Mez McConnell is the senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the director of 20schemes, a church planting and revitalization initiative in Scotland. He is also co-director of the Acts 29 initiative Church in Hard Places and a worldwide conference speaker. Books by Mez McConnell include The Creaking on the Stairs: Finding Faith & Forgiveness from Childhood Abuse, Preparing for Baptism: A Personal Diary, Is There Anybody Out There?: A Journey from Despair to Hope, Church in Hard Places (with Mike McKinley), as well as the following books from the 9marks Urban Series: God- Is He Out There? and War- Why Did Life Just Get Harder? He also contributes articles to Ligonier, Acts29, and 20schemes blogs as well as being the host of the 20schemes podcast. Mez is married to Miriam and they have two teenage daughters.