TOUCH: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World »

Before God touched his heart and transformed his life, Rudy Rasmus was a businessman running a "borderline bordello" in Houston. But thousands now know him simply as "Pastor Rudy"-with a downtown ministry at St. John's Church that he and his wife Juanita started to reach out to those who Jesus called "the least of these." TOUCH is the amazing story of Rudy's life and ministry of grace that is changing lives daily. The church has become one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the country with people from every social and economic background, including the homeless, sharing the same pew. Pastor Rudy's message to touch the lives of those in our own communities has a lesson for us all.

Pastor Rudy is also a featured contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine-answering questions on ethics and marking one of the few times O has asked a Pastor to serve in this manner.

Contents

Acknowledgments....................vii
Foreword....................ix
Part 1 A Touch That Transforms Lives 1 Sometimes, It's Messy....................3
2 Grace with Skin On....................27
3 He Touched Them....................51
4 Through His Eyes....................71
5 Holy Disgust....................97
6 Walk This Way....................113
Part 2 A Touch That Transforms a Church, a Community, and the World 7 The Call on Crawford Street....................137
8 Keeping It Real....................161
9 Intentionally Different....................183
10 It's Worth It....................207
Notes....................219
Going Deeper: A Study Guide....................221
About the Author....................237
How to Begin a Ministry to Homeless People....................239
How to Lead a Touch Group or Class....................243