Monthly Archives
I love our volunteers here at Coastal – I do! I love that people value serving here and that anyone can get involved. I truly believe we have some of the best volunteers any church could imagine. I believe that we have done a great job of both elevating the value of volunteering here at Coastal and valuing our volunteers.
Now over the years at Coastal, I’ve preached a lot of messages about serving. We’ve had countless Ministry Fairs where we transformed our building into a Ministry Expo, where we highlighted each and every ministry of our church with a booth and challenged you to find a place to serve and volunteer. I’ve preached entire sermon series on serving, spiritual gifts, and plugging into ministry.
Now while I believe that we as a church have to constantly improve our systems in helping people take next steps in their spiritual journey, I don’t think the reason more people don’t serve in ministry or volunteer is because they didn’t go to a ministry fair. I don’t think the reason more people don’t serve in ministry or volunteer is because they haven’t taken a spiritual gift assessment or a personality test.
I think the reason we have a high number of committed volunteers here at Coastal is two-fold. People will serve when they fall more deeply in love with Jesus. Service is an outflow of a love relationship with Jesus. We serve because of our devotion to Jesus. Sometimes, the danger of a sermon on serving and volunteering is that you can either feel guilty for not doing more or you can run like crazy into multiple ministries. The key is to grow in your love for Jesus and when you do, you’ll understand who He has made you to be, and then you’ll WANT to serve Him by serving others. We don’t want to guilt you into serving or giving. Instead we want to GRACE you into it because of all that He has done for you. You are loved more than you can imagine; you are treasured more than you know, because you matter to God. Let His love for you become the motivation for your serving and giving.
Here’s the other reason I believe we produce a lot of committed volunteers here. We consistently teach that the Christian life is fundamentally a life of servanthood. That’s our primary position – servant. Jesus is our Master and we are His servants. Whatever He says goes. In our world where we are the center of the universe and everything revolves around me and my needs, we have to continually remind ourselves that we serve God by serving others, by putting others ahead of ourselves. And even in the modern church where we have created a culture of finding a church that offers the best and the most and “I didn’t get anything out of that service” and “I’m burned out” and “I’m too busy” and “I’ve served my time,” somewhere in all of that, we have forgotten that we are here to glorify God, reach out to people who are far from Him, and to be a servant to all. It’s not about me and you. It’s about Him. Matthew 20:26-28, “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.”
We talk about life all the time here. We exist to share and experience what? The LIFE and LOVE of Jesus. Jesus came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. Well, Jesus said something very interesting about LIFE in Luke 9:23-25, “Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?” Jesus is saying that we find our lives not by focusing on ourselves, but by giving away our lives for the sake of Him.
The month of August, as we move into the Fall, we’ll be focusing on finding a place to serve in the family here at Coastal. It’s real simple. If you call Coastal your home, ask yourself this question – what is my ministry and where am I serving on Sunday mornings? Whether it’s Coastal Kidz, 1st Impressions, our Cafe, the Security Team, the Tech Booth, or countless other opportunities, there is a place for you! Go to our website, check out all the different opportunities to serve, and sign up today!
In His Service & Yours!
Pastor Chris
This Sunday, July 24th, we kick off another favorite Summer Sermon Series tradition here at Coastal –“Summer Reading”! “Summer Reading” is where we pick a group of books for you to read over the Summer, and then the subject matter of each of those books becomes the sermon topic for that particular Sunday. Now before some of you freak out thinking that I’ve gone heretical, thrown out the Bible, and I’m now preaching from other books instead of the Bible, throw away your email and simmer down. That’s not what we’re doing. We’re not preaching from the books themselves. If anything, I think you’ll discover that during this series you will find yourself compelled to go to scripture as we point people to the truth of His Word and a deeper relationship with God.
Here is the Book List and the order in which we will be using them:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Celebration of Discipline by Ricard Foster
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan
You might notice something a little different about this year’s book list. Typically, we choose fairly current Christian Living books. This year’s books are NOT fairly current. In fact, they are the opposite. Many of them have been around for a long time. They are what you would call, “Christian Classics,” and many of them are not light reading. But for thousands and thousands of Christians worldwide, most of these books have been foundational in shaping their faith. So, I hope you’ll pick up one or two or all of them and read them or read them again over the Summer. After all: Leaders are what? Readers! Retired Admiral James Stavridis of the US Navy once said this, “The single best way a leader can learn and grow is through reading. So many of our best leaders develop and enhance their ability to lead through endless contact with books.”
We really did have an amazing week of VBS this year! And I’ve got some exciting news to share with you! Our Mobile Clothing Distribution Box Truck is now fully and completely funded! Our Goal was $40,000 and our church (YOU) gave $44,377! It really has been an unbelievable Summer here at Coastal – from our “At the Movies” series, Baby Dedication, Father’s Day, 41 people getting Baptized at the beach, VBS, and Summer of IMPACT! In the last 6 weeks alone we have had 100 first and second time guest Connect Cards filled out (representing hundreds of people), given away 222 movie tickets, and 178 guest bags! Listen to me Coastal, all of this is not normal for most churches! Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want normal. Keep reaching out, keep praying, keep reading your Bible, keep giving, keep inviting your friends, keep serving. In fact, if you have some people in your life that struggle with even believing that there is a God, make sure you invite and bring them to church this Sunday. That’s what I’ll be talking about.
One last thing, keep me and our entire Staff in your prayers. We’re going out of town next week for a “Church Systems Boot Camp.” It’s a small conference that’s a part of the Pastor’s Coaching Network that I’ve been a part of for about 12 years now. We haven’t really gone to any conferences together in several years now, so I’m excited to get away with our team, learn & grow together, and have some fun (it’s in Orlando)! We are truly blessed here at Coastal with a great Staff Team! These are exciting times at Coastal! But I truly believe, the best is yet to come! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! See you Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, August 27th, 9-11:30am. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
WOW! WOW! WOW! I can not say enough great things about VBS this week! First of all, it has been the largest VBS we’ve ever had, with 280 children in attendance and 160 volunteers! And speaking of volunteers, I know I say this all the time, but we really do have the best volunteers on the planet! We could not do, all that our church does, without you! And you’ve done so much this week, with excellence, joy, and enthusiasm! I am proud to be your Pastor! I’ve just loved hearing all the stories this week of children learning about and loving Jesus! Honestly, it’s been emotional for me and Janet. You see, because of COVID and construction, we haven’t had a VBS on our campus since 2019. And then just watching all the kids in the auditorium on the first night singing, dancing, and praising Jesus, watching all the smiling, laughing children all through our facility, filling up room after room, has just been a beautiful sight. By the way, this is why we stepped out in faith and built this new facility! This is why we set up and broke down Coastal Kidz every weekend for over a year across the street at the Middle School! This is why we gave and continue to give sacrificially! This is why we did all this things and more and why we’ll continue to walk by faith and trust God for big things – so that we can reach the next generation for Jesus!
Oh, and speaking of giving sacrificially, right now (not counting tonight’s offering) our VBS offering this week is over $7000! That plus what you’ve already given towards our new Clothing Distribution Box Truck, adds up to over $36,000! I have no doubt that we will reach and exceed our goal of $40,000 this weekend! Please continue to use the keywords, “VBS” or “boxtruck” to give towards this special offering.
And VBS is not quite over yet! Tonight is our Party and Closing Program! From 6pm-7pm (weather permitting) we’ll be outside for hotdogs, Kona Ice, jump castles, and a petting zoo. And then at 7pm we’ll come inside for songs, a magician, and a slide show! It’s all FREE and you’re invited to join us!
One last note about VBS. To pull off a week long event of this magnitude, with this many moving parts, this many kids, and this many volunteers, requires great leadership. I know she’s my wife, but Janet Rollins, our Children’s Director, is a great leader! Like all great leaders, she is quick to defer and point to all of her leaders and volunteers. But Janet, I’m proud of you – GREAT JOB!
LIFE and LOVE!
Pastor Chris
First of all, I just want to thank everyone for all the love you’ve shown me, your Pastor, this week and today – my Birthday! I am now 55 years old! I am constantly overwhelmed by all the expressions of love shown to me and my family! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Coastal is not just a church that I attend or a job where I work. It’s a family that I’m a part of! I say it all the time, but I sincerely mean it – I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I am truly humbled by what we get to do together and that I am a part of it!
(Long Post Alert) This is July 4th weekend. I realize that we are facing a lot of problems in our country today and that the divisions seem to be greater and deeper than ever before, but I believe we still have much to be grateful for in our great country. I am so thankful to God for the birth of America and the privilege that was mine to be born here in the land of the free and home of the brave. As we celebrate our independence this weekend, may we as individuals, families, and as a church recognize our dependence on God. He alone is our source of strength and blessing. Let us prayerfully humble ourselves in obedience to God, His Holy Word, and the Lordship of Christ.
As a follower of Christ, that paradigm shapes everything I do. As a result of that, I am unashamedly pro life and pro love. Let me explain. I am pro life, the life of women – before, during, and after pregnancy. I am pro life, the life of children – before they are born and after they are born. I am pro life, the life of men – challenging and encouraging them to be the men that God has called them to be and to take personal responsibility for the decisions they make and actions they take. I am pro life, the life of families – through all the hardships and struggles they face.
You see, for me, being pro life is not a political statement, it is a Biblical mindset and lifestyle. Jesus was “pro life.” In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have LIFE and have it to the full.” Ultimately, the hope of the world is not and never has been a President, a Political Party, or a Platform – it’s in the person of Jesus Christ. Laws will never change hearts. Only the Gospel and the love of Christ can do that. So while we’re here on this earth, it’s our mission to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world! LIFE and LOVE.
Maybe it’s time we spent less time complaining on social media and more time praying and being the light of the world that Jesus talked about in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” The truth is, the darker this world gets, the greater our opportunity to shine! It’s time for the church – you and me – to rise up and be the church, serving and loving the world around us like never before, doing the things that we are known for here at Coastal. But what I’m seeing today and what is so disheartening and discouraging, is not just complaining on social media, but out and out evil, nasty, hatred being spewed by people who call themselves Christians. We are called to love people, ALL people, even people we disagree with, even people who vote differently than you, or who embrace a different lifestyle than you. The Bible says in James 1:19, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Jesus said in Matthew 12:36, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” I’m pretty sure that includes what you post on social media! Like anything else, social media is simply a tool that can be leveraged for good or for evil. Lately though, it seems to be nothing more than a black hole vacuum of hatred and virtue signaling. Coastal, let’s do better. Let’s be better.
I’ll be frank with you – sometimes, even as a Pastor, it’s easy to feel like, “Well, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.” You feel like you’ve got to respond on social media to every single thing that happens in this world with the perfect post, sound bite, tweet, or meme. And if you don’t respond quick enough or creatively enough, well then, you must be complicit, out of touch, or you just don’t care. Now don’t get me wrong, I have no problem standing on the Word of God and speaking the truth in love. However, the best place for that to happen is in real conversations, in true community – not on social media. But we’ve lost the ability to have those conversations. And in many cases we’ve lost the right to have them, because of our lack of love.
I gave up trying to please everyone a long time ago. l don’t have all the answers and I will never write the “perfect post” (not even this one) for all circumstances, for all people. But I know who does have the answers and whose words are perfect, true, and never fail. Ultimately, this world is not our home. We are aliens in a foreign land, passing through. And from what I understand from God’s Word, this world will actually get worse. But none of that is an excuse to not care about the world in which we live and the people who live in it. Until He calls us home or comes again, it’s an opportunity to glorify God, exalt His Son Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, beat down the gates of Hell and rescue people one life at a time!
LIFE and LOVE!
Pastor Chris
SUNDAYS
8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am
460 Arlington Drive,
Charleston, SC 29414
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