City Central Church Podcast

The Seven Churches of Revelation 05.07.2026 36min

This week, Pastor Chris began a new sermon series entitled The Seven, exploring the seven churches of Revelation. The messages to these churches reveal that this book is first and foremost a revelation of Jesus Christ—His glory, His authority, and His heart for His people. As the risen King who is coming again, Jesus walks among His churches, calling them to hear His voice, remain faithful, reject compromise, and prepare for His return. Through these seven churches, we are challenged to ask not only what Jesus said to them, but what the Holy Spirit is saying to His church—and to each of us—today.

Living a Life of Honor 29.06.2026 39min

This week, Pastor Chris finished our Driven by Eternity series with a powerful message on living a life of honor—a heart attitude that recognizes the value God places on people and brings glory to Him. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul teaches that living a life of honor means honoring spiritual leaders, caring for others, embracing the work of the Holy Spirit with biblical discernment, and above all honoring God in every area of life. When we cultivate a culture of honor, we strengthen the church, reflect the character of Christ, and become faithful witnesses to the world.

Living Prepared 21.06.2026 35min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our Driven by Eternity series with a message from 1 Thessalonians 5. The apostle Paul calls believers to live prepared for the return of Christ, recognizing that the Day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly, and with unavoidable judgment. Rather than speculating about dates and times, Christians are to live with expectancy, walk as children of light, remain spiritually awake and sober, and stand firm in faith, love, and the hope of salvation. Because Christ has secured our salvation through His death and resurrection, we are also called to encourage and build one another up as we await His glorious return.

Confident Expectation 14.06.2026 30min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our Driven by Eternity series with a message of hope. In a world marked by loss, uncertainty, and grief, believers are called to live with a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Paul reminds us that our hope is grounded in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, giving us assurance even in the face of death. Because Christ will return and gather His people to Himself forever, we can grieve with hope, stand firm in faith, and encourage one another with the certainty of His coming.

Pleasing God 07.06.2026 35min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our Driven by Eternity series with a message from 1 Thessalonians 4. Because God has graciously saved and redeemed us through Jesus Christ, He calls us to live lives that please Him in holiness, love, and integrity. Paul reminds believers that pleasing God involves pursuing sexual purity, loving others more deeply, and faithfully fulfilling everyday responsibilities in a way that honors Christ. As we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and look forward to Christ's return, our lives should reflect God's purpose for us as His people, zealous for good works and devoted to His glory.

Strength for the Journey 31.05.2026 53min

This week, Pastor Chris continued on our Driven by Eternity series with a message from 1 Thessalonians 3. In a world marked by hardship, temptation, and uncertainty, God calls His people to strengthen one another through encouragement. This message explores how believers can support the afflicted, help the tempted remain faithful, stand firm in the face of trials, and grow in Christlike love. As we journey together, encouragement becomes a vital source of courage, perseverance, and spiritual maturity until Christ returns.

Authenticity in a Hostile World 26.05.2026 36min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our sermon series Driven by Eternity with a message on authentic faith. In a world filled with pressure, opposition, and imitation, God calls believers to live with authentic faith that is real, rooted, and enduring. Through Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians, this sermon reveals that authentic faith is grounded in God's Word, tested through hardship and persecution, and strengthened to overcome every spiritual obstacle through the power of Christ. When believers truly receive and live out God's truth, they are transformed from the inside out, becoming people of perseverance, joy, and lasting impact in a hostile world.

Ministry That Pleases God 17.05.2026 34min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our sermon series with a message on how ministry that pleases God is not built on popularity or personal gain, but on lives surrendered to Christ with courage, purity, love, sacrifice, and a desire to see others grow spiritually. Drawing from Paul's example in 1 Thessalonians, this message reminds believers that true ministry requires bold faith, genuine integrity, compassionate care, and a willingness to pour ourselves out for the sake of the gospel. As God's chosen people and royal priesthood, we are called to faithfully serve Him in a way that reflects His character and leads others to walk worthy of His kingdom and glory.

Beauty for Ashes 11.05.2026 33min

This Mother's Day, we had the privilege of hearing from a dear friend of City Central, Shirlee Lamoureux. Through her powerful testimony, we see how there are moments in life when pain feels overwhelming. Some wounds are deep, formed in childhood, through abuse, rejection, abandonment, or loss. Yet even in those places, God sees, knows and heals. God is a Redeemer. He is the One who takes brokenness and brings healing, who takes sorrow and gives joy, who takes ashes and creates beauty.

Leadership Appreciation Sunday 04.05.2026 36min

This week, Jena Hippe brought an encouraging word as we celebrated the joy of giving our lives away in service to the church. Ephesians 2:10 to remind us that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ for a purposeful life of good works prepared in advance. It contrasts two paths: a "small heart" that seeks comfort, avoids hardship, and results in minimal spiritual impact, and a "ministering heart" that embraces others, walks with God through difficulty, and participates in His redemptive work. Ultimately, it calls believers to pursue a life of deep fellowship with Christ that produces lasting joy and meaningful impact in the world.

Healthy Church Part 2 27.04.2026 44min

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our Driven by Eternity series with a message from 1 Thessalonians describing the marks of a healthy church, beginning with the foundational truth that we are chosen by God and empowered by the gospel through the Holy Spirit. Such a church reflects Christ by imitating His example, enduring hardship with joy, and demonstrating genuine transformation in both character and conduct. Ultimately, a healthy church lives under Christ's lordship and eagerly awaits His return, anchoring its hope in His saving work and promised future.

Healthy Church 19.04.2026 38min

This week, Pastor Chris began our new sermon series, Driven by Eternity, with a message on how a healthy church is shaped by the certainty of Christ's return—living with watchful hope rather than speculation and ordering its life around obedience to Him. Marked by grace and peace, a healthy church becomes a praying and thankful community whose faith is active, whose love is visible, and whose hope endures even in a troubled world. Anchored in the promise that Jesus will come again, such a church pursues holiness, proclaims the gospel with urgency, and lives in joyful anticipation of redemption.

None Too Far 13.04.2026 31min

This week, City Central Elder Darrin Miller shared a powerful message on how Jesus reveals that God desires mercy over judgment—calling not those who think they are righteous, but sinners who recognize their need for Him. Through the story of Zacchaeus, we see that no one is too far gone—Jesus sees us, calls us by name, and invites us into repentance and restoration. This message challenges us to stop focusing on others' sin, recognize our own need for grace, and respond to Jesus with humility, surrender, and love.

One Touch Changes Everything 05.04.2026 33min

It's Easter Sunday! Pastor Chris shared a powerful message about stepping out of the crowd to encounter Jesus personally. Life is often marked by pain, struggle, and seasons where nothing seems to get better, as seen in the woman who suffered for twelve years. But Easter reminds us that through Jesus' death and resurrection, sin is defeated, death is conquered, and even the hardest situations are not beyond His power—so one touch of faith can change everything. In that moment, she was not only healed but also seen, known, and loved, revealing the heart of the gospel: that Jesus meets us in our brokenness and brings restoration and new life.

The God of "Far More Abundantly" 30.03.2026 37min

This week, Pastor Chris highlights how God works "far more abundantly" than we can imagine, calling believers to surrender fully and draw strength from His Spirit within. Rooted and grounded in Christ's immeasurable love, we are invited to experience a relationship that transforms us and enables us to grasp the vastness of His grace. Ultimately, it points to a God who exceeds every expectation, working powerfully in us for His glory across all generations.

Personal Benefits of Walking by Faith 23.03.2026 48min

This week, Pastor Chris taught us that walking by faith is an intimate trust in a powerful yet deeply personal God who leads with love, even when the path ahead is unclear. Using the example of Abraham, this sermon highlights how faith strengthens believers to trust God fully, make sacrifices, choose eternal priorities, and remain patient, persistent, and joyful in the waiting. Ultimately, a life of faith produces lasting spiritual fruit, shaping us into generous, wise stewards who reflect God's glory and become a blessing to others.

Looking Forward 15.03.2026 41min

This week, Pastor Chris challenged us to step out of comfort and live by faith, just as Abraham did when he followed God without knowing where the journey would lead. By trusting God's promises, Abraham crossed the lines of the unknown, the impossible, the future, and the pull of the world, demonstrating a life anchored in hope beyond present circumstances. His example calls us to fix our hearts on God's eternal promises, courageously pursuing a heavenly homeland rather than settling for the temporary security of this world.

Building Together 09.03.2026 38min

This week, Pastor Chris taught from Nehemiah, encouraging us to see that God's work of rebuilding begins when a burden for brokenness moves His people to prayer and action. After hearing about the ruined condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah carefully assessed the situation, received God's vision for restoration, and invited others to join the work. Together, ordinary people with different roles and gifts united to rebuild the wall, reminding us that God accomplishes great things when His people commit themselves to a shared mission.

Generational Generosity 02.03.2026 43min

This week, Pastor Chris continued our Greater Things series with a powerful teaching about generosity that leaves a legacy. Generational Generosity is the call to faithfully pass on a legacy of worship, obedience, and wholehearted giving from one generation to the next. Rooted in God's enduring goodness and modeled by leaders like David, it begins with God's vision, flows from willing hearts, and recognizes that everything we have ultimately belongs to Him. When leaders go first and God's people give joyfully and obediently, they leave behind not just resources, but a lasting, godly legacy for their children.

The Grace of Giving 23.02.2026 30min

This week, City Central elder Eric Jones invited the church into "The Grace of Giving," showing that true generosity is not driven by wealth but by worship. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 8 and the example of the Macedonian church, he explains how God's grace (charis) transforms crushing pressure and deep poverty into joyful, willing generosity rooted in surrender to Christ. Ultimately, the Lord calls the church to see giving not as obligation but as a Spirit-empowered privilege—an overflow of the gospel that tangibly serves others and reflects the self-giving heart of Jesus.