Central Lutheran

Financial contentment feels impossible to come by. For good reason. Everywhere we turn we are being sold the idea that if you just had this one more thing, life would be grand. What if God has given us the antidote to our financial discontent? That's the question we will wrestle with in week for of our Good Life series. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

In a world that never slows down, what if the key to peace isn't doing more—but doing less with more intention? In our third week of The Good Life, we explore how to find Sabbath in our lives by removing hurry, following three powerful rhythms from the life of Jesus that help us embrace rest and connection with God.If you're feeling weary, overwhelmed, or stretched thin, Pastor Aaron's message will encourage you to breathe deep, slow down, and find the sacred rhythm of Sabbath again.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Followers of Jesus, we have a problem. We live in a culture that encourages me to put me at the center of everything. At the same time, Jesus invites us "to deny ourselves and follow him." How do we follow Jesus and put others first? It's not as easy as it seems.Join us for week two of “The Good Life” Lent series.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

There are winners and losers, and all our lives we're taught to "win at all costs." The problem is, when it comes to relationships, when one wins, often both of us lose.In the gospel of Luke, Jesus tells of a son, like many family squabbles, he's fed up with his dad and living at home. So he asks his father for his inheritance. Before long, he squanders it recklessly and is forced to work as a hired hand for a pig farmer. He won at home, but did anyone really win? He wasn't happy. His father wasn't happy. Even his older brother wasn't happy.  As we kick off our Lenten series, The Good Life, Pastor Aaron teaches us that relationships aren't like life on the ball field: When one wins, no one wins.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

If you lead anyone or anything in your life, you will experience pain. Passion is what gets you to persevere through that inevitable pain, but patient endurance is what keeps you going beyond that pain. In this week's message, Pastor Aaron teaches on how, with Jesus, we can persevere in life, in pain, in relationships — in anything that feels hard, with patient endurance.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

In our Here & Now series, we've been talking about focusing our eyes on Jesus as we run the race of life. Running the race of life isn't a singular activity, though, it's something we need others doing alongside us. All of Heaven is cheering for you in life, but Heaven is not enough — we need the Spirit inside of us, and people beside us. So, listen to this message as Pastor Aaron teaches about the need and importance of community, instead of comparison, in our lives.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

What distracts you from running the race marked out for you? In the first message in our new series called Here and Now, Pastor Aaron teaches how to stay focused on your purpose in a world full of distractions. It's never too late to get centered on your purpose with God.://Turn Your Eyes Upon JesusSocials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Join Christy Boulware at Central, a renowned speaker, author, and mental health advocate dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety. As part of our Crafted series, Christy will share practical tools and resources to combat anxiety for all ages.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

We all struggle with worry to some degree or another. And if we could choose to not worry we would. Good news, Jesus offers us a way THROUGH our worry. In week four of our CRAFTED series, pastor Aaron reminds us of what Paul says in Philippians 4: that Jesus invites us to cast our anxieties on HIM and in return, receive His peace.It really is the only way that we can allow God to form Christ in us. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

When you are at home, at work, at school, with friends – you are reflecting the image of God in who you are and how you act, and ultimately giving Him glory.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

We all want to progress in life, to grow and take steps forwards, and see progress. But life is tough, we stumble on the journey of life, we fall back and we fall short. Maybe we weren't meant to do life on our own? In week two of our CRAFTED series, Pastor Aaron unpacks the power of community and its ability to craft us for the better. Together we'll unpack another aspect of sanctification, and how we can learn from the life of Jesus.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

When Michelangelo sculpted the "David" statue out of a block of marble, he said, "It's simple, I just removed everything that is not David." That is how the skilled artist, God, works the process of sanctification in our own lives – with a steady, patient chisel – not a destructive hammer.Join us as we begin a new series called "Crafted". In our first week Pastor Aaron unpacks the art of sanctification in the life of a follower of Jesus and how it starts with the practice of solitude.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Pastor Aaron sits down with three retired pastors to talk about the church of the past, the church of today, and what their hopes and dreams are for the future of Gods church. Happy new year.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Pastor Aaron teaches about the hope and joy we get to experience at Christmas - and all year - because of the birth of Jesus. This message is for any of us who have ever wondered what God sees when He looks at us. The story of Christmas gives us a hopeful answer to that question.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Pastor Aaron teaches about the hope and joy we get to experience at Christmas - and all year - because of the birth of Jesus. This message is for any of us who have ever wondered what God sees when He looks at us. The story of Christmas gives us a hopeful answer to that question.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

When we pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” we are literally praying for an interruption. Most of the time when God wants to do something significant in our lives, it shows up as an interruption. While we can't plan for those interruptions, we can plan on them and prepare for them. Let's stay ready.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Ever feel alone in your waiting? Ever feel like you are the only one who is waiting for something? We feel intense discomfort in waiting. In week two of our Worthy series we will talk about how, as followers of Jesus, waiting is never wasted time. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

This time of year is stressful. Amen? Think about how we spend our days this time of year? We're running to buy presents. There are lights to be hung. Baking to be done. We're running to holiday concerts. Running to holiday tournaments. Running to holiday parties. Don't forget the Elf on the Shelf. There's that strand of lights on the house that won't stop blinking. As your credit cards heat up your blood pressure heats up. It's a season where there's never enough time, never enough energy and never enough money to get it all done.Truth be told, God was never into busy or behavior modification. In fact, Christmas isn't at all about a God who is "watching you." And God never intended for the arrival of God's Son to lead to Christmas stress for all eternity.Christmas… It's about a God who "comes to be with us" whatever our circumstance. A God who comes to give you “peace” any our waiting. A God who comes as the light of the world. A God who comes for all people. Christmas is about a God who comes to you…you who are worthy. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

What if our past experiences of God in Genesis 3 led us to misunderstand His love? What if distancing ourselves from God was the evil one's plan, and we fall for it over and over again?In week three of our series, "We've Got Issues," Laura Garry walks us through the text to help us understand where our issues began and still originate today. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Many people walk into our church and think: They've got it all together. The truth is - nothing could be further from the truth. If there's one rule at our church it's this: There are no perfect people and no perfect families here. And, it's when things happen in our families - when our lives and families are disrupted - that many of us wonder: Where are you God? Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

In week one of our brand new series, We've Got Issues, Pastor Aaron reminds us that family is a gift from God, because family is where God intends us to feel the security of love, whatever might come our family's way.But we always had that question in the back of our minds: Are we doing this right? Are we doing this family thing right? We want to be sure. We want to knock parenting and being a family out of the park! And, just when we think we might be doing it right… the seasons change for your family. In this message we remember that one of the ways we put family first is to be peace-makers, not peace-keepers.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

As we all prepare for the election in our country next week, we want to provide a place for you to bring the anxiety, worry, and fear you, your family, or your friends are experiencing over the election. As a church, we recognize how important it is to be honest with God as we struggle to believe and trust God with the division in our country. In times of anxiety, it is vital to continue to turn to God in prayer. Anxiety, worry, and fear might tempt us to stop talking to God, but our honest prayers are a path forward, which is why we want to do this corporately as a body of believers. Did you know that to pray with an anxious heart is an act of faith? Through the season of uncertainty in our country, God's peace awaits us in honest worship and prayer. Let's vocalize our anxiousness together as a church and allow it to move us toward God-centered worship and trust because Jesus is our Savior, not a politician or a political party. Let's worship together in unity and return our focus to our Heavenly Father, where our focus belongs, as Psalm 121:1-2 teaches:"I lift up my eyes to the hills.    From where does my help come?My help comes from the Lord,    who made heaven and earth."Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Ever wondered about what you'll be remembered for? Curious about the brand you've built with those closest to you? Are you known as someone who is kind or generous? As we wrap up our series, Hear of Gold, Pastor Aaron teaches us that our lives will not be remembered for what we store up, but what we pour out for God and for others.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Our confidence in God affects everything in our lives, especially when things are uncertain. I want to help you discover the importance of trust in our relationship with God, but I want to start today by acknowledging the truth. Sometimes, it is hard to trust God. We want to trust in God, but sometimes it is easier to say than to do. Today, we answer the question, “What do we do when life feels uncertain?” Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Does scrolling through social media leave you feeling empty? Does the promise of that next car, gadget, outfit never quite deliver the fulfillment you hoped? Ever find yourself wishing the grass was greener on your side of the fence? We all feel the pull of comparison, the desire to weigh-up our success and happiness against that of others. What if the answer to this deep ache was actually unlocked through generosity? Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

In this HEART OF GOLD series, we'll discover that generosity is at the very core of our faith. Jesus gave everything for us, so in turn, we want to give our all. We want to demonstrate His goodness in our lives, as an act of worship to Him and to be of service to those around us.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

As we wrap up our series, First Things First, we are going to look at the idols of in our lives. Why? Because we can't worship two of anything. Invisible in our lives idols over promise and under deliver. The enemy wants us enslaved to anything other than the freedom that Jesus brings. We can find freedom for our hearts and our lives through our trust and our faith in Him. You have a Father in Heaven who unconditionally loves you, and if you put Him first in your life, He can give you rest. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

We talked about priorities and values in our life. But what about the things that we worship? Right or wrong, we all worship something or someone. In this message, Pastor Aaron helps us to see how somethings in our lives that were once good things…can become bad things because they have replaced the Jesus on the thrones of our heard.  So how can find rest in worshiping the only one who will fulfill our longings….Jesus? Can't wait to worship with all of you!Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

What is the most important thing in life? Fortune, family, fame, position, power? What do we do when the things we value are threatened, removed, or fade away? We cannot choose our circumstances, or determine our journey through life, but we can choose what gets priority in our lives. The way we spend our money, use our time and order our priorities demonstrate what we really value. To determine the values of Heaven, we look to the example of Jesus. When we seek God first, we align our values with His. In seeking one thing, everything else falls into place - putting the First Things First.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

We all want order in our lives, we chase after control. Often our list of concerns and cares become deep-seated worries that dominate our thoughts.What if there was a way to convert fear into faith? Together we'll learn that we can trade anxiety and anguish for a calm and carefree life. In seeking one thing, everything else falls into place, fixing our eyes on that which endures - putting the First Things First.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Today, Laura wants to show you how comparison reveals if we are stuck pursuing perfection and trying to “get it right.” Comparison is a red flag that helps us see how we have lost our way in following Jesus, but first, let's discuss why we compare ourselves in the first place. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

When it comes to our relationship with God, we all wonder: "Have I done enough? Is my life clean and tidy enough? What's enough for God?" And yet, because we're human, we continue hurting the people we love. There's a dilemma and we get stuck. What would it look like to measure our lives by God's undeserved goodness to us rather than by the “good” we try to do?Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Most Americans believe in heaven or some sort of afterlife. And, if we're honest, most of us believe we're going there. Our confidence is fueled by the belief that good people go to heaven….so we should all be good, don't do the wrong stuff, and just try to live the “right” kind of life.This all sounds nice on the surface – but when we hear what Jesus actually had to say, there's a problem with the traditional logic around heaven and hell. It's a tough topic for some, but join Pastor Aaron as we dive in!Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Do you ever feel like a hot mess some days? You know, when life is out of control, but you kept things looking picture perfect on the outside? There's good news - as followers of Jesus, perfection is never meant to be the goal! In fact, church is actually the one place where your messes are not only welcome, but expected. Join us as pastor Aaron begins a brand new series focusing on what it looks like to live an imperfect life in a picture perfect kind of world. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

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 raise from the dead — that's Good News that gives us hope, both now and forever! As we wrap up our King of Hearts series, Pastor Aaron tells us that even though the resurrection is the end of Mark, it's actually just the beginning.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

"At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you.” Denzel Washington. Sometimes, it's easier to depend on God when life is difficult. But what about when life is going great? Pastor Aaron discusses how to handle the mountains in life in this week's message in tour King of Hearts series. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

The way we treat people is a reflection of our regard for them. Our goal should be to love others generously, not for appearances or to earn admiration, but because our actions reveal Jesus to those around us. Pastor Aaron discusses how to ensure that our private behavior aligns with our public image.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

God sees you. Don't be afraid, just believe. In week 5 of King of Hearts, we discuss a couple of miracles of faith in Mark 5 and realize the power our faith can have in our current, daily lives.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Many people hesitate to follow Jesus not because of Him, but because of how they've been treated by His followers. In week 3 of our King of Hearts series Aaron discusses how we can positively impact others' perceptions of Jesus by serving them with kindness and compassion.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Jesus turned greatness upside down by serving first. In this new series, Pastor Aaron Sturgis is going through the book of Mark to show how Jesus is the King of Hearts. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

This week we begin our new series, King of Hearts. Pastor Aaron starts by comparing the Bible to a compass because that's what it is... it's a tool that always points us to Jesus. But we also read the Bible because God is in it and God uses the Bible to change us.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

Join us Live, for a worship dedicated to prayer.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

This series has been a great series….find and follow. Why? Because it is something that we are passionate about. It's our mission…as a church…we believe that we exist to help people find and follow Jesus. That is our mission. That is what we get to be a part of together. I'm so grateful that I get to serve alongside you and that together we get to fulfill and go about that mission. So over the course of these five weeks, if you're brand new, if you're just jumping in with us, it's been a great time to jump in and hear what we're about as a church.As we wrap up this series….I'm going to go back to where we started…the Gospel of Matthew. We centered this series on something called the Great Commission in Matthew 28. But before we get there, I want us to look again at Matthew 9. If you've got a Bible, you can turn there with me.A little review….Matthew is the first of the four Gospels. The first of the eyewitness accounts of the life of Christ. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

What does it look like to trust Jesus fully and to be His follower? In our Find and Follow series, we are learning that following Jesus means we learn to trust Him with our lives and help others trust Him with theirs, too. Last week, we learned why studying the Bible is crucial to growing our relationship with Jesus. We cannot follow someone we do not know. This week, we are learning about life with Jesus through prayer. Prayer allows us to grow in our relationship with God because we grow to know Him and understand His love. Religion is always at work to change us from the outside in, but prayer brings us back to a place of God's work inside of us to love Him and others. Prayer grows our dependence upon God and gives us strength to live His love in our broken and hurting world as His followers. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

In this series, Find and Follow, we are learning what it looks like to trust Jesus fully and to be His follower. To follow Jesus means we learn to trust Him with our lives and help others trust Him with theirs, too. Pastor Aaron has been teaching us that being a disciple and helping others in their faith journey is the call of Jesus' last words in the Gospel of Matthew. To follow Jesus means we become His students. We learn from Him and help others learn from Him. The crucial piece to remember is that we are not learning head knowledge; we are learning life with Jesus. We are learning to surrender our lives to Him in love and to participate in a growing and loving relationship with Him. Religion is trying to bring about change from the outside in, but in our relationship with Jesus, He transforms us from the inside out one day at a time so that we become like Him. We live His love into our broken and hurting world. Today, we will learn why studying the Bible is crucial to growing our relationship with Jesus. Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

If we are called to love God and love others, what does that really mean? The word discipleship seems mystical, but it really means just that. Being a disciple starts with an invitation, grows into transformation and spreads into replication.In the second week of Find & Follow, Pastor Aaron unpacks how we learn and implement discipleship into our own lives, and truly live out Jesus' last command, first. And when we live in a relationship with Him, our lives are then transformed from the inside out.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

So many of us are fans of Jesus. We watch from afar, admiring Him and His people, but never actually following Him or telling others about Him. It takes a lifetime to learn how to live and obey Jesus fully, but it only takes a moment to experience new life, get a new heart, and for your desires, and affections to change in a moment of surrender.Learn what it means and looks like to trust Jesus fully, and to be a follower of Jesus Christ.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church

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 influential for the Gospel.Socials:www.facebook.com/clcecolumbiawww.instagram.com/centrallutheran/www.centrallutheran.church