There’s a big difference between being interested in something and being committed to it. We’re interested in getting healthier. Interested in having a great marriage. Interested in growing spiritually. Interested in getting our finances in order. Interested in making a difference with our lives. But interest says, “I’ll do it when it’s convenient.” Commitment says, “I’ve made a decision.” At some point, every meaningful change in our lives requires us to move from “I’d like to” to “I will.”
Think about marriage. There’s a moment when dating, talking, dreaming, and planning eventually lead to standing in front of each other and saying, “I do.” That’s commitment. You stop keeping your options open. You make a decision. You put a stake in the ground and say, “I’m all in.”
And I think the same thing is true spiritually. Over these first few weeks of Thrive, we’ve been praying, dreaming, growing, fasting, and asking God what He wants to do in us and through us. But eventually, faith requires a decision. Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves completely to God… and use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” I love that phrase, “Give yourselves completely to God.” Not halfway. Not when it’s convenient. Not just the parts of our lives we’re comfortable surrendering. Completely.
That’s what we’re going to talk about this Sunday in Week 5 of Thrive. The message is called, “ALL IN.” And I want to challenge you to come Sunday asking one simple question, “God, what would it look like for me to be ALL IN?” All in with my faith. All in with my family. All in with my church. All in with serving. All in with generosity. All in with whatever God is asking me to do.
And that brings me to an important reminder. FOUR WEEKS FROM SUNDAY, Sunday, November 8th is Commitment Sunday. This will be one of the most important Sundays of our entire Thrive journey, and I want to make sure everyone understands exactly what we’re asking our church family to do that day. On Commitment Sunday, we’re asking everyone who calls Coastal home to prayerfully bring two things: 1. Your First Fruits Offering. This is the first sacrificial gift toward your Thrive commitment—the amount you believe God is leading you to give on Commitment Sunday. 2. Your Three-Year Commitment Card. This is your prayerful commitment of what you believe God is asking you to give to Thrive over the next three years.
And I want to make sure everyone is aware of something else as you pray and plan. There will NOT be a separate Annual Christmas Offering this year. Typically, our Christmas Offering gives us an opportunity to make a significant impact through Missions and Outreach. This year, that generosity is being built directly into Thrive. Ten percent of EVERYTHING given to Thrive will go directly to Missions and Outreach. I love that. As we make room for more people here at Coastal, we’re also continuing to reach beyond the walls of our church. So when you give to Thrive, you’re not simply helping us build a new Worship Center, expand Coastal Kidz, or create more space on our campus. You’re feeding people. You’re serving people. You’re supporting missions. You’re reaching people in our community and beyond with the love of Jesus. That has been part of the heart of Thrive from the very beginning.
That’s it. There’s no pressure and no predetermined amount. This is between you and God. That’s why these next four weeks are so important. Don’t wait until November 8th to start asking God what He wants you to do. Pray now. Seek Him during our 40 Day Fast. Talk about it with your spouse and family. Stay engaged with the Thrive Devotional, your LIFE Group, and Sunday worship. And keep asking, “God, what do You want to do through me?”
My prayer is that when we arrive on November 8th, we won’t simply be filling out cards or giving an offering. We’ll be responding to what God has already been saying to us. And remember why we’re doing all of this. It’s not about a building. Buildings are tools. People are the purpose. It’s about making room for ONE more person to meet Jesus. One more child. One more student. One more family. One more life changed by the Gospel.
So Coastal, we’re four weeks away. Let’s keep praying. Let’s keep seeking. Let’s keep growing. And let’s be ready to say, “God, whatever You’re asking of me—I’m ALL IN.” Healthy things grow. Healthy things THRIVE. I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I can’t wait to see you Sunday!
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, October 9th, 9:30am-11:30am. 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, October 9th; Monday, October 12th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
2nd Saturday Meal: TOMORROW, Saturday, October 10th, 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: TOMORROW, Saturday, October 10th, 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, October 12th, 1:30pm-3:30pm. Meet at JFM.
Soldier’s Angels: We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, October 13th, 8am-12pm. Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
Brighton Place Fellowship Activity & Devotion: This project will allow us to spend some time with the residents and get to know them better through a lively game of Bingo and devotion. Kid Friendly! Tuesday, October 13th, 1:30pm-3pm. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Sweat & Serve: Come help unload the Coastal Box Truck filled with our weekly food pickup! Heavy lifting required (40+lbs). Wednesday, October 14th, 9am-12noon. 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, October 14th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Sewing Project: Sewing experience not required! Kid Friendly Project. 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, October 14th, 5pm-8pm.
Charleston Vets Tailgate: We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Veterans at Charleston Vets on Wednesday, October 14th, 5:30-8pm. 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, October 15th, 10am-2pm. 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, October 15th, 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, October 16th, 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, October 17th, 7:30am-9am. Meet at: 81 Gadsden St, Chas (Downtown Charleston).
Sleep In Heavenly Peace Bed Build: This is a BIG project that could use LOTS of Volunteers. “Sleep In Heavenly Peace” has a motto – “No Child Sleeps On the Floor In Our Community!” Come be a part of the bed building process and make a big IMPACT in the life of children right here in our own community. Meet at Coastal, Saturday, October 77th, 9am-12noon.
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. - I’m excited to share some great news with you about the future of Coastal Kidz! A few weeks ago, Aly shared with our Coastal Kidz volunteer team that, after much prayer and consideration, she had made the decision to step down from her role as our Children’s Director so she could devote more time and attention to her family. I want you to know how incredibly grateful I am for Aly and the way she has led and loved our children, families, and volunteers. She has built an amazing team, and God has used her leadership to help Coastal Kidz grow and thrive. And the good news is — Aly isn’t going anywhere! Coastal is still home for Aly and her family, and she will continue serving as our Children’s Director through the end of 2026.
But today, I get to share another piece of really exciting news. We have hired our next Children’s Director — and we didn’t have to look very far! I’m thrilled to announce that Morgan Wessel will be stepping into the role of Children’s Director for Coastal Kidz! One of the things I love most about this transition is that we get to promote from within. Morgan isn’t new to Coastal or Coastal Kidz. She and her husband, Toby, have been married for 14 years and have attended Coastal since 2015. They have four beautiful children — Olivia, Caroline, Rhodes, and Dottie — and their entire family is invested in Coastal Kidz. Toby serves, their children serve, and even Morgan’s parents serve! Morgan has been serving at Coastal for nearly a decade. Over the years, she has led our MomCo group, our Embrace Grace Support Group, and served faithfully on the Coastal Kidz team. This past year, she stepped into the role of Preschool Coordinator, serving alongside Aly and helping lead one of the most important areas of our children’s ministry. So Morgan already knows our kids. She knows our families. She knows our volunteers. She knows our culture. And most importantly, she loves Jesus and has a heart for helping children know and follow Him.
Over the next few months, Aly and Morgan will lead Coastal Kidz together, giving us the opportunity for a healthy, intentional transition through the end of the year. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. And I want to say something else: Coastal Kidz has an AMAZING team! Morgan and Aly are surrounded by incredible leaders like Janet, Natalie Faust, Tracy Gundy, and an army of faithful teachers, assistants, and volunteers who show up every week to love our kids and help them discover who Jesus is.
As our church continues to grow and as we prepare for everything God has ahead for Coastal Kidz, I am incredibly excited about this next chapter. Please join me in thanking Aly for the tremendous job she has done and in welcoming and encouraging Morgan as she steps into this new role. I love seeing God raise up leaders from within our own church family. And I believe with all my heart . . . the best is yet to come! - On Saturday, October 17, CSM is hosting a CSM Serve Day! Coastal is passionate about being the hands and feet of Jesus, and our Student Ministry wants to take that calling seriously. We’re planning a full day of serving opportunities, teaching, worship, and fun! We want students to see that they don’t have to wait until they’re older to be a part of what God is doing at Coastal—they can make a difference right now!
We’re also inviting parents and guardians to join us for the day. We’ll start early Saturday morning, serve together, gather for a time of worship and teaching around midday, serve again in the afternoon, and then wrap up the day with some fun! We will provide food and the event is completely free! Sign up everyone who plans to attend by clicking this link! - 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.
- WOW, Coastal! Last Sunday we kicked off our Operation Christmas Child Shoebox collection, and you responded in a BIG way! Around 1,200 shoeboxes have already gone home with Coastal families to be filled with toys, gifts, and supplies for children around the world. That means we only have about 300 BOXES LEFT to reach our goal of 1,500! If you didn’t get one last Sunday—or maybe you grabbed a few and decided you can do a few more—stop by the Welcome Center this Sunday and pick them up while they last. Remember, every shoebox is so much more than a box of gifts. It’s an opportunity to share the love of Jesus and the Good News of the Gospel with a child who may have never heard it before. And parents, this is a GREAT way to involve your children and teach them about generosity, missions, and the true meaning of Christmas. Let’s finish strong, Coastal! Grab those last 300 boxes this Sunday and let’s pack all 1,500! Filled shoeboxes need to be returned by Sunday, November 22nd.
P.S. New to Coastal? Join us in the Coastal Chapel THIS 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.
