Amarillo Central Podcast

What does the book of Hebrews have to say to today’s church? Here’s the short answer: if you're tired and weary, Hebrews has something for you. It is full of thick theology, provides a rich understanding of Jesus, and offers a strong call to hold on to your faith. It’s a strategy for survival. The author speaks to us about suffering. And the message we hear in Hebrews combats the increasing loneli...

From aspiring to drive an ice cream truck to leading the next phase of Children’s Ministry here at Central, meet Gabby Brandner! We discuss the things we love about kids—their openness, their ability to live in the moment, their imagination, and the way they think and ask questions. Children are a vital part of the kingdom of God. God is already working in children and is using them to show restor...

They are fans of glamping and nicknames, but what you’ll notice most about the McCarrells is the intentionality with which they live and how they serve the church. When they came here in 2005, they met God in a way that they’d never met him before, and their lives are different for it today. Jamie appreciates the creative ministries happening at Central, such as reaching the marginalized community...

They’ve been here almost 10 years, and as soon as they walked in the door that first Wednesday night, they had some instant connections to mission work and college friends. The Nash family quickly came to love the community involvement here, and they found in Central a place to serve and for their girls to grow in their faith. Michael is known for his compassion, and he brings to this leadership a...

If you have a soft spot in your heart for skating, this is the episode for you! We learn some great things about Doug (“Alexa, play Pitbull.”) while also getting a look into what Central means to the Richardsons. By growing up here and watching faithful leadership of the past, this church is deeply embedded in this family and has formed them in the way of humble servanthood. As we look toward the...

It’s both really exciting and a little scary for our senior class as the end of the school year draws to a close. Today’s episode features 3 Hannahs, 3 lefties, and 3 seniors entirely born and raised here at Central. The joy coming from these seniors is evident, and they each have a unique heart for service. From dreaming of being a teacher, a vet, and one other profession (listen to find out), th...

It was a personal invitation that helped bring them to Central, and you’ll quickly pick up on Mark’s excitement for God’s people and his hopes for Central. From a passion for the local church to ice cream every night, there’s a lot to love about Mark and Carrie. If you haven’t met them yet, allow us to introduce you! Throughout our conversation, we’re reminded that we lead out of our stories—out o...

Baldness, talking donkeys, and dragons—this is what we find in God's Word! There are a multitude of mysterious things in Scripture, and Revelation is a book of the Bible that, honestly, leaves us with more questions than answers. So what do we do with Revelation? Have a listen to some of our thoughts and questions, as well as a special opportunity for you to engage with these Scriptures. Speakers:...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Hannah McNeill and Mic Biesboer interview Kendall Dean and Ian McLoud on the challenges they have faced in bringing diversity into a church context. They discuss their stories of what they experienced, what happened next in their faith, and how there's hope as we move forward to racial healing. Today's conversation is hosted by Central Church of Christ and the Carl Spain Center on...

“This is something I want to shape my life around.” That’s the response Gracie had when asked how she was impacted by her trip to Kenya. Central sent a team to Kenya this summer, and they got to witness the joy of the people in Kenya—the love and acceptance they have for others. How is God moving in Kenya? Listen to how this Central team had a chance to participate in what God is doing across the...

In a city of around 11 million people, Byron and Sandra Cana are leading some of the mission work we support, and this summer Central sent a team of 9 people to visit them in Bogota, Colombia (specifically in Suba). In today’s episode, we discuss some observations about the culture in Bogota, witnessing the church interact with their community, and the church being able to put down permanent roots...

We take our beliefs and our faith very seriously. But sometimes as Christians, we take ourselves a little too seriously. We don’t usually think about fun as part of living a faithful life. What does it mean to understand the intersection of faith and fun? As Jesus states in John 10:10, how can we have life to the fullest? Pursuing a life of fullness requires not just joy but enjoyment. If all of y...

Do you ever say no to yourself? Fasting is a practice of self-denial to find space to attend to God. The emptiness we experience during fasting creates the space for God to act in us—that’s where the practice becomes spiritual. Where do we see fasting in Scripture? What is a wise way to enter into the practice of fasting? The point of any spiritual practice is to get in tune with the heart of God....

Why do we worship the way we do? How can we view daily life as worship? In today’s episode you will hear a portion of the “More to Life” series where Kevin Schaffer shares some of his heart for worship as well as some things he’s learning about the history of worship. As we consider how we worship, these words from Jack Reese tell us some important truths. “Christian worship is not about our perso...

It began in 2014 with small symptoms, lot of doctor visits, and not many answers, and not long after, Lori was unable to walk. In today’s episode, you’ll hear Lori Stone’s story in her own words as she shares her experience with us. God kept saying to Lori, “Find your joy,” and we’re so glad He did. Even with chronic pain and limitations within her body, God has given Lori ways to create beautiful...

As a church, we are taking an honest look at racial healing. What is our part in bringing about racial unity? How do we as Christ-followers interact with others in the world who are different from us? Leading us into the topic is Dr. Jerry Taylor of ACU. While many people approach the topic of race from a cultural, political, or social position, as Christians we don’t begin there. Dr. Taylor share...

“I saw God unite everyone.” “I saw God when the campers prayed.” “I saw God in the fact that no one was excluded.” “I saw God in how the campers were moved by the Gospel and by how much God loves them.” And these are just a small representation of all that our students came away with after serving at Camp Blessing. In this episode, you'll hear directly from our group who recently returned from hel...

We are launching something new this summer: All-Church VBS. “But isn’t VBS always all-church?” Well, we always have adults volunteering. But this year—adults are participating! No dropping off your kids to have all the fun. This is ALL of us showing up to join in! The goal is our 4-year-old kiddos signing up along with our 44-year-olds not to be outdone by our 84-year-olds. All are invited, activi...

“A man without purpose is lost.” Today’s episode delves into the question of suffering and struggle through the stories of Koben Puckett, Mic Biesboer, and Greg Dowell. Each has personal experience with struggle, and they discuss these times of difficulty and pain. What do we learn from living through darkness? What gives us hope in the face of struggle? Koben discusses how he had a shift in persp...

Our summer youth interns are here!! And we begin where all good conversations should—discussing what our spirit animals are. But we quickly get into things of depth. We talk faith formation and what has grown us as well as what we’re passionate about related to faith and God’s church. From a deeper understanding of mission to delving into the depth and truth of God’s word, Carson and Bailey have a...

What do you remember from your days attending VBS? What was your VBS snack? On today’s episode, 4 special guests discuss the VBS they grew up with, representing Hale Center, Waxahachie, Seminole, and here at Central in Amarillo. We talk VBS snacks (which was your favorite?!) and how so many good things take place during VBS. For many, VBS brought the story of Christ and of the Bible alive. VBS did...

Senioritis has kicked in and their schedules are out of control, but 3 of our graduating seniors took a minute to chat with us about life—what they wanted to be when they grew up, how their faith has grown during their time here at Central, and what they’re looking forward to after graduation. We talk about Trek, Boaz, Harry Styles, and much more. There is a lot of wisdom from our seniors in this...

Today’s episode takes a dive into the depth and meaning of the Thursday of Holy Week. What does the name “Maundy Thursday” mean? How does this impact my daily walk with Christ? It all connects to Jesus—how he lived and taught us to live, how his final days before he was crucified were spent. Listen in as Judy Rogers, Mary McNeill, and Hannah McNeill discuss the Last Supper as we know it from Scrip...

The idea of serving is countercultural. The message from the world is to take care of me first, and then others second. However, Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Today we talk about the final step of Connect/Grow/Serve—the idea of service to others. Serving is one of the access points to see and understand God in a deeper way. What are the ways in which you serve? Are you able to receive...

Where do you go when you have questions—especially questions about faith? Featured on today’s episode is guest speaker Dr. A.J. Swoboda who is helping us take a look at our theological journey. What is the process of questioning our beliefs about God? Is it safe to ask questions and relearn what we’ve always held as true? Today’s conversation is just a preview of the in-depth dialogue to come on F...