Center Church: Recent Episodes
Center Church
A community dedicated to the transformation of our city, Richmond, Virginia, by following the inclusive way of Jesus.
Our mission is simple: Empowering people toward a life-giving journey with Jesus.
Ordinary Time at Common Table: 2 Samuel 5 & 6 w/ Drew Willson
(Growing Up in the Kingdom)
Ordinary Time at Common Table: Grace Before, Grace that Restores, Grace Beyond w/ Stephen Poore
Lent at Common Table Week 1: Do Your Own Thing : Temptation and Tuning w/ Allan Chipman
Holiness should never lead to moralism - which is an empty power grab. Holiness should lead to the extension of mercy. In particular, holiness pushes the walls of bound-set theology to be center set and inclusive.
Week 2 Doors, Tables & More: The Songs We Sing w/ Drew Willson
Do you cringe when you hear people railing about immigrants and borders, then you find out they’re Christians? I wonder how the church could reclaim the spirit of its birth at Pentecost. What could help open the hearts of American Christians to that holy spirit of hospitality? What if we were to be intentional about welcoming different world languages in our church gathering
The fulfillment found through Jesus is a glory that’s meant to be shared with all, not some.
A life formed in light offers a missional presence in the places and the people God is already at work.
Jesus' birth invites us to form our whole identity inside out rather than outside in. Following Jesus is a lifestyle of practice to offer our presence in the present world.
Human Identity in Christ's Vulnerability, a Christmas Eve message of hope for the hopeless.
Allison Aylor shares, "Mary proclaims from the very beginning what Jesus proclaims with his very life - that the birth of a savior brings a new kingdom. And that in a new kingdom, God has picked a side." This is the final installment of the Advent Series, Heaven and Nature Sing.
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Jeremiah 7:9-11 Bottom Line: A good church knows that choosing truth means embracing both lament & hope.
Scripture: 1 John 4:18 Bottom Line: A Good Church, Is a Graced Church, Is a Spaced Church
Scripture(s): John 10:1-8; John 21:15-25 Bottom Line: A good church offers empathy before principle.
Scripture(s): Jonah 3 Bottom Line: God doesn't just invite the righteous; He makes right the called.
Scripture(s): Jonah 2 Bottom Line: Jonah isn't a story about punishment, it's a story about rescue.
BOTTOM LINE: Your purpose for tomorrow can change your today. SCRIPTURE(S): Nehemiah 6:6; Proverbs 16:4
BOTTOM LINE: Your vocation doesn’t determine your calling, but your calling will determine your approach to your vocation. SCRIPTURE(S): Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 15:58
BOTTOM LINE: Offering hospitality to others is creating a home for them to experience life and purpose. SCRIPTURE(S): 2 Kings 4:8-17
Bottom Line: The resurrected Christ is building a community of believers… and doubters.
Scripture(s): John 20
Bottom Line: Courage to lean in invites the community toward the courage to lead out. Scripture(s): John 12:1-19
Bottom Line: A faith grown in questions is an invitation to know the builder. Scripture(s): John 3:1-17
Bottom Line: What we trust, determines our direction. Scripture(s): John 2:13-22; Ephesians 2:14
BOTTOM LINE: Amidst our repeated failures, Jesus again invites us to listen, learn, and follow. SCRIPTURE(S): Mark 8:31-38
Bottom Line: While we might give up on ourselves from time to time, God has never given up on us throughout time. Scripture(s): Genesis 9:8-17
BOTTOM LINE: Deep knowledge of God isn’t formulated, it’s incarnated. Scripture(s): Philippians 3:7-10; Hosea 6:6
Bottom Line: Blessed resistance to a world of hustle comes from a trusted rest in God. Scripture(s):Exodus 20:1-17
Bottom line: it is when we acknowledge and experience the depth of grief, we actually create space for deeper connection both to ourselves and to our God Scripture(s): John 11
Bottom Line: God has gotten you to it, the wall requires more trust in God to help push you through it.
Scripture(S): 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Bottom Line: If we ignore the past, it will show up in toxic ways in our lives and in the generations to come; but if we honestly address it, we can move forward toward health and healing.
Scripture(s): Genesis 12
Bottom Line: We develop the grace to grow outward when we have the courage to look inward.
Scripture(s): Luke 4:1-13.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 23:1-12, 25-28 BOTTOM LINE: To be emotionally aware is an invitation from Jesus to be soulfully alive.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 1:18-25 BOTTOM LINE: Peace is not the absence of pain or messy situations, peace is a presence with the present God.
Bottom Line: When you know who you are and whose you are, you can raise your voice and move in your purpose with confidence. Scripture(s): John 1:6-8; Psalm 126;
Bottom Line: Advent reminds us that peace is not a sentimental idea but a present reality. Scripture(s): Psalm 85
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Mark 13:24-37 BOTTOM LINE: We are called to seek to observe the unseen and to give sight to those that are blind.
Scripture(s): Matthew 5:11-12 Bottom Line: Persecution is the byproduct of a life lived like Jesus.
Scripture(s): Matthew 5:10 Bottom Line: Jesus invites us to follow him without fear as we experience the blessings of his kingdom.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Matthew 5:9 BOTTOM LINE: Peace in you, peace around you, peace made through you.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Matthew 5:7, James 2:12-13 BOTTOM LINE: Your holiness depends on mercy, and your mercy makes you holy.
Scripture(s): Matthew 5:6 BOTTOM LINE: When we align our heart's appetite to crave righteousness it leads to participation in the Kingdom.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Matthew 5:5 BOTTOM LINE: Let Jesus’ way of meekness be earthly first and we might find this earthiness to be surprisingly spiritual.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 5:1-3 BOTTOM LINE: In God’s kingdom, even the richest kings are beggars with hands held out.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S: 1 Thess 5:10-11 BOTTOM LINE: Encouragement for one another is the courage meant to move us into God’s kingdom.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Romans 15: 5-7 BOTTOM LINE: The expectance of a revolutionary community is dependent upon our acceptance of one another.
Scripture(s): John 15:12-17 BOTTOM LINE: When you offer the love you have to one another, God’s love is multiplied like none other.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 4:1-11 BOTTOM LINE: The wilderness will test what you know so that your faith will grow.
Dr. Soong-Chan Rah is an author, speaker, and professor. He has written such books as "Prophetic Lament" and co-authored, " Unsetting Truths." Enjoy the podcast.
Justin Earley is the author of The Common Rule. He shares with our community the importance of having an awareness of the rituals and habits that form us.
Scripture(s): John 4:7 Bottom Line: living a life of love that shows you’ve been with Jesus, invites others to come along with us and experience.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Ruth 1:16 BOTTOM LINE: Regardless of the circumstances, frank friendship makes the choice to commit, because commitment reveals God’s heart.
Scripture(s): Matthew 18; 2nd Corinthians 5:14-20 Bottom Line: The ultimate outcome in conflict is not determining who is “right” or “wrong” - it is in who and what we gain when we are welcomed into community and not ushered into exile.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 18:15-20 BOTTOM LINE: Checking your own reality makes peace a real reality.
Bottom Line: Destructive conflict will happen, but hopeful reconciliation can happen through Jesus. Scripture(s): Matthew 18:15-20
Bottom Line: You need friendship because friendship is creative God-likeness revealed.
Scripture(s):Genesis 2:4-7
Bottom Line: Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of renewing transformation for the age to come. Scripture(s): Matthew 28:1-9
Bottom Line: We all want the power of a King, but often we miss the power that’s found in the Kingdom. Scripture(s): Matthew 21:1-11
Bottom Line: Lament gives us permission to grieve and helps us find hope and healing in the midst of sorrow.
Scripture(s):Lamentations 3:19-26
Bottom Line: God’s design for worldly order is to change our attitude of “more stuff” to “more than enough.” Scripture(s):Deuteronomy 8:10-20
Bottom Line: God’s loving presence can set us free from fear and empower us to love, hope, and joy even in the midst of frightening circumstances. Scripture(s): Psalm 27, John 1
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Psalms 139 BOTTOM LINE: When you’re loosed to be emotionally aware, you learn to be soulfully alive.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Luke 17:11-19 BOTTOM LINE: Prayers of gratitude opens our hearts, our eyes, and our mind to the character of a good God.
Bottom Line: Praying through the silence reminds us that God will never abandon us.
Scripture(s): Psalm 22
SCRIPTURE(S): Matthew 6:9 BOTTOM LINE: Prayer aligns our heart to the KINGDOM of God so that the KINGDOM of God can be established.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) The Book of Job BOTTOM LINE: We can sit in our pain and stay stagnant, or we can shift with our pain and experience movement…
Bottom Line: Saying "NO," allows you to say "YES" to your calling.
Scripture(s): Mark 1:35-38
BOTTOM LINE: Shift happens when we’re open and willing to follow the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 5:38-45
Matthew 1:18-25 BOTTOM LINE: Peace is not the absence of pain or messy situations, peace is a presence with the present God.
David closes out our Less is More series with a beautiful message about gratitude and its transformative effects.
This is our Third Birthday Celebration.
Mission Priorities:
Community Justice Discipleship
Sorry for the skipping audio
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Hebrews 4:1-7
BOTTOM LINE: Sabbath sets apart a practice that will transform the heart.
Sacred Ordinary: Peace Crashers, Peace Keepers, Peace Making by Melissa Vath by Center Church Richmond
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
BOTTOM LINE: No matter who you are, you are blessed and sent to be whose you are.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 3:13-17
BOTTOM LINE: Inviting God to form your ordinary day transforms your heart in major ways.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Galatians 6:7-8; Galatians 5:13-15; Galatians 6:9-10
BOTTOM LINE: You’re good, so be good and be a part of God’s goodness.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Judges 4:4-10
BOTTOM LINE: Leaning into who you are, helps you authentically lead out.
Scripture(s): Luke 5:1-11 BOTTOM LINE: Discipleship isn’t for some who arrive, discipleship is for all who begin.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Hebrews 5:14; Matthew 11:28-30
BOTTOM LINE: Our holy habits lead to the outpouring of health and hope.
Bottom Line: The abundant life of Jesus frees us from a mindset of scarcity into a lifestyle of generosity.
Scripture(s): 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; 2 Corinthians 9:11-12
BOTTOM LINE: God’s normal people can LEAD a transformational life of adventure through faithfulness.
Scripture: Acts 3:1-11
Bottom Line: The Spirit of Life produces freedom, fruit, and the frequency for the fullest life.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Philippians 4:4-9
BOTTOM LINE: The Presence of Worry is unavoidable, but the prison of worry is optional.
Scripture(S): Matthew 26: 17-28
BOTTOM LINE: As followers of Christ, we are called to set the table, sit at the table and stay at the table.
Scripture: Romans 8:22-23; Matthew 19:27-29; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-17; 2 Peter 3:13
BOTTOM LINE: The hope of the resurrection inaugurates Heaven’s Earthly restoration for eternity.
Bottom Line: The good news is that Jesus is inviting you to participate in the kingdom of God right now.
Mark 1:14-15
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Matthew 18:21-35
BOTTOM LINE: Forgiveness to others, is a gift given to you.
(Please excuse the audio, our computer crashed during the message)
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Matthew 16:13-28
BOTTOM LINE: Sin separates us from our simple life of love.
BOTTOM LINE: The bible isn’t an instruction manual, it is a compilation of books sharing a story of where we’ve been and where we're going.
Bottom Line: God’s invitation to square one faith abandons old ways of dogma, for new ways of practice.
Scripture: Acts 17;Deuteronomy 4:12;John 14:6
The purpose of God’s Covenant at Sinai The content of the Covenant (God intends to wed himself to Israel) The promise of a new Covenant
Scripture: Exodus 24
BIBLE PASSAGE(S): Exodus 13:17-18, Exodus 14:12-14, Exodus 14:29-31
BOTTOM LINE: Something happens while nothing happens, God uses waiting to change us.
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Exodus 2:1-10
BOTTOM LINE: Cherished creation is preserved by courageous acts of mothering.
BOTTOM LINE: Life and death are a reality, but when we live in God’s kingdom life is the totality.
Scripture: John 11:25: 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Luke 19:28-40,
BOTTOM LINE: Burdens can feel like cruel lessons, but by trusting Jesus - our burdens can be blessings.
Bottom Line: Over and over again, we go our own way, but God pursues us. Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31
What do you need to “send across the river”?
What can you cling to?
What new name is God trying to give you?
Bottom line: In order to receive the life and spirit that God has for us in the present, we need to identify and mourn the real and metaphorical deaths we have experienced in the past.
Scripture:John 12:24-25 (The Message) “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.
Bottom Line: The flourishing of a community requires stability in location and longevity of relations.
Scripture: Romans 12:5-18
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Hosea 11:1-11
BOTTOM LINE We might be reminded of our painful history, but God’s Grace unbinds us to reveal a love-filled mystery.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3;7
BOTTOM LINE: Although real life always changes, pure love holds steady and maintains.
Bottom Line: When we begin to see and care for the space between us, we will generate the kind of love that transforms us.
Scripture: Luke 10:25-42
BIBLE PASSAGE(S) Luke 19:1-10
BOTTOM LINE: To restore our TRUE identity of hopeful design, we must peel back the layers and wounds collected over time.
Bottom Line: Self-identification in God is the key to unlocking true self-transformation.