Central Lutheran

Many people have opinions about what makes a church influential, but God’s way of influence isn’t like the world’s version, or even the version of influence we’ve deemed as important in modern-day Christianity. As we continue in our series called, Influencers, Pastor Aaron unpacks how we can continue to be an influential church and influential people, based on the way the early church was influent...

It's easy to look at people in popular culture who have influenced us. From Hollywood actors to rockstars to YouTubers, there's no shortage. But have you ever thought about Christians as influencers? Believe it or not, without influencers, there is no Christianity. God designed faith in such a way that the future of faith actually depends on the influence of Jesus’ followers. Join us! Socials: www...

There is so much bad news in our world. It’s easy to get caught up in the pain and suffering that bombards social media, new channels and our lives.  Jesus came to earth to transform our lives. He came for everyone — there’s nothing that we’ve done that could keep us from God’s grace through Jesus. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead — that’s Good News that gives us...

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. It begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where people shout and cheer as they acknowledge Jesus as King of Kings. However, He was not the messiah they were expecting... Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

We all have hurts. Maybe something happened to you, someone did something to you or said something about you – or maybe you made that big mistake, and you don’t know how to talk about it. Have you ever experienced this? This weekend, we’re continuing our series, Rising Waters, Steady Faith, by having an honest conversation about the ways we get hurt, and we'll share a really practical way God invi...

We all need the reminder that it's OK to not be OK. But both God and your community want you to find healing and wholeness.  This week we’re going to talk about something 70% of teenagers say is either a problem for them or a close friend -- anxiety. When you feel too anxious, there is a way forward. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.chur...

Do you ever feel like you’re burnt out? Do you ever feel like you’re at the end of your rope - mentally exhausted, losing motivation, and more cynical than usual? Of course, you do. Want to know why? Because you’re human. So, this week in worship, we’re continuing our new series, Rising Waters, Steady Faith. And we’re going to wonder: Where do I turn when I’m burnt out? Because busy, stressed-out,...

Far too many of us live lives that are constantly busy, stressed out, and distracted. Life just seems too much. It feels like life isn’t turning out the way we had planned life to be.  It leaves us feeling like you’re treading water, but never seem to be able to keep up or stay afloat. We are launching our new series during the season of Lent called, Rising Waters. This first week we are talking a...

We are all worshipers of someone or something, whether we believe in Jesus or not. We give value and attention to people and temporary things because we long for something bigger than ourselves to fulfill our needs and desires. While some of these things may be good, they can become idols in our lives, because any created thing we worship, other than the Creator Himself, is idolatry. In this messa...

God means for the church to be a place of transformation as people encounter His love and form a relationship with Jesus. One crucial piece of transformation occurs in our relationship with God when we become honest with Him in prayer. "I sometimes get frustrated by the state of the world; I look at all the brokenness around me, the constant news cycle of gloom and despair. Verses 7-9 of Isaiah 33...

We all have ideas about what heaven and hell look like. You may even have ideas about who’s going to one and who’s going to the other.  It will likely surprise you to find out what Jesus believed and taught about all this, and what the Biblical authors wrote about it. Join us for worship! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Many of us have wondered at some point or another... "Can I believe in God, but not attend church? Isn’t just being a good person all that really matters? And what about the Bible - what do I do when it's confusing or makes me uncomfortable?" One approach is to cancel the church or the Bible all together. Another approach is to take a closer look at the role of the church which connects us to one...

At one time or another, you’ve wondered: There are over 4,000 religions in the world — could it be that all of them point to the same God? In this world of extremes, it seems as though we default to one way of relating to other religions: "We" are right, and "they" are wrong. But what vision might God have for all of us, living together in this great big world? Let's wonder about this together in...

Do you ever find yourself asking, "Am I enough for God?" Maybe you've felt like when your life has accumulated enough value for God, then God will actually love you. But - there’s the way our love works and then there’s the way God’s love works. And sometimes we get the two mixed up. Let's dive in to this commonly felt question together! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/cen...

Merry Christmas! We are so excited to celebrate with you.  This year we invite you to imagine — if God could do the unexpected by sending his son to the world as a baby who would save the world, just imagine what God could do for you today.  Let us know where you're watching from in the comments, and be sure to like & subscribe to stay updated with the latest from Central! Socials: www.facebook.co...

Merry Christmas! We are so excited to celebrate with you.  This year we invite you to imagine — if God could do the unexpected by sending his son to the world as a baby who would save the world, just imagine what God could do for you today.  Let us know where you're watching from in the comments, and be sure to like & subscribe to stay updated with the latest from Central! Socials: www.facebook.co...

The guests who arrived at the stable on that first Christmas, were a strange bunch. None more odd than the “wise men.”  Honestly, they didn’t belong.   We call them “wise men,” but the actual term for them was magoi.     What’s a magoi? Good question. Get this: They were an order of astrologers from Babylon and Persia who specialized in interpreting dreams and magic - think tarot cards, crystal ba...

Likely, you are making plans to gather with your family for Christmas. And when you get together, there will be… …your family, and then there will be the in-laws. …some parents in your family who are strict disciplinarians, while others who prefer “free range” parenting. …likely, there will be a mixture of big city folk and maybe some “hicks from the sticks.” …I’m guessing you will have at least o...

Is your family story a little messy? Maybe there's divorce or alcoholism, tensions with extended family, or stresses and strains you've been avoiding for years. I get it. My story is messy too. Well guess what? The story of the first Christmas is the story of the messiest family we could imagine! Think about the story we tell. It's about... An unmarried teenager gets pregnant in an ultra-conservat...

It’s time to get ready for Christmas! It’s time to make your list and check them twice.  Time to trim the tree and hang the stockings. Time for eggnog and ugly Christmas sweaters, Chevy Chase and Christmas Vacation. Let’s go! We’re going to get ready for Christmas by looking at the characters in the Christmas story and asking: What are they doing there?  You see, to the ancient people of the Bible...

As followers of Jesus, we are stewards of the Church for the next generation. We could, like many Christians, let personal preferences become the priority of faith. But what if turning our focus outward actually helps us reach more people? Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Let it be known that your church is telling you NOT to give generously! Why? Because when we make the simple pivot to living generously instead, God can do even greater things through each of us.  Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

When it comes to giving and generosity in the church, there are a lot of ways to approach it. But over and over, the Bible makes one thing clear – we can’t go at it alone. Partnership is key in our generosity and in the future of the church.  Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

If the church’s mission is to “Help all people find and follow Jesus,” how do we actually invite someone on that journey with us? Believe it or not, the story of Jesus shows that when we bear some burdens and break some rules, it's easier than we might think. Join us!  Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

People who “go to church” say things like… “Are we going to church?” as if church is a building. “You’ve got to join our church!” as if church is a club. “We’re going to be late for church!” as if church is an event. If Central is your church home, you know that church is so much more than this! We are the church when we serve record numbers of kids and students this year. We are the church when w...