It’s been almost a week since my last post. Here a recap of what’s been going on:

• We had one of the best Christmas Eve services ever! Wes & the band did an awesome job! Great attendance! Lots of guests! It was definitely Rockin! Next year, however, right before my message, we will dismiss all the children to an age appropriate environment just for them. Had fun with them in the service, but when it comes time for the message we need to eliminate all distractions for people to hear the gospel.
• Stayed up way too late Christmas Eve (2:30AM) and got up way too early (7AM)! Christopher set his alarm for 5AM (an hour later than last year) and then he and Lydia watched a movie together in his room before they came down and woke us up. It’s a fun tradition they started a couple of years ago. They watched Get Smart.
• Our Christmas morning tradition: after waking me and Janet up (and we actually WAKE up), we gather in the family room, read the Christmas story from Luke 2 (this year I read it from my iPhone!) and pray together. Then we start with the kids’ stockings. After stockings we open gifts from Santa. Yes we still do Santa. And at our house, Santa wraps each gift very meticulously and has funny name tags on each gift. It’s also not a free for all. Each person takes a turn and everyone watches. We pick up after each gift and then move to the next. After Santa’s gifts we do breakfast. This year I made sausage gravy, grits, and biscuits. Then we move to the gifts from each other. My mom came over for lunch and we exchanged gifts with her. For lunch I grilled steaks! We had so much fun! I crashed around 4:30!
• Friday & Saturday I was back at the office getting ready for Sunday. Had Wes, Bri, and Charlotte over for dinner Friday night. We just love those guys!
• Had a much better day than expected on Sunday. There were tons of people gone, but our attendance wasn’t that bad, and we continue to have guests every week. My message was entitled, “2008-The Year In Review.” It was a look back on all of the message series we did last year and a few highlights. This Sunday is going to be, “2009-The Year Ahead.” I really think this is going to be a tradition.
• On Sunday after church our family went to see, “Four Christmases” (no Youth Group). There were several very funny scenes! Vince Vaughn as Joseph in the Christmas Pageant at a local Mega Church is worth the admission for the movie. Hilarious!
• On Monday I wrote a bunch of letters to 1st & 2nd Time Guests and then took the rest of the day off. Hung out with Christopher and watched, “Eagle Eye.” Pretty good flick. Monday was also Wes & Bri’s 3rd Wedding Anniversary!
• Today I met with Wes to talk through our “Fuel” Leadership Meeting on Saturday, January 10th. It’s going to be great! I can’t wait. If you are a leader or volunteer here at Coastal – you have to come! This is going to be one of the best things we do!

Well, that’s about it. I just wanted to let you know what’s been going on. I plan on taking some much needed family time this week, so this is going to be a light blogging week for me. But I’m jacked about Sunday! I’m going to be sharing vision and talk about where we’re going in the New Year. I’m also going tell you about some of the series we’ll be doing and some big events. You won’t want to miss it.

Here a few pictures from the Rollins Christmas:

Our Tree!

Caption on shirt: “If My Music Is Too Loud – You’re Too Old”

Can’t have too many Clemson shirts!

Girls love purses . . .

and shoes!

My son loves tape!

Just what I needed! Socks & underwear!

Lydia is making me a Clemson Blanket!

That expression never gets old!

Before I get to Sunday (yesterday), I wanted to tell you about Saturday. I performed a wedding downtown at MUSC’s St. Luke chapel. The couple was very sweet. She is a Dental student at MUSC. And he is a tennis pro. He is ranked 74th in the world. Last year he made it to the 3rd round of Wimbledon. I told him that I am deceptively quick like a puma on the court. He laughed. I get to meet a lot of cool people at weddings.

On Saturday night Janet and I went to a Christmas party. It was hosted by a friend of mine from High School and her family. I’m so glad we went! We had a blast. Got to connect with some old friends and make some new ones. Had several people tell me that they were going to come and check out our church.

What can I say about Sunday! It was absolutely awesome! Two interesting signs of growth: we ran out of bulletins and went through 7 airpots of coffee! Funny thing is I started printing more bulletins last Sunday and we ran out. I decided to print more this week and we ran out again. I also bought two more airpots this past week because of all the coffee we were going through. We had the largest non-special event attendance we’ve had in a long time. Every week we are having 1st time guests and return guests.

Just two weeks ago, we began improving the way we follow up with our guests. I know it’s too early to really see a difference, but it’s as though God is blessing our efforts. The best part of Sunday for me? A friend of mine from High School came to church! And guess where I invited him? On Facebook! I “friended” him several months ago and he asked me if I was still preaching at a church. I told him I was and invited him to come. He showed up on Sunday! He came up to me after church and said, “Chris, this was great! I’ll see you next Sunday.”

God is up to something at Coastal. I can feel it – always have. But now I think everyone else can to. And people are talking about it every week – talking about the growth, talking about all the guests, talking about the full parking lot, talking about running out of bulletins and coffee. Call it a buzz or momentum or whatever you want. I call it the Spirit of the Living God! Here are a couple of comments from Sunday’s Connect Cards: “I am very happy I found this church!” “We will be back. This was so real and refreshing. I felt Jesus every where and the love He has for me.”

I can’t wait for Wednesday night! Invite & bring a friend!

If you care about people and the mission of the church you have to take 5 minutes and watch this video. It’s Penn (of Penn & Teller) talking about “proselytizing” and his experience with a Christian. Of course, Penn is a well known, self-described Atheist. In fact, interestingly enough, Penn and his Vegas Show just came up in conversation at my Men’s Group. Watch this. Believe it or not, Penn is very convicting.

Well, if you haven’t guessed yet, I got an iPhone for Christmas! Two weeks ago, my phone bit the dust and then my current contract with T-Mobile expired on Monday. So with all the planets aligning (no, I didn’t purposely break my phone), I decided to switch networks and take the plunge. Most of you know that I am a Mac Addict. I have owned everything Apple since 1989. In fact, my first computer was a MacPlus (pre-Windows). I have never used a PC in my life. I was an Apple guy way before it was hip and cool.

I can come up with all kinds of reasons to justify my purchase – iPod, phone, internet & email access, GPS capability – all in one. I can even spiritualize it and tell you all about YouVersion’s Bible application. But truthfully, it was a want, not a need. But I absolutely love it! If you love gadgets and technology and eye candy like I do, you will be amazed! The only drawback is that when I come home, my kids want the iPhone and my laptop – not me. Although they now call me iDaddy!

I know you’ve probably seen this a hundred times by now. Every time I see this it just blows my mind. I know I’m weird, but I have questions. Where were the Secret Service? I know they’re supposed to be willing to “take a bullet” for the President, so how come no one was willing to “take a shoe?” And not only was this guy able to get off one shoe and throw it, but TWO?! I mean I know these people are known for throwing rocks, but SHOES! (Okay, that was politically incorrect) Years from now will Oliver Stone do a movie asking about a second “shoe-ter” conspiracy. I do give Bush props for his puma-like quickness and moves!

These stories originally ran about a year ago, but I just saw another one on the news recently. Tennessee and Georgia could become the new Middle East! Bubbas everywhere become “Redneck Sheiks” in the new OPEC. Get to working on this Jeff.

This story reminds me of the church. We are always complaining of a resource shortage in the church – a shortage of leaders, a shortage of money, a shortage of people. What I am learning is that the resources are there. The leaders and the people are there. We just need to do a better job of developing those leaders, looking for alternative sources and cultivating them.

That, by the way, is the purpose of “Fuel.” Fuel is the name of our once a month leadership development event starting on January 10th. For the remainder of the year Fuel will meet on the first Saturday of each month from 10-Noon. It is open to all Volunteers and Ministry Leaders at Coastal. It will not just be another time of vision casting and teaching – although we will do some of that. It will be so much more. Like the name suggests, it will also be a time to fill up our tanks and re-energize each other. There will be worship and prayer and skill training and real conversations about future developments here at Coastal and opportunities to jump in and get your feet wet by taking on real responsibility. I am jacked about it! Make plans to be there!

On a Sunday, no less. I know – you’re amazed. I just wanted to share a few things about today, before I head home from the church. And I’ve already been told that I have to be ready to leave as soon as Youth Group and Financial Peace are over. You see, tonight is the Survivor finale. We’re huge Survivor fans. Actually, this season has been somewhat of a disappointment – no one that we’re really pulling for. At this point, I guess we like Bob (the old guy who keeps winning while looking like an emaciated Concentration Camp victim) or Sugar (the blonde pin up model – whatever that is).

Okay enough of all that – I need to get on with our weekend. Let me just say that Friday night was a blast! It was our Adult Christmas Party at the church. Over the years we’ve had our party at lots of different places and restaurants. This year, to save everyone money, we decided to have it here and have a potluck dinner or covered dish dinner (whatever your tradition calls it) and not charge anything. And you know what? I’m glad we did. There was plenty of great food and we had so much fun! We did have a lot people who couldn’t make it because of other commitments or sickness, but we also had several new people who joined us. The thought actually crossed my mind that maybe this thing had run it’s course and next year we just push the party toward our Small Groups, but after Friday night, I’m sure we’ll do it again. Gag gifts that got a lot of play: Victoria Secret gift card, Lottery tickets (they actually won $30), Atari, and a voice changer. Again, lots of fun!

On Saturday, Wes took a group of our students to serve the underprivileged of our community by helping out Without Walls Ministry. They had a great event downtown at Hampton Park where they gave away clothes, food, and other services. My kids had fun serving. But I do have to tell you about one thing that happened. My son Christopher doesn’t have a cold bone in his body. I think he wore shorts and flip flops to church today. Well that’s also what he wore yesterday at the event (it was cold – at least for Charleston). A woman approached him and told him not to be embarrassed and go get some clothes that they were giving away. She thought he was homeless. My wife felt vindicated. She’s been telling him that people would think that for a while.

On Saturday night we went out to the Beam’s Small Group. They invited us to their Christmas party and gift exchange. We had a lot of fun and ate way too much. In case you’re wondering, I’ve eaten like crap for two weeks! But that ends now! I’m back on the wagon. My good friend and fellow weight losing Pastor, Scott Gamel, has been my inspiration to get back in the groove! I’ll let you know how I’m doing. By the way, most of our groups take a break over the holidays and we make a big push again at the first of the year. If you’re not in a group, you’re really missing out.

Okay, today was awesome. We had lots of 1st & 2nd Time Guests. The first service was kind of average as attendance goes. The second service rocked it out. We ran out of bulletins in the second service – had just enough! It’s amazing what a difference twenty or thirty people make as far as my preaching goes. We’ve been tweaking our service, and although we’re probably not done yet, I’m liking the changes. I also love it that we’re the type of church that when we need to change something – we do it. Simple as that. Love preaching about the Christmas Story.

We had the largest Newcomers Lunch we’ve ever had today! 27 adults! Not counting kids or my family – 27 adults! I love telling our story. It’s really a story of God’s grace. Hold on to your fork Coastal, the best is yet to come!

Hey one thing that I need to ask of our folks. If you’re a regular attender here, I need you to start parking in the big field by the Youth Room side of our campus. We had a major traffic jam on the Auditorium side – good problem to have. We really need to keep that side for guests and newcomers. By the way, if you’ve been to the Newcomers Lunch, you’re no longer a newcomer. Let’s keep making room for new people. That’s why we exist – to keep reaching out to people who are far from God! Well that’s about it. I need to pack up my computer and my stuff and be ready to walk out the door or I’ll never hear the end of it. (I think I’m getting an early Christmas present tomorrow! I’ll let you know later! iWonder what it could be?)

Yesterday afternoon our family went and picked out our Christmas Tree! We spent way too much money, but we picked out the perfect tree! Christopher and I named it “The Beast” because it’s so GINORMOUS. Go ahead and settle for the Charlie Brown Tree because we got the best one. I grew up with artificial Christmas Trees. So when Janet and I got married, I couldn’t wait to get a real one. Janet grew up with real ones and doesn’t really care. Actually, I think she’s ready for an artificial tree – something about vacuuming and watering? I know, crazy talk.

I still remember picking out our first real Christmas Tree. We were living in Atlanta and went to the Farmer’s Market and walked up and down aisle after aisle looking at what seemed to be thousands of trees. We finally found the perfect tree – a Colorado Blue Spruce. The man at the Farmer’s Market trimmed it, tied it up, and put it on our car. Off we went back home with our first real tree as husband and wife. When we got home to put up our “perfect tree,” we made a discovery. Colorado Blue Spruces are beautiful to look at, but prickly to the touch, VERY PRICKLY! In fact, so prickly that we had to put it up with oven mits (we didn’t have gloves). It took FOREVER to decorate!

So we learned our lesson, but we still have a blast putting up and decorating the tree. Every ornament is a special memory and sparks a smile, a laugh, or a story. My mom has been giving us Precious Moments ornaments for 21 years – for Janet and I and the kids. We’ve been collecting the James Island County Park Festival of Lights ornaments since it opened. The Angel on top of the tree was made by a dear friend. And just about every vacation or trip we take, we try to pick up a Christmas ornament – New York, Williamsburg, Disney, Hilton Head, Two Meeting Street Inn, Clemson, etc. And then of course, there are the ornaments our kids made! We had so much fun last night! I love my family!

is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!