City Central Church Podcast

  This week, Pastor Chris continued in 1 Peter, sharing that the word for Easter is hope. He defined hope as "confident expectation of good from God". This hope is different than a wish or a desire. This hope is firm and steadfast. Each of us chooses to put our hope in something or someone. Is yours in someone or something that will never leave you or forsake you? There is hope to be found when yo...

This week, Pastor Chris likened Christian suffering to fire. Fire represents suffering and refinement. Fire can burn away unnecessary things and break open seed that has laid dormant. According to Peter, we should not be surprised when trial comes. In seasons of trial, we have an opportunity to grow and mature in significant ways we would not find any other way. According to Chris, growth equals c...

This week, guest preacher Adam Narciso continued in our study of 1 Peter. Adam and his family were members of City Central's church body until the Lord called them to ministry in Tennessee. Adam conveyed how Peter is speaking to Christians who are experiencing religious persecution. He focused on verses 19-21, emphasizing what Jesus did on the Saturday in between his burial and resurrection, and w...

This week Pastor Chris continued in 1 Peter, sharing with his wife Jena about how to stand firm in marriage. The Hippes shared the reality that every marriage can have a 100% success rate if each spouse will choose to live out what the Bible says. We must choose to honor one another and adorn ourselves with faith, fear of the Lord, Godly thoughts, and humility. The measure we live in fear of the L...

This week Pastor Chris continued in our study through 1 Peter, urging us to know and understand what God's word says about submission to authority. As God's children, it is not our opinion or the world's perspective that dictates our reality. We stand on the word of God and we live in fear of the Lord. We are in an hour of lawlessness, and it is more important than ever to know what our Biblical r...

This week, Pastor Chris brought a powerful word continuing in our 1 Peter study. We learned that in order to stand firm in the faith, we cannot stand alone. It is vital to our spiritual life to be in the word and in Christian community as we represent Christ amongst an unhealthy, broken world. Our relationship with God's word matters just as much as our relationships with other people. Pastor Chri...

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our sermon series drawing from 1 Peter on what it means for Christians to stand firm in our faith. He shared how it is the inheritance of every believer in Jesus Christ to have clarity in the midst of chaos. The battle begins in our minds, and our choices matter greatly. Whether you are in a chaotic season now or can recall a season of chaos from your past, you...

This week, Pastor Chris began a new series drawing from 1 Peter on what it means for a Christian to stand firm. In many ways, the life of Peter is highly relatable for the average Christian. His life can be described as a parable of extremes, be it of great fear or great faith. Though he denied Jesus three times, Peter knew grace, stood firm, and endured to the end in close relationship with the L...

This week, Pastor Chris preached about God's immeasurable generosity toward us. Once we recognize that all we've been given is a generous gift, we will learn the joy of generously giving away. Through Christ, we have been given everything we need in order to be generous. The world is looking for Christians to be a light amongst a dark, withholding, needy world. Choosing to hold loose to the financ...

This week, Pastor Chris shared a practical, Biblical word on financial stewardship. He expressed the reality that our bank accounts will reflect our hearts, priorities and motives. Jesus spoke about money and there are real, spiritual implications for how we steward what we have been given. If we're lacking victory in the area of stewardship, we will walk around in bondage wondering where our free...

In our third service, Pastor Larry Jones from New Salem Baptist brought a word about taking up the shield of faith in our personal walk with Jesus. To begin, Pastor Larry shared how a spoon placed into a glass of water will appear bent and distorted, although we know it is not. Oftentimes, things in our world that are crooked appear to be straight. We want to be a people who know truth and, like a...

In our first two services, Pastor Chris shared how meeting for fellowship in homes is both Biblical and vital for the life a believer. When discussing Life Groups with group leaders, we learned that their focus is asking and answering questions about Sunday's sermon, sharing a meal, building intentional friendships, and praying together. A Sunday morning does not always provide enough time to deve...

This week, Jena Hippe brought a word on what it means to make prayer a lifestyle. She expressed how through her own walk, God has shown the reality of Romans 8:28: "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Jena shared a testimony from this week where she received an answer to something she's prayed for 11 years....

This week, Pastor Chris shared about the power of prayer. He expressed the reality that prayer shifts and changes things in cities, in nations, and in culture. It is one of God's primary means God uses to release His power on Earth. When we learn to have a lifestyle of prayer, we will be strengthened. Prayer demonstrates that we are dependent on God and humbles our hearts. Are you in need of some...

This week, Pastor Chris shared his heart for our 2021 Renewal Fast and expressed what God's word says about fasting. Fasting is a choice to lay something aside in order to seek God's face and His will. It is an invitation to walk with God and fully rely on Him. Fasting helps us tune into God's will for our lives and find sharpening and clarity for areas of breakthrough. Pastor Chris shared how the...

This week, City Central's youth pastor Stephanie shared her heart for the next generation as we transition into a new year. Reaching the generation is one of City Central's shared values, and our Legacy Youth ministry has seen immense growth in reaching students from across the Seattle/Tacoma area. Stephanie shared the reality that we as believers are called to give our lives away. Each of us are...

This week, Chris expressed how worship is the response of Mary in the Christmas story. Mary was a 12-13 years old in a small, no-name town and she likely knew what it was like to be hungry and poor. The angel Gabriel brought her good news of great joy that would change her life. She would be the mother of the Messiah. There were two possible responses for Mary at this news – one of great worship a...

This week, Pastor Chris expressed ten points that he appreciates about Jesus and His nature this Christmas season. The birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus all speak to the nature of God the Father. Since Jesus is fully God and fully man, we need to look at His character in order to know who our God is. Luke 1:26-38 shows the angel Gabriel appearing before Mary, explaining just wh...

Pastor Chris wraps up this journey through the life and times of the Prophet Daniel with a powerful message of vigilance and victory from the final chapter of this book. It is a continuation of the account of the vision which began in the tenth chapter. " 5  I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.  6  His body looked like a precious gem. His...

Pastor Chris helps us understand the unfolding drama of kings and their empires prophesied in Daniel 11. It's like a soap opera or mini-series filled with treachery, back-stabbing, palace intrigue, and battles galore. All of this historical detail demonstrates God's sovereignty over the nations and rulers of any given generation. This lays the groundwork for the coming of Jesus.  Chris shows us ho...

Pastor Chris encouraged all of us who are weary of the struggle by sharing the difficulties Daniel experienced. His vision during Cyrus' reign was a wake-up call for the people of Judah. At 85 yrs. old, he saw in the unseen realm the war against God's people. He experienced grief, a lament that consumed him. He sought the Lord's help and God sent hope through the angelic messengers Gabriel and Mic...

Pastor Chris emphatically highlighted the central message of Daniel as he reached this late stage of his life – namely, to obey the Lord. If we fall, we are to humbly repent, both individually and corporately, to find freedom from captivity to sin. In obedience we find joy, hope, and deep love. Daniel was assured by the angelic messenger Gabriel in verse 23, " At the beginning of your pleas for me...

Pastor Chris brought into alignment the prophetic truths in Daniel's vision and the future hope for humanity in foretelling Jesus' first and second coming. He explained how it directly relates to historical and future events. He then drove home the key take-away: we can firmly hope in the future since God has revealed that He defeats our adversary.

Pastor Chris guided us through the often rough waters of Biblical Prophecy. Daniel chapter seven is a rich illustration of what events are to come for both those who are worldly and the people of God. At this point in the story, Daniel was in his late 60s, but his sensitivity to the Spirit of God had not diminished. When he has a night vision, it's filled with fantastical beasts with wings, horns,...

Pastor Chris tread on familiar terrain in Daniel chapter 6 with the account of Daniel in the lions' den. Another lesson for another King who mistakenly thought he was greater than God. Chris recounted how King Darius was easily fooled by his counselors to make a decree that would bring accusation and persecution to Daniel (and, any faithful Jews in exile). Daniel was about 80 years old and he had...