It's OK to Be Not OK: Preaching the Lament Psalms

by Federico G. Villanueva

Overview

How often have you seen a friend and been greeted with “How are you?” Almost always our automatic response is “Fine thank you” regardless of whether it’s true. We proclaim in church services that “God is good all the time . . . All the time God is good,” but there are often times when we feel that life is just unfair and ask God, “Why?” The uplifting songs and victorious testimonies of our church gatherings are frequently difficult to identify within the midst of the suffering and hardship of people’s daily lives, yet there is all too often no room for our “not-OK” experiences in our Christian communities. This is especially true for pastors and leaders who are required to always be strong and OK all the time. But the songs of lament in the Psalms paint a very different picture of understanding life and how human beings express themselves to God. Dr Rico Villanueva uses these Scriptures to teach us that in the presence of God, there is room to be “not-OK” and that our negative experiences don’t have to be ignored. This book challenges us to confront our struggles and questions instead of denying them. Most importantly, the author invites us to bring all of ourselves into the presence of God and the community of faith. For it is through our experiences and sharing them with God and his church that we grow in intimacy with God and our relationships with one another.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783682294
Publisher:	Langham Creative Projects
Publication date:	09/30/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	NOOK Book
Pages:	160
File size:	619 KB

About the Author

FEDERICO G. VILLANUEVA is married to Rosemarie, with two children, Emier and Faye.
He has been in pastoral ministry in Manila for over a decade and recognizes the significance of lament for the life of the church there. He regularly visits other churches in the Philippines to preach, often on the Psalms, as well as teaching in seminaries on how to preach the Psalms. He serves as Scholars Care Coordinator in Asia for Langham Partnership and is the Publications Secretary of the Asia Theological Association. Dr Villanueva earned his PhD in Old Testament studies at Trinity College, University of Bristol, UK.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

1 Introduction

2 Learning from the Lament Psalms

3 It’s OK to Be Down

4 It’s OK to Be Sad

5 It’s OK to Cry

6 It’s OK to Be Afraid

7 It’s OK to Struggle

8 It’s OK to Be Angry

9 It’s OK to Question God

10 It’s OK to Fail

11 Conclusion

Appendix: Sample Sermons on Lament Psalms

Further Reading

Editorial Reviews

Federico Villanueva writes about one of the most di cult tasks any pastor has in the face of tragedy. It is often not possible during such times to rationally or theologically explain why such events occur. This book is not about giving an answer as to why bad things happen. Instead, it is about dealing with the anguish, the pain, the anger, the questions, and the fears with which such events overwhelm us.

Villanueva draws from the wealth of material in the Psalms. He warns against a wrong type of spirituality of denying one’s emotions and feelings, and then forcibly trying to be happy and positive – somehow thinking that this is what it means to always rejoice. Instead he allows people to experience the depth of their God-given emotions and through that to find healing and an awareness of God’s presence. Besides the wealth of biblical insights, this is a practical book filled with examples from Federico’s life and ministry. It is a resource for pastors as it addresses the various issues and feelings that a tragedy evokes and then points to a Psalm that deals with it. What then is most helpful is that he provides sermon outlines that a pastor can use.

Rev Rupen Das, PhD

Research Professor

Tyndale University College and Seminary, Toronto, Canada

This book is a gem, containing both rich and sensitive pastoral wisdom as well as deep biblical reflection. Dr Villanueva brings his academic expertise as well as his pastoral heart to make this an accessible and useful book that pastors and preachers will benefit from enormously.

Rev Paul Barker

Assitant Bishop,

Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia

Adjunct Old Testament Lecturer,

Myanmar Evangelical Graduate School of Theology, Myanmar

This is a vital book because, like its author, there are many in our churches around the world who feel “out of place in the gathering” for no reason other than their pain and sadness. Too often, our meetings inhabit a different world from the real one, a world of constant joy and easy life. But the Bible is not like that, as Rico’s faithful expositions make so clear. While drawing on wisdom from modern psychology, the primary focus is on these ancient texts which were ahead of their time and as relevant today as ever. This is food for the mind and balm for the soul, and will restore much needed realism to many churches.

Mark Meynell

Associate Director - Europe & Caribbean,

Preaching Programme, Langham Partnership

From the Publisher