Mike Fabarez

We all feel the agony of preaching week after week to people who suffer. We aren't homework tutors or academics. We feel with our people from the pulpit. And yet as Mike Fabarez reminds us in "The Pain of Preaching on Pain," preaching isn't anything like a one-on-one counseling appointment. So what is our role from the pulpit in addressing hurting people? Yes, our people need our sympathetic hearts when they are hurting, but in Fabarez's words "they also need the life-changing, perspective-altering truths we are commissioned by God to dispense."

Charlie Dates

For our featured sermon, Charlie Dates explores one of my favorite psalms—Psalm 73, the prayer of Asaph, the worship leader who nearly lost his faith. Here's part of Dates' summary of this classic psalm of lament: "the incongruities of life will destroy your faith unless you regularly enjoy God's presence. When the incongruities of real life and right theology trespass on the domain of your theological comfort, don't look down, around, or within, but look up. When the harsh realities of life disrupt your neat theological categories, get to the sanctuary." Wow, that'll preach! Check out the rest of his sermon, "When Good Things Happen to Bad People."

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Woman Prays Her Way Through Injustice
• Featured Video: Our Generous God - What do you have that God hasn't given you? Everything good in your life comes from him.
• Featured Sermon: "When Good Things Happen to Bad People" by Charlie Dates
• Featured Skills Article: "The Pain of Preaching on Pain" by Mike Fabarez

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

P.S. In light of recent events in our nation, you will not want to miss this fabulous interview with Dr. Soong-Chan Rah on the beauty and power of lament.

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.