Mark R. McMinn, Ph.D., is professor of psychology at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois, where he directs and teaches in the Doctor of Psychology program. A diplomate in Clinical Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology, McMinn has thirteen years of postdoctoral experience in counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological testing. McMinn is the author of Making the Best of Stress: How Life's Hassles Can Form the Fruit of the Spirit; The Jekyll/Hyde Syndrome: Controlling Inner Conflict through Authentic Living; Cognitive Therapy Techniques in Christian Counseling; and Christians in the Crossfire (written with James D. Foster). He and his wife, Lisa, have three daughters.

A prophetic voice in a world where sin is explained away and grace is cheapened, Dr. Mark McMinn shows that only by reclaiming the language of sin will we be free to discover the power (and cost) of grace. While some people repeat the mantra "I'm OK, you're OK," it is much wiser to conclude, "I'm a mess, you're a mess." The good news is that, like the Prodigal Son, we aren't left standing at the pig trough. God sees us from a distance, runs to greet us, embraces us in love, and celebrates our arrival. The ballad of sin is not so much a dirge as it is a prelude to grace. Facing our sin ultimately ushers us into the presence of Grace, where we find forgiveness, mercy, hope, and celebration.