Centennial Covenant Church: Recent Episodes
Centcov Pastors
Sunday morning messages from Centennial Covenant Church in Littleton, CO. An Evangelical Covenant Church. http://centcov.org
February 7, 2021
Karl Helvig
How do you respond when crisis hits?
I’m guessing that for many of us the answer might be, “That depends.” How we respond depends on whether we have experienced a crisis like this before, whether we have the skills and knowledge to respond effectively, and what kind of emotional and spiritual energy we have when the crisis hits. One critical component of responding well in a crisis is the training we’ve had beforehand. When we are well trained, we are well prepared for whatever comes our way. We see this in our vocations and in our physical lives. But, what about in life in general?
How are you training to be ready for life?
If you’ve ever found yourself caught off guard and overwhelmed by a crisis in life, if you have ever wanted to feel more prepared for when life throws mud in your face, be sure to connect with Centennial Covenant this Sunday as we continue our study through the book of Acts. We will be studying Acts 18 and learning how Paul’s training had prepared him even for the major crises that came his way.
January 31, 2021
Nicki Nickerson
In this episode we are continuing our series in Acts chapter 17:16-31. Here Paul gives a model for us on how to contextualize the Gospel and the way in which we should engage in conversation with non-believers.
Two questions I want to ask and explore are: How do we engage in non-combative conversations about crucial topics? Furthermore, how do we share the Gospel and engage in the secular world that we live in?
January 24, 2021
Karl Helvig
What do you do when you encounter division?
Whether we’re simply observing it around us or facing it personally, division is unpleasant. More than just discomfort, it is also a challenge to know how to respond when division rears its ugly head. We all have default reactions to which we turn, and most of us would admit that our default responses are often unhelpful.
If you want a healthier way to respond to divisions in your own relationships, make sure to join us this Sunday as we continue studying the book of Acts together.
January 17, 2021
Karl Helvig
Where are you going?
I raised this question in the last episode, and this week we will dive even deeper. If you don’t know exactly where you are trying to go, you are going to have a terribly hard time getting anywhere! While the decisions we make ultimately determine our destination, the opposite is also true. Wise people make sure that their intended destination determines the decisions they make. So, let me ask you again,
As you look at the year ahead, do you have a clear sense of where you are trying to go in life?
In this episode we will ask that question as a church. We’ll spend some time looking back on – and even celebrating – the year 2020. Then, we’ll focus on answering this critical question for our entire church: Where are we going?
We’ll end with a big request that I am going to make of everyone who calls CCC their church home.
January 10, 2021
Karl Helvig
Are you making any major decisions in the new year?
At the beginning of every year, we’re inundated with information about setting goals and making resolutions. Books have been written and podcasts dedicated to this annual ritual. This is all incredibly important stuff. It turns out, however, that the best wisdom for making great decisions - whether at the beginning of a year or anytime - discovered by modern content creators. Rather, it has been in front of us for thousands of years. This Sunday, I want to give you…
Four Tips for Making Great Decisions.
If you’re facing any critical decisions, I believe this podcast will help you make them with more clarity and confidence.
January 3, 2021
Brian Follett, Student Ministries Intern
What is your 20-21 Vision?
I can remember so clearly all the “20-20 vision” jokes last New Year’s Eve entering the New Year. If only we would have known all that the year would have had in store for us. As we enter this New Year, what does “2021 vision” look like?
This Sunday we will be exploring Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 to understand how we can think about and live through affliction as we enter 2021.
December 27, 2020
Pastor Lisa Holmlund
Lisa is an Evangelical Covenant Pastor and member of CCC. She had planned to spend the entirety of 2020 as a missionary in Argentina. Due to the pandemic, those plans were abruptly changed and she came home in August. She lead's us through Philippians 4 as an end-cap to our advent series “Comfort and Joy”. Here is her introduction:
I’d like to encourage you to take 5 minutes or so before we are together this Sunday and read Philippians 4. As you read, ask yourself the following questions:
- How is my heart?
- How is my soul?
- How is my mind?
- How am I ready to finish 2020?
I look forward to sharing with you my experiences of 2020 and how God has brought contentment to my life in the midst of hard things.
December 20, 2020
Karl Helvig
Would you like more joy in your life?
I’m not sure whether anyone would answer “no” to that question. More joy is always good! There’s just one problem. To have more joy you need to know where to find it.
Do you know where to find more joy?
Turns out, there is a critical mindset we must have to find joy and a counterintuitive practice to live in that mindset. Fortunately, there is help. Millions of people over thousands of years have discovered that, while this practice and mindset may be counterintuitive, they are also radically simple and accessible.
If you’re looking for more joy in your life, Centennial Covenant Church would love to help. Connect with us on our live stream at 10:30 am MST on Sundays.
December 13, 2020
Karl Helvig
Yesterday, I asked all my kids to clean their rooms… AGAIN!
It seems like every ounce of work I put into cleaning or organizing is immediately undone. I’m sure you have also had this frustrating experience. The frustration can go far beyond messy homes. It can show up in all the most significant areas of our lives as well. It seems that so much of the good we seek or see in the world is frustratingly temporary.
What do we do about that frustration?
That is the question we will explore in this episode as we continue our Advent sermon series, Comfort and Joy.
December 6, 2020
Karl Helvig
Last Sunday we kicked off Advent 2020. Yes, this Christmas season will be unlike any other. There is, however, something so much bigger than the changes caused by the pandemic - namely that, no matter where in life we long for comfort, there is only one place where true and deep comfort may be found: God’s loving presence.
Last week we asked: How will you prioritize God’s presence this Advent?
If you find yourself longing for comfort in this uncomfortable season, I hope you will listen to this week's podcast as we continue with our Advent theme, Comfort and Joy.
November 29, 2020
Karl Helvig
Where do you find comfort?
For many, Christmas is a time to embrace the comforts of family and friends, holiday traditions and foods, and many other joyful things. We know, however, that this Christmas season will be unlike any we have previously experienced. Many of us are feeling anxiety and even grief as we enter the holidays. For that reason, we would do well to seek comfort in deeper ways than ever before. Fortunately, our God is a God of comfort. He speaks about his comfort throughout the pages of scripture, and the coming of Emmanuel, which means “God with us”, is our ultimate hope for comfort as well.
This week we begin the Advent season, a time to intentionally prepare for the celebration of Christmas. Over the next four weeks, we will explore many reasons we long for comfort in our lives and be reminded that God is the one who ultimately gives the comfort we desire.
November 22, 2020
Karl Helvig
Have you ever experienced someone “meeting you where you are”?
If so, take a moment and recall when that happened. What was that experience like for you? This week, as we continue studying through the book of Acts during our ONE sermon series, we are going to read about Barnabas and Paul completely changing their approach to ministry, as found in Acts 14. They come to a new city and they engage in conversation in a completely new way. They choose to meet the people of Lystra where they were.
If you’ve ever wondered how to more comfortable talk about faith with people in your life, then I hope you will listen to this podcast.
November 15, 2020
Nicki Nickerson
In this episode, we are continuing our study in the book of Acts, taking a look at Paul’s second missionary Journey to Antioch in Pisidia. We will be looking at the last four verses of Paul’s sermon in Acts 13:38-41. In these closing verses Paul states that freedom and forgiveness are only found in Christ. I want to ask this question: Is there anything that you might be holding onto that is hindering you from receiving freedom found only in Christ? What might it look like for you to release, let go and receive the full forgiveness of Christ?
November 8, 2020
Karl Helvig
Do you know what you were made to do? I know, I keep asking these giant questions while introducing these podcasts! But, that question will be the focus of our time together this week as we study Acts 12:25-13:3.
November 1, 2020
Karl Helvig
When you look at life, what do you see?
I know there are as many different answers to that question as there are people reading this. I also know that, for all of us, the answer will include a mix of wondrously joyful experiences and painfully difficult realities. In fact, some may be unable to see anything but difficulties. As we continue studying Acts, we will hear more about the early Jesus followers in Jerusalem.
They are facing unimaginable difficulty and loss, and yet it appears they are able to see something more than what meets the eye.
October 25, 2020
Jeff Johnsen, Mile High Ministries
Mile High Ministries is a long-time partner of CCC. In this episode, the executive director of MHM, Jeff Johnson, is speaking about the interaction between Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10 and then parallels with similar struggle that some Denver's founding pioneers experienced.
October 18, 2020
Jon Hardin
I saw my neighbor cleaning up his yard earlier this week. He had mown the grass, blown his driveway and sidewalks clean, and was just finishing raking when I drove by and waved hello. This yard looked immaculate! AND THEN, later that afternoon, we had a ferocious windstorm. The next morning his yard looked as if he had never picked up a rake. Life is like that--unexpected events can make a mess of our plans. (Can anybody say, "2020"?!) So the question becomes: What posture should we take when we face the unexpected? In this episode we'll consider how the unexpected can become an opportunity for God to work in us and through us.
October 11, 2020
Karl Helvig
Do you have a Sunday morning routine? Many of us have routines for all sorts of things. Morning routines, school routines, work routines. They can be really beneficial. However, a good routine can also become a rut where we get stuck. As we continue studying Acts, we will hear in this episode about the way God often leads us way outside our routines in order to carry out his mission. Are you ready for a little change in the routine?
October 4, 2020
Karl Helvig
Is your heart right with God?
That’s a huge question! This Sunday we’re going to read Acts 8:4-25, and that question is at the center of the story. My hope is that each of us will leave our gathering Sunday with the ability to answer that question with a resounding, “Yes!”
September 20, 2020
Karl Helvig
Here’s the thing about conflict. It’s ubiquitous; everyone experiences it. And, the experience is never fun. The question we must ask ourselves is, “How will I respond when I experience conflict?” In Acts 6:1-11 we read about a conflict that arose in the church in Jerusalem. The cause was an injustice; people were being overlooked because of their ethnicity. If you’ve ever wondered how to respond when you encounter conflict and injustice, I hope you join us this Sunday as we continue to learn what it means to be God’s ONE CHURCH.
September 13, 2020
Karl Helvig
What is the contents of your heart? I know that might feel like an abstract question. It will become much more concrete when we read the story of Ananias and Sapphira together on Sunday. We find it in Acts 5:1-11. It is a strange and unsettling story but comes with a critical reminder and challenge for all of us.
September 6, 2020
Karl Helvig
Everyone knows the power of a good story. We have seen them, heard them, and experienced them. Stories are powerful. Have you ever stopped to consider the power of your own story? That is precisely what we are exploring together this Sunday. We will see the power of one man's story found in Acts 3:1-4:22. Then we will ask, what is the power of my story?
August 30, 2020
Karl Helvig
We are in our second week of studying the book of Acts. The series is called ONE. Here is the hope for this series. CCC is creating new forms of community, worship, and service as a church. As we do that, we want to learn from the Jesus followers in Acts who were doing the same thing two millennia ago. Regardless of the time, we are all part of the ONE CHURCH.
August 23, 2020
Karl Helvig
What motivates you to come to church? Many desires or motivations influence our decisions, including our decision to gather for worship. What are yours? If you have a minute, would you sit with that question and get below the surface of the "right answer?" Why do you choose to come to worship? This question is the starting point for our new sermon series, One: a study of the book of Acts. The first part of the series focuses on the One Church Jesus created.
August 16, 2020
Karl Helvig
“People handle disappointment more readily than uncertainty.” I’m not sure where I heard that statement, but it was recent and it stuck in my mind. Our lives are always filled with uncertainty and we long for clarity. All the more so now. Yet, sometimes certainty is impossible, even clarity seems murky. What do we do in the midst of great uncertainty? Jesus told his disciples “All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me.” So, this week, we will look to the one with all authority for guidance. However, I will give a little warning. The teaching Jesus gives often doesn’t answer exactly the questions we are asking. So, we may need to come prepared to be challenged.
The title for my sermon this Sunday is, Steal, Kill, and Destroy. How’s that for a teaser! No, the title is not meant to describe my experience during sabbatical - though, I will be sharing reflections and learnings from these past six weeks. Rather, it comes from the first half of John 10:10. As you may know, that verse is where we drew our current sermon series theme, Abundant Life. We are continuing in that same series as it was also the theme of my sabbatical. On Sunday, I explore the other side of Abundant Life, namely, the work of the thief in the story Jesus is telling in John 10.
August 2, 2020
Dr. Fran Blomberg
"You say you want a revolution, well you know, we all want to change the world..." We sang it in 1968 and we're still saying it in 2020. How can we sustain interest and effect the transformation our world so desperately needs? There is an intriguing answer in the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet in John 13.
A child running through soft grass barefoot, the sun beating down on her, joy displayed on her face, a bouquet of vibrant balloons in her hand. What if I told you that Jesus came so that we could experience more of this in our souls? Join us this week as we explore the concept of Freedom in Christ from Galatians 5.
July 19, 2020
Jon Hardin
Have you ever been asked to develop a mission statement? Maybe it was an exercise in which you were asked to develop a personal mission statement, or maybe it was something your work team was asked to create. A mission statement attempts to clarify a central purpose that will help align goals and activities. Here's some good news for every believer: You don't have to try to invent a mission statement for your life as a Christian; God's already prepared one for you. God created you with a purpose-full mission in mind. This week we explore this important dimension of the abundant life we've been given in Christ.
Sabbath. A word I’m sure most everyone is familiar with as you learned the Ten Commandments. This week, as we continue our series on Abundant Life, we will be exploring the question: What is Sabbath and what did God mean when he said we are to keep it holy? When we make undistracted rest a priority we discover the life of abundance God desires for each one of us.
July 5, 2020
Dr. Craig Blomberg
Using the very small letter of 3 John, we will look at the important role that hospitality plays in living the abundant life.
June 28, 2020
Rebecka Sutton
In John 14, Jesus promises to send "another advocate" to help his disciples navigate the inevitable difficulties they would face as his witnesses. Jesus gives his followers the gift of the Holy Spirit. In order to enjoy the abundant life offered to us by Jesus, we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to navigate the difficulties of living out our faith in these difficult times. This Sunday, Rebecka Sutton, will be preaching on the necessity of the Holy Spirit's guidance. She hopes to dispel some assumptions about the Christian life and give practical encouragement about "keeping in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
June 21, 2020
Pastor Karl Helvig
Abundant Life. This theme comes from John 10:10 where Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” I will introduce the series this Sunday For the following six Sundays, our guest preachers will be exploring different aspects of what it means to life in the abundant life Jesus came to give us.
May 17, 2020
Pastor Karl Helvig
An introduction to this brief 5-part series on what it means to "Be the Body" of Christ, looking primarily at Paul's letters to the Corinthians.
May 24, 2020
Pastor Nicki Nickerson
We are going to continue our sermon series on what it means to Be the Body. This week are going to look at 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 and what it means to persevere. As we have persevered through these few months, what are you doing/have you been doing on an individual level to ensure your emotional and spiritual health? We are the body when we are individually healthy and whole so we can care well for those in our community. Furthermore, what does it mean to run our own race, before God, for his glory and Kingdom? May we all continue to persevere well during this ‘different normal.'
May 31, 2020
Rebecka Sutton
Rebecka Sutton will be continuing our sermon series, Be The Body. She is talking about the power of resurrection life in the midst of a broken world filled with death. Here is what Rebecka shares:
We are called to be the "body of Christ". The church of Corinth struggled to understand their identity in Christ. In his letters, Paul instructs them on what it means to be a community anchored in Christ - the church. If their identity is as one belonging to Christ, then they must believe accurately and behave properly to reflect their CHRISTian identity. In both 1st Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians, Paul addresses their confusion regarding the resurrection. At the center of his argument is the truth of Christ's resurrection - we do not worship a dead Christ, but the living Jesus. As the body of Christ, we are called to promote the living, resurrected Christ! What does this mean for us during these uncertain times? As our society continues to demonstrate the power of evil and death, how do we, as the body of Christ, promote resurrection and life?
June 7, 2020
Jon Hardin
What does it mean to be the body of Christ? It means a lot of things, including that we proclaim Christ and his resurrection, we persevere through difficulty, and we contextualize God’s love to our world. This Sunday, Jon Hardin will be preaching. He’s talking about generosity and its place in our shared life as Christ’s body. God intends us to be generous in order to care for others.
June 14, 2020
Pastor Karl Helvig
This is a phrase widely used and deeply important in the Evangelical Covenant Church. It captures the vision of scripture for the actions every follower of Christ needs to be taking against racism. Racial righteousness has been a deep commitment of the ECC for decades and its significance is only highlighted by the changes and increased awareness sweeping our country over the weeks since George Floyd’s death. May we not only continue, but commit ourselves even more deeply to seeing God’s vision for humanity and allowing that to truly shape our lives and actions.