Central Lutheran

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/clcecolumbia www.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/clcecolumbia www.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/clcecolumbia www.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/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

It's easy to look at people in popular culture who have influenced us. From Hollywood actors to rockstars to YouTubers, there's no shortage. But have you ever thought about Christians as influencers? Believe it or not, without influencers, there is no Christianity. God designed faith in such a way that the future of faith actually depends on the influence of Jesus’ followers. Join us! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

There is so much bad news in our world. It’s easy to get caught up in the pain and suffering that bombards social media, new channels and our lives. 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 raised from the dead — that’s Good News that gives us hope, both now and forever! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. It begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where people shout and cheer as they acknowledge Jesus as King of Kings. However, He was not the messiah they were expecting... Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

We all have hurts. Maybe something happened to you, someone did something to you or said something about you – or maybe you made that big mistake, and you don’t know how to talk about it. Have you ever experienced this? This weekend, we’re continuing our series, Rising Waters, Steady Faith, by having an honest conversation about the ways we get hurt, and we'll share a really practical way God invites us to work through our wounds. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

We all need the reminder that it's OK to not be OK. But both God and your community want you to find healing and wholeness. This week we’re going to talk about something 70% of teenagers say is either a problem for them or a close friend -- anxiety. When you feel too anxious, there is a way forward. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Do you ever feel like you’re burnt out? Do you ever feel like you’re at the end of your rope - mentally exhausted, losing motivation, and more cynical than usual? Of course, you do. Want to know why? Because you’re human. So, this week in worship, we’re continuing our new series, Rising Waters, Steady Faith. And we’re going to wonder: Where do I turn when I’m burnt out? Because busy, stressed-out, and distracted lives are not how God intended for us to live! This week is for anyone who feels like they're drowning and needs a little hope. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Far too many of us live lives that are constantly busy, stressed out, and distracted. Life just seems too much. It feels like life isn’t turning out the way we had planned life to be. It leaves us feeling like you’re treading water, but never seem to be able to keep up or stay afloat. We are launching our new series during the season of Lent called, Rising Waters. This first week we are talking about when life’s just too much. Join us! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

We are all worshipers of someone or something, whether we believe in Jesus or not. We give value and attention to people and temporary things because we long for something bigger than ourselves to fulfill our needs and desires. While some of these things may be good, they can become idols in our lives, because any created thing we worship, other than the Creator Himself, is idolatry. In this message, Pastor Aaron helps us unpack the meaning of idols and worship, and how we can find rest in worshiping the only one who will fulfill our longings – Jesus. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

God means for the church to be a place of transformation as people encounter His love and form a relationship with Jesus. One crucial piece of transformation occurs in our relationship with God when we become honest with Him in prayer. "I sometimes get frustrated by the state of the world; I look at all the brokenness around me, the constant news cycle of gloom and despair. Verses 7-9 of Isaiah 33 are a reality to many people in many places. At times, I feel despair, which in and of itself is not wrong, and I lament about the state of the world. 'Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God's sovereignty. Lament is how we bring sorrow to God. Without lament, we won't know how to process pain. My lament fuels my prayers; it fuels my cry of 'Lord, please arise, please be lifted up, please be exalted in our time.''' Book- Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

We all have ideas about what heaven and hell look like. You may even have ideas about who’s going to one and who’s going to the other. It will likely surprise you to find out what Jesus believed and taught about all this, and what the Biblical authors wrote about it. Join us for worship! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Many of us have wondered at some point or another... "Can I believe in God, but not attend church? Isn’t just being a good person all that really matters? And what about the Bible - what do I do when it's confusing or makes me uncomfortable?" One approach is to cancel the church or the Bible all together. Another approach is to take a closer look at the role of the church which connects us to one another and the way the Bible informs us and gives witness to the larger story of God's love. Have you ever asked, "Is the church and the Bible necessary?" If so, join us! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

At one time or another, you’ve wondered: There are over 4,000 religions in the world — could it be that all of them point to the same God? In this world of extremes, it seems as though we default to one way of relating to other religions: "We" are right, and "they" are wrong. But what vision might God have for all of us, living together in this great big world? Let's wonder about this together in worship. Join us! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Do you ever find yourself asking, "Am I enough for God?" Maybe you've felt like when your life has accumulated enough value for God, then God will actually love you. But - there’s the way our love works and then there’s the way God’s love works. And sometimes we get the two mixed up. Let's dive in to this commonly felt question together! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Merry Christmas! We are so excited to celebrate with you. This year we invite you to imagine — if God could do the unexpected by sending his son to the world as a baby who would save the world, just imagine what God could do for you today. Let us know where you're watching from in the comments, and be sure to like & subscribe to stay updated with the latest from Central! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

The guests who arrived at the stable on that first Christmas, were a strange bunch. None more odd than the “wise men.” Honestly, they didn’t belong. We call them “wise men,” but the actual term for them was magoi. What’s a magoi? Good question. Get this: They were an order of astrologers from Babylon and Persia who specialized in interpreting dreams and magic - think tarot cards, crystal balls, reading palms and Ouija boards. No wonder the authors shied away from the particulars and opted for the more neutral “wise men,” or Magi. They didn’t belong. Not only that, they were foreigners. They didn’t speak the language, didn’t have the right paperwork, and weren’t even believers. They just didn’t belong. Something tells me, you’ve had moments when you’ve wondered: How do I know I belong? This week we wrap up our series, Make Room, as Aaron talks all about how those wisemen remind us that God makes room for every last one of us, even though we might question whether or not we belong. Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church

Likely, you are making plans to gather with your family for Christmas. And when you get together, there will be… …your family, and then there will be the in-laws. …some parents in your family who are strict disciplinarians, while others who prefer “free range” parenting. …likely, there will be a mixture of big city folk and maybe some “hicks from the sticks.” …I’m guessing you will have at least one conservative and at least one liberal at Christmas dinner. …some guests will be thrilled to attend Christmas Eve worship, while others tolerate it. …and, as always, there will be those relatives. You know, the ones who seem to do everything just a little differently. Be honest. Our families don’t see eye to eye on everything. So, what will you do this Christmas? This weekend we’re continuing our Christmas series, Make Room, and we’re going to wonder: What do you do about those people who are different from you? Believe it or not, the Christmas story has a lot to say about it! Socials: www.facebook.com/clcecolumbia www.instagram.com/centrallutheran/ www.centrallutheran.church