Central Community Church gathers on the west side of Wichita, Kansas, in a sprawling campus anchored by a tall cross tower at 6100 West Maple Street. The church describes itself as a diverse, multigenerational family of believers whose mission is becoming like Jesus in homes, in the church, and in the community. From the Grand Foyer with its freshly renovated east wing to the in-house Cafe Central with its jumbo cinnamon rolls, Central has spent decades building a one-stop ministry hub for the families of Sedgwick County. Sunday mornings here feel less like a single service and more like a well-staffed arrival: greeters at every door, kids' check-in kiosks in the Atrium, a worship orchestra tuning up for the Classic Service, and a contemporary band ready to lead the late crowd.
Two Sunday Mornings, One Family
Central runs two distinct Sunday services that share the same Sanctuary but offer very different worship experiences. The 9:00am Classic Service is a vibrant mix of traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs, led by the worship team, an orchestra, and a 90-voice choir. Those who attend this service tend to dress more traditionally, and the Sanctuary opens fifteen to twenty minutes before the music begins. The 11:00am Contemporary Service is an upbeat, modern experience for all ages, anchored by a contemporary worship band leading new and popular Christian songs. Both services are livestreamed on Facebook, YouTube, and the church's app for those who want to join from home, and the streams typically go live about ten minutes before the service with a pre-show and after-party for online fellowship.
Between the two services, Cafe Central opens at 8:15am and runs through 11:00am, serving lattes and freshly made breakfast items. It is a deliberate gathering space where friendships are encouraged to grow over coffee and where a Central favorite, the jumbo cinnamon roll, has earned near-legendary status. For first-time visitors, the church maintains a Guest Services desk just outside the Sanctuary where volunteers are ready with a small gift and information about the church.
Kid Central: From Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Children's ministry, branded as Kid Central, runs across the same hours as the Sunday services and continues on Wednesday evenings. Sundays offer programming for nursery, preschool, and elementary children at both 9:00 and 11:00am, with check-in beginning fifteen minutes before each service. Wednesdays add a 6:00 to 7:30pm gathering with check-in at 6:00pm.
The Weeones Nursery is staffed by experienced caregivers and servers who view their rooms as the first stepping stone in teaching children that Jesus is their very best friend. Parents bring a labeled diaper, pacifier or comfort item, and bottles; the church provides sippy cups for walkers, Bible playtime activities, and monthly Words for Baby cards designed to plant God's truths into young hearts. The Weeones Preschool ministry focuses on three basic truths - God made me, God loves me, and Jesus wants to be my friend forever - and uses a special WeeWorship and Bible Time venue where three-, four-, and five-year-olds learn to praise and worship through songs and hear God's story through storytellers and videos. Each family leaves with a monthly memory verse and a key question to spark conversation at home.
Elementary ministry aims to provoke discovery by helping kids experience three truths modeled by Jesus in Luke 2:52: I need to make the wise choice, I can trust God no matter what, and I should treat others the way I want to be treated. Music, storytelling, small group discussions, video presentations, and creative activities are woven together each week to reinforce one clear bottom line kids take home. To support parents through the week, Kid Central promotes the Parent Cue App, which provides Drive Time videos, Hang Time activities, Meal Time discussion starters, and a Parent Time section with blogs and podcasts focused on a different virtue each month.
Practical touches are easy to find. Colorful kiosks just outside the Atrium handle check-in for first-time families, name stickers and matching parent pickup stickers keep children secure, a Mommy and Me Room (Room 103) provides a quiet space with a live feed of the worship service, and a Cry Room (Room 106) offers the same live feed for parents with children of any age. Elizabeth Russell leads Kid Central as Kids Pastor.
Central Students: Middle School and High School
Central Students is split into two age groups with their own leaders, rooms, and weekly rhythms. Middle school (grades 6 to 8) meets Sundays at 9:00 and 11:00am in Room 211 for an hour of fun and Bible-focused teaching, and gathers again on Wednesdays at 6:00pm in the same room for an hour and a half of games, worship, an age-appropriate message, and grade- and gender-specific small groups. Nathan Luke serves as Middle School Director.
High school students (grades 9 to 12) meet on Thursdays at 6:00pm in Room 215. These evenings include games, worship, a message, and small group time, with the understanding that high schoolers are looking forward at who they want to be in the world while balancing schoolwork, activities, and friendships. Jordan Rousselle serves as High School Pastor. Both groups publish seasonal calendars so families can plan around retreats, events, and service projects.
Adults: Young Adults, The Gathering, Women, Men, Singles, and Seniors
The adults ministry at Central is structured into six distinct communities, each with its own leader and meeting rhythm. Central Young Adults meets on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00pm in Room 211 and welcomes anyone from age 18 through the early 30s, whether finishing school, starting a career, getting married, or beginning a family. The Gathering meets Wednesdays from 6:15 to 7:30pm in Room 203 and is built for married and single adults in their 30s and 40s who want community and Bible study after dropping off their kids. Both groups are coordinated through Executive Pastor Justin Mohr.
Central Women helps women find their identity through Christ and offers a range of Bible studies held at the church on different days and times throughout the year. Events are promoted through the church's Women in Ministry Facebook page and the church calendar. Cindy Kardatzke leads the women's ministry. Central Men, with the motto Stronger Together drawn from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, hosts a Wednesday night study during the school year. Rod Opliger leads the men's ministry in addition to his role as Finance Director.
Central Singles serves unmarried adults ages 45 and older through Sunday morning classes at 9:00 and 10:45am, Friday evening studies, and regular outings such as game nights, movie nights, Table Talk after church, and day trips. Singles & Support Groups Pastor Cheri Clark oversees this ministry along with Hope Groups. Senior Central plans monthly dinners, day trips, short-term trips, and special events for adults 60 and up, with group opportunities to places like Branson and the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. Congregational Care Pastor John Carney leads Senior Central.
LifeGroups: The Heart of Discipleship
LifeGroups are small gatherings of three to fifteen people who love, support, and encourage one another in following the Lord. Groups meet in homes and around the city during the week, and each gathering uses a common set of leader resources including a video lesson, discussion guide, daily devotionals, and a leader guide. LifeGroups are coordinated through Cori Broddle, Director of Community, and the church encourages everyone, including newcomers, to find a group as a primary step toward getting connected.
Care Central, Hope Groups, and Counseling
Pastoral care at Central is organized under Care Central, led by Congregational Care Pastor John Carney. The team offers personal care and ministry to those within the church who need prayer, encouragement, and comfort due to illness, hospitalization, or the loss of a loved one. They also provide ongoing care for members who are home-bound or living in care communities, funeral services that share the hope of Christ, and practical help such as transportation to medical appointments, respite for caregivers, and small home maintenance tasks. Prayer Coordinator Lisa Camp supports a network of intercessors who pray over requests that come in by phone or email.
Hope Groups offer a safe place for people to come together around shared experiences. Each group uses a curriculum that is sometimes video-based with interviews of skilled professionals, and always includes a take-home book for further reference. Groups cover topics like grief, addiction, divorce, and other life difficulties, and meet as cohorts form. Singles & Support Groups Pastor Cheri Clark oversees Hope Groups.
For more intensive support, the Family Life Counseling Center operates on the same campus and offers individual, premarital, marital, and family counseling. The team, including counselor Robyn Haxton (LCPC NCC), serves clients of all ages and addresses concerns such as abuse, addiction, anxiety, blended families, career coaching, children and adolescents, depression, divorce, grief, marital conflict, parenting, post-traumatic stress, and stress. The center is currently accepting new clients at 316-942-9021.
Prayer and Reflection
Prayer is woven into the weekly rhythm of the church. First Light Prayer gathers in the Chapel every Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:00am for prayer and praise focused on the church, the community, and the world. On the first Wednesday of each month, The 99 Prayer Group meets at 5:00pm in the East Grand Foyer to pray for loved ones who have wandered from God or are estranged. A downloadable Hospital Stay Prayer Guide is available for families navigating medical situations. Anyone can also call the church office or email the prayer team to activate the intercessor network.
Central Missions: From Wichita to the World
Central Missions, led by Missions Director Sherry Lamm and Missions Coordinator Abbi Richards, organizes the church's #wichita2world calling. The team follows a four-fold mindset: Love, by providing encouragement rather than seeking to be the heroes; Investigate, by thoroughly vetting partner ministries; Volunteer, by only doing what is helpful to those partners; and Educate, by offering training and learning trips.
Locally, Central strategically partners with Embrace Wichita, Family Promise, His Helping Hands, Hope is Alive, Hope Ranch for Women, Wichita Children's Home (Crossroads), and Youth Horizons. The church hosts monthly food drives, supports Embrace's Change for Life fundraiser each May, and runs the annual Thanksgiving Food Distribution that has become a fixture on the Wichita calendar. Volunteers also help with Hope and a Future's foster family Christmas party and partner with Benton and Lawrence elementary schools.
Globally, the congregation has served through missions trips and partnerships with Church of God National Ministries (Anderson, Indiana) and Kansas Church of God State Ministries, alongside Global Ministry Partners that include Children of Promise, Heart for Lebanon, H.E.A.R.T. Institute, Heart to Honduras, P.ink Door Berlin, Warner University, and Youth With A Mission. The church also supports several missionaries directly, including Steve and Peggy Beverly with Church of God in Sri Lanka, Corey and Abby Stocksdale in Botswana, Nate and Stacy Tatman as regional coordinators with Church of God for Europe and the Middle East (based in Spain), John and Gwen Johnson as regional coordinators with Church of God for Africa (based in Egypt), and a missionary with Spring of Living Water in Pakistan.
Central Community Preschool
Sharing the campus with the church is Central Community Preschool, a Christ-centered early childhood program under the direction of Mariah Baughman. The preschool uses Zoo Phonics and Learning Without Tears alongside other resources in language arts, math, science, creative arts, and motor skills, with assessments designed to meet each child where they are developmentally. Class options include three-year-old and four/five-year-old classes meeting two days, three days, or five days a week, with morning hours from 8:45 to 11:45am and a 12:30 to 3:30pm option for some four/five-year-old classes. Tuition runs from $145 to $265 per month depending on the schedule. The teaching team includes dedicated lead and assistant teachers, many with classroom experience in local public and Christian schools, and the program is open to families regardless of church membership.
Beliefs and Core Values
Central's vision is to Know Christ and to make Him known, and the mission statement frames the Christian life as becoming like Jesus in homes, in the church, and in the community - an intentional, life-long journey of following what Jesus said and did. Five core values shape the church: Unconditional Love from John 13:34-35; Uncompromising Truth from John 14:6-7; Authentic Community from 1 Thessalonians 2:8; Mission-Minded Unity from John 17:22-23; and Life-Giving Generosity from Proverbs 11:25.
The Statement of Faith affirms the Bible as God's inerrant, inspired Word; one true God eternally existing in three persons (Creator God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit); the lost condition of humanity apart from the new birth made possible by Christ's death and bodily resurrection; the call for those who accept Jesus to repent, confess their faith, and be baptized; the church as the body of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit to evangelize, exalt God, encourage the family of God, educate for maturity, and equip for ministry; the personal return of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords; and the resurrection of all who have died to either everlasting fellowship with God or everlasting separation from God. Members affirm and uphold these fundamental truths and refrain from promoting other doctrines in ways that cause dissension.
Leadership and the Refresh Campaign
Senior Pastor Bob Beckler leads a staff team of eleven additional pastors and a strong bench of directors. The pastors include Bryce Bishop (Family Ministry), John Carney (Congregational Care), Cheri Clark (Singles & Support Groups), Dr. Bob Ingram (Discipleship), Justin Mohr (Executive), Jordan Rousselle (High School), Elizabeth Russell (Kids), George Skramstad (Associate), Phil Stacey (Worship), Aaron Varner (Administrative), and David Vogel (Communication). The director team covers graphic arts, the preschool, community, missions, technology, middle school, finance, and facilities. A church council chaired by Ron Owings provides governance, with Bruce Pearson serving as Council President and Vince Champlin chairing the current Refresh capital campaign.
Refresh is a three-year generosity initiative designed to address facility maintenance and upgrades while transforming ministry across the campus. Recent work has included the new Chapel, an updated east wing of the Grand Foyer, and parking lot improvements, with the building ready to welcome guests as ongoing construction wraps up. The campaign is organized into Spiritual Emphasis, Communications, Arrangements, Presentations, Reminder, Advance Challenge, and Creative Gifts teams, and is supported by a 28-day prayer guide for the congregation.
Central Community Church is a working expression of its own mission statement. Every Sunday the Grand Foyer opens, the choir rises, the orchestra plays, the kids run to Kid Central, and a network of small groups, classes, support groups, missionaries, and a preschool on the same property carry the rest of the week's ministry forward into Wichita and well beyond it.