October 22, 2026

Dear Central Church,

This week our staff was able to participate in the H.O.M.E. (Heart of Ministry Experience) Conference at MidAmerica Nazarene University. This was more than a leadership development event but an opportunity for pastors to re-discover the “heart of ministry.” The conference was less about skills and competencies and more about the heart of the minister.

I speak for the entire staff when I say it was just what we needed. Through worship, fellowship, conversation, and inspired preaching we were all reminded of why we do what we do!

I share that as a praise, but also as a confession. There may be times when I get focused on lesser things. Not bad things, but things that are less important to who God has called me to be and what he has called me to do. For example, leadership in a local church requires measurement of certain things like worship attendance, membership, or participation in a life group. Those aren’t bad things. In fact, they’re necessary. However, seeing those metrics increase is not the heart of ministry.

The Lord reminded me this week that the “heart of ministry” is literally the heart! The heart is the seat of our affections and desires. If our heart is aligned with God, everything else falls into place!

Here are some of the questions the Holy Spirit asked me this week: Does your heart yearn for the Lord? Is your heart fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit? Does your heart break for that which breaks God’s heart? Is your heart ready to welcome and bless everyone in your community? Do you lift up your heart in passionate worship when we gather as God’s people?

One of the pastors preached from the story of David and Goliath and this was her challenge: “The obstacle isn’t the giant in front of you. It’s the heart within you. If your heart is aligned with God’s, the giant falls every single time.” (Pastor Salena Freeman).

Our pastors measure and manage a lot of things at Central, but those are all temporary means to achieve an eternal goal. The greater thing is making sure our heart is aligned with God’s heart. Let’s join together and stay focused on the heart of ministry!

Here are some things I believe is aligned with God’s heart that I’m excited about:

Fall Fest - This Saturday!

The life-giving community of our Central Church will be on full display at Fall Fest, and it’s the perfect event for inviting a friend. Invite a friend, and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday at 5:30pm.

KidCentral Preschool Opening

We are in the process of finalizing our state license, and it looks like we’ll be opening the first week of November. Thank you for your continued support and prayers!

Faith Promise Update

We’ve received $70,700 in commitments towards this year’s Faith Promise goal of $205,000. This is a God-sized goal to go along with the God-sized vision we have for missions. Faith Promise is ultimately about trust. We don't know exactly what God will do with the gifts we give, but we know that when we place what we have in His hands, He can use it to accomplish far more than we could ever do on our own.

Will you prayerfully consider making a Faith Promise this year? Ask God what He might want you to give above and beyond your regular tithes and offerings. To learn more or make a commitment, click here.

I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday as we pursue God’s heart together!

On the Journey Together,

Pastor Mark