Bring In, Build Up, Send Out: A Fort Smith Church Built on Three Phrases
Right next door to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, on the corner of Waldron Road, sits a congregation whose vocabulary was decided long before its signage. The phrase members use most is bring in, build up, send out, and the whole shape of Central Christian Church follows that simple grammar. Welcoming worship on Sunday morning forms the front door, deep formation through small groups and teaching runs the middle, and a high calling to spread the gospel elsewhere closes the circle.
Central is a non-denominational community of believers drawn from many religious and cultural backgrounds, and the people who walk through its doors describe themselves simply as devoted to following Jesus Christ. From a founding gathering in June 1964 to a worship center added in 2009 and an active college ministry next door today, the church has stayed close to the same mission, with very little denominational flourish to explain it.
Two Sunday Mornings, One Livestream
Sunday is the central rhythm of the week, and the building runs it twice. Worship services begin at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with Bible study classes meeting during both service times. The welcome is stated in plain words: you will be comfortable joining us just as you are.
Each service includes music, communion, the sermon, and time to greet other believers. Worship Arts is led by a graduate of Dallas Christian College with an emphasis in music ministry, and the team deliberately chooses songs with accurate theology - treating the music itself as part of the church's teaching. A dedicated tech team operates the sound, lighting and cameras, and a media team produces the graphics, photography, and video that carry announcements and testimonies throughout the week.
For those who can't attend in person, services are livestreamed at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Central Time on the church's YouTube channel. Recordings of past services are also kept online for catching up.
A Long Welcome for the Youngest Members
Children are a major portion of weekend life at Central, and the church goes to great lengths to make first-time drop-off easy.
PreSchool Central serves infants through pre-K and works toward three core truths to be in a child's heart by kindergarten: Jesus loves me, trust in God's love, and you can talk or pray to God anytime. When new families arrive, a team member at the desk walks them through registration and personally escorts the child to the classroom. Each child receives a number-coded security tag that must be matched for pickup. The preschool is peanut-free, with snacks listed for common allergies and a clearly stated wellness policy that requires children to be fever-free for 24 hours. Parents of babies are asked to bring diapers, bottles and pacifiers labeled with the child's name. Every volunteer passes a thorough criminal background check.
Kid Central serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade. Small-group Bible classes meet during both Sunday morning services, and the second service adds a larger praise and teaching time for the kids. On Sunday evenings, Kid Connect runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for K-5 children with structured games, small group Bible study, and large group worship. Each semester includes two or three Family Serve Nights, when whole families head out together to serve the community in a structured setting.
The Student Body: Mid-High Through Seniors
The Student Body ministry describes its goal as helping students become authentic disciples of Jesus. Three weekly gatherings structure the school year for grades 6 through 12.
On Sunday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Encounter brings 6th-8th graders together for practical teaching, intentional small groups, group games, and time to connect with high schoolers. Elevate runs alongside Encounter for high schoolers, with meaningful worship, teaching, and small group discussion designed to push students to live beyond the surface. Sunday morning Bible study offers age-graded classes during the second service - high schoolers in the Glass Room and mid-high in room 413.
Wednesday nights are reserved for Student 2:42, a small-group option from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for students 16 and older who aren't yet plugged into another group. Older students gather around the Acts 2:42 pattern of apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, building healthy relationships and carrying one another's burdens.
The 2:42 Way of Doing Life Together
Small groups - called 2:42 groups - are the connective tissue of the church. They meet in homes and at the church throughout the week, generally ranging in size from 5 to 16 people and meeting weekly or bi-weekly. The Acts 2:42 verse - devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer - frames their purpose.
A wide range of groups is available: junior high, high school, college, single, married, families, empty nesters, senior saints, and more. Every member is encouraged to participate in at least one. Joining a group involves a sign-up form, after which the small groups team connects new members with a group leader, location, and meeting time.
Worship Arts: Music, Tech, and Media
Worship Arts at Central runs three creative streams under one umbrella. Central Music leads the congregation in singing every Sunday morning; the team treats this as part of the church's teaching, choosing songs with theological depth. Central Tech handles the sound board, lighting, computers, and cameras that make services run smoothly. Central Media creates graphics, photographs events, and produces video for testimonies and announcements.
The director leads the ministry with a pastoral conviction: Worship is everything. Worship is directional. The goal is not just good music but worship shaped by the gospel, with every Christian called to a continuous lifestyle of worship in daily life.
College Age Ministry at the Foot of Campus
Because Central sits next door to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, college ministry is a major arm of the church. Central College Age exists to connect college students with Jesus, with the church, and with one another. The college minister walks alongside students intentionally, encouraging them to live with the gospel at the center of their studies, friendships, and future careers.
Sermons That Walk Through Books
Central's preaching walks through books of the Bible over many weeks at a time. Recent series include a long journey through Deuteronomy - with sermons titled The Shema, Choose Life, Remember, Drive Out the Distractions, Teaching Your Children, Love Your Neighbor, and By Being Just - a James series (Joy in Trials & Asking for Wisdom, Rich & Poor, Temptation, and Every Good Gift), a Guard Rails series on healthy boundaries, and a Disciplines for Life series covering practices like confession and repentance, generosity, fasting, humility, and community. Annual congregational meetings are folded into the preaching calendar, as with The Song of Moses (Annual Meeting 2026).
Sermons are recorded and posted on the Past Services page. The current preaching is led by Joshua Bower, who directs Worship Arts as well, with elders Ron Johnson and others pitching in on occasion.
Reaching Out: Local and Global Partners
The "send out" pillar of the mission shows up locally and globally. The congregation raises more of its budget each year toward mission partners, and three partnerships are currently in the spotlight.
Blackbox International is a faith-based, Christ-centered, not-for-profit organization established in 2010 that holistically rehabilitates sex-trafficked boys age 16 and under. A US board provides leadership, while Dominican national staff implement the aftercare in a safe home.
Mustard Seed Church in Japan began in January 2010 when a team of church planters launched services in the upstairs of a small sports bar in Nagoya; 37 people attended that first Sunday. The Nagoya church has since planted daughter congregations in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto. Central's link to the work runs through lead pastor Andy Rodriguez and his wife Jenny in Nagoya, and Ethan and Audrey Greer in Kyoto.
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is a global movement with more than 18,000 staff in 1,100 locations across 180 countries. Central's personal connection runs through Candice Crawford, who joined an Impact World Tour evangelistic team and met her husband Marty Emmett on the field; together they now serve with YWAM in New Zealand through crusades, training events, and discipleship programs.
Locally, longtime elder Ron Johnson sits on the management team for Comunidad Cristiana, a Spanish-language church plant in Fort Smith.
From a 1964 Plow to a Worship Center
Central's story began in June 1964, when a group of Christians met to discuss founding an independent, non-denominational Christian church in Fort Smith. The first service was held on August 16, 1964 in the Larsen & Wear Construction building, and the church then moved to the Creekmore Park Community Building before buying six acres at 400 North Waldron Road on September 18, 1964. A year later, the congregation gathered on the lawn for a groundbreaking - and a photograph from that day shows them literally pulling a plow by hand, with an unexplained white "funnel" hovering in the sky behind them.
The first service in the new building took place on March 6, 1966. The property has grown through three major building additions: an educational wing and fellowship hall in 1977, the Family Life Center with office and classroom space in 1989, and a worship center in 2009.
What Central Believes
The beliefs of the church are stated clearly, and every ministry flows out of them.
Central affirms one God, eternally existing in three co-equal persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Members believe in the deity of Jesus Christ: his virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death on the cross, resurrection, and return. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer, serving as comforter, counselor, teacher, and advocate, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is required for salvation.
The Bible is the final authority on matters of faith and living, divinely inspired and without error. Humanity is made in God's image but separated from him by sin; salvation is the free gift of God, received by faith in Jesus and expressed in confession and baptism by immersion. The Church is the community of Christ-followers, the body of Christ on earth, not a building. Eternity is union with God through Jesus or eternal separation from God apart from him.
Leadership and Pastoral Care
The congregation is led by elders chosen from among its members to provide oversight, accountability, and vision, drawing on the pattern in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Chris Wear chairs the elder board and Greg Hale serves as vice-chairperson. Other elders include Tim Bailey, Mike Johnson, Ron Johnson, Corey Montgomery, Josh Padgett, Kevin Porter, Jonathan Wear, JJ VonTersch, and Tyler Loukota.
The paid staff team carries out day-to-day ministry. Tim Beasley has served since 1996 and leads the staff team, casting vision and providing pastoral care. Bill Fink, on staff since 1989, oversees global outreach and leads the senior adult ministry. Joshua Bower joined the team in 2016 and leads Worship Arts. Jeff McCollough directs family ministry and small groups, drawing on more than two decades in children's ministry. Blake Pesetsky ministers to college students. David Chaney leads the Student Body. Scott Conrad handles discipleship and connections. Ronika Morgan oversees the preschool and nursery.
Plugging In and Giving Back
Newcomers are greeted at the door and pointed to age-appropriate areas for the kids; a Connect Card is also available online for anyone who wants a follow-up from the church. Small groups can be joined with a sign-up form. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Fridays, and reopened Sunday from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Giving is available online through debit or credit card, with Venmo as an additional option.
A podcast called Church Things lets listeners hear staff and members discuss topics like why they should be in Sunday school, what college ministry looks like, and how to talk about faith and politics with grace, while a weekly eCentral newsletter keeps the wider church up to date on what's coming up.