How can you preach to people who are suffering? Matthew D. Kim, author of Preaching to People in Pain believes that beauty is often buried beneath pain, and that unseen reality helps him connect with people in his congregation. Matt Woodley draws attention to different types of pain that people can experience such as emotional, mental and physical pain.

Kim said “I think there are some areas where we can help the listeners see that their pain is acknowledged by God. Their suffering is seen. Their suffering is not in vain. There’s a purpose to it.”

In his book, he asks preachers to consider nine questions that will help them prepare sermons on pain and suffering. In this episode, Kim opens up about painful experiences in his own life, and how God used them as formative experiences, to help him uplift people who were suffering in the body of Christ.

“I’ve been sharing pain whenever the text reveals that pain. I think it can help aid the preaching process,” he said.

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