Weekly Update // Pastor Chris
Dear Asbury Family,
We’re in a series called Heart Matters, where we're exploring themes of contentment, generosity, and trusting God with our resources. As we get ready to hear Pastor Will this Sunday, I want to share a story I told last year during our stewardship campaign.
When my siblings and I were growing up, we took karate classes. The studio required us to build endurance by running—not just on our own during the week (that was expected), but with the other students on Saturday mornings. After our Saturday run, my mom would treat us to breakfast at a local bagel shop. One Saturday, when I was about 12, my mom, brother, and I were on our way to get bagels, and as we walked through the parking lot, I spotted a thick envelope on the ground outside a closed restaurant. Curiosity got the best of me, so I picked it up and opened it. Inside was a wad of cash—around $4,500. I later found out this was the restaurant’s earnings from the night before; the manager had been on his way to the bank but accidentally dropped it. I showed the money to my mom, and even though the restaurant was closed, we saw workers inside and were able to return the money to the manager.
A few weeks later, the restaurant owner reached out to us. He wanted to thank us for turning in the money, so he came by our house and gave me a $300 gift certificate to Sports Authority. At 12 years old, that felt like a huge deal! I immediately started planning what I’d buy—definitely a sports watch and probably some new shoes. That’s when my mom looked at me and said, “Christopher, God owns that gift certificate; you’re just the manager. At least 10% of that needs to go to the church.” I thought to myself, How on earth do you tithe off a gift certificate? But, under her direction, I bought essential clothing items, like socks and underwear, and donated them to our church’s clothing ministry.
There are tears in my eyes as I type these words. I thank God for my mother, who taught me an important lesson on generosity that I’ve never forgotten—everything we have, even gift certificates, belongs to God. While our initial tendency (due to sin) is to indulge ourselves with material pleasures, we’re called to lean into grace and resist that urge. We’re invited to look beyond ourselves, see the work of God in our midst, and invest in that work.
More recently, Hannah and Noah, who are 6, have been losing their baby teeth—a fun milestone for children. When they received money from the “Tooth Fairy,” Amanda and I reminded them that 10% needed to go to Asbury. I’m grateful to see that my mom’s legacy lives on in how we’re seeking to raise our children. Generosity isn’t just about what we give; it’s about who we become by God's grace in the process. Each act of giving helps us hold our resources loosely, trusting that God is the true owner.
As we think about turning in our 2025 Commitment Cards on November 24, I invite each of us to consider: How will generosity be reflected in our lives, and how will it shape who we’re becoming?
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.
Blessings,
Chris