Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

 In worship last weekend, I shared some numbers with you. Just in case you missed them, here they are again. 

 Over the season of Advent (the season leading into Christmas), our congregation committed to raising money for the Evangelical Methodist Church in El Salvador. Specifically, we wanted to raise funds for two causes associated with the church: a school and a medical clinic. As I mentioned on Sunday, through the end of Christmas Eve, we raised a grand total of $14,163. Additionally, during March to the Manger, we raised another $6,000 for other causes (e.g., tornado victims, Family Promise, the Sharing Center, Christian Concerns, etc.). Thank you so much for your generosity! Asbury is fortunate to have so many caring individuals who invest in the lives of others.  

 This weekend in worship, we continue in our new sermon series entitled “Help My Unbelief.” As a reminder, the purpose of these messages is to explore tough questions of faith. Last week’s question focused on Christian behavior: Why are Christians hypocrites? This week’s question is going to be more philosophical in nature: Is free will worth all the suffering? 

 If you're not sure where I'm going with this question, please hear me out. 

 Adolf Hitler had free will when he orchestrated the Holocaust. Joseph Stalin had free will when he led Soviet Russia. Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson had free will when they became two of the most infamous serial killers in American history. Timothy McVeigh had free will when he planned the Oklahoma City bombing. Osama bin Laden had free will when he became the mastermind behind 9/11. I could provide more examples, but you get the point. 

 In a world where human beings insist on harming – and killing— others, is free will even worth it? Did God know what he was doing when he gave us free will? Why doesn't God remove our capacity for evil, thereby sparing the lives of millions of people? Or why doesn't God simply create people whom he knows won’t inflict harm? 

 Be sure to join us for worship this Sunday as we tackle this difficult question. By the way, we are also going to have new members join us at the 9:30am service, which is always an exciting thing.

 Enjoy the rest of your week, and we’ll see you on Sunday!

 Blessings,

Chris