This coming Sunday we kick-off a brand new message series entitled, “The Deadliest Catch.” We’re going to preach through the book of Jonah. As a fun way to culminate the series we’re going to have an Island Adventure Day on Cole’s Island off Folly Beach on Saturday, October 25th. Cole’s Island is a beautiful 80 acre island owned by a friend of Beth Duckworth from our church. It’s a short boat ride from Folly Marina right between Folly Beach County Park and Kiawah Island, near Bird Key Island. It’s going to be a great day for the whole family of boating, fishing, crabing, shrimping, tubing, swimming, relaxing, and of course eating.

Well, on Friday morning my son Christopher, Wes, and I went with Beth on her boat out to the island. It was a lot of fun! First of all, just riding in a boat through any of the rivers here in Charleston is awesome. And let me tell you, that Beth is one Salty Dog! She knows her way around a boat, a shrimp net, and a fishing pole. She would make her dad proud!

The island is extremely cool. Lots of beautiful oak trees and palmetto trees, nice dock and floating dock, fire pit, a tree house (and an out house), room to explore, and breathtaking views. I wish I had brought my camera. I did take a few shots with my phone that I’ll share. I’m not sure Wes had ever seen a fiddler crab or cast a shrimp net, but he took to it pretty fast. Can’t wait for October 25th! We’re going to have a blast!

We zoomed home by noon so I could chaperone over at Oakland Elementary School’s Infraction Free Dance. Let’s just say it was controlled bedlam, but lots of fun. I’ve got to get Lydia to teach me the Electric Slide before the next dance!

On Saturday, the Youth Group had a service project at the church. They cleaned out several areas around the church that needed attention: the Youth Room (once known as the Fellowship Hall, soon to be called the Beach House), the attic, and several storage areas. They worked hard, got a lot done, and had a lot of fun! We have awesome students (and an awesome Youth Pastor)!

On Sunday we closed out our “Gametime” series with a message simply entitled, “We Win”! I talked about our victory in Christ Jesus and used Romans chapter 8 to remind us how great we have it and that we are on the winning team. One comment from our Connect Cards was, “Wonderful message – needed to hear it and will share it in word, attitude, and outlook.” Amen! We did have some first time guests, but attendance was definitely down. Several families out of town and some sickness.

One thing that we do need to address is our offering. It was definitely down on Sunday. Actually it has been down for the last two months. At first I didn’t really notice it in August. Sometimes August is a little low in giving and then Labor Day and then it usually rebounds a bit, but the trend has continued. I’ve talked to several Pastors and many churches are feeling the pinch so to speak. People are nervous. Some are hurting.

So what do we do? First of all, pray. Secondly, be open and honest with the information, the facts and figures. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Thirdly, teach and challenge. Teach about Biblical giving and stewardship and remind people that there is nothing greater to give your life and your money toward than to the Kingdom of God. Put God first. The first 10% goes to Him. Help people take steps toward debt free living (we’re doing that with Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace). We also, as a church have to tighten our belt a bit, be conscience of over spending.

But ultimately, I believe this, there is plenty of money in each local church to accomplish what God wants to do. And God’s resources are limitless. Where God guides, God provides. But we can not and will not leave out taking a step faith. We must operate with greater integrity than any business, but we are more than that. We will never back away from or scale down our vision – reaching out to people who are far away from God and sharing LIFE with them! That’s what Satan would want – us backing down or scaling back. We have a mission to accomplish and there is no greater opportunity than now, when the world is on shaky ground and all hope seems lost, to point people to the Rock of Ages and the Hope of the world! That’s why we give.

I’m definitely a better “fisher of men.”

Wes’ attempt at casting a shrimp net. I think he caught a cold.

The view from the treehouse.

The treehouse (sorry, camera phone).

On Tuesday night I had the privilege to go to the Lowcountry Pregnancy Center for their “Walk For Life” Liaison Rally. On Saturday, November 8th our church has the honor of being one of three host sites for their Walk-A-Thon. On Sunday, Tammy Matthews, who calls Coastal home and who works at the Center, is going to share just a little bit about what they do and what we can do to help through the Walk-A-Thon. They are trying to expand their hours and services at a new location West Ashley.

Honestly, it was my first visit to the Center. I was very impressed. I got a tour of the facility and was overwhelmed with all that they do. Too often when people hear “Pro-Life” they only think abortion clinic protesters with pictures of fetuses screaming at passer-bys. While I understand where they think they are coming from, I must confess that I cringe when I see them. Truthfully, in some ways I think they do more harm than good. Ultimately, I believe that abortion is a spiritual issue, a heart issue – not a political one. What people don’t see is what I saw at the Pregnancy Center – people behind the scenes who tirelessly give their time for free, compassion, genuine help, counseling, clothing, food, adoption, love. They are on the real front lines of this issue.

First, some random stuff: Love this weather! High 70’s and low 80’s all week. Tigers, Gamecocks, Bulldogs (Georgia & Citadel) all won. Still not optimistic about my Tigers and the rest of the season (I doubt Gamecock fans are either). David & Josh Beam spent the night at our house on Friday night with Christopher. Great kids. Like laughing with them. My son has great friends. Had two weddings on Saturday – one downtown at the Battery and one on Folly Beach. Very sweet people. One of the grooms is in the Army and leaving for Afghanistan in a month. Adds new meaning to the “until we are parted by death” part of the vows. 16 students showed up for a Halo party at the church with Wes. They had a lot of fun.

Sunday was just a great day! There are always things that we can work on and improve in all areas of our Ministry. And there are always more people to reach in our city. But I just loved the vibe yesterday. Volunteers come early. People are praying for one another and sharing their lives with each other. People are hanging out longer after the service. Attendance was up. Had several 1st time guests. The band did a great job. It was just one of those days. Hard to put your finger on just one thing, but God’s Spirit was moving.

Preached on “Playing Our Position” yesterday – part three in our “Gametime” series. The message was all about getting back to the fundamentals and playing our primary position in the Kingdom – that of a servant. Ministry Fairs and Spiritual Gift Assessments are great – we have them and do them. But the reason more people don’t serve is not lack of opportunity, information, or marketing. We’ve forgotten our position – servant. Talked about “bucket theology.” When Pilate had a chance to acquit Jesus, he used his “bucket” to wash his hands of all responsibility. Pilate’s “bucket theology” is alive and well today. “It’s not my job. I’ve served my time. That’s beneath me. Somebody else will do it.” In John 13, Jesus used his “bucket” to wash the dirty feet of His disciples and take on a responsibility that Peter didn’t think was His in the first place. Bucket Theology. Which one do your actions show you have?

During my sermon I said that I needed someone to be a servant and go pick up a family who called this week and said they would like to come to our church, but needed a ride. 3 families volunteered in 5 minutes after the service (thanks Renee for being the first and taking care of it). And then during the second service I used the illustration, but now said they needed a ride home. Immediately after the service I had several volunteers (thanks Delma & Bruce). I think that family will definitely be back!

Matthew 28:26-28, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Before our offering yesterday, I talked very openly about these tough & tumultuous economic times. I challenged our people to put their faith in God and to continue to be faithful in their giving (our offering was back up yesterday – had been down for a while). But that’s not why I said what I said. The watching world is looking for something to put their hope in. And in crazy times like these, we need to show the world that our hope is not in a certain political candidate, not in the stock market, or a bank. Our hope is in God. He will provide. Our serving is to flow out of His grace and so is our giving.

Sunday night was jumping with activity. D.O.G.S.(1st-5th Grades) & WAVES(6th-12th Grades) had tons of Students. Students are inviting Students! You guys rock!

Financial Peace University also kicked off last night. As a church, we are trying to do all we can to help people during these difficult times. Even if you missed the first session, come this Sunday, 6-8PM. We’ll try to offer this class again in the new year.

One week of eating healthy. Half to admit, it was tough getting back into the groove, about kicked my big butt. Thanks for the prayers and encouragement. Got a long way to go, but at least I’m heading in the right direction. Lifestyle right? Need to do a better job of exercising consistently. Well that’s about it. Great weekend. Looking forward to a great week and some exciting things ahead.

Just a few random thoughts on this Thursday morning. Our Small Group met last night and we had a new couple join us from our “Join A Team” emphasis on Sunday. It’s amazing what a difference one family makes in a Small Group. Really enjoyed last night. And I was so proud of our group and the way they welcomed this new family. Some groups are not very good at that. Ours is!

Love the weather today! I’m not breaking out sweaters and the leaves aren’t changing, but there was a coolness in the air early this morning that was nice. Although my wife will be breaking out her heavy coat and the heat lamp. She stays cold. That’s okay – my job is keeping her warm.

I drink way too many diet drinks (like they do me any good)! Well this week I decided once again to cut them out of my diet and drink only water. Wow – for a day and a half I had a major caffeine headache. Should be reason enough to stay away from them. I know, I know, don’t send me the emails describing how dangerous they are for your health – what they deposit at your brain stem, how they can disintegrate a nail or a penny, and how they cause cancer.

Speaking of diets – I’m trying to stay on one right now. I know, diets don’t work. It’s a lifestyle! Well, overall my lifestyle is pretty unhealthy, so I’m trying to make changes. It’s the ongoing struggle of my life and I’m trying to do something about it. I even thought about opening myself up here on my blog for the whole world to see and post my weight and some disturbing “before” pictures and daily updates of my struggle – the ups and downs of weight loss. Decided against it, but if you remember, say a prayer for me. I’ve had some success in the past, but it’s not been very lasting, definitely not a lifestyle. I know the things to do – healthy balanced diet, portion control, exercise, rest, etc., it’s just doing them consistently. But the older I get, the more important those changes become. This post and this post from Perry Noble was very convicting, encouraging, and helpful.

Anyway, I’ll try not to bore you with my struggle, but misery loves company (and encouragement and accountability). So – you’re not bugging me if you ask how I’m doing or when you snatch brownie from my face I won’t cry. And if you want to drop by with a healthy salad for lunch I won’t slap it out of your hand. And if you want to go for an early morning or afterwork walk on the West Ashley Greenway, I won’t laugh at you. Just make sure you know CPR!

A couple of things that have helped this week: breakfast and lunch. Let me explain. I’ve always heard how breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day – starts your metabolism, gives you that “full” feeling, etc. – but never really paid much attention to it. Well this week I’ve made sure I’ve started my day with a healthy breakfast – fruit, fat free yogurt, high fiber/low fat muffin, etc. I can tell a difference around 11AM. I’m not starving! The other thing I’m trying to do is to bring a healthy lunch to work. My old pattern was to skip one or both meals and by the time I get home in the evening I eat everything in site – not good. Anyway, it’s a start. Slow but sure wins the race – right?

Very excited about our next sermon series in October. I’m going to be preaching through Jonah. We’re calling it, “The Deadliest Catch!” Great message in Jonah about running from God and His grace for all people.

This past Sunday at Coastal we made a push for everyone to “join a team” or get in a Small Group. It was a part of our “Gametime” series. Our Welcome Center was transformed into a mini “Small Group Expo” where people could see all the different groups of our church, meet the leaders, and get all the info (the when and where stuff) they needed to help make a decision about which group to join – plus all the tables had great snacks! We definitely created a buzz about our groups and several new people signed up to join a group. Plus we have several new groups that are starting. It was a great atmosphere after both services.

We’ve said this many times – we must continue to grow larger and smaller at the same time. We must grow larger in our outreach and our influence, but we must also grow smaller by offering more and more small groups. Small Groups expand our capacity for love, care, and discipleship. We don’t want to be a church WITH groups. We want to be a church OF small groups. In other words small groups are not just another program to add to an already busy church schedule, but they are the primary vehicle of the church being the church. I believe that.

Over the history of our church there have been times when I’ve felt like we’ve hit the mark with our groups and other times not so much. That’s true of every church, no matter its size. Leading, growing, multiplying leaders and groups never stops. We are entering a time in the life of our church where we are going to re-emphasize and recommit to our Small Groups. The good news is that Small Groups are still a part of the DNA of our church. It’s still a core value. It just needs to be elevated. Sunday was a good start. But it’s just the beginning.

A few other observations from the weekend:

- A ton of students keep showing up for Student Ministry at Coastal and they are bringing friends! Wes is doing a great job – both with our Worship & our Students.

- On Saturday I performed a wedding out at Kiawah for a couple who travel internationally and perform in Cirque du Soleil. He performed on the High Bar and she performed on the tissue (with Cirque du Soleil, not during the ceremony). She was a former member of the U.S. rhythmic gymnastics team. Here is a You Tube video of the Groom. He’s from Brazil. I could tell he was a little monkey!

Well that’s about it. Clemson won Saturday. Carolina Lost. All in all it was a good weekend – except that Georgia had to win.

(I couldn’t resist.) Yesterday afternoon as I sat in my office working on my message I got a phone call from a good Pastor friend of mine asking me if I had heard about gas prices “spiking” on Friday. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about – hadn’t heard a thing. Evidently, I hadn’t checked my email or been listening to talk radio. Within a couple of hours I had received several phone calls and emails from almost panicked people telling me to “fill up my tanks – the world is coming to an end!” Okay, they didn’t say the last part, but that’s how it felt around the gas stations yesterday in Charleston.

A few observations:

- We have got to do something about our dependence on oil. In my opinion a few people got very rich yesterday. Some of you smart people get to working on that.

- When and if there is a real crisis (think 1930’s Depression) we are in serious trouble.

- It is utterly amazing how quickly gossip and rumors spread. I called a few of those same friends this morning and said something like, “Hey I heard that a chicken neck factory in Texas is ground zero for the storm and vienna sausages are going up to $5 a can tomorrow. Stock up now!” (Junior Moore asked me if I was serious – evidently he likes his vienna sausages!) Or hey, let’s start the rumor that real, abundant LIFE is only found in Jesus or that the best place to be on Sunday morning is in your local church not in your lazy boy and see what happens. Just a thought.

(On a more serious note, but speaking of gossip, when someone starts talking about someone else, stop them dead in their tracks and tell them you don’t want to hear it. It’s called sin. And when done in the church, it is deadly. If you have question, be mature enough to go to the source. If they’re talking about someone else, I’ll guarantee they talk about you or have told a different version to someone else. Don’t fall prey to you being their friend and letting them vent. Tell them to vent to God, to the source, or to keep quiet. Prov. 16:28, “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.” In 18 years at Coastal, I’ve been the subject of gossip many times. It comes with the territory of leadership. Very few times do people actually do the Biblical thing and nip it in the bud or come to me with a concern or desire to hear the truth. They receive it, believe it, and pass it along and the church is weaker as a result.)

Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

1John 2:17, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

(Guest Blogger: Janet Rollins – my lovely wife!)
Are you tired of making that same resolution every year – get out of debt and save money? Beginning September 21, Coastal will be offering Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. The classes will meet for 13 weeks on Sunday nights from 6-8pm at Coastal. We will learn about how to save money, live on a budget, communicate about money, eliminate debt, find bargains, and experience the joy of giving. We will also discuss investments, insurance, real estate, and retirement. This will be a great time of fellowship, accountability, and life change.

The cost of the class is $100 per family. I know this may seem like alot of money, but once you have completed the class, you are a lifetime member of Financial Peace University, which means you can attend any class anywhere for the rest of your life. The cost of the class also includes your curriculum which consists of:  the class workbook, Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University book, budgeting forms, CD’s of all the lessons we will watch on DVD, Envelope System, and a bonus CD which includes a financial calculator, screensavers, financial forms, etc. The average family pays off over $5,300 in debt and puts over $2,700 into savings during the first 91 days of this program.

This Sunday, I will have a table set up in the Welcome Center with a sample of the curriculum. I will be there to answer any questions.  Also, feel free to call (556-2254) or email me with any questions (janetr@knology.net). For more information, go to www.daveramsey.com. I’m looking forward to doing this together! See you Sunday!

I know, I know – I’ve been pretty slack about posting on my blog lately. No real excuse – just the craziness of the “storm” last week, kicking off our new “Gametime” series with our outdoor event on Sunday, and getting ready for our MondayNight Football Party last night. Okay, when I type it out I guess I have been busy. But it’s all good stuff. I’ll try to make up for it with some pictures.

Really had a lot of fun with our outdoor service on Sunday. The only slight negative was the heat. It was HOT! Thank the Lord for our huge oak tree! But hey, we could have been evacuated! I’ll take the heat any day. The service itself had a community pep rally feel. Great music. Great food. Great fun. Really appreciate all the volunteers who came on Saturday and early Sunday to get everything ready and then stayed late to clean up. You guys are awesome. And we have some students who do whatever we ask of them and more. They work circles around some adults I know. I’m proud of you guys!

The band sounded great outside! Loved the worship and the set during lunch. They rocked the neighborhood!

Speaking of lunch, the whole pig was a huge hit! Jamie Westendorf (good friends of a couple of people at our church) of Charleston Outdoor Catering took care of the pig for us. He was already giving us a great deal and when I pulled him aside to get him a check he refused and instead wanted to donate the pig and his services. Wow! He said that he listened to my sermon and wanted to give something back. Is that cool or what?

Had a pretty good crowd, not our best, but not bad either. I still think the storm threw us off last week. Had some 1st time guests and several return guests. My message was about getting out of the stands and down on to the playing field of the Kingdom.

And then on Monday night we set up our “ginormous” screen (16′ x 21′) in our auditorium to watch Monday Night Football. It almost didn’t fit! It is incredible. The picture is awesome! It was like we had our own IMAX. Can’t wait for our Clemson/Carolian Party and the Super Bowl Party this year! But like I said on Sunday, we’re just patting ourselves on the back and feeding our faces if we don’t take advantage of events like these to invite our friends. That’s why we do what we do. Here are few more pictures from Sunday. Didn’t get a picture from Monday night.

I’ve watched more Weather Channel in the last couple of days than I care to admit. This picture is from NOAA and the National Hurricane Center. The bottom line: Gametime is ON this Sunday!

We’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting to make it official – wondering, like everyone else what will happen this weekend here in Charleston. Obviously things could change, but right now our best guess is that Sunday will be beautiful and it would be a shame to postpone our outdoor tailgating service.

So like I said – GAME ON! One combined outdoor service at 10:30AM this Sunday. Wear your favorite team attire! Come jacked up for our pep rally atmosphere! Bring plenty of food to share for you, your family, and our guests (hamburgers, hotdogs, and barbeque provided). And most importantly – pray and invite! Bring your friends, family, and neighbors! We’ll have great food, great music, great fun, and the greatest message of all! See you Sunday! Are you ready for some LIFE change?