February 20, 2025

Dear Central Church, 

It’s taken me a few days to find the right words, but I’m finally ready to talk about the Super Bowl. That is not the game we were expecting, and it certainly wasn’t the outcome we were all hoping for. Honestly, for as long as I’ve been your pastor, the Chiefs have always been Super Bowl champs. I guess we’ll have to work together to find a “new normal” this year. 

I was talking to some 4th graders earlier this month who have no memory of their hometown team being anything but excellent. There was no skepticism or doubt in their assessment of their team. They were confident they would be out of school for another parade. 

I want us to live with that kind of expectation of what God is going to do at our church. We should live with a robust confidence that people are going to come to know Jesus, their lives are going to be transformed, and we are going to join together as a unified church to “make Christ-like disciples IN our community FOR our community.” We have every reason to live with this confidence. Paul said this in Philippians 1:6, 
“Being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ Jesus.”

This Sunday, we are celebrating the good things God is doing in the life of our church. We will welcome new church members, join with parents in dedicating their children to the Lord, and celebrate more than 10 people being baptized! I’ll take that over a Super Bowl victory any day (although I’d rather have both!). 

I’m beginning a new sermon series on March 2 entitled, “Practicing the Way.” It’s based on the best-selling book by John Mark Comer. We will have copies of the book available for a suggested donation of $15 (that’s cheaper than anywhere else). Join us for this series as we learn what apprenticeship with Jesus is all about. 

I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 9 and 10:30! 

Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark