Central Church Podcast

In this new series on the book of Ruth, we see the story open up with Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi encouraged Ruth to go back to her family after Ruth's husband passed away, but Ruth chose to stay. Because of that, Naomi's life would not become bitter as she thought it would. We see the importance of relationship taking place between these two, and the significance of relationships is...

In this letter to the church in Philippi, Paul encourages the readers to find someone of the faith to imitate. Who is someone in your life who has a faith that you admire? Griffen Molenburg, our Central Youth director, speaks today on this passage, breaking it down into 3 main points: -How to move forward -Discipleship -Passion for the lost

As Paul concludes the book of Romans, he spends intentional time thanking people that encouraged him in his faith. He gives a warning against those who want to cause unity among the believers, enforcing the importance of unity within the body. Pastor Jon summarizes the chapter in two points: the need that we have for others in the faith, and the need for unity in the body.

Paul gives Christians three crucial responsibilities for dealing with those who have a weak faith. We are to bear with their failings, please our neighbor, and welcome one another. Jac Munson breaks this passage down, looking at verses 1-7 as a guide on how the 'strong' are to interact with the 'weak'.

Paul gives a strong urging that we, as a body of Christ, are to uphold unity. How can that be done? By not passing judgment on one another, not living for ourselves, and not doing things that cause others to stumble. Pastor Jon uses the Latin word "adiaphora," meaning that we are not to create a divide with others on matters that are not divisive, but holding fast to building unity.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Pastor Jon challenges us with the same question that Jesus asks Martha at the death of Lazarus, reading the resurrection account from John 20.

Romans 12 gives clear instruction on how we are to live as Christians in verses 9-21: to love what is genuine, to honor others, to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to mourn with those who mourn. Ultimately, however, how are we to live? How Paul instructs in verse 1: to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. Jac Munson breaks this passage into 3 main points: it challenges our lifestyles, our mi...

Paul addresses a big topic here, dealing with the Israelites and their belonging to the body of Christ. Because they were disobedient, have they lost their favor with God? Even bigger than that, who is salvation really offered to? Pastor Jon breaks down Romans 11, talking about the Gentiles being grafted in and Israel's salvation.

In Romans 10, Paul strongly conveys to the audience that he's writing to his desire for them to be saved, to know the gospel, and to have eternal life. Do we have the same desire for the people we know? To summarize the passage, Pastor Jon gives us one simple question: do we long for others to know about the eternal life that is obtained through Jesus Christ?

Romans 9 is one of the most challenging, difficult-to-understand passages in the entire book. Paul talks about God's sovereign choice, drawing comparisons from Abraham's descendants, the Israelites, and even Pharaoh. Pastor Jon looks at this passage through the lens of three main points: Paul's anguish, God's sovereignty, and living by faith.

In Romans 8, Paul details a life in the Spirit and how the Spirit sets us free. He also details the great depth of God's love, giving us the assurance that nothing can separate us from it. In this message, Jac Munson breaks the passage down into 5 main points: the possibility of the Law, the power of the mind, the importance of suffering, the purposes of God, and the power of His love.

Sin is a powerful thing that lives inside of us, and it creates a divide within ourselves. Paul details the struggle of sin within our lives, where it causes us to do the things that we don't want to do and prevents us from doing the things that we want to do. Despite that broken condition, Jesus enters in and fills us with His Spirit, so that we do the things that we need to do and avoid the thin...

What is one thing that you would like to change about yourself? Pastor Jon asks this question as we look at Paul's words in Romans 6. Are we slaves to sin and disobedience, or are we placing our trust in Jesus and becoming slaves of righteousness? The penalty of sin that is to be paid is death. But Jesus offers us a free gift in response to that by giving us eternal life. "For the wages of sin is...

What are you going through? All of us can mutually identify with one another in that question. Sometimes we're experiencing great joy in life; other times we're enduring through trial and difficulty. Continuing on in our series in Romans, Paul encourages those of us who are going through hard moments and how we are to approach them. He says, "we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering pr...

The Jewish people believed that Abraham, their forefather of the faith, was the perfect adherent to the Law, and he was righteous because of it. Paul, however, reminds them that it was not through obedience or even circumcision that Abraham was righteous, but that it was through his faith in God that he was made righteous. The promises made to him were no longer exclusively for his family descenda...

All throughout Romans, righteousness is the main theme. How can we obtain it? Are we righteous ourselves, or are we unrighteous? What does righteousness even mean? Paul, in Romans 3, points to the words of David in the Psalms to remind us that none of us are righteous, but that Christ is the one who is righteous alone. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, however, we can be made righteous i...

Judgment plays an active role within our lives, whether it's trying to discern a situation or it's through harsh words and actions. Romans 2 details God's righteous judgment, and Paul excuses us as believers from casting judgment onto one another for 2 main reasons: we practice the same things in which we condemn in others, and God is the ultimate One who can cast judgment. Pastor Jon breaks down...

We begin our series in the book of Romans, talking about the righteous life that Paul details throughout this whole book. Just as Paul's life was changed and transformed because of the gospel, so our lives are changed, and Paul uses these words in verse 16 to encourage us to have the same attitude: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believ...

We are given 86,400 seconds every single day. How do we spend that time that God gives us? Terry Harris delivers a message to close out 2023 on the significance of the gift of time that we are given.