#59 Church Hurt, Part 2 | Don't Miss the Miracle

What if your church pain is the very tool God is using to heal you? In this episode, Mark and Erica show how humility turns offense into breakthrough—Naaman-style.

Mark and Erica explore how pride can make us “miss the miracle,” using Naaman’s story (2 Kings 5) as a lens for modern church hurt. They unpack how offense, unrealistic expectations, and unprocessed wounds trap leaders and disciples alike—and how humility, honest friendships, and prayer break the cycle. From modeling the “lower seat” (Luke 14) to resisting online outrage, the episode offers practical ways to lead people through offense toward healing. You’ll hear actionable counsel on team culture, spiritual warfare against offense, and staying rooted in heaven-minded hope.

 

📋 Key Takeaways (3–5)

• Humility unlocks healing. Like Naaman, we can nearly forfeit our breakthrough because we don’t like God’s method. Humility is the road God travels to exalt us (2 Kings 5; 1 Pet. 5:6).

• Offense is a trap, not a personality type. Treat offense as spiritual warfare against your progress. Pray proactively against it in your church and teams (Heb. 12:11; James 4:6–7).

• Expectations need discipleship. Unreasonable, immature, or uncommunicated expectations often masquerade as “hurt.” Clarify, communicate, and submit them to Jesus.

• You can’t heal alone. Naaman needed friends; so do we. Invite truth-tellers who can “wound” you faithfully and help you see your blind spots (Prov. 27:6).

• Leaders model the lower place. Walk, speak, and staff in ways that reject celebrity culture. Give credit, tell on yourself, and cultivate a team ethic that prizes humility (Luke 14:7–11; Prov. 10:19).

💬 Quotes & Soundbites

• “Pride is like bad breath—you’re the last one to know you have it.” — Mark

• “Offense is almost always a threat; humility is almost always the way through.” — Mark

• “Naaman needed his friends. Ask the Lord for people who will tell you the truth—and receive it.” — Erica

• “It’s sin to be suspicious of others; it’s wisdom to be suspicious of my own self-applause.” — Mark

🕐 Timestamps 

• 00:06 — Welcome & framing: “What if we’re the problem?”

• 01:16 — Naaman’s story (2 Kings 5): missing the miracle through pride

• 03:12 — Pride, offense, and the enemy’s strategy

• 04:24 — Expectations: unreasonable, immature, and uncommunicated

• 06:37 — Unprocessed pain leaking into leadership

• 11:55 — Leading others through offense; cultivating truth-telling friendships

• 19:59 — Modeling the lower seat; team culture and platforming humility

• 26:01 — Rejecting celebrityism; “no red carpets here”

• 33:54 — Tips & hacks: slow down, skip online fights, invite feedback

• 38:13 — Training friends to give (and receive) honest feedback

• 38:13–44:32 — Heaven-minded leadership: perspective and perseverance

• 44:32–45:39 — Discipline that produces peace; a healthy suspicion of self

📖 Scripture Tie-Ins

• 2 Kings 5:1–14 — Naaman’s humbling & healing

• Luke 14:7–11 — Take the lower place

• Proverbs 27:6 — “Wounds from a friend can be trusted”

• Proverbs 10:19 — Few words, prudent tongue

• Hebrews 12:11 — Discipline yields righteousness and peace

• Isaiah 60:1 — “Arise, shine…” kingdom witness

• James 4:6–7 — God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble

• 1 Peter 5:6 — Humble yourselves under God’s migh