Suffering, Soul Care, and Community: The Place of Lament in Corporate Worship

by Ann Ahrens, Eric L. Johnson (Contributor)

What are believers to do when belief and lived experience collide? Must the experience of suffering be hidden or pushed aside in favor of only “positive” expressions of praise during corporate worship?

Focusing on the premise that “worship is not pain denial,” this book seeks to reveal the dearth of soul care within modern corporate worship, and the multidisciplinary approach needed to build and implement a more thorough approach that calls and enables believers to weep with those who weep, to bear one another’s burdens, and continue Christ’s ministry of reconciliation.

164 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2023

Reviews

[Kathryn Ansley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough look into the Psalms, lament, worship and caring for one another. It delves into understanding the place of lament within worship, the connection of lament throughout all scripture. "Worship is not pain denial" brings the opportunity to consider if we are not providing Biblical care in a congregational setting when we focus more on the positive, than allowing the body of Christ to experience Biblical healing for the pain we all face at various times of our lives. Filled with scripture and well researched, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to develop their own theology of suffering based on the Word of God to find a balance that allows the suffering and speaks to the abundant healing God can bring.