August 20, 2026
Dear Central Church,
It’s back to school time! One of the changes for me is the opportunity to teach Pastoral Care and Counseling at MidAmerica Nazarene University. On Tuesday, I stepped into a classroom full of students eager to learn more about the practice and vocation of pastoral ministry.
At some point in the semester, we will wrestle with the question of God’s providence and sovereignty in a world of evil. As the conundrum goes: why would a good God with all power and knowledge allow evil? If he has the power to prevent things like disease, natural disasters, accidents, or injustice why doesn’t he intervene? Classically, this is called “the problem of evil.”
One of the joys of teaching is listening to students wrestle with this age-old question. These MNU Pioneers are bright and curious. I always leave with my perspective shaped by their insight and questions. And yet, the problem remains, and I still have not reached a satisfactory conclusion.
This is especially true when walking through the muck of life’s most difficult days. The answers that emerge in the sterility of a college lecture hall always ring hollow when grief and loss are no longer abstract but connected to a name and face. In these moments, when a name and face is taken from us, academically precise answers are not what’s most needed but faith-filled friends with names we know and faces we love. No one gets through loss alone. Thriving again comes through a Spirit-filled community.
The longer I journey with Jesus, the more I am convinced that faith is less about solving every mystery and more about embracing the mystery of his presence. This seems to be one of the lessons we learn in the Exodus story. The problem of evil is embodied in Pharaoh, and yet, the mystery of God’s presence and power is being revealed more and more. God hears the cries of his people and responds by making himself known.
This is the journey of grace. We don’t have to go through difficult times alone. When we walk through seasons of life we don’t understand, there is one who goes with us. Like baby Moses being drawn up out of the water, God draws us up to himself.
I hope you’ll join us Sunday as we continue this sermon series. I’m thankful to be on the journey of grace together with you!
On the Journey Together,
Pastor Mark