Christian Center Church Podcast

As we approach the end of 2021, we look forward to the new year. And as we prepare for this new year, we need to look at some values of our church that we need to adjust and improve in order to do the work that God has prepared for us to do. And the name for the values and environment of a church is of course, culture. If, in this new year, we want to see change and growth unlike any we have ever...

We live in a generation that is very confused, and in some cases, even hopeless about the future. Many of us aren't even sure how to go about our day-to-day lives anymore. However, Jesus was clear that those day-to-day actions are incredibly important! What we believe about the future directly informs the actions we take today, and the actions we take today determine whether we are involved in bui...

For years, the story of the tax collector Zacchaeus has seemingly been relegated to Sunday school lessons and rhymes. But this is no mere children’s story! Jesus had a powerful encounter with this man that led to nothing less than a radical transformation in his life. What was Zacchaeus looking for? How did he arrive at this encounter with the Messiah? And what can we learn from him that will allo...

Bartimaeus was a man who knew what it meant to be truly helpless. He was blind, and depended on others for absolutely everything in his life. But his encounter with Jesus changed everything. In a moment, Bartimaeus went from being completely helpless to literally seeing an entirely new world. Do you feel blind? When you look around at the world, does it seem like the truth is hidden? If so, do you...

Jesus said a lot of things that go against our human tendencies. “Love your enemies.” “Seek the lowest place.” “Blessed are the meek.” These go against our human desire for position and power, and most people in the church agree with these sentiments. But He said some things that go against even some long-held opinions in the church. One of those sayings is Jesus’ parable about the mustard seed. W...

Last week, Pastor Scott Phenis looked at some places in Scripture where we find the phrase “one thing.” Ironically enough, there’s far more than one place we find this phrase, and there’s far more than one lesson we can learn by looking at these Scriptures. This little phrase highlights some major concepts in Scripture. It’s easy for us to go through life never thinking about eternity, or even our...

In Scripture, there’s a little phrase that pops up now and then: “one thing.” Whenever you see those two words, the writer is telling you to sit up and pay attention. There’s a lot we can learn from Scripture, but when it goes out of its way to point out one thing, then that thing is key to understanding the passages around it. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by life, but if we can step back and focu...

Money is a tough subject in Scripture. Oftentimes we either spend too much time on it, or we ignore the subject altogether. But Jesus didn’t shy away from the topic in His ministry. In fact, one parable in particular has some interesting advice about monetary wisdom. In it, we see a servant who’s in a bind, and he takes an interesting route to regain his master’s favor. Love it or hate it, money i...

We were honored to welcome back Harry and Cheryl Salem to our pulpit for a time of ministry and encouragement. The Salems are a dynamic ministry duo that work together to speak truth to congregations all over the nation. We hope you’re blessed by this teaching! As the United States continues on the road of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, many find themselves unsure or even fearful to return t...

The story of the Prodigal Son is one of the most well known stories in history, even in secular culture. But Jesus’ story doesn’t end after the son returns home and the father has prepared a feast for him. In fact, Jesus has a bit more to say about one other member of the household, and His words can tell us a lot about ourselves. We must be up for self-examination if we are ever to truly grow in...

In Luke chapter 14, Jesus tells a story of a great wedding feast. In this parable, a rich man prepares a feast, and invites people from across the region to come take part. However, these people reject the invitation to come to the master’s feast. In response, the master invites the poor, crippled, and otherwise disenfranchised to come and enjoy the supper that had been prepared for these esteemed...

Every Independence Day, we take a moment to remember our freedom as Americans, and the sacrifices of men and women that have ensured that freedom. But the word freedom has become so commonplace that we often take it for granted, not just nationally, but spiritually as well. Freedom is a concept that goes deeper than just our national heritage, and touches the very heart of our spiritual lives as w...

We all carry some baggage from our past. For some of us, the weight is fairly light, and we can move on as normal. But for others, the emotional baggage is too great, and it hinders them from living life the way they would like. What’s more, other people can make us feel bad for having difficult emotions, and we bury them so we don’t have to deal with them. Clearly, dealing with that emotional bag...

(NOTE: This sermon is audio-only.) We’ve all been at the point where we feel as if our life has gone completely off track, and we’ve lost sight of who we were meant to be. At these moments, what can we do? Are we stuck in this place of feeling lost and hopeless? Or is there a way back onto the path that God has laid out for us? God is an expert at working on blank canvases, and sometimes, it’s the...

When we feel down and out, it’s tempting to give up. Why keep trying when it’s likely we’ll just fail again? What hope do we have to keep going? The Apostle Paul and his companion Silas found themselves in a similar situation in Acts chapter 16, unfairly jailed and awaiting an unknown fate. But in that moment, God gave them a miracle that changed not only their lives, but the lives of everyone in...

As we continue discussing the challenges and opportunities that can come from going through a season of change, it’s important to remember how vital relationships and friendships are to our lives. What’s more, we need to be aware of how those friendships can shift and change, and how our relationship with Jesus is the one thing that will not be affected by any season of change. When we’re in the m...

At times, we can feel discouraged and stagnant, as if we're not living the lives we're meant to live. We feel as if we're failing to bear fruit in the way Jesus told us we should. But Jesus Himself gives hope for these times of despair. In Luke chapter 19, Jesus tells a parable about a tree that fails to bear fruit, and how there is still hope for anyone if they choose to abide in Him. If abide in...

Last night, we were honored to welcome Pastor Daniel Rhodes as our guest speaker for our series on change. Pastor Rhodes hails from Restoration Church in Cedartown, GA, and brought a powerful word about what it means to step into a new season. When entering a new season, it’s easy to be confused and a little scared. Change is difficult, but it’s something we all have to get used to. Join Pastor Rh...

In Luke 12, Jesus begins talking about the end of the world to His disciples. But rather than giving detailed descriptions as to what will happen at the end, Jesus instead gives His followers one warning: make sure you are ready. From here, for decades, the church has debated the meaning of this passage, giving various interpretations of what exactly to expect as we near the end of the world. Thou...

When we began our discussion on change, we discussed the importance of perspective, and last week, we discussed the importance of vision as you navigate a season of change. But perspective and vision alone aren’t enough to ensure that you navigate this season of change in the way God has intended. You have to have the right attitude to apply your perspective and vision. Your attitude goes beyond m...

Last week, we discussed Jesus’ model prayer for His disciples and what it teaches us about how we interact with God. But directly after that, Jesus continued to teach, but this time about the way God interacts with us. He gave us examples of earthly fathers and how they interact with their children, and what this tells us about the way God sees us. Are you struggling to connect with God? Do you fe...

Last week, we started a conversation on change, and discussed the importance of keeping a proper perspective in the midst of change. But perspective is only part of the battle. While perspective helps you keep your current situation in proper context, it doesn’t do much to help you see beyond your situation and to a future that is hopeful. Perspective is important, but it’s not enough. Without a v...

How do we pray? It sounds like a simple question, doesn’t it? But that didn’t stop the disciples from asking their Teacher to teach them to pray. And Jesus obliged them, giving us one of the most well-known passages of Scripture ever recorded: The Lord’s Prayer. Since then, this special prayer has been used as a model for millions of people as they come before the throne of God. But what exactly i...

As much as we may hate to admit it, life is all about change. As secure as we feel at any moment, we all know that change can and will come, sometimes upsetting all that we knew as comfortable and secure. But change doesn’t have to be as scary as we make it out to be. It all depends on your perspective in the middle of the change. Your perspective can change everything about a scary situation. A s...

Happy Mother’s Day! As we take a moment to celebrate the influential women in our lives, we look at the story of one of Jesus’ most famous followers: Mary Magdalene. Mary came from a past that was riddled with brokenness, fear, and evil, but through her encounter with Jesus, she left a story that has survived for centuries. Many people have come from backgrounds of pain and hurt, and they feel as...