Four weeks from yesterday, on Sunday, November 8th, our church family will gather for what I believe will be one of the most significant Sundays in the 36-year history of Coastal Community Church. THRIVE COMMITMENT SUNDAY!
I want you to go ahead and circle that date on your calendar. Make plans to be here. Begin preparing your heart. Because I’m praying and believing that November 8th is going to be a BIG DAY in the life of our church! Over these past several weeks, we’ve been on an incredible spiritual journey together. We’ve been praying, fasting, studying God’s Word, meeting in LIFE Groups, and asking God to stretch our faith and enlarge our vision. And now we’re approaching a defining moment in that journey. A moment when we’re going to move from praying and dreaming to committing and sacrificing. A moment when we’re going to say, individually and collectively, “God, we’re ALL IN!”
What Exactly Is Commitment Sunday? On Sunday, November 8th, we’re asking everyone who calls Coastal home to come prepared to do two things: 1. Bring Your First Fruits Sacrificial Offering. This is our initial, above-and-beyond gift toward Thrive. And I want to challenge you to think and pray BIG. I’m asking every person and every family at Coastal to prayerfully consider giving the largest sacrificial offering you’ve ever given. I realize that’s a bold challenge. I don’t make it lightly. But I also believe we’re standing at a defining moment in the life of our church. And defining moments often require extraordinary faith and sacrifice. For some, that might mean giving from savings. For others, it might mean postponing a purchase, adjusting priorities, or making a significant change in how you spend your money. The amount will look different for every person and every family. Equal sacrifice doesn’t mean equal amounts. What represents genuine sacrifice for one family may look very different for another. But here’s what I’m asking: Don’t simply give what’s convenient. Ask God what would require faith.
2. Turn In Your Three-Year Commitment Card. In addition to our First Fruits Offering, we’re asking everyone to make a prayerful, sacrificial financial commitment to Thrive over the next three years. This is what you believe God is leading you to give, above and beyond your regular tithes and offerings, toward the vision He’s placed before our church. Again, this isn’t about pressure. It’s about prayer. It’s not about what someone else is giving. It’s about what God is asking you to do. I want you to spend these next four weeks talking about it, praying about it, and listening for God’s direction. If you’re married, pray about it together. If you have children, involve them in the conversation. Let them see what it looks like to trust God, give generously, and sacrifice for something bigger than ourselves.
What About Our Annual Christmas Offering? I also want to make sure everyone understands something important. There will be NO separate Annual Christmas Offering this year. Instead, we’re incorporating our heart for Missions and Outreach directly into Thrive. 10% of EVERYTHING given to Thrive will go directly to Missions and Outreach! I absolutely LOVE that! Because while we’re expanding our facilities to reach more people here at Coastal, we’re also continuing to invest in reaching people outside our walls. Through our local outreach ministries, mission partners, and opportunities to share the love of Jesus with people in need, we’re going to continue making an impact in our community and around the world. Thrive isn’t just about making room for more people to come to us. It’s about reaching more people wherever they are!
Why Are We Doing This? I want to remind you of something I’ve said throughout this entire campaign: Buildings are tools. People are the purpose. We’re not doing this simply because we want a bigger building. We’re doing this because we believe God has called us to reach more people. We see full worship services, crowded hallways, growing children’s ministries, and families looking for a place to belong. But I believe God sees something even greater. He sees the people who aren’t here yet. He sees children who will hear about Jesus in classrooms that haven’t been built yet.
He sees teenagers who will discover God’s purpose for their lives. He sees marriages restored, families strengthened, addictions broken, and people finding hope in Jesus Christ. He sees people who will be baptized years from now because we were willing to step out in faith today. That’s what this is about. ONE more person. ONE more family. ONE more life changed by Jesus. And that’s worth sacrificing for! So Here’s My Challenge for the Next Four Weeks Don’t wait until November 8th to start preparing. Start praying NOW. Continue participating in our 40 Day Fast. Spend time in God’s Word. Stay engaged with your LIFE Group and Thrive Devotional. And ask God some very specific questions: “God, what do You want to do through me?” “What would genuine sacrifice look like for me and my family?” “What am I holding on to that You might be asking me to surrender?” “God, how can I be part of reaching the next generation for Jesus?” And then listen.
Because my greatest prayer isn’t simply that we raise a certain amount of money. My greatest prayer is that every person who calls Coastal home will take a significant step of faith. I want us to grow in our trust in God. I want us to experience the joy of generosity. I want us to discover what happens when ordinary people surrender themselves completely to an extraordinary God. Thirty-six years ago, Coastal began with a dream, a step of faith, and a handful of people willing to trust God. And every major step forward in our history has required people to pray, sacrifice, and believe that God could do more than we could accomplish on our own.
Now it’s our turn. One day, people we haven’t even met yet will be impacted by the decisions we make during these next four weeks. That’s an incredible privilege. And an incredible responsibility. Coastal, I love you. I love what God has done through our church. And I believe with all my heart that our best days of reaching people for Jesus are still ahead of us. So mark your calendar. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH. THRIVE COMMITMENT SUNDAY. Bring your First Fruits Sacrificial Offering. Bring your Three-Year Commitment Card. Bring a heart that’s ready to trust God. And let’s make it a day we’ll never forget! Healthy things grow. Healthy things THRIVE!
I love you, Coastal!
Pastor Chris
