City Central Church Podcast

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our series through the book of Acts with a powerful word on healing. Chris sought to answer what the Bible says about physical healing in order for us to be grounded in our theology on the topic. Ever since sin entered the world, suffering, infirmary and pain have been a reality. Sin certainly affects more than just the immaterial soul. We want to be a people who pursue God’s Kingdom here on Earth through the reality of physical healing for the glory of Jesus.

This week, Damion Walker continued in our “Empowered” sermon series through the book of Acts. Damion shared how the Lord dwells richly within the context of community. Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, He prepared His disciples by calling them to unity through the Holy Spirit. We want to emulate the early church as we seek to come closer together and experience the fullness of God among us.

This week, guest preacher Steve Williams joined us and continued in our series through the book of Acts. Pastor Steve shared the reality that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy. Our God is a consuming fire, and we must allow Him to fill us in order to do His work. As God’s people, we are called to take the prophetic mantel into our spheres of influence. We must posture ourselves to receive the Lord’s anointing and to be empowered to carry it into a lost and broken world.

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our series through Acts, teaching us how to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for mission. There are some keys from the early Church that the Lord wants us to know for the here and now. We live in an hour between Jesus’ resurrection and His return, and we’re here on mission to be His witnesses. If we want to be a truly Biblical church in our city, we need to grasp the importance of gathering together, praying together, and seeking unity with the Bride of Christ.

This week, Pastor Chris began a series through the book of Acts seeking to answer how Christianity started and how the early church came into existence. This book was written by Luke who was a physician, historian, and close friend of Paul. Luke sought to give a sequential, historical account of the acts of the Holy Spirit during the origins of the church. Chris exhorted us to approach the book of Acts like soldiers on a mission and to learn how to become intimate friends with the Holy Spirit of God.

For this exciting first Sunday in our new building, Pastor Chris wrapped up our mini-series about crossing over and responding to change in a Biblical way. God has an inheritance for us and He has a vested interested in the condition of our hearts before we run into battle and conquest. He wants to prepare us for the land He’s called us into. Pastor Chris shared four major instructions from the book of Joshua for having a heart that is postured and prepared to take the promised land. 

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our mini-series about the Biblical response to seasons of change and transition. The book of Joshua lays out principles for healthy change. In our text, the Israelites stood on the edge of the Jordan River where God directed them to cross into the promised land. Rather than take a step of faith, they said yes to fear and grumbling, even to the point of desiring to return to slavery and oppression in Egypt. We want to be ones who hear the Lord’s directives and step forward in faith and obedience.

This week, Pastor Chris shared a word on how to prepare for and embrace change from a Biblical perspective. God’s interruptions often mean growth, and growth will always mean change. The Israelites stood before the Jordan River at the edge of the desert with their eyes on the promised land. All they had to do was cross. Rather than take a step in faith, they questioned the Lord and chose to fear and wander for 40 years. In this season of transition for our church body, we want to embrace what God is doing. He is inviting us to trust Him and take our own step of faith. The safest place for us to be in this process of change is in step with Jesus.

This week, we learned about the importance of Christian fellowship and community outside the four walls of a church building. City Central’s life group coordinator Casey Mock interviewed a panel of group leaders and attendees to hear more about the heart of home groups. We heard stories of vulnerability, support, and transformation.

This 4th of July, Pastor Chris wrapped up our “Choose Wisely” sermon series, honing in on the theme of Biblical, financial wisdom. Throughout Proverbs, Solomon gives us a clear path to follow in order to live in wisdom with our money. Jesus himself spoke more of money and possessions than he did of heaven and hell combined. Pastor Chris shared how our money has the ability to reveal the posture of our hearts. The way in which we steward our money and possessions can become a temperature gauge for how aligned, or unaligned, our hearts are with God.

This week, elder Eric Jones brought a word from the book of Proverbs about wise friendship. Eric shared how we each desire close friendships because we were created in the image of a highly relational, Triune God. Building deep and lasting friendships isn’t easy. We live in a disconnected world and a country that values independence. This has only become more difficult with covid where we’ve literally been mandated to “social distance”. The book of Proverbs provides specific instructions for how to cultivate and build deep, healthy, close friendships.

This Father’s Day, Pastor Chris continued in the book of Proverbs with a word on Biblical parenting. Chris expressed the reality that when we raise our children God’s way, we will actually increase our likelihood of enjoying them. So much of the book of Proverbs speaks to the next generation with simple insights of wisdom. Chris shared how knowledge provides information while wisdom provides transformation. We want to be followers of Jesus who parent in wisdom with Jesus at the center of our lives.

For our third service, Pastor Larry Jones from New Salem Baptist preached a powerful word about celebration. We have reason to celebrate because our victory in Jesus is assured. Everything that was designed against us has failed. Our air, water, and food is all contaminated and yet, we survive. We have survived ourselves: our mistakes, our bad choices, and our personal weaknesses. So much of our trouble is self-inflicted. We spend time trying to cover up our sins. Yet, God is working for our victory. If you are committed to living in victory, you have reason to celebrate.

This week, Pastor Chris brought a powerful about worship and work according to the book of Proverbs. Chris sought to answer what makes a God-fearing, worthy worker. He also expressed what a Godly team member should look like. Our work, like every aspect of our lives, is meant to be an offering of worship to the Lord. To be an ideal team player, we need to seek humility, relate well with others, and be driven by Godly hunger and passion.

This week, Pastor Chris preached a powerful word seeking to define true, Biblical success. He shared the reality that each of us have our own, personal definition of success. We learn through David and Solomon that genuine success is found by doing, following and obeying the commands of God. We want to be ones who define success the same way Jesus does and live lives of radical obedience to Him. To do this, we must hear what Jesus says, obey Him, and trust Him to do His part.

This week, Pastor Chris brought a powerful word about the human-divine cooperative and the tension between our plans and God’s purposes. We begin from the truth that God has good plans to bring peace and plenty to all who will call on His name and surrender to Him. We tend to look at the external while the Lord looks at the heart. Our plans change and shift, but God’s purpose does not change. When we surrender our plans to God and align ourselves with Him, we posture ourselves to receive revelation and partner with Him and His purposes.

This week Pastor Chris continued in our study of Proverbs, sharing a word on the power of the tongue. Chris expressed how the words we choose to speak will reveal how wise we truly are. The Bible likens the tongue to a fire while the world seeks to minimize and trivialize the significance of our speech. The words we speak carry immense power for either healing or destruction, life or death. Corrupting words will corrode our relationships if we do not learn how to guard our mouths.

This week, Pastor Chris began a new sermon series on the book of Proverbs. Chris shared how this Old Testament book provides sound, practical information for those seeking to live in wisdom. The book of Proverbs was written by Solomon, who asked for wisdom when God offered to give him one thing. Chris sought to explain what marks a wise relationship or marriage. God has a prescribed plan for wisdom within marriage to produce a rich reward. 

This week, Pastor Chris wrapped up our 1 Peter series with a word about how followers of Jesus should respond to adversity. Closing out his first letter, Peter offers clear understanding for what the Bible says about overcoming spiritual attack. In order to find safety and overcome adversity, we must be and find a safe shepherd, have spiritual covering, find your crew before your crisis, and stand firm to the end. 

This week, Dani Cole with World Vision shared a testimony of how the Lord reversed things in her life dramatically after her daughter’s cancer diagnosis. In this particularly difficult season, Dani found herself identifying with the woman at the well. Jesus accepted this woman, affirmed her inherent dignity, and restored her broken circumstances. The woman responded radically, sharing the good news of what Jesus had done for her. Dani shared the heart of World Vision’s child sponsorship program called Chosen, which puts the empowering choice of sponsorship in the child’s hands. By partnering with World Vision, we have an opportunity to affirm a child’s dignity and take steps toward restoring their broken circumstances.