Coastal, THIS IS IT! This Sunday is a BIG DAY! After months of praying, planning, preparing, and talking about it, we officially begin our THRIVEjourney together! Our new THRIVE message series begins this Sunday (and yes, I’m preaching – haha). Our LIFE Groups begin meeting this coming week. Our THRIVE Daily Devotional begins on Monday. And in just a couple of weeks, on Monday, September 28th, we’ll begin our 40 Day Fast together. In other words – IT’S TIME TO THRIVE! And I can’t wait!
This Sunday, I’m going to be talking about something that I believe is absolutely foundational to everything we’re going to experience together over these next 10 weeks: FAITH! And here’s a little preview. Faith has a lot to do with how you SEE things. Two people can look at the exact same circumstances and see two completely different things. One sees obstacles. The other sees opportunities. One sees everything that could go wrong. The other sees everything God could do. One sees through the eyes of FEAR. The other sees through the eyes of FAITH.
There’s a great story in 2 Kings 6 that I love. The prophet Elisha and his servant wake up one morning and discover that an enemy army has surrounded their city. Horses. Chariots. Soldiers. Everywhere. Elisha’s servant takes one look and panics. And honestly, who could blame him? All he could see was the enemy.
But Elisha saw something completely different. He told his servant, “Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!” (2 Kings 6:16) Now, I’m sure his servant was thinking, “Elisha, I’m not great at math, but I’m pretty sure that’s not true!” But then Elisha prayed one of my favorite prayers in the Bible, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” (2 Kings 6:17) And God did. Suddenly, the servant could see what Elisha had seen all along. The hills surrounding them were filled with horses and chariots of fire – the army of God!
Here’s what I love about that story. God didn’t suddenly show up. He was already there. The servant simply couldn’t see Him. And I wonder how often that’s true for us? We see the problem. We see the obstacle. We see the bills. We see the diagnosis. We see the broken relationship. We see the uncertainty. We see all the reasons something can’t happen. And sometimes what we really need isn’t for God to change what’s around us. We need God to change what we SEE. “Lord, open my eyes!” Help me see my circumstances from Your point of view. Help me see beyond my fear. Help me see beyond what’s right in front of me. Help me see what YOU can do!
That’s FAITH. And that’s where we’re going to begin this Sunday as we kick off THRIVE. My primary text will actually come from Numbers 13 & 14, where 12 spies looked at the exact same land, the exact same giants, and the exact same obstacles – but they didn’t all SEE the same thing. Ten saw through eyes of fear. Two saw through eyes of faith. And it changed everything.
Coastal, as we stand together looking toward the future, I want us to be a church that sees with eyes of FAITH! Not because there aren’t challenges. Not because there aren’t obstacles. Not because we have all the answers. But because God is bigger than anything standing in front of us!
So here’s my challenge for you this weekend: DON’T COME ALONE! Who is the ONE person you could invite to join you this Sunday? A neighbor. A coworker. A friend. A family member. Someone who’s going through a difficult season and desperately needs to be reminded that what they can see right now isn’t the whole story. Invite them! Bring them with you! And let’s pack out all three services – 8:30am, 10am, & 11:30am! And don’t forget: pick up your THRIVE Daily Devotional if you haven’t already, get connected to a LIFE Group, and come ready for everything God wants to do in us and through us during this season.
I’ve been praying for this Sunday. I’ve been praying for YOU. I’ve been praying for the people you’re going to invite. And I’ve been praying a very simple prayer for all of us, “Lord, open our eyes and let us see!” Let’s see what God sees. Let’s walk by FAITH. Let’s make room for ONE MORE. And let’s THRIVE! I LOVE YOU, COASTAL! I love being your Pastor! And I can’t wait to see what God does as we take this journey together!
Thriving Together!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
NHC Fellowship & Hospitality Project: Those in skilled-nursing centers are arguably some of the most neglected people in our society. The hope of this project is to send a reminder to the residents of the facility, in which we are serving, that they are not alone. This kid-friendly project will consist of loving on the staff and residents through words of encouragement, quality time and snacks and more! TODAY, Friday, September 11th, 10am-12noon. Meet at: NHC Skilled Nursing Facility, 2230 Ashley Crossing Dr, Charleston, SC 29414.
The Boutique Sort & Stock: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! TODAY, Friday, September 11th; Monday, September 14th; Friday, September 18th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
2nd Saturday Meal: Saturday, September 12th, 9am-12noon. Come serve with us at the church as we prepare a hot meal in the Coastal kitchen and then deliver those meals to one of our awesome ministry partners – organizations like Charleston Vets, S.C. Strong, Brighton Place, Joseph Floyd Manor and more!
Double Tailgate Day – Meeting Street & Joseph Floyd Manor: Saturday, September 12th, 10:30am-1:30pm. Meet at The Outpost and then pick which Tailgate you’d like to serve – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
JFM Fellowship Activity & Devotion: A fun project for kids! We’ll serve at Joseph Floyd Manor (JFM), a public housing facility in Downtown Charleston, playing BINGO with the residents. Monday, September 14th, 1:30pm-3:30pm. Meet at JFM.
Hope Center Tailgate: The Hope Center, managed by the city of Charleston, serves as a one-stop shop in downtown Charleston to assist those who are homeless or who are at-risk of being homeless. We’re sending a Tailgate Team to serve dinner to anyone who is hungry. We meet at The Outpost on Tuesday, September 15th, 12pm-3pm – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
VA Hospitality Project: This team serves at the VA Hospital in Charleston by providing a hospitality cart, greeting incoming patients and employees, visiting patients, and helping Volunteer Services with small sorting projects. Wednesday, September 16th, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
The Market Organize & Prep: Come to The Outpost and help keep the Market stocked and organized (and have a lot of fun while you’re at it)! Wednesday, September 16th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Sweat & Serve: Come help unload the Coastal Box Truck filled with our weekly food pickup! Heavy lifting required (40+lbs). Wednesday, September 16th, 9:30am-12noon. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Sewing Project: Sewing experience not required! Come and acquire a new skill while helping others in the community. This team of volunteers will work on zippered pouches, lap quilts, and blankets. Meet at Coastal on Wednesday, September 16th, 5pm-8pm.
Patriot Villas Veterans Tailgate: We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Veterans at Patriot Villas on Wednesday, September 16th, 6-8:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Serving in the Market & the Boutique at The Outpost: Coastal feeds and clothes an enormous amount of people. Come to The Outpost and help serve our community (and have a lot of fun while you’re at it)! Thursday, September 17th, 11am-1:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Sleep In Heavenly Peace Bed Delivery: This team from Coastal will help to deliver beds, alongside brand-new linens, to well deserving but underserved children all over Charleston. There will be some light lifting and assembly required but will be heavy on both love and encouragement. We’ll bring comfort, love, and encouragement to the families we serve. Meet at Coastal on Thursday, September 17th, 6pm-8pm.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: Join the team as we travel over to Patriot Villas, a veterans housing facility in North Charleston, to provide encouragement in the form of a fresh hot cup of Coastal coffee, a Krispy Kreme donut and community. We’ll spend the morning serving the veterans, fellowshipping, building relationships and thanking them for their service! Friday, September 18th, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Ronald McDonald House Meals that Heal – Breakfast: Ronald McDonald House provides a “Home-away-from-home” where families stay while their children undergo extensive medical treatment. The Meals that Heal program provides a much-needed support service to families taking care of their sick children, who often don’t have the time, funds, or energy to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. Ages 16+. Saturday, September 19th, 7:30am-9am. Meet at: 81 Gadsden St, Chas (Downtown Charleston).
Hollywood Free Laundry: Partnering alongside the owners of We-Fold-It, we are able to serve the community of Hollywood by getting to pay for their laundry! We will host a table with snacks, coffee and water for those who are waiting on their laundry, help people bring their laundry in and out of the facility, fold their laundry and use iPads to start the machines so that those we serve never have to open their wallets! Saturday, September 19th, 8am-11am. Meet at We-Fold-It Laundromat, 6310 SC-162 Unit D, Hollywood, SC 29449.
Hollywood Clothing Distribution: The third Saturday of each month, there is a clothing distribution for the those in need in Hollywood. We will get the opportunity to take one of our Mobile Outreach Clothing Vehicles out to distribute clothing while loving on those we encounter. This is an amazing project to join and get a glimpse of what our Clothing Ministry here at Coastal does!! Saturday, September 19th, 8am-11am. Meet at We-Fold-It Laundromat, 6310 SC-162 Unit D, Hollywood, SC 29449.
As always, if you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up now on our website. If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones. - So, have you signed up for a LIFE Group yet? Our 2026 Fall Semester LIFE Group Catalog is available. And just like college, your preferred classes (LIFE Groups) are filling up fast! So, go to our website right now, check out all the different Groups and sign up today. Most of our Groups start this coming week – the week of September 13th. |
- If for some reason you were unable to make it to one of our THRIVE Campaign Info Meetings, led by Pastor Chris – no worries! We’ve got good news – we recorded it for you!
👉 WATCH THE THRIVE CAMPAIGN INFO MEETING HERE!
Grab a cup of coffee, sit down together as a family, and hear the heart, vision, and details behind Thrive. And the timing couldn’t be better, because…THRIVE STARTS THIS SUNDAY! - Interested in going public with your faith through Baptism? Sign up on your Connect Card or on our website to be baptized any Sunday or at our next Beach Baptism (“Polar Plunge”) on Folly Beach on Saturday, November 21st at 10am.
- Membership Class: Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday, September 26th, from 9am-12noon, in the Chapel. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card (let us know if you need childcare). Breakfast & childcare provided!
P.S. New to Coastal? Join us in the Coastal Chapel on Sunday, October 11th immediately following the 11:30am service for our next Newcomer’s Reception. Learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, and get plugged in. Lunch & childcare are provided. RSVP online or on your Connect Card.
