ^ Mercy Ministries Australia. "Press Center". http://www.mercyministries.com.au/pages/default.asp?pid=95. Retrieved on 2008-06-17. 
  30. ^ a b c d [1] - The Tennessean, August 1 2008
  31. ^ "The sky's the limit - Mercy Ministries' success stories" - Hills News, 1 March 2008
  32. ^ "Cult-rescue group 'concerned about' Mercy Ministries" - The Age, 18 March 2008
  33. ^ "On a mercy mission to rescue lives" - Sydney Morning Herald, 24 March 2008
  34. ^ "Time to have mercy on the broken of mind and spirits" - Sydney Morning Herald, 17 January 2009
  35. ^ "Mercy Ministries Misinformation Referred To ACCC" - Αustralian Democrats Press Releases, 16 April 2008
  36. ^ "Corporations move quickly to cut ties" - Sydney Morning Herald, 18 March 2008
  37. ^ "The Business Of Giving Mercy" - Sydney Morning Herald, March 18 2008
  38. ^ "Mercy Ministries To Close Home" - The Sydney Morning Herald, June 7 2008
  39. ^ "Mercy Ministries exorcism books leaked" – LiveNews, 26 November 2008
  40. ^ "There's no exorcism - that's not how the program works" – Taken from interview with Australian television program "Today Tonight", LiveNews, 26 November 2008
  41. ^ "Mercy Ministries exorcism books leaked" – LiveNews, 26 November 2008
  42. ^ Mercy Ministries FAQ<
  43. ^ Mercy Ministries FAQ
  44. ^ Mercy Ministries Update From Australia

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Ministries"
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