One Church, Two Languages on Alton Gloor
Central Christian Church sits on East Alton Gloor Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas, a single congregation that has gathered at the same address since 1910. The phrase the church lives by is printed across the top of its own materials: "One Church, Two Languages." Each Sunday morning the building fills twice over, first in Spanish on the east side of the sanctuary and then in English on the west side, and the rest of the week follows a bilingual rhythm of Bible studies, choirs, children's classes, and youth meetings.
The church's stated purpose is "to win people to faith in Jesus Christ, to commit them actively to the Church, and to help them grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ." More than a century after its founding, that purpose still shapes a calendar that reaches across Brownsville and over the border into Mexico.
Sunday Mornings, East and West
Sunday at Central Christian begins at 9:30 AM with an adult Bible study held at the east entrance. At 10:00 AM the Spanish-language service, called Servicio Español, fills the east side of the building. Half an hour later, at 10:30 AM, the English service begins on the west side of the building. Visitors arriving for either service can find their way by simply following the signs at either entrance.
Services are livestreamed on Facebook, and a service archive is maintained on YouTube so members who travel or are homebound can keep up with the week's message.
Wednesday Nights Around the Word
Wednesday evenings are one of the busiest times at Central Christian. Adult choir practice begins at 6:30 PM, and at 7:00 PM the building opens up for four classes running at the same time: a Spanish Bible study for adults, a youth Bible study, a children's class, and Kingdom Women, the women's ministry. A nursery is provided during the Wednesday evening hour for the youngest children.
This midweek block is built around the conviction that growing in the faith is something the whole family does together, with parents in one room, teens in another, kids in their own class, and women gathering separately, all on the same night.
Children from Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Children's ministry runs every Sunday morning from 9:00 AM to noon. The nursery, located on the west side of the building, serves infants and toddlers from birth through age three and is staffed by at least two paid childcare workers, with camera surveillance in place.
At 9:30 AM, four-year-olds through fifth graders gather for "GEMS" Kids' Choir, which stands for "God Enjoys My Singing." The choir rehearses each week and prepares for performances through the year. At 10:30 AM, children move into age-appropriate worship and Bible teaching: Lil' Kids' Church for four- and five-year-olds, and Kids' Church for first through fifth graders. The children's ministry also runs Vacation Bible School.
Nikki Vos coordinates the children's ministry alongside her work with students and the adult choir. She was baptized at Central Christian in 1988 and joined the ministry team full time in 2004.
Students, Camp, and the Wider World
Middle and high school students have their own rhythm at Central Christian. During the school year, students in sixth through twelfth grade meet for Bible study on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. On Sunday evenings, the youth group gathers every other week from 5:00 to 7:00 PM for fellowship, games, worship music, devotions, and group discussion.
Each January, ninth through twelfth graders are encouraged to attend the Winter Retreat at Tanglewood Christian Camp in Lexington, Texas. The camp is one of the church's longtime mission partners and a touchstone for the youth ministry.
A Border-Minded Mission Heart
Central Christian's missions ministry reaches across the Rio Grande as naturally as it reaches across town. Active mission partners include Mission Veracruz, Faith Ministry in Reynosa, the Family & Mission Institute in Saltillo, Con Mis Manos (a school for the deaf in Matamoros), and Colegio Biblico, a Christian college in Eagle Pass, Texas, where several of the church's own staff were trained.
Closer to home, the church supports Sonlight Ministries, Tanglewood Christian Camp, the Gospel Broadcasting Network, Kairos Prison Ministry, and IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service). Giving is handled online through the church's giving page.
What Central Christian Believes
The church's statement of belief is rooted in the Christian Church tradition of the Restoration Movement. Central Christian affirms one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and teaches that Jesus Christ is God's only Son, fully human and fully divine, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, died, was buried, and rose again bodily on the third day. He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and will return to judge the living and the dead.
The Holy Spirit is described as an active part of the triune God who indwells every Christian. Scripture is accepted as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice, without error in its original writings. Salvation is by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ, received by faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and baptism by immersion.
Central Christian understands itself as part of the Church of Jesus Christ founded on the Day of Pentecost and teaches that elders are to exercise authority over the local congregation.
The Team
Caleb Northrup leads Spanish Ministries. He and his wife Laura, both 2012 graduates of Colegio Biblico in Eagle Pass, were raised in Saltillo, Coahuila, and have been serving the Central Christian family since 2012. Nikki Vos directs Student Ministries and the adult choir, and Brock Hughston leads worship. Hughston is a Brownsville native and lifelong member of the church.