OUR PHILOSOPHY
The teachings, example, and challenge of Jesus Christ, our faith in Him, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are the motivation for and foundation of our efforts, and our mission, in its simplest terms, is to honor Jesus by serving others faithfully and wisely while watching and giving thanks for all that God is doing.
It is our hope that, in that process, others will hear and respond to the Good News of Jesus.
Christ Central Ministries believes that communities are rich in unrecognized resources, undiagnosed problems, and, with respect to poverty solutions, leadership vacuums. Christ Central’s mission is to enrich those communities through a process of disciplined research, careful diagnoses, and loving remedies. We accomplish that by energizing the churches, schools, businesses, individuals, and government to work together to develop effective leaders, multiply resources, and focus those resources on the most serious problems.
Christ Central History
In August 1992, members of various area congregations began meeting at a local church in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to seek God’s will for their city. Two years later, in June 1994, a homeless man came to the event and asked for food. His request was met, more homeless people started coming for the same reason, a great need was recognized, and the challenge was accepted. The effort was named Inner City Ministry. It soon outgrew the gymnasium that was originally offered, and on May 18, 1997, Inner City Ministry became Christ Central Ministries.
Today, Christ Central has grown to include mission stations across South Carolina, Hope Plaza on Main Street, Columbia, a Wilderness Camp, a Missions College, a free medical center, the largest Veteran Center in South Carolina, addiction housing facilities, a children’s home, women and men’s transitional facilities, resource and solutions centers, food banks, thrift stores, free GED programs, and many other mission outreaches serving various needs in communities across South Carolina. Because Christ Central Ministries and Institute are interdenominational, we strive to work with any church who recognizes a need in its community and help to create a godly response.
Christ Central Future
Projects under way include CCM’s first free mental health clinic, additional free medical clinics, a comprehensive youth program that meets youth at school, at home, and in their neighborhoods, a national pilot project to address persistent homelessness, and Mission Lake, a 1400 acre wilderness camp and research campus in southern Lexington County.