49. Flourishing, Suffering, and the Renewal of All Things, with Trevor Lee, host of Speak in the Suffering

In this episode, Trevor Lee discusses the importance of getting past the ministry model that just tries to get people through our discipleship programs. Instead, we need a model that values the uniqueness and inherent worth of each person.  We also talked a lot about suffering.  And we talked about the part suffering plays—ironically!—in the healing of the world.

THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Trevor Lee is a Development Representative with Made to Flourish and host of Speak in the Suffering podcast.
• The most formative book Trevor has red is A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman.
• Trevor Lee learned through Made to Flourish that the work of every person is sacred and is a participation in the mission of God.
• The mission of Made to Flourish is to help pastors bridge the gap between Sunday and Monday for their congregations.
• Made to Flourish is focused on equipping and forming pastors to walk their people to live for the good of the world in their places of work and home.
• There is no inherent distinction between sacred and secular, between clergy and laity.
• A great idea is to do interviews with people about their work in the worship gatherings. Trevor got mixed reviews when he did this in his church.
• The mission of Trevor’s former church was worded like this: “Participating with God in the renewal of all things, and people in particular.”
• The mission involves evangelism, but it points toward something even bigger—the renewal of everything.
• Trevor Lee defines shalom as everything being as God intended.
• God wants people to be made whole.
• God wants the harmony of all things.
• Suffering plays a unique part in the fulfillment of God’s mission. God uses suffering in profoundly redemptive ways that nothing can replace.
• Trevor Lee shares about the challenges he faced in his last congregation.
• Embracing our suffering can help us move through the pain and into healing on the other side.
• Markus’ experience of suffering changed the way he thinks about what really matters in ministry.
• Markus suggests that organizations like Made to Flourish and Flourish San Diego want to help pastors humanize their people.
• The key quality a pastor needs to help people flourish is humility.
• You can find out more about Made to Flourish at https://www.madetoflourish.org/

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS

• Speak in the Suffering podcast with Trevor Lee
• Books mentioned: 
  • A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman
  • Managing Leadership Anxiety by Steve Cuss
• Made to Flourish
  • Website:  https://www.madetoflourish.org/
  • Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MadeToFlourish

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