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The Fellowship of the Suffering: How Hardship Shapes Us for Ministry and Mission
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings." Philippians 3:10 (ASV) If we follow Jesus, we will experience pain. It comes with the territory. We might face hardship because of our Christian commitment, or we may have challenges just from living in a fallen world. Either way, Christians follow in the footsteps of our suffering Savior and participate in his suffering. But that's not the whole story. Missionary Paul Borthwick and pastor Dave Ripper show how transformation through our personal pain enables us to minister faithfully to a hurting world. They candidly share about their own struggles and how they have seen God's kingdom advance through hardship and suffering. Though we naturally avoid suffering, Christians throughout church history have become powerful witnesses to Christ as a result of their brokenness. Life is painful, but pain need not have dominion over us. Instead, it can propel us in missional solidarity with our suffering world. Come find comfort and renewed purpose in the fellowship of the suffering.
- GenresNonfictionChristianFaith
224 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2018
16 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Paul Borthwick
52 books11 followersPaul Borthwick is senior consultant for Development Associates International and teaches global Christianity at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), a Master's of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry in Cross-Cultural Studies, also from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In addition to his numerous books, Paul’s articles on the topics of youth, missions, and discipleship have appeared in such Christian publications as Decision, REV, Leadership Journal, Evangelical Missions Quarterly and GROUP. He contributes often to Discipleship Journal. Through his speaking, writing and resource ministry, Borthwick works to mobilize others to participate in world missions. Borthwick is an active speaker and teacher, having taught courses at Gordon College, Africa International University (Nairobi), Alliance Theological Seminary (Manila) and Lanka Bible College (Sri Lanka), plus a guest faculty position at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Previously he served for more than twenty years on the staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts, first as youth pastor and then as minister of missions. Borthwick is the author of Western Christians in Global Missions, How to Be a World-Class Christian, Six Dangerous Questions to Transform Your View of the World, A Mind for Missions, and other books and Bible studies. He and his wife Christie have been married since 1979 and they live in Lexington, Massachusetts, when not traveling internationally.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 28, 2018
The fellowship of the suffering is a books that deals with suffering, our perception of suffering and it has some practical steps which have helped the authors as they have suffered.
My problem with many of the ‘suffering books’ that can be found on many bookshelves is that they have this kind of ‘it’ll all be ok, one day, just keep praying’ idea, whilst that is true, and I eagerly await my new creation body, it’s like giving Calpol to someone who has been shot.
It won’t help much.
One of the things that I like about this book is that the authors share their own stories of suffering, and they go beyond the physical. Often we focus on physical suffering but completely forget about emotional suffering by saying ‘it’s part and parcel of being in a fallen world’ whilst this is true we still need to care for people through their emotional suffering.
Fuller review on my blog.
My problem with many of the ‘suffering books’ that can be found on many bookshelves is that they have this kind of ‘it’ll all be ok, one day, just keep praying’ idea, whilst that is true, and I eagerly await my new creation body, it’s like giving Calpol to someone who has been shot.
It won’t help much.
One of the things that I like about this book is that the authors share their own stories of suffering, and they go beyond the physical. Often we focus on physical suffering but completely forget about emotional suffering by saying ‘it’s part and parcel of being in a fallen world’ whilst this is true we still need to care for people through their emotional suffering.
Fuller review on my blog.
January 7, 2019
Really interesting and insightful book about redemptive suffering in the life of a follower of Jesus.
July 17, 2025
How Can God Use Suffering to Expand and Improve His Kingdom?
I purchased my copy of this book directly from InterVarsity Press so that I could read it sooner. I’m very happy that I did!
I not only encourage you to purchase, read, and reread and reread The Fellowship of the Suffering, I also encourage you to buy 50 copies for your family and friends … and to discuss the contents together.
Let me explain why I so encourage you. When Christians experience pain and suffering, a likely first reaction can be to ask God to take it away. If He does, there’s a great witnessing opportunity. However, what if He doesn’t?
We aren’t promised a life free of suffering and pain. In fact, the Bible makes the opposite point in Matthew 16:24 (ESV): “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” John 16:33 (NIV) adds, “In this world you will have trouble.” James takes it further: "Count it all joy … when you meet trials of all kinds.” (James 1:2, ESV)
Authors missionary Paul Borthwick and Pastor Dave Ripper point out that expecting pain and suffering makes dealing with them easier. In fact, God showed Saul of Tarsus during his conversion to becoming the Apostle Paul how much he would suffer for the Kingdom’s sake to prepare him for his amazing missionary travels.
Once in the throes of suffering, we can choose to enter into three kinds of fellowships: with Christ (hope through His resurrection, knowing Him better through His suffering for us, and drawing closer to Him by sharing our experiences and reactions to them with Him), with others who are in the Body of Christ (by sharing what we are going through and being ministered to by them), and as missionaries to the world outside the Body of Christ (by bringing hope, strength, and healing). In the process, we and the world are transformed by Christ.
As a follower of Jesus who experienced unending sharp pain in one-third of my body for 22 years, I can attest that it’s not obvious to see suffering as it occurs as a way to be transformed and joyful due to what is happening. Although God miraculously released me from that pain through prayer one night in church, I wish this book had been written before I had that experience. My transformation through suffering, which certainly occurred, would have probably occurred sooner, been more fruitful, and might have enabled me to bring more joy to others. So I can testify that if you are focused on asking God to end your suffering, you need this book. I certainly did, even though I came through many episodes of suffering before and since.
The authors are fellow sufferers. In fact, their testimonies describe suffering so painful that I had to put the book down from time to time to let the pain I was feeling subside to more bearable levels. However, I am glad that I felt that pain. The Holy Spirit was teaching me something I needed to know. The authors also share many inspiring stories of Christ followers whose suffering is almost unimaginable to us, but who bore it all with grace and helped to turn the suffering into Godly fruit in themselves and others.
The Fellowship of the Suffering has a nice balance among citing and discussing Scripture, sharing personal testimonies, and describing the lessons other believing sufferers have drawn. The writing is very accessible, usually conveying meaning in a conversational style. There is also much practical advice for what to do when you suffer … as well as for before you do.
Although the entire book is quite encouraging, I found the last part, Fellowship with the World, to be the most personally relevant and motivating. In my calling to make all nations much more fruitful for God’s Kingdom, I often work for years without seeing anything happen in a given country. The story in Chapter 9 about missionary Adoniram Judson’s service in Burma and how much fruit was produced that the missionary could never have expected … due to his having produced the first Burmese Bible and Burmese-English dictionary … spoke powerfully to me. I was also very encouraged by the directions for building and sustaining passion for my calling in Chapter 10.
Hesitate to procrastinate! Get this book now!
May God bless you, your family, and all you do in the name of Jesus!
I purchased my copy of this book directly from InterVarsity Press so that I could read it sooner. I’m very happy that I did!
I not only encourage you to purchase, read, and reread and reread The Fellowship of the Suffering, I also encourage you to buy 50 copies for your family and friends … and to discuss the contents together.
Let me explain why I so encourage you. When Christians experience pain and suffering, a likely first reaction can be to ask God to take it away. If He does, there’s a great witnessing opportunity. However, what if He doesn’t?
We aren’t promised a life free of suffering and pain. In fact, the Bible makes the opposite point in Matthew 16:24 (ESV): “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” John 16:33 (NIV) adds, “In this world you will have trouble.” James takes it further: "Count it all joy … when you meet trials of all kinds.” (James 1:2, ESV)
Authors missionary Paul Borthwick and Pastor Dave Ripper point out that expecting pain and suffering makes dealing with them easier. In fact, God showed Saul of Tarsus during his conversion to becoming the Apostle Paul how much he would suffer for the Kingdom’s sake to prepare him for his amazing missionary travels.
Once in the throes of suffering, we can choose to enter into three kinds of fellowships: with Christ (hope through His resurrection, knowing Him better through His suffering for us, and drawing closer to Him by sharing our experiences and reactions to them with Him), with others who are in the Body of Christ (by sharing what we are going through and being ministered to by them), and as missionaries to the world outside the Body of Christ (by bringing hope, strength, and healing). In the process, we and the world are transformed by Christ.
As a follower of Jesus who experienced unending sharp pain in one-third of my body for 22 years, I can attest that it’s not obvious to see suffering as it occurs as a way to be transformed and joyful due to what is happening. Although God miraculously released me from that pain through prayer one night in church, I wish this book had been written before I had that experience. My transformation through suffering, which certainly occurred, would have probably occurred sooner, been more fruitful, and might have enabled me to bring more joy to others. So I can testify that if you are focused on asking God to end your suffering, you need this book. I certainly did, even though I came through many episodes of suffering before and since.
The authors are fellow sufferers. In fact, their testimonies describe suffering so painful that I had to put the book down from time to time to let the pain I was feeling subside to more bearable levels. However, I am glad that I felt that pain. The Holy Spirit was teaching me something I needed to know. The authors also share many inspiring stories of Christ followers whose suffering is almost unimaginable to us, but who bore it all with grace and helped to turn the suffering into Godly fruit in themselves and others.
The Fellowship of the Suffering has a nice balance among citing and discussing Scripture, sharing personal testimonies, and describing the lessons other believing sufferers have drawn. The writing is very accessible, usually conveying meaning in a conversational style. There is also much practical advice for what to do when you suffer … as well as for before you do.
Although the entire book is quite encouraging, I found the last part, Fellowship with the World, to be the most personally relevant and motivating. In my calling to make all nations much more fruitful for God’s Kingdom, I often work for years without seeing anything happen in a given country. The story in Chapter 9 about missionary Adoniram Judson’s service in Burma and how much fruit was produced that the missionary could never have expected … due to his having produced the first Burmese Bible and Burmese-English dictionary … spoke powerfully to me. I was also very encouraged by the directions for building and sustaining passion for my calling in Chapter 10.
Hesitate to procrastinate! Get this book now!
May God bless you, your family, and all you do in the name of Jesus!
June 3, 2018
Anyone who knows me knows that I went through a particularly low fallow period between New Year’s Day 2014 and some point last year. It started with my apartment being flooded (cue Noah) and my cat and I’s temporary evacuation. It ended when I started getting regular freelance work. In between, was I shaped for resilience? Well, I hate to admit it but … probably? I quit drinking. I quit smoking (though I still am working on that as I use smoking cessation tools to this day). Things changed that might have not changed if I hadn’t made some significant choices in my life to try and improve things for the better. So it was with this backdrop that I was interested in Paul Borthwick and Dave Ripper’s jointly-written The Fellowship of the Suffering.
Essentially, the book defines suffering as not having what you want and having what you don’t want. It then is divided into three sections on suffering through Christ, suffering with community and suffering with the world. The book is successful on at least the first two parts. Seeing that Jesus kind of really suffered by being nailed to a tree, I could see the authors’ point in finding a means to internalize your suffering and take it to a deeper place — albeit through the works of Paul, who has to be one of my least favourite writers of the Bible. And, of course, the authors’ claim to fellowship with other people who are going through pain on their own is worthy of a read.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
Essentially, the book defines suffering as not having what you want and having what you don’t want. It then is divided into three sections on suffering through Christ, suffering with community and suffering with the world. The book is successful on at least the first two parts. Seeing that Jesus kind of really suffered by being nailed to a tree, I could see the authors’ point in finding a means to internalize your suffering and take it to a deeper place — albeit through the works of Paul, who has to be one of my least favourite writers of the Bible. And, of course, the authors’ claim to fellowship with other people who are going through pain on their own is worthy of a read.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
July 9, 2018
While many books seek to address the why of suffering or how to cope with suffering this book addresses he formative role suffering plays in light of ministry and mission. The authors draw from Scripture and the lives of others to illustrate the important role suffering plays in shaping believers for ministry to God's glory.
In four parts the authors point to different ways suffering is important for our spiritual formation. In the first section the authors address how we view suffering and how we should understand suffering in light of Scripture especially the fact that suffering will not disappear in this present age. The second section addresses the role suffering plays in drawing us closer to Christ and in fostering spiritual growth. In the third section the authors explore how suffering makes us better able to minister to others who suffer. In the final section addresses the role of suffering in relation to the Church's global mission of making Christ known.
I'd commend this book to pastors and especially those who are preparing for ministry. To often in ministry we find ourselves unprepared for suffering or unsure what role past suffering might shape present and future ministry and this book ably addresses those two realities.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing it. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
In four parts the authors point to different ways suffering is important for our spiritual formation. In the first section the authors address how we view suffering and how we should understand suffering in light of Scripture especially the fact that suffering will not disappear in this present age. The second section addresses the role suffering plays in drawing us closer to Christ and in fostering spiritual growth. In the third section the authors explore how suffering makes us better able to minister to others who suffer. In the final section addresses the role of suffering in relation to the Church's global mission of making Christ known.
I'd commend this book to pastors and especially those who are preparing for ministry. To often in ministry we find ourselves unprepared for suffering or unsure what role past suffering might shape present and future ministry and this book ably addresses those two realities.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing it. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
August 27, 2018
The Fellowship of the Suffering
How Hardship Shapes Us for Ministry and Mission
by Paul Borthwick and Dave Ripper
InterVarsity Press
Christian , Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 15 May 2018
I am reviewing a copy of The Fellowship of The Suffering through Intervarsity Press and Netgalley:
This book reminds us that following Jesus does not mean that we will not have pain, because we will. It comes with following Christ, we may face struggles, hardships because we walk with Christ or we experience suffering because we live in a fallen world. Either way we as Christians follow in the footsteps of our suffering Savior and participate in his suffering.
The good news is suffering is not the whole story, we are shown how personal pain allows us to minister to a hurting world. Paul Borthwick and Dave Ripper openly share their own struggles in this book.
I give The Fellowship of The Suffering five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
July 25, 2018
I just finished reading “The Fellowship of the Suffering” by Borthwick and Ripper. Wow! What a challenge. This is a must-read for every follower of Jesus Christ who takes their faith seriously. This book will help you get a new outlook on life, on suffering and on making a difference for Christ, in whatever circumstances you find yourself. I highly recommend it.
October 5, 2020
It has often been said that we learn the most and grow spiritually when we go through suffering, yet we are always trying to avoid it. Ripper and Borthwick creatively, effectively and through personal experience illustrate and bring practical theology to a topic that we often make a bigger mystery than it needs to be. I highly recommend this book for personal or group study.
March 28, 2019
Read/studied for Bible study.
Great book for understanding suffering and standing beside others in their suffering.
Great book for understanding suffering and standing beside others in their suffering.
December 9, 2023
Very good reflection
June 5, 2018
The structure of this book is hard for me. It feels like sitting down and listening to two people ramble- some academic things to say some stories. The concept of the book is good.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews