May 16-29 disussions around The City Church involve seeing God's will in our suffering, from Philippians 1:1-18. Suffering is a tough, personal topic. So in addition to discussion in your Villages this week, we wanted to provide you with some resources and next steps, to encourage you to suffer well.
Why talk openly about suffering with your Village?
We believe that caring for one another, and counseling each other through life’s inevitable rough spots, best happens in the context of close friends who love you and walk with you day by day. As the old African proverb asserts, “it takes a village to raise a child.” We find that is one of the joys and responsibilities of “communities on mission” to care for one another, to counsel one another, to walk together through the darkest times of each other’s life. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15). So counseling, like other elements of discipleship, starts in our Villages.
It is in Villages that authentic relationships happen; the smaller group of people in your Village is the “family” who you see regularly, with whom you discuss life and God; they’re the folks we encourage you to be fully open with, and generally, they live near you and can surround you during hard times. So it makes sense that your Village will be the first step in care and counseling in The City Church. As you get to know your Village and as they get to know you, they will pray for you, speak scripture to you, encourage you (even rebuke you if needed!), remind you of the gospel, and surround you with love as God brings you through this dark time.
If you're not comfortable talking with your Village, or if you want more help...
The City Church’s leadership available to you, and would be glad to meet with you. Please contact one of our Pastor-Elder candidates to set up a time to meet, on the leadership page of our website here, or send a general note for us to respond to here.
Stuff to read, listen, or watch
Below is a list of really solid resources, from folks who have suffered/are suffering well, to encourage you to see how God is advancing his gospel, even in the midst of your hardest times. There are certainly more resources, but these are good ones to start with.
- Suffering & the Sovereignty of God - free eBook by Justin Taylor & John Piper
- John Piper on Suffering - from 25-year sermon archive
- The Misery of Job & the Mercy of God - free eBook by John Piper
- Suffering & Having a Christian Worldview - article by Joni Erickson Tada
- Theology of Suffering - video clip by Joni Erickson Tada
- How we can Image God by Suffering - article by Mark Driscoll
- The Suffering Letters of C.H. Spurgeon - book by Spurgeon
- The Problem of Pain - free Google Book by C.S. Lewis
- A Grief Observed - book by C.S. Lewis
- The Problem of Evil & Suffering - audio clip from Tim Keller
- Suffering - A personal story - video clip from David Powlison
- 14 Weeks of Video Updates - Matt & Lauren Chandler, suffering well & encouraing others (scroll for older vids)
We pray that some of these are beneficial for you, as you suffer well and develop a strong theology of suffering, for the glory of God.
The City Church Blog
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