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History of City Central \\u2013 Our Story, God\\u2019s Story

Sermon Summary

Psalm 77:11 (ESV)

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

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As we break our Awaken Fast today, Pastor Chris led us in a 20-year anniversary week celebration of the wonders of God\\u2019s work in our midst! He recounted with joy the history of our shared foundation from unassuming places like Spanaway and PLU. One fact is certain in this journey and continues: We are the people of God designed to share the good news of God to our neighbors and the nations!\\xa0

Our church history and mission can be summed up in a single gospel passage. Luke, one of the twelve disciples, gives the account of Jesus opening the Old Testament scroll on the Sabbath and reading the words of Isaiah, then to the surprise of his hearers declaring that he was the fulfillment of this scripture:

Luke 4:18\\u201319 (ESV)

¹⁸ \\u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord\\u2019s favor.\\u201d

A Chronological Look at the Story of City Central Church

• 1998\\u2026Clover Creek Bible Fellowship in Spanaway, Pastors Mike and Cindy Riches

\\u2026Simultaneously a stirring of the Holy Spirit in the student body of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU); Students were coming to the end of themselves surrendering to Jesus; their obedience culminated in the genesis of New Song Church, the young adult Saturday night service started by Brian and Christy Brennt (now on staff at YWAM)

• 1999\\u2026Renewal Week in November a time of deep repentance overcame the leadership and the body; people wrote out unconfessed Sins then came forward to nail them to an altar cross. Sins like adultery, murder, etc. The elders were cut to the heart.
• 2000\\u2026Super Bowl Sunday became Spiritual Warfare Sunday, following thirty days of prayer and fasting, God opened our eyes to the reality of the battle in the spiritual realm as it manifest in a man who was tormented by demonic forces; we had bible knowledge but no deliverance prayer experience to pray him into freedom

\\u2026We started to learn the road of abundant life: our authority in Christ, realities of spiritual warfare, hearing from the Lord in a Biblical way, Gods Original Design for people, the nature of strongholds (like fear, unbelief, control), and healing of injustices (rejection, betrayal, abuse, neglect, curses)\\xa0

\\u2026We lived in expectation. Expecting to hear God speak and reveal something new. People started to pour in from all around the world. They came to get restored and made whole.\\xa0

• 2000\\u2026February 16^th a prophetic word (new to us!) was received declaring Tacoma the center of a spiritual blaze that would spread; this became known as the Pacific Rim Movement (PRM), here are some excerpts:

We started preparing for a visitation\\u2026and have not stopped.\\xa0

• 2001\\u2026Summer of Revival with Pastor Gerry Fry
• \\u2026October 28^th Bill S. is healed of Lou Gehrig\\u2019s disease\\u2026he confessed his healing to the church in all three Sunday services\\u2026.confirmed Tuesday, Oct. 31^st by doctor
• 2002\\u2026Flatbed Evangelistic Events (events around the south sound worship and teaching from a large, flatbed trailer)
• 2004\\u2026Original City Central Word: The Lord shows a building in the center of Tacoma. He calls it \\u201cCity Central\\u201d\\u2026The building is completely on fire. It is raging and burning with fire. Speaking to reaching the next generation, being an equipping center that has a revolving door, reaching the lost. We knew we needed to be in the city.\\xa0
• 2005\\u2026\\u201cNew Song-City Central\\u201d, Moved Downtown to First Congregational Church in May and City Central became its own church
• 2007\\u2026Moved to Urban Grace space in summer
• 2009\\u2026\\u201cCity Central Mission Base,\\u201d moved into Tacoma Convention Center in fall
• 2010\\u2026Pastors Brian and Christy Brennt transition to Kona, Hawaii
• 2010-2011\\u2026Move to a Tacoma middle-school to start the replanting process; asked ourselves, \\u201cAre we a church or missions base?\\u201d Season of 2-3 years of formation. (Sunday night services)
• 2012\\u2026Moved into our current building, began renting in August (one Sunday morning service); vision and mission set: Adore God, Become like Jesus, and Contend for the Kingdom; Reach the lost, Restore the broken, and Equip the People of God
• 2015\\u2026Pastors Chris and Jena Hippe now lead \\u201cCity Central Church;\\u201d Beautiful growth, by fall we start a second service at 9 a.m.
• 2015-2018\\u2026behind the scenes work formalizing equipping pathways, personnel, structure (foundation, framing)
• 2019\\u2026 time to grow, take territory, purchase buildings to accommodate Saturday night services, more ministry space, permanent signage, media equipment, limitless outreach to young people

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This rich history is marked by major spiritual growth in the lives and relationships of the people of our church:

Our Markers

• Creation of Love and Unity Within Body
• Increased Communion and Fellowship of My People with Me and Me with My People
• Coming Together of the Body; Inter-church Relationships and Ministry
• True Repentance Followed by Righteousness
• A Breaking Down of Denominational Walls

Our Tactics

1. Church Services \\u2013 solid, scriptural church marked by evangelism and freedom ministry
2. A Church of Hundreds of Strong Leaders \\u2013 could be sent globally, but called locally to rejuvenate the city
3. Ministry of Personal Restoration \\u2013 freedom ministry, restoring sight to the blind
4. Discipleship \\u2013 training others to train in evangelism and freedom
5. Prophetic Ministry/Prayer Teams \\u2013 hearing God\\u2019s voice for others\\u2019 edification
6. Power of Worship \\u2013 healing, deliverance, humility, courage, selfless
7. Restoration of Children \\u2013 fathers to children, children to fathers
8. Fearless Teaching \\u2013 fully biblical, tested
9. Issue of Authority \\u2013 fruitful ministry under spiritual covering only for God\\u2019s glory
10. Servants who Hear and Obey \\u2013 obedience is better than sacrifice
11. Evangelism \\u2013 an agent of change for the Kingdom
12. Deliverance Ministry \\u2013 battling the forces of darkness, freeing the oppressed

Can you see it? You are invited to join in ownership of this mighty story! We are 41% of the way to our goal of $1.5 M to fund the purchase of the two buildings. We love all of you who have responded in faith to commit to the vision God has for us. For all of us, it is time to \\u201cOwn it\\u201d \\u2013 to make City Central your church, knowing that God does the planting and growing. It will take all of us.

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Discussion Questions

1. What do you suppose a person brand new to City Central might think after reading, or hearing, the origins and journey of this body of believers?
2. How do you know when you\\u2019ve found a church home?

What moves you from spectator to participant in your home church?

3. How does hearing the history of City Central inspire you to make a commitment to the future here?
4. What aspects of the vision for reaching our neighbors and the nations do you connect with most?

Application Questions

1. What is God asking you to do to take \\u2018ownership\\u2019 in the future of City Central?
2. How might you step out in faith to see the vision realized of a place to call our own \\u2013 a base of operations to reach the city for Christ?