What happens when following Jesus puts a target on your back?

In this sermon from Pastor Matt Shackelford, we continue our Growing Pains series through Acts and examine the life of Stephen, one of the most courageous believers in the New Testament. As pressure, opposition, and persecution close in around him, Stephen responds with remarkable faith, wisdom, and peace.

Whether you're facing challenges at work, in your family, or in your faith, Stephen's example shows us how to remain Christlike when life gets difficult. Discover what it means to be filled with the Spirit, faithful under pressure, and fearless in the face of opposition.

📖 Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

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What happens when a church starts growing faster than its systems can handle?

In this sermon from Acts 6, Pastor Matt Shackelford explores one of the first major challenges faced by the early church. As more people came to faith, new problems emerged. Complaints surfaced, needs were overlooked, and the apostles had to decide how to respond without losing sight of their mission.

Discover how healthy churches handle conflict, why growth always creates pressure, and what Acts 6 teaches about leadership, calling, and serving others. Whether you're involved in church leadership, serving in ministry, or simply trying to navigate conflict in your own life, this message offers practical biblical wisdom for growing through challenges instead of being defeated by them.

Why do so many people see Christians as angry, divisive, and judgmental?

In this sermon from Philippians 2, Pastor Matt challenges believers to rethink what spiritual maturity actually looks like. Looking at the lives of the Protestant Reformer,  both their courage and their flaws, we’re reminded that truth without love can damage our witness.

This message explores:

Why Christians struggle with unity
The danger of pride and contentiousness
What it means to have the mind of Christ
How humility becomes a compelling witness to the world

Jesus didn’t grasp for power. He gave Himself away. And mature believers are called to do the same.

Showing up isn’t the same as growing.

Many Christians settle into a pattern of attending church without ever stepping into maturity. But Ephesians 4 paints a different picture: God designed His church so every believer grows and helps others grow too.

In this sermon, Pastor Todd walks through God’s design for spiritual maturity and challenges us with a hard truth: healthy things grow. God didn’t save you simply to attend church—He saved you to grow in Christ and help others do the same.

In this message you'll discover:
• Why church attendance isn’t the same as spiritual growth
• Signs you may be spiritually stalled
• Why spectatorship can quietly replace discipleship
• Why truth and love are both essential for growth
• Practical next steps toward maturity in Christ

If you’ve ever felt stagnant, disconnected, or spiritually inconsistent, this message is for you.

Visit https://www.centralchurch.com to get involved with Central Church.

What do you do when life doesn’t go the way you hoped?

In this powerful message from 1 Samuel 1, Pastor Matt walks through the story of Hannah, a woman overwhelmed by pain, unanswered prayers, and deep longing. Yet through her story, we discover a better way to face suffering: not with striving, but with surrender.

Whether you’re walking through disappointment, anxiety, relational pain, infertility, grief, or simply a season of waiting, this sermon is a reminder that God is still at work. Even in the middle of your sorrow.

In this message, you’ll discover:

•  Why God sometimes allows painful seasons 
•  How surrender leads to peace 
•  What it means to trust God before the answer comes 
•  How Hannah found hope in the middle of heartbreak 
•  Why God uses pain to shape us, not destroy us

In this sermon by Dr. Jim Allman, we take a deeper look at what the Bible actually teaches about faith and why it’s more than just believing something is true. Many people think faith is simply intellectual agreement or positive thinking, but Scripture reveals that true faith is much richer and more transformative.

We explore how faith involves:

Knowing God’s character and His plan
Agreeing with the truth of His Word
Living in a genuine relationship of love and trust
Stepping into risk with confidence in who God is

Real faith isn’t passive—it moves. It changes how we live. It calls us to trust God even when we can’t see what He’s doing. As 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us, “we walk by faith, not by sight.”

If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to have faith, or how to grow in your trust in God, this message will challenge and encourage you to take the next step.

At Central Church, our mission is to multiply and mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
Join us Sundays at 9:00, 11:00, or 5:00 PM, or watch live at centralchurch.com/live.