Mercy Ministries bills itself as a Christian-based rehabilitation home for “young women who are seeking freedom from life-controlling problems.” It was founded by Nancy Alcorn in 1983.

There is a riveting untold story about the ministry in the Nashville Scene, focusing on Jennifer Wynne, one of the girls admitted into the house.

How bad was the place?

Entrusting their recovery to untrained counselors barely out of Bible college, the Mercy girls said that exorcisms and speaking in tongues took the place of treatment, that expulsion was the punishment for peeing without permission, and that DVDs featuring the testimony of former gays were peddled as a cure for lesbianism.

Instead of the psychiatric treatment that was needed, Mercy offered prayer.

The girls suffered as a result.

For Mercy, there is no nuance between bulimia, depression, self-mutilation, and unplanned pregnancies. It is all just symptomatic of the Devil’s work.