In the historic Fox Theater, located in the heart of Joplin,
Central Christian Center is committed to telling everyone about Jesus Christ and His great love for them. It is our desire to bring others into God’s wonderful family. To help them develop a Christ-like maturity, preparing and equipping them for service to the Lord. It is God’s love demonstrated through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ that changes us into ambassadors of the King of Kings and instruments of worship and praise that allows us the privilege of sharing that love with others. Because of God’s love we are transformed from the world of sin into His divine nature.
Our mission is to inspire people to believe in God and His Son Jesus Christ, knowing that He has the power to change lives.
We believe in each other and we believe in helping one another to reach a higher purpose for our lives through Jesus Christ.
Service Times
10:30 am & 6:00 pm Sundays
Nursery, Children's, Middle School, and High School Youth ministries available.
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Central Christian Center
410 South Virginia Avenue Joplin, MO 64801
Copyright © Central Christian Center 2021
Who are we and what do we believe?.
Our church family is made up from folks from all walks of life and from many different church backgrounds. Some have no church background at all and are experiencing the things of God for the very first time. Whatever position you find yourself in, we want you to know we are happy that you have chosen to make the things of God important in your life. Please consider what the Bible says about salvation and being a part of a Church family.
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we have both access to the Father and the Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on a foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself the chief cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:17-20
We Are….
Central Christian Center, a Multi-denominational fellowship of believers. We are an independent body that is self- governed and fashioned after the Church in the New Testament .
Our Pastor is our Spiritual leader ordained by God. He has a staff of dedicated Christian co-labors who aid him in the care of the Church family. We have a Board of Trustees, a Board of Elders and a Board of Deacons.
We own our buildings and we determine our own programs and ministries. It is our privilege to support several Christian ministries and missionaries around the world.
We desire to follow Christ and to be identified by His name only. Our sole basis of belief is the BIBLE, which we believe to be GOD INSPIRED and the final authority on all matters.
We believe that everybody is important to God and that true purpose and happiness in life is found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We Believe...
That Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God. I Timothy 3:16;
That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. II Corinthians 13:14;
In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, In His sinless life, in His miracles, iHis vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the father, and in His personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years. Matthew 16:16 & I Corinthians 15:3-4
In the blessed hope, which is the rapture of the Church at Christ’s coming. Titus 2:13
The only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ. I peter 1: 18-19
Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation. John 3: 3-5
The redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer. I Peter 2:24
In the baptism of the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it. Acts 2:39
In the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life. Galatians 5:16
In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation. John 5:28-29
What does it mean to be a Christian.
Some people think that to be a Christian means you can't see movies, that you can't dance, can't have a drink, or that you can't have any more fun. That isn't true. Christianity isn't about rules and regulations to follow. It is about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament times God gave the Law which had to be followed precisely. There were instructions about clothes, food, what you could or could not do on the Sabbath, what you had to do in the temple, how priests were to carry out their functions, how strangers were to be treated, how people were to be punished, etc. All these things were to be observed properly and precisely since all of them affected their standing before God. That was in Old Testament times, but now we have Jesus and the requirements of the Law are no longer necessary for us in order to please God.
Being a Christian means that you are changed on the inside, not controlled from the outside. It means that your heart has been changed by the presence of God. It does not mean that you are required to go to church, required to pay tithes, required to be good, required to do anything in order to stay a Christian. It means you desire to do those things because you've been changed.
You have been regenerated
Regeneration means that there has been an actual change in a person. When someone becomes a Christian by trusting in the sacrifice of Christ alone for the forgiveness of his sins, then the Holy Spirit comes and lives in that person. Because the person has been changed from the inside, he does not desire to do those things that are contrary to God. Therefore, he will naturally desire to go to church. He will desire to be good, to be honest, etc. He does not go to church, or be good, or be honest, in order to be a Christian. He does those things because he already is one. It means that those things he desires to do change. He wants to change and wants to please God -- from the inside.
So, being a Christian means that you have encountered the true and living God and that you have undergone a change in your heart and soul. It means that you are not restricted to the laws of right and wrong in order to please God because you cannot please God by what you do. God will only find pleasure in you through Jesus Christ. To be a Christian means to follow Christ, to desire Him, to fellowship with Him, to have Him dwell in you, and to bring glory to Him.
How is our Church Structured.
ARTICLE VII. GOVERNMENT
of Constitution & By-Laws
Section 1. The government of this church shall be vested in its Official Board which shall consist of the Pastor and a minimum of three deacons. This Board shall act as trustees of the church and all spiritual and material management of this church shall be committed to them, subject to the provisions of this Constitution and By-Laws. They shall be elected in the manner hereinafter provided.
Section 2. Meetings of the Official Board shall be held at the call of the Pastor who shall serve as Chairman. A Secretary and a Treasurer (or Secretary-Treasurer) shall be appointed by the Official Board from among the members of the church, which officers shall serve as such for the Official Board and for the church as a whole.
Special meetings of the Official Board may be held as occasion requires.
Section 3. Any vacancy that may occur among the deacons may be filled by the remaining members of the Official Board for the unexpired term.
Presently Central Christian Center has a Board of Deacons that consists of twenty-three deacons who have been selected from the church membership and who satisfy the requirements of the By-Laws and the Scriptures. We have a Pastor who has a staff of eight members, with various duties, who have been selected by him.
The Pastor also has selected from among the members of the church seven men to serve as Elders. These Elders serve at the pleasure of the Pastor and are men who have proven themselves in the area of ministry. Elders are advisors to the Pastor and help in various areas of ministry and church discipline.
Pastor conducts a weekly staff meeting on each Monday morning where the staff goes over the activities of the previous days services and plans for various future church activities. These meetings are open to church members as well.
In order to comply with the State of Missouri standards as a 501 C-3 non-for profit corporation. The church has a Board of Trustees. The Pastor serves as President & Vice President, one member is chosen as secretary/treasurer and consists of five additional members.
The Church Should Expect Of Me
* To faithfully attend its services.
* To be aware of the church’s programs at home and abroad and to support them with prayer.
* To live a consistent Christian life.
* To serve in the church and its outreach according to my abilities.
* To share my Christian testimony by word and life on a person-to-person basis.
* To support its work by the methods of tithing ( giving a tenth of my Income) and offerings.
I Should Expect the Church To
* Minister to my spiritual needs, especially through the preaching of the Word.
* Assist me in godly counsel especially in times of decision, stress and difficulty.
* Provide me with opportunities for Christian fellowship.
* Serve me and members of my family in matters of godly instruction.
* Sustain me by the prayers and concern of pastors and fellow believers in any of the distressing circumstances of life.
* Be a sound steward of my financial and personal investments in the kingdom of God.