It’s that time of the year again – preparing our hearts and minds for Easter! I really believe that this is going to be an Easter Weekend to remember at Coastal! One of the ways that we prepare ourselves for Easter at Coastal is by participating in an Annual 40 Day Easter Fast! The Fast begins on this Monday, February 27th and goes through Good Friday, April 7th! Fasting is simply denying yourself something physical for a set period of time for the spiritual purpose of focusing on prayer, the Word, repentance, and your relationship with God. Jesus said, “When you fast . . .” In other words, Jesus meant for fasting to be a regular part of the Christian lifestyle. I would encourage you to get your whole family involved and make it a powerful spiritual experience.
What do you choose to fast? It’s different for different people. It’s probably the thing that first comes to mind when you start considering to fast. It might be some form of technology or social media that seems to have a stronghold in your life. It could be television. It might be some specific type of food – sugar, caffeine, sodas, meat, etc. It could be drinking or smoking. It could be time – where you get up earlier each day for 40 days and have a quiet time. It could be gossip or negative words. You decide that for 40 days nothing negative will come out of your mouth. It could be worry. You pray. You decide. Read through Matthew 6:16-18. Don’t make a big deal or a fuss about it – just do it!
One thing that I’m asking everyone to pray for during your fast, is the people you’re going to be inviting and bringing to one of our 6 services over Easter weekend: Friday, April 7th, 7pm; Saturday, April 8th, 4:30 & 6pm; Sunday, April 9th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am! And not just the people you’re going to be inviting, but for all the people our church as a whole will be reaching out to through social media, direct mail, and yard signs. Our goal is to have over 2000 people in person over Easter Weekend! Let’s work, invite, and serve like it all depends on us. Let’s pray like it all depends on God. Then let’s trust God, walk by faith, and together, celebrate the results!
Our Spring semester of LIFE Groups started this week! I’ve heard nothing but GREAT things! Personally, I lead two different Groups, and it was so great to see everyone and get started! We have awesome leaders, and I can’t wait to hear the stories of community, connection, and change! Many of our Groups are full, but for those that aren’t, it’s still not too late to join. Go to our website and sign up today!
One last thing, don’t forget to bring in your Wish List items (school/classroom supplies and gifts) for Oakland Elementary School this Sunday! Drop them off in the lobby outside the auditorium tagged but not wrapped. We’ve been delivering the gifts that have already come in, and it’s just amazing to see the gratitude and joy from the Teachers at Oakland! You’re making a difference Coastal! I love you! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Beginning Easter Sunday, April 9th Coastal will be adding a third service! To do this, we MUST HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS especially in Coastal Kidz! If you’ve ever given it any thought, NOW is the time to jump in! Reach out to Janet. She would love to show you around and explain all the different roles and opportunities. And if Coastal Kidz is not for you, there are plenty of other opportunities – Cafe, Security, 1st Impressions, Prayer Team, Tech, and Worship. Go to our website and sign up today! You can also sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
I know sometimes I must sound like a broken record, but it was another amazing Sunday at Coastal this past week! It was LIFE Group Sunday and the kickoff of “Relationship Rescue.” We had 869 people in-person and another 751 online! I’m glad we added chairs – we needed it! I want to thank everyone who parked at Oakland and those of you who shifted from the 9:30am service to the 11:15am service – please keep it up! I can’t thank all of our LIFE Group Leaders enough for all of their hard work and creativity! They “knocked it out of the park” again! The excitement, fun, and enthusiasm (and food) in the room was palpable! Plus, are you ready for this, so far we’ve had over 500 individual adults sign up for LIFE Groups and over 800 total signups (meaning some of you LOVE you some LIFE Groups and have signed up for multiple groups – haha)! That’s AWESOME!
While some of our LIFE Groups are already full, many are not. So go to our website, check out the catalog, and sign up for a LIFE Group today! Once you sign up for a LIFE Group, your Group Leader will contact you with all the important information. Most LIFE Groups begin this coming week. If you have any questions about Groups, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff.
The big push between now and Easter Weekend will be Sunday morning Volunteers! Oh, speaking of Easter Weekend, we’re having six Easter Services over 3 days: Friday, April 7th, 7pm; Saturday, April 8th, 4:30 & 6pm; Sunday, April 9th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am! Our goal is to have over 2000 people in person over Easter Weekend! Start praying now for the people you will be inviting and for the people the church will be reaching out to through all of our advertising. And don’t forget that those Easter Sunday service times will be our new services times moving forward from Easter. But again, to pull that off, all of our Sunday morning Ministries will need new Volunteers – especially Coastal Kidz! If you would be interested in serving in Coastal Kidz, please reach out to Janet. She would love to give you a tour and explain all the different opportunities to serve. Don’t forget, if you change the life of a child, you change the world! Be a world changer! If Coastal Kidz isn’t for you, check out all of the different places to serve on our website, and sign up today!
I’ll be in week 2 of “Relationship Rescue” this Sunday, and I’ll be talking about SEX! Some of you are excited, some of you are nervous – haha! “What’s Pastor Chris going to say? And has Janet previewed his jokes?” Well, you’ll have to be there to find out! But my real goal for this Sunday is to help lead people to the cross, to help those people who walk around with pain, and shame, and guilt, to help lead them to a blood stained cross so they can receive forgiveness and a new beginning. I’m hoping this Sunday will be a turning point in your spiritual life. And not just in your spiritual life, but in your relationships, and in your marriage. I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Friends of Dale Wallingford are invited to a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, February 18th (tomorrow) in the Coastal Auditorium. If you have one, wear a Hawaiian shirt in Dale’s honor. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for non-perishable food or monetary donations be made to the Coastal Food Pantry (a Ministry close to Dale’s heart).
P.S.S. Coastal has a HUGE heart for Oakland Elementary School and its Teachers! Choose a Classroom Wishlist Tag in the lobby this Sunday (we still have a few left), purchase the items, and return them (tagged but not wrapped) by next Sunday, February 26th. We will distribute the items as they come in. If you have any questions about your items, contact Rachel Speer.
Well, if you missed the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT this past Sunday, it’s that beginning Easter Sunday, April 9th, we’ll be adding a third service! Our new service times, Easter Sunday forward, will be 8:30am, 10am, & 11:30am. Between now and then, we’ll be adding more chairs and doing everything we can to make room for our Guests. The reality is that our church is GROWING! Two weeks ago the 9:30am service had 365 people in-person. It was slammed! We added more chairs and roped off the rear seating so that as soon as the service started, we could release those chairs for people trying to find a seat. Well, I don’t know if you remember it or not, but last Sunday was one of those rainy, dreary days – days Pastors hate. Honestly, I was thinking that we added all these chairs and roped off the rear section for nothing – we would have a “down” day because of the weather. Boy do I have little faith! We had 379 in that first service – more than the week before!
If all of that is any indication at all, this Sunday is going to be CRAZY! First of all, it’s LIFE Group Sunday! Go to our website, check out the catalog, and sign up for a LIFE Group today! Once you sign up for a LIFE Group, your Group Leader will contact you before the semester begins. Unless otherwise stated in the catalog, all Groups begin the week of February 19th. If you have any questions about Groups, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff. But this Sunday is going to be so much fun! You’ll get to check out all the Groups, meet the leaders, and enjoy a lot of great food!
This Sunday is also the kick-off of a new series, “Relationship Rescue!” Whether you’re single, married, children or no children – everyone can use a little help in their relationships. Each week we’ll be diving into God’s word and throwing you a “life preserver” to help navigate the difficult waters. It’s going to be a great series! So here’s what I need you to do. Most importantly, pray! Pray for me, my message, that people will take next steps, and see Jesus lifted up! And then, invite and bring friends! I always want you to invite people, but BIG Days, like this Sunday, are the perfect time to pull out all the stops and invite and bring your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to church. Pray like it all depends on God and then invite and reach out like it all depends on you!
I’m also asking you to consider coming to the 11:15am service. Even with extra chairs, the 9:30am service is at capacity (especially days like this Sunday). And then come early and sit to the front and center of each section. It’s also becoming more and more important to start using the Oakland Elementary School parking lot – the lot immediately to the right, once your go over the Greenway, right before you get to our campus. There is plenty of parking there, and it makes for a smoother transition between the services.
VOLUNTEER! Big Days require more volunteers, especially on LIFE Group Sunday (many of our Volunteers are LIFE Group Leaders and will be at their tables). So, reach out to your LIFE Team Leader and volunteer to serve. With adding a third service, we MUST HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS especially in Coastal Kidz! If you currently serve in Coastal Kidz, please consider serving in an extra service. If you’re a parent of a child in Coastal Kidz, consider serving. If you’ve ever given it any thought, NOW is the time to jump in! Reach out to Janet. She would love to show you around and explain all the different roles and opportunities. And if Coastal Kidz is not for you, there are plenty of other opportunities – Cafe, Security, 1st Impressions, Prayer Team, Tech, and Worship. Go to our website and sign up today! You can also sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. I don’t want to “guilt” anyone into serving. I want to “grace” you into serving! I want you to be so overwhelmed with the love and mercy of God, with all the good gifts He’s given to you, that your only natural response is to WANT to give back to Him. I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Friends of Dale Wallingford are invited to a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, February 18th in the Coastal Auditorium. If you have one, wear a Hawaiian shirt in Dale’s honor. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for non-perishable food or monetary donations be made to the Coastal Food Pantry (a Ministry close to Dale’s heart).
P.S.S. If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, March 5th, in our Chapel immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm). This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people. You can sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
WOW! This past Sunday we had right at 800 people in-person on our campus! The 9:30am service alone had 365 people! We’re pretty sure that’s the most people in-person in one service excluding Easter! The reality is that means that the 9:30am service is full, and people are having a hard time finding a place to sit when they come in. Beginning this Sunday, we’re going to do our best to make a few changes to help the situation. First of all, we are going to add a few more chairs here and there. We’re going to do a better job of actually ushering people as they come in (please be willing to scoot down a row when asked). We’re going to rope off the very back section of chairs close to the wall and the first few rows on the back of the section as soon as you walk in. This will force people to sit closer to the front. And then as soon as the service begins, we’ll open up those back rows making it easier for people coming in late to find a seat. As always, we need people to come early and sit to the front and center of each section, leaving the ends open. We also need people willing to start coming to the 11:15am service, which is much smaller in attendance and has plenty of room.
We’re also asking you to start parking at the Oakland Parking Lot, not Orange Grove, and definitely NOT the parking lot immediately in front of the auditorium. The Oakland Parking Lot is the very large parking lot to the right, immediately past the Greenway, right before you get to our church. There is PLENTY of parking back there, and it makes more room for our Guests, and it makes a smoother transition between services. There is also some field parking available behind the church.
Coastal, our church is GROWING, and all of these little things that we’re doing and asking you to do are becoming very important as we head into the Spring and leading up to Easter. In fact, next Sunday, February 12th is both LIFE Group Sunday AND we’re kicking off a new series called, “Relationship Rescue” – it’s going to be a BIG DAY! Not only are we asking you to pull out the stops and invite your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, but we are also mailing out a postcard that will go to THOUSANDS in our community! So, please help us out and do your part as Coastal continues to grow and reach people in our community with the good news of the Gospel! In fact, this Sunday I’m making a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT about something we’ll be doing soon to help with our continued growth! Don’t miss it! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Coastal has a HUGE heart for Oakland Elementary School and its Teachers! Choose a Classroom Wishlist Tag in the lobby this Sunday, purchase the items, and return them (tagged but not wrapped) by Sunday, February 26th. We will distribute the items as they come in. If you have any questions about your items, contact Rachel Speer.
As you can see from the picture above, Pastor Scott Huff is excited! But it’s not his Kentucky Wildcats that he’s excited about – it’s the 2023 LIFE Group Catalog that he’s holding! That’s right, this Sunday you’ll receive a copy. In fact, you should also be receiving one in the mail (feel free to use one as an invitation and give it away). Like Scott, I’m so excited about LIFE Groups this semester. Once again, we have the most Groups we’ve ever had in one semester – 38! There is something for EVERYONE – activity Groups, study Groups, support Groups, and more! Every semester this is a huge undertaking, putting all of this together. A huge thanks to all of our LIFE Group Leaders, stepping up and stepping out in faith to lead. A huge thanks to Pastor Scott for overseeing all of it and leading this Ministry well. And a huge thanks to Rachel Speer! She is so much more than an Office Manager. She actually designed and put together the physical catalog itself. And as you’ll see, she did a fantastic job!
I truly believe it’s going to be a great semester of LIFE Groups, but what makes it great is YOU – signing up and joining one (or two or three – haha). I love what we do here on Sunday mornings! I do! I love the music. I love watching people come to faith. I love all of our LIFE Teams and our Sunday morning Volunteers. But. . . there is one glaring weakness with a crowd. It’s hard to grow in a crowd. You don’t live out/walk out your faith in a crowd. You need community. You and I were created for community, for relationships. And at Coastal, the best place to do that is through our LIFE Groups! You’ll have several weeks to check out the catalog and get signed up. LIFE Group Sunday (like a job/college fair, but for LIFE Groups) will be Sunday, February 12th – always a BIG Day at Coastal! And unless otherwise indicated, most Groups begin the week of February 19th and last 8-12 weeks. And if you want to get an early jump, go to our website, check out our catalog and start signing up today!
If you’re looking for a great Group to join, let me tell you about mine (they’re all great)! I’m involved in two LIFE Groups this semester. I lead a Wednesday morning Men’s Group that meets at the church on Wednesday mornings, 7-8am. It’s probably the longest running Group we’ve had. I’ve been leading some version of it for about 25+ years. It’s for men from all walks of life – young/old, married/single, kids/no kids. I provide the coffee and some sort of breakfast (usually sausage & egg biscuits). We break into smaller groups, dig into that week’s sermon a little deeper, and then the guys share how they’re doing spiritually and how we can pray for each other. It’s one of the best hours of my week. If you’re a man, looking for fellowship with other men, and want to grow in your walk with the Lord, I’d love for you to join my Group.
And then the other Group that I’m leading this semester is actually a Group that Janet and I lead together. We meet on Wednesday nights, 6:30pm-8pm in the Coastal Chapel. We decided to meet on Wednesday nights at the Chapel so that any parents who are bringing Students to Student Ministry could easily stay for Group without having to go back and forth. BUT, it’s definitely not just for Student Ministry parents. It’s for anyone who wants to hang out with me and Janet and dive a little deeper into that week’s message (it’s listed as a Dive Deeper Sermon Follow-Up Group in the catalog). We’ll also laugh together, eat together, serve together, and pray together! If Wednesday night works for you, Janet and I would love for you to join our Group!
I also want to thank everyone who has been praying for my voice. If you were in church this past Sunday or heard my sermon, you know that by the end of second service I had pretty much lost my voice. I went to the Doctor on Monday and evidently I have an ear infection that went to my nose/throat. I feel fine – just sound terrible. But after some antibiotics for the infection, a LOT of fluids, and trying to rest my voice (the hardest part for me – haha), I’m sounding much better. But please keep me and my voice in your prayers as I wrap up this section of Romans on Sunday. I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together! The Best Is Yet To Come!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. You should be receiving your 2022 Year End Giving Statement from our church this week in the mail. Our church changed its Database Management Software, so if you gave all year long you will receive two statements. Simply add them together and that is your complete giving statement. If you have any questions about your statement or don’t receive yours, please reach out to our Financial Administrator at 843-571-1777 ext. 106 or finance@coastalcommunitychurch.org. Your consistent, faithful, generous giving enables our church to make its IMPACT.
The last two weeks we’ve averaged almost 750 people in-person (and another 623 online)! The 9:30am service is just about at capacity in-person. You know the drill – I need some people who are willing to be “missionaries” and start attending the 11:15am service to make room. We’re not quite ready to add a 3rd service. . . yet. But it’s coming. But before we do, we need to leverage the two services we have. And as always, please, please sit the front and center of each section. This makes it easer on our ushers (Chris Ranew & Scott Huff – haha) trying to find seats for people during the first service. And please park as far away as possible. Start utilizing Oakland Elementary School’s parking lot (down the first drive just past the Greenway). That’s where I park. These are all great “problems” to have. Honestly, they’re not problems at all – they’re opportunities. They’re opportunities for God to see where our priorities are at – ourselves, or the Kingdom.
The only real barrier right now to adding a 3rd service is volunteers. If you’re not serving right now, it’s time to start. But the reason to serve is not because there is a slot to fill. Don’t serve out of guilt or pressure. Serve out of love. Serve out of gratitude. We serve because that’s where we find and experience LIFE! Jesus said that we find true life when we give our lives away in service to others. It’s also through serving that we become a link in the chain that leads people to Christ. It’s also through serving that we get connected and grow in fellowship with our church family. My point is, if you’re not serving, it’s time to start. And don’t ever think that ANY ministry is “full” or doesn’t have room for you. There is always room for more! So, go to our website and sign up to serve today!
One of the reasons we need to start making these service adjustments is that a new series is coming up, and then Easter is just around the corner! I’m super excited about this next series kicking off on February 12th. It’s called, “Relationship Rescue.” If there is one area of our lives that we constantly need help with, it’s in our relationships. And I believe that the church ought to be a safe place where we can come and talk about love and sex and dating and marriage and parenting! It’s here that we ought to be able to take an honest and uncensored look at what the Bible has to say about these things. I truly believe that during this series we’re going to see marriages restored and relationships rekindled. We’re going to help people find new hope to cope with the relationship pressures that we all face. And most importantly, I believe that people are going to find Jesus! Make a commitment now to be here for the entire series and to invite someone to come with you.
Psalm 144:7 is kind of a theme verse for this series. It says, “Reach down from heaven and rescue me; rescue me from deep waters.” It’s a prayer of rescue. Have you ever found yourself in deep waters when it comes to a relationship? We all have. Maybe at some time in your life, you prayed a prayer like this, “God, reach down and take away this relationship pain. God, reach down and restore my marriage. God, reach down from heaven and take away my loneliness, deliver me and give me hope.” Well, each week of the series we’re going to look at some principles from God’s Word (our “lifeline”) and discover what you should know and do when you’re in the middle of a relational storm. We’re going to talk about friendships, dating, marriage, sex, and parenting. So, whether you’re single, married, or single again, old, young, kids or no kids, this series is for you! And most importantly, start praying about who you’re going to invite and bring to the series!
And finally, I’ve got some more GREAT NEWS! We reached and surpassed our Christmas Offering Goal – $137371.63! Wow! Just WOW! Your generosity never ceases to amaze me Coastal! It is your consistent (not just at Christmas or special occasions), generous (above and beyond) giving that enables our church to do all that it does here, in the community, and around the world! And speaking of around the world, we just found out that a large portion of our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes were delivered to Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire (both in Western Africa)! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Parents – save the date and mark your calendars NOW! Coastal’s 2023 VBS dates are July 10th-14th, Monday-Friday, 6-8:15pm! VBS is for children ages 4 years old through 5th grade. This year’s theme is a space theme – “Stellar – Shine Jesus’ Light.” If you would be interested in leading any part of VBS, or if you have any questions, contact Janet Rollins.
This Sunday is the last day to give toward our annual Christmas Offering and we are still just short of our goal of $125,000. Each year this offering is used to do some incredible things, and this year is no different. One of those things was to provide Christmas – gifts and a meal – to all of the children and staff at New Life Children’s Home in Peru. In fact, with this money we were also able to provide a small bonus to the Staff and a day trip for all the children to the beach! Above and below are just two pictures of what your generous giving provided! The exciting part is that’s where we’re going this Summer on our Mission’s Trip!
One more exciting update on our Christmas Offering – we purchased our new 15 Passenger Van!! It still needs to be wrapped, but we’ve already used it to take volunteers to the North Charleston Tailgate this past Saturday for Saturday Serve. In fact, I’ll be driving it tomorrow for Double Tailgate Day, taking volunteers to Charleston Vets! And I CAN’T WAIT to share with the Veterans there the good news – we’ll be ready to pick them up for church THIS SUNDAY!! If you are interested in being one of our Van Drivers for Sunday pickup, reach out to Chris Jones.
We’ve still got a major project to accomplish with the Christmas Offering – replacing our PA System in the auditorium. We hope to have that done by Easter as we prepare to see over 2000 people in-person on our campus! So, we’re not done, but I wanted you to see what your generous giving has already accomplished. If you haven’t given yet, give this weekend. If you have already given, but want to see us reach and surpass our goal, give this weekend. Use the keyword, “Christmas.” It is your generous, consistent giving that enables our church to do all that it does right here in our Community and around the world! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Please keep Coastal’s Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) in your prayers this weekend! Jacob will be taking 40 Students plus Volunteers to Pigeon Forge, TN for their “Strength to Stand” Conference and Winter Retreat! They leave today and will return on Monday!
Wow, wow, wow! What a great start to 2023 as we BAPTIZED 7 PEOPLE during our service last Sunday! It was a powerful and moving celebration! And as I said last Sunday, “7 down, 93 to go!” You see, last year we Baptized 61 people. Well, last week I set a B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) of Baptizing 100 people in 2023! We talk a lot about Next Steps at Coastal. As we say, “Everyone has a Next Step to take in their faith.” Maybe your next step is Baptism. We are ready any service, any Sunday. You simply need to let us know. You can do that one of two ways: sign up on your Connect Card any Sunday or sign up on our website.
But what is Baptism and why is it important? Well, first of all, let me simply say this – Jesus did it, He commanded it, and that settles it! Baptism is the outward expression of the inward conversion that God has done in our heart by faith. It is a physical act, a physical ceremony that depicts an awesome spiritual reality. Now, in and of itself, Baptism doesn’t save you. It’s your faith in Christ that does that. And if you haven’t given your life to Christ and you get Baptized, you’re just getting wet. Baptism, you see, is a beautiful picture of that salvation.
Let me illustrate it this way. 35 years ago, Janet and I were married and the two of us exchanged rings as a symbol of the vows we made to each other on our wedding day. So the ring that I wear is very special to me. But listen, that ring is not my marriage. When I come home after work and walk through the door, I don’t expect Janet to kiss my wedding ring! When I’m out of town missing Janet, snuggling up with my wedding ring has never done a thing for me! My ring is not my marriage. In fact, I could take off my wedding ring and I’m still married to Janet. But what would you think about a guy who took off his wedding ring any tme he went out of town or out to dinner? And what do you think God thinks of a Christian who is unwilling to be associated with Him in the most public and simple way? You see, I’m proud of my association with my wife. I’m not going to hide it. I want the world to know. She said yes. I’m hers, she’s mine, and she’s some kind of wonderful. You see, I feel that way about God too.
Sure, you can go to heaven without being Baptized. Don’t believe me? There was a thief on the cross. He died next to Jesus. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” And guess what? He wasn’t Baptized. So it’s not Baptism that saves you and gets you into heaven. It’s not my wedding ring that makes me married. It’s a symbol of what’s already happened in my life, and I’m proud to tell the world. Baptism is me saying, “I’m unashamed to be connected to You Jesus. I want to be associated with you publically. I want to be known as Yours, and I want the world to know.” That’s the beauty of Baptism. Again, you can go to heaven without being Baptized, but why would you want to? It’s the most beautiful expression of your love, devotion, and obedience to Christ. And maybe, it’s your next step! Like I said, 7 down and 93 to go!
Maybe you’re new to our church and your next step is our Newcomer’s Reception (see below). Maybe you’ve been coming to Coastal for a while and you’re ready to officially make our church family, YOUR church family. Then your next step is our Membership Class (see below). And guess what? Whatever your next step might be, we are honored to walk on this journey with you! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together! This Sunday, we’ll be jumping back into our Romans series – can’t wait to see you!
Walking With You!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Come help with setting up all the chairs in the auditorium! With 8 to 12 people it takes less than 30 minutes. Typically our LIFE Groups help with Chair Set Up, but in between LIFE Group Semesters, we need help. So, here are the dates and times for the month of January: this Saturday, January 7th at 7:30am (then stay for Saturday Serve); Saturday, January 14th at 9am (then stay for Double Tailgate Day); Saturday, January 21st at 8am; Saturday, January 28th at 8am.
Happy New Year everyone – well almost! 2023 is just about here! But guess what? No matter what 2023 brings, Jesus is still on the throne, God is still in control, and our mission is still the same: “to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world!”
I sincerely hope you and your family have had a wonderful Christmas! And let me say how awesome our Christmas Eve services were at Coastal! We had our largest Christmas Eve services ever – 1182 people in person! I want to thank all of our volunteers who served so joyfully! We could not do what we do without you! I especially want to thank all of our Tech Team & Worship Team who came very early and were here for all 3 services over 2 days! There is just something special about lighting candles and worshipping together. (If you’re available, we’ll be taking down all of our Christmas decorations this Tuesday at 9am. We could use your help!)
For those of you who have had some time off from work this week, I hope you’ve been able to rest, refresh and enjoy spending time with family. Janet and I are up in Knoxville, TN visiting our daughter and her husband. We’ll be back in town tomorrow. Don’t forget that we only have 1 in-person service this Sunday – 9:30am. But you’re not going to want to miss it. First of all, I’m going to be doing something that used to be a Coastal tradition, but I haven’t done in a while. As we kick off the new year, I’m going to be preaching a message called, “The Year In Review & The Year Ahead.” It gives us a moment to reflect on the past, to celebrate the past, but then to turn the page, to close that chapter, and move forward. Philippians 3:13-14, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.”
And then most importantly, we’re going to have a Baptism Service this Sunday! I know of at least 6 people (maybe 10) who are getting Baptized. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the new year! If you’d like to join them, respond to this email or sign up online! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together! Hold on to your fork Coastal – the best is yet to come!
Happy New Year!
Pastor Chris
P.S. New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday this year – THIS Sunday, January 1st, 2023! And to celebrate we’re having a Baptism Service! We can’t think of a better way to start the new year right, than by being buried with Christ through Baptism, and being raised to walk in the new life (Colossians 2:12). It’s a new life for a new year! There will only be one service this Sunday – 9:30am. If you would like to participate sign up on our website!
So, are you ready for Christmas? Well, ready or not, it’s ALMOST here! Which means of course, that we’re having the FIRST of our 3 Christmas Eve Services, TONIGHT at 7pm! And then 2 more services tomorrow, Saturday, December 24th, 4:30pm & 6pmI I hope you are ready to invite & bring your friends! Remember, it’s not too late to invite someone. Make the ask! What’s the worst thing that could happen? Better yet – what’s the BEST thing that could happen? Think through all your contacts – social media, work, neighbors, friends, family – and invite them to come!
Also, Christmas Eve services are one of those times where it is “all hands on deck.” In other words, if you serve in ministry and you’re not out of town, we NEED YOU TO SERVE. Contact your Ministry Leader and let them know which services you are available ASAP. Every ministry needs plenty of volunteers (and extra volunteers) to pull off Christmas Eve and create a welcoming atmosphere.
Pray for me & my message. Pray that people give their lives to Jesus and get saved! Pray for our Worship Team that they would lead people to worship Jesus. Pray for all our Ministry Volunteers, that they would serve Jesus by serving others.
Here are a few other important reminders:
Don’t forget that our entire offering on Christmas Eve (all 3 services) will go toward our Christmas Offering! Prayerfully consider what you and your family can give. You might also consider making a year end sacrificial gift.
Well, I think that’s about it. For those of you who are traveling or out of town – HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS! Safe travels and please keep us in your prayers! And remember, if you can’t make it in person, you will be able to watch all of our services live online. Can’t wait to see the rest of you and your guests tonight and tomorrow! Also, don’t forget that there are NO IN-PERSON SERVICES this Sunday, Christmas Day – ONLINE ONLY (9:30am, 11:15am, 6pm – all online)!
Merry Christmas Eve!
Pastor Chris
P.S. New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday this year – Sunday, January 1st, 2023! And to celebrate we’re having a Baptism Service! We can’t think of a better way to start the new year right, than by being buried with Christ through Baptism, and being raised to walk in the new life (Colossians 2:12). It’s a new life for a new year! There will only be one service that day – 9:30am. If you would like to participate, sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up on our website!
I just wanted to personally invite you to attend one of our 3Christmas Eve Services this Friday & Saturday at Coastal – in-person OR online! Our service times are: Friday, December 23rd, 7pm; Saturday, December 24th, 4:30pm & 6pm. We’re going to sing some of your favorite Christmas songs, I’m going to share a message that God has laid on my heart, and we’re going to light candles to remember that Jesus is the Light of the World. The whole service will last just under an hour. I promise you, it will be just what you need to start Christmas off right!
While you enjoy a special Christmas Eve worship service, your children will be enjoying a Coastal Kidz (Birth – 5th Grade) Christmas Celebrationcomplete with a Bible story, games, crafts, and snacks. If your children would like to wear their pjs, great, but if you would rather have them dress up to get that great photo in front of our Christmas trees, that’s great too.
Also, it’s not too late to invite and bring friend! People expect to be invited to Christmas Eve services! Call up that friend, reach out to someone on social media, and invite them to be your guest. You never know the power of a simple invitation. This could be the first day of the rest of their life with Jesus! Can’t wait to see you and your guests in-person OR online!
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Our entire offering on Christmas Eve is going toward our Annual Christmas Offering! Our Christmas Offering helps to fund most of the community outreach we do here at Coastal. As always, you can also give to our church through our website, or simply text “GIVE” to 843-571-1777 and follow the simple instructions. We could not do all that we do in the community without YOU!
I’m so excited about tomorrow morning! I hope you are too! It’s finally here – Christmas at Charleston Vets! Tomorrow, Saturday, December 17th, 10am-2pm, we’ll descend on Charleston Vets in North Charleston and provide the Veterans there with a Christmas Party like no other: a home-cooked Christmas meal, a Christmas stocking packed full of home-baked Christmas cookies, Christmas gifts for every Veteran, a coffee and hot chocolate bar, a craft table so the kids can make gifts for the Veterans, Christmas music and more! At this point, everything (food, gifts, stockings) has been accounted for and taken care of – thank you, thank you, thank you! The only thing left to do is to simply come and serve. And no doubt we will have an abundance of volunteers. But that’s okay, because it’s a PARTY and the more the merrier! If you plan on coming, it would help us out if you signed up on our website: coastalcommunitychurch.org/missions. And if you’re coming to serve, why not be a double blessing and show up at 9am to help with chair set-up. A huge shout out goes to Eddie & Peggy for leading an awesome team of volunteers to pull off this Party!
I also want to share with you 2 things that happened this week that you were a part of, that you might not be aware of. We have a very special relationship with Oakland Elementary School, the Elementary School across the street from our church. We have been consistently giving, loving, and serving Oakland for the past 18 years. One of the things that we’ve done for the past 7 years is provide an Oakland T-Shirt for the entire school (600+ people) at Christmas. Here is what Elizabeth Nicodin, the Principal, wrote on their Facebook page, “Today is my absolute favorite day….Family Picture Day, year 7! We didn’t let the rain stop us from taking our annual Oakland family picture. Every year Coastal Community Church gifts all of our family with a new Orca t-shirt. Coastal has become a part of our Oakland family over the years and we are so grateful for all of the love they show us. Thank You just doesn’t seem adequate – we love you and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for our cool new shirts!”
And then, speaking of schools, on Tuesday of this past week, our church hosted Carolina Voyager Charter School’s Winter Concert. Pastor Ryan Spell and his Tech Team were there providing a 1st class production and environment for the school and their guests. And speaking of guests! We’re pretty sure we had the largest single service attendance for the concert – over 600 people! Needless to say, it was standing room only, with people in the overflow gather space.
Coastal, that’s over 1200 people who were exposed to the love and generosity of our church this week! And all of that, and so much more, is made possible by the loving service and generous, consistent giving of our church – YOU! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love that we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
We had such a great kick-off to our “Christmas at Coastal” series on Peace this past Sunday! We had a great attendance (over 700 in person and another 500 online), lots of guests, lots people we haven’t seen in a while, and I saw lots of people taking family Christmas pictures in front of our Christmas trees! I know I sound like a broken record, but please leverage this time of year, pull out all the stops, and invite and bring someone to church in December. In this post Christian culture that we live in today, Christmas still carries with it a sense of mystery, intrigue, wonder, and the miraculous in people’s minds. And whether or not they even recognize that it’s Jesus and only the Peace that He offers that they are searching for – they ARE searching. They are searching for anything that might fill that hole in their soul, something bigger than themselves that will give meaning and significance. The truth is that we were all created with that longing and we will never be satisfied until we find our satisfaction, meaning, purpose, and significance in a personal relationship with Him.
And once you’ve experienced that for yourself (and I know many of you have), you have a mission, a reason for living – to share that message with the people God brings into your life. So, who are you praying for this Christmas? Who are you inviting to Coastal? Who are you inviting and bringing to one of our 3 Christmas Eve services (Friday, December 23rd, 7pm, and Saturday, December 24th, 4:30pm, & 6pm)? Because we make this promise, this commitment – if you invite and bring them to Coastal, they will see and experience Jesus and hear the Good News of the Gospel. We either believe that people are dying and going to Hell without Jesus . . . or we don’t. And if we do, it shapes everything we do. Acts 20:24, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
Coastal, don’t forget, we are a Battleship, not a Cruise Ship. For those of you who have been on Cruises, you know that once you get on that ship, it’s all about you, your needs, your wants. Food? Drinks? Sun? Relaxation? Sit back and let us take care of you. Forget everyone and everything you left behind. A Battleship, however, is quite different. There is a Commander. You have a mission. You’re working together to fight a common enemy, and take back territory that was stolen. You won’t leave anyone behind and together you’ll do anything it takes to rescue those behind enemy lines. It’s not about you and your needs, it’s about the mission. And you will sacrifice everything you have to see that mission accomplished. Sadly, more churches and Christians behave like they’re on a Carnival Cruise than on a Battleship for God. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love that we get to lock arms, march out into this world, beat down the gates of Hell, and rescue people one life at a time together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” – at Coastal that is! I can’t wait for you to see our campus over the weekend! These pictures don’t do it justice. You’re defiinitely going to want to get a family picture! I’d like to thank Teresa Spell for all her hard work. She’s the vision behind all the decorations. And then the Staff and a group of awesome volunteers were the muscle! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! And if you look closely in the 3rd picture you might just see another member of the manger scene that wasn’t mentioned in the original Christmas story in Luke 2 (that wasn’t a part of Teresa’s vision – haha!).
Our “Christmas at Coastal” series kicks off THIS Sunday, December 4th! The focus of the series this year is on PEACE. I don’t know about you, but at times Christmas seems anything but peaceful. Now honestly, much of it we seem to bring on ourselves. Just think about what we do. During this time of the year we decide to have more parties during this one month than all the rest of the year combined. I don’t know why we do it, but we do this to ourselves. During this one month of the year, besides all these parties we say let’s write a little personal note to every person we’ve ever met in our lives and send them a card. And as if that weren’t enough we entirely redecorate our house on the inside and on the outside. Then during this time of the year we try to buy a special gift for every person that we love. And then – we bake! How often do you bake? But you do it during this time of the year! Then right in the middle of it, as if all of this wasn’t crazy enough, we say, “Let’s let the kids out of school for two weeks.” No wonder we’re stressed out!
But guess what? The very 1st Christmas was anything but peaceful. It was a time of fear and unrest and paranoia and turmoil. Sounds a lot like today doesn’t it? In fact, fast forward to 2022. This year has been anything but peaceful. I don’t think any of the “end of year stories” that will be flooding the media at the end of this month will use the word “peaceful” to describe 2022. Just the opposite. Turn on the news, and what do you see? Terrorist bombings, school shootings, racial tension, and political hatred and division. In fact, you honestly find yourself asking this question: “If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, did He fail?” Well, it all depends on how do you define “peace”? The world defines peace as the absence of conflict. I think Jesus had something different in mind. And I honestly think that God’s peace is exactly what people are truly searching for today. Come to Coastal this month and discover God’s gift for you this Christmas and all year round – PEACE.
Don’t forget that our 3 Christmas Eve Candlelight Services will be on Friday, December 23rd, 7pm, and Saturday, December 24th, 4:30pm, & 6pm. Please be in touch with your LIFE Team Leaders about serving! On Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25th, our services will be online only. Leverage this season and all the miracles associated with it and invite and bring a friend each week of this series and on Christmas Eve. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you over the weekend!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Okay, okay, we’re not really having a “Black Friday Sale” at Coastal! I just thought it might be a fun way to get you to open and read my “Friday 5.” I know how some of you get when you hear the word SALE! I hope you and your family truly had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! Today is traditionally called “Black Friday.” And then next week we have “Cyber Monday” and “Giving Tuesday”! Regardless of what labels we assign these days, the reality is that more people will buy more STUFF online this weekend and over the next month than any other time of the year. That’s not a bad thing, BUT it isn’t eternal. Our church exists to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston & the world – and that IS eternal!
So, while you’re shopping online today and over the next month, why not consider doing one of 2 things. And here’s my CYBER OFFER: 100% of your investment will go to reaching people for Jesus!
Many people give to Coastal with their smartphone through TEXTING! Simply text the word “GIVE” to 843-571-1777 and follow the simple instructions. GIVE IT A TRY! You can give any amount, any where, any time, any place. It is not billed to your phone. It is through your Bank/Credit Card that you register. It is simple, safe, and secure.
Whether you and your family are here in Charleston or out of town this weekend, I hope to see you at Coastal on Sunday – in-person or online, 9:30AM or 11:15AM! We kick off our “Christmas at Coastal” series NEXT Sunday, December 4th. Take advantage of this season and this series and invite your friends to church! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you over the weekend!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Happy Thanksgiving! 1 Thessalonians. 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Be sure to notice the last part of verse 18, look at it again, “this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” There aren’t a lot of passages in the Bible that specifically spell out, “this is God’s will for you,” but this is one of them. Think about that. This specifically is God’s will for all of us – that we rejoice always, that we pray continually, and that we give thanks in all circumstances. In the original Greek language, they could be translated, “continually rejoice, continually pray, and continually give thanks.”
That’s really where the challenge lies, doesn’t it? I mean, we would have no problem if it said, “Rejoice sometimes, pray occasionally, and give thanks when you feel like it.” It’s the words, “Always”, “Continually”, and “In all circumstances” that trip us up. And the implication is that the real impact of the gospel will be seen in those times when we don’t feel very joyful, when we don’t want to pray, or when we can’t think of a reason to be thankful. That’s where we discover if our faith is real or if it’s just a show.
Let’s be honest, this is a challenging verse: for the person who’s recently been divorced; the person who had a miscarriage; the person whose body is devastated by the treatments they are receiving; the person who feels like they are barely existing in a job filled with difficulties and disappointments; the person who is overwhelmed by financial demands; the person who has to helplessly watch their child suffer; the person who lives with a cloud of depression; the person who has recently stood at the freshly dug grave of someone they love; or the person who feels suffocated by their loneliness.
In each of those situations, the idea of “giving thanks in all circumstances” is beyond difficult! In fact, it seems impossible. So what is Paul saying? Well, let me tell you what he’s NOT saying, he’s not asking us to pretend. Jesus openly WEPT over the death of His friend Lazarus. And that Greek word isn’t used anywhere else in the entire New Testament. It literally means that Jesus spontaneously burst into tears, that He was overcome with grief. Jesus was the most thankful person who ever lived, but that didn’t keep Him from deeply identifying with human sorrow, suffering, and death. So this is definitely not about pretending or denying.
Nor is Paul saying that we’re to give thanks FOR all circumstances. Obviously we shouldn’t be thankful for evil or injustice or any of the many things that grieve God’s heart. BUT, we are to be thankful IN all circumstances. And that’s an important distinction. The implication is NOT that everything that happens to us is good. But rather, regardless of what happens – HE is still good! And for the believer, JUST THAT provides us with a lifetime of reasons to be thankful.
Each year brings with it ups and downs, joys and sorrows, big & small changes – and 2022 has been no exception. Through it all, it is my prayer that we are a grateful people and just a little bit more like Jesus. It is my prayer, that in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of today and this weekend, that you will choose to see all the blessings in your life and be reminded that the greatest of those is that you belong to Jesus! I can’t tell you how very thankful I am for you and for the privilege and honor of being your Pastor. Paul’s words in Philippians 1:3 are very real to me, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.”
Whether you and your family are here in Charleston or out of town this weekend, I hope to see you at Coastal on Sunday – in-person or online! We have 2 services – 9:30am & 11:15am. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Chris
P.S. This weekend & the week ahead will see the largest traffic of onlline shopping of the year! While you’re shopping, don’t forget that you can also GIVE ONLINE. You can give through our website, or TEXT the word “GIVE” to 843-571-1777 and follow the simple instructions. This would be a great weekend to give to our Christmas Offering! Simply use the keyword, “Christmas.”
This past Wednesday night our Student Ministry (6th-12 Grade) had an AWESOME Thanksgiving Party – games, fire pits, a traditional sit down Thanksgiving meal, and a great message on Gratitude (see pictures above and below)! You know one thing that I’m grateful for? Our Youth Pastor Jacob Bonetti and his heart for Students, the Word of God, and Coastal! And parents YOU need to make sure your Student and their friends are here on Wednesday nights (6pm – Doors Open for Food & Games, 6:30-8pm – Message & Small Groups)! Now, they won’t be meeting this coming Wednesday night (the night before Thanksgiving), but start making it a priority. It’s amazing to me how parents will go to great lengths, spending lots of money and time, to make sure their kids are involved in all kinds of things and get them to those things (things that really won’t make ANY eternal difference), but won’t put the same amount or more effort in getting them to church. Parents, if this applies to you, I’m calling you out! Let’s do better. Also, registration is now OPEN for their Winter Retreat! They’ll be going to the Strength to Stand Student Conference in Pigeon Forge TN, January 13-16. Cost is $150. If you’d like to sponsor a Student, please see Jacob. Deadline for signups and payment is December 31st. Not only does Coastal have a great Youth Pastor, but we have a great Team of Volunteers who give of their time and energy to love and serve our Students. If we are going to be a growing and thriving church on into the future, we have to make children and students a priority! If you have any questions about Student Ministry here at Coastal, or would like to learn how you can get involved, please reach out to our Youth Pastor Jacob Bonetti. It could possibly be one of the most rewarding things you do with your life. In fact, you are here today, Coastal is here today, because a friend invited me to Youth Group, a Youth Group with a great Youth Pastor and a great group of volunteers who loved me and showed me Jesus! And I am eternally grateful for them!
I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you over the weekend!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday this year – Sunday, January 1st, 2023! And to celebrate we’re having a Baptism Service! We can’t think of a better way to start the new year right, than by being buried with Christ through Baptism, and being raised to walk in the new life (Colossians 2:12). It’s a new life for a new year! There will only be one service that day – 9:30am. If you would like to participate, sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up on our website!
There are LOTS of exciting things going on this weekend at Coastal! Please see all the different things below. I hope to see you tonight for our “Night of Worship,” tomorrow for “Double Tailgate Day” & Thanksgiving at JFM, and of course Sunday morning Worship!
But there is something else exciting getting ready to happen at Coastal that I want to share with you – our 10th Annual Christmas Offering! Over the years, this offering has made a huge IMPACT on our ministry!
For example, in the past our Christmas Offering has enabled us to:
– fully fund our “Summer of IMPACT”
– complete a well for a community in Haiti
– re-roof our entire building
– renovate a home for a family on Wadmalaw Island
– fully fund our Summer VBS
– pay for our Easter Outreach
– Oakland Elementary School Annual T-Shirt
– Student Ministry Camp & Retreat
– 2 Box Trucks for Community Outreach
– renovate our Chapel
God has used our church and the Christmas Offering to do all of that and so much more! Well, beginning NEXT Sunday, November 20th, through Sunday, January 15th (9 weeks), we are encouraging our entire Coastal family to give above and beyond their regular tithes and offering to this year’s Christmas Offering.
To give, all you have to do is designate your gift “Christmas” on your check, offering envelope, online, or TEXTing (843-571-1777). You can give your gift during those 9 weeks (Nov. 20th – Jan. 15th) at any of our regular Sunday morning services, or anytime through TEXTing, or our website. You might also consider giving it all at once during one of our 3 Christmas Eve Services this year (Friday, December 23rd, 7pm & Saturday, December 24th, 4:30pm & 6pm). Our entire Christmas Eve offering will go toward our Annual Christmas Offering.
Why a Special Offering? It’s a way for us to grow in our faith and to prepare us for what God wants to do through our church in a bigger way in 2023. It’s a way for us to sacrifice together as a church family and give generously. Christmas is all about giving. Many people, during this time of year, are in fact looking for opportunities to give. And there is no better place to give than to your local church.
What is our goal and where is the money going? Our overall goal is $125,000! Is that a big goal? Yes! Can we reach it? Absolutely! As always, I am very excited about where this year’s money will be going and the potential Kingdom impact. The money primarily will be used for a 15 Passenger Van, Sound Equipment, New Life Children’s Home in Peru, & Golf Carts.
Let me specifically explain each:
15 Passenger Van. What’s the most consistently asked question from the residents of Joseph Floyd Manor, Charleston Vets, and Patriot Villas? Especially after they get to know us and see us on a regular basis? Answer: Do you provide any kind of transportation to your church? Do you have a van that picks up people and brings them to Coastal? How awesome would it be to have a regular pick up at some of these places that we serve and be able to bring them to Coastal?! We could also use it to take volunteers to different sites. And then of course it would come in handy for Student Ministry and multiple other opportunities.
Golf Carts. If you’ve ever ridden in one of our Golf Carts, you know they’re in pretty rough shape – not a very good “first impression.” These Golf Carts get used all the time, each and every Sunday transporting people to and from our Parking Lots (at Orange Grove & now Oakland) to our Auditorium.
Peru Mission – Christmas for New Life Children’s Home. We are planning a missions trip this Summer, July 22nd-29th, to the New Life Children’s Home in Peru (see below). A portion of this year’s Christmas Offering will go to providing Christmas Gifts & a Christmas Meal for all the children in the orphanage (30-40 children) and their workers.
Sound Equipment. One of the most vital elements of our Sunday Morning service is our worship. Our current PA system (speakers) was purchased along with the construction of our “worship-gym-atorium,” and for a while now has been slowly worsening. We have continued to replace parts and service equipment, when possible, but it is time for us to make the jump and purchase a new system. This new system will be specifically designed for our auditorium in order to give everyone, no matter where you are sitting, the best experience possible. We’ve come to realize quickly at Coastal that the equipment we have is incredibly important for our Sunday morning experience. But it’s not just that. It is important for how we are able to serve our neighbors and our community.
How much should you give? Prayerfully consider giving a gift that will stretch your faith and include your whole family. For some people, coming up with “extra” money is difficult. We’ve learned that as we give, God provides. Maybe you decide to give up eating out or buying coffee for 9 weeks and give that money to the Christmas Offering. Maybe you sell something or have a yard sale. For some people $1000 above your regular giving is a huge sacrifice. For others, it’s not. Someone might decide to cover the whole cost for the Van or the Sound Equipment. One person actually approached me last Sunday and told me that they would like to give a $10,000 matching gift to this year’s Christmas Offering to get it started! How exciting is that?!
Just like our “Daring Faith” Giving Campaign and all the other Christmas Offerings we’ve done in the past, we can’t all give the same amount, but TOGETHER, we can ALL make a sacrifice. That’s when God does a miracle, when together we ALL step out in faith.
Remember, this offering should be over and above what you regularly give. If you’re not regularly giving (weekly, monthly), use this time of year to start. If you’re not tithing (10% of your gross income), step out in faith and start tithing. Reaching this goal will be a celebration of what God can do through us as together we stretch our faith. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you over the weekend!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
PS – If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. The easiest and fastest way to give to the Christmas Offering is through TEXTing the word “GIVE” to 843-571-1777 and follow the simple instructions. Just make sure you designate your gift “Christmas.”
If you’re like me, it’s hard to believe that IT’S NOVEMBER! For most people, the beginning of November means that the Holidays – Thanksgiving & Christmas – are fast approaching. But for many people, the Holidays are not the “happiest time of the year.” They are very difficult and very painful (see #3 below). On top of that, people are just on edge. Tempers are short. Times are tough. Budgets are TIGHT. And prices have SKYROCKETED!
Well, earlier this week I was doing some pre-marital counseling with a young engaged couple from our church. We’ve been making our way through the book, “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” by Les & Leslie Parrott (good resource by the way). We were on the chapter, “Do You Know How to Fight A Good Fight?” One of the points the authors make is that the biggest stress in most marriages, the thing that most couples fight about is still money (big surprise right?).
Well, it gave me the chance to remind them about something that I want to remind you about (some of you are new and might not be aware of this). A couple of years ago our church purchased a site license for something called, “Ramsey+”. In fact, we’re one of the only churches in the country who have done this! What that means is that YOU have access to ALL of Dave Ramsey’s best selling financial resources and tools for FREE! This includes 5 classes (Financial Peace, Legacy Journey, Smart Money Smart Kids, the Jump Start Course and a new Budgeting course), the Everydollar+ budgeting tool, and a host of other resources designed to help families track their progress through the baby steps, get out of debt, and experience financial freedom. All of that and more is FREE for our entire church! You have access to everything online, at your own pace, on your own schedule. Simply go to this link (located on our website – Resources/Financial Tools) and sign up today! Again, here’s the link:
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/hosts/coastalcommunity?pc=69597500
We see this as an investment in you, your family, your finances, and your future! It’s also a way to practically express our generosity and love toward you and our community and to be a real practical source of help. Think about it – what if you were debt free, with money in the bank? What if you and your spouse were on the same page and weren’t stressed out about your finances? What if you could have hope for your life, INCLUDING your finances? That’s what Ramsey+ is all about – giving you a plan and hope so you can experience financial peace.
I hope you’ll sign up and access the material. We want to be known as a generous church, and we also want to do everything we can to equip our church and community to experience true financial peace in these difficult times! And by the way, we’re able to do things like this because of the generous, consistent giving of our church – YOU! Thank YOU for your continued generosity! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you at Saturday Serve and in church on Sunday!
Oh, and by the way, this Sunday is Time Change Sunday. Your clocks will “Fall Back” and you’ll get an extra hour of sleep! So no one will have an excuse to miss church or be late – haha!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
This Sunday, in our “Revolution of Faith” series, I’ll be in Romans chapter 4. I hope you’re enjoying this series as we make our way through the book of Romans. But more than just enjoying it, I hope it’s been challenging, convicting, and life changing! So far, Paul has spent a lot time explaining how we are made right with God by faith alone, in Christ alone – that keeping the law, doing good works, or performing certain religious rituals can’t save you. Question – if good works can’t save you, what place do they have in the Christian life? I mean we talk about and actually DO a lot of good works here at Coastal. Are we wasting our time? No, not at all! The greatest confirmation of all that we have been truly saved, is the confirmation of a changed life that is committed to following Jesus. I don’t want anybody to get the idea that good works have no place in the Christian life. We are not saved BY our works, but we are saved TO DO good works. We don’t serve in order to be saved, but we will serve if we truly have been saved. In fact, the book of James tells us that faith without good works is dead, useless.
Listen to Hebrews 10:23-24, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” The Greek word for “spur one another on” means “to incite, to provoke, to stir up.” When I think of stirring something up, I think of a gallon of paint that has been sitting for a long time. When you open it, the top it watery and the bottom is thick and gooey. You’ve either got to stick that gallon of paint in a mixer or take a stick and stir it up. Sometimes we’re just like that gallon of paint. We’ve been sitting too long, and as a result we’ve gotten kind of “thick on the bottom” (you get the picture). In other words, we’ve become a spectator in the Christian life. That’s why the Bible says that we need to consider how we can stir one another up, spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
So there is definitely a place for good works in the Christian life. Listen to Titus 3:4-8, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Now notice what immediately follows that beautiful passage on our salvation. Verse 8, “This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may” (what?) “be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.”
So where do good works, good deeds fit in? They come in, in the living of the Christian life. Good works are worthless as far as purchasing our salvation, but they are essential in expressing our salvation, living it out. So what about you? Have you gotten a little “thick in the bottom” lately? Consider this your heavenly mixer to stir you up a bit. Ask and answer these two questions. Where am I serving? What is my ministry? I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Mark your calendar for our next Coastal Night of Worship – Friday night, November 11th, 7-8:30pm! Invite your friends and family to join us for a night of prayer, worship, and encouragement. RSVP now for childcare (birth-kindergarten) on your Connect Card.
P.S.S. Grief Share will be hosting a free, one night event on Thursday, November 10th, at 6pm, called, “Surviving the Holidays.” This event will help you discover how to deal with the difficult emotions of the holiday season, give helpful tips on how to survive social events, and discover hope for the future. Contact Sue Muoio at s.muoio@outlook.com or register at www.griefshare.org.
I hope you’re enjoying reading through the Bible this year with your Coastal family. Part of today’s reading was from Psalm 84. Listen to these beautiful words again,
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
And then in vs. 10,
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Do you hear the longing to be in the presence of God, worshipping Him in His house? “How lovely is your dwelling place. . . My soul yearns for the courts of the Lord. . . Blessed are those who dwell in your house. . . Better is one day in your courts.” Now obviously God doesn’t live in a Temple anymore built by human hands, or even a church building for that matter. He is everywhere, and specifically He dwells in the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit. However, there is something powerful when believers gather together as the church to worship Him. Do you have that same desire and yearning to be in God’s presence, with God’s people, to worship Him? I hope you do. And I hope you can’t wait for Sunday each week as we gather together for worship! I hope you come with joy and anticipation! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! And I can’t wait to see you Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Mark your calendar for our next Coastal Night of Worship – Friday night, November 11th, 7-8:30pm! Invite your friends and family to join us for a night of prayer, worship, and encouragement. RSVP now for childcare (birth-kindergarten) on your Connect Card.
P.S.S. Grief Share will be hosting a free, one night event on Thursday, November 10th, at 6pm, called, “Surviving the Holidays.” This event will help you discover how to deal with the difficult emotions of the holiday season, give helpful tips on how to survive social events, and discover hope for the future. Contact Sue Muoio at s.muoio@outlook.com or register at www.griefshare.org.
As I’m sure you can imagine, it’s not often that I’m speechless! Well this past Sunday was definitely one of those moments! The other Pastors on our Staff were all sporting Hawaiian shirts with MY PICTURE all over it (zoom in above)! October evidently is Pastor Appreciation month, and this was their way to “honor” me and have a little (a lot) of fun Coastal style! My jaws were sore from laughing and smiling so much! Everyone had a lot of fun with it! I asked Scott where they got them from. He responded, “Communist China.” And he can’t confirm or deny that my “Name, Image, and Likeness” are now not being used in China to sell various products (think stuffed Koala bears, popsicles, etc.)! I love these guys and I love our church!
In the midst of all of the fun and laughter, I also received a lot of hugs, kind words, and heartfelt notes of encouragement. I can’t thank all of you enough. I am truly a blessed man! However, there is someone behind it all, someone who most people have no idea how much they do, how much they give, and how much they sacrifice – my wonderful, beautiful wife Janet. I would not be the Pastor I am today, without her. Coastal wouldn’t be Coastal without her. Very few people understand the weight and responsibility she carries. And Janet carries it all with grace and love. She is a smart, strong, servant leader. She is my encourager, confidant, counselor, teacher, and proof reader. Every idea, sermon series, step of faith, new initiative, and staff hire was first run past Janet and her wisdom (okay, I do sneak some of my jokes past her approval – haha). At some churches, the Pastor’s wife is called the “First Lady” and treated like royalty – not Janet – she would never want that. Instead, she’s the one on her hands and knees, crawling through the indoor playground cleaning up a “code yellow” on Sunday morning. She’s also the one doing a hundred other things that no one else will ever see or understand, all the while sharing her husband and family with hundreds of people. How does the saying go? “Behind every great man is a great woman.” I definitely don’t consider myself great, but I do know this – Janet is a great woman and a great Pastor’s wife!
Look again at the picture above, but this time make sure you see Lori Huff, Kim Jones, Hannah Bonetti, and Gracie Spell. They are the real unseen heroes of our church. Each one of them has a ministry and a role that no one else can fill. Each one of them serves, gives, and sacrifices in ways that no one else can understand. So, again, thank you for all the love and kind words. Just make sure that when you show any love and appreciation to me and the other Pastor’s here at Coastal, you don’t forget the ones who really deserve it – the Pastor’s wives. I love you Janet, I love being your husband, and I love what we get to do together here at Coastal!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Mark your calendar for our next Coastal Night of Worship – Friday night, November 11th, 7-8:30pm! Invite your friends and family to join us for a night of prayer, worship, and encouragement. RSVP now for childcare (birth-kindergarten) on your Connect Card.
You are specifically receiving this email because you currently give to our church through one of our current giving platforms (PayPal, Texting/Kindrid, or our App/Subsplash). Many of you have set up recurring gifts (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). We are doing away with ALL of those giving platforms by the end of the year and are switching to ChurchTeams Giving. This switch will save the church time and money, and they offer all of the different ways to give under one umbrella – online, TEXT to give, recurring giving, etc.
So here’s what I need you to do. Simply click on this link and set up your new giving account and recurring gift. It’s safe, secure, and super simple. You can set up automated/recurring giving through a Credit/Debit Card or through your Bank Account. After your new recurring gift is set up, login to your current giving platform (PayPal, Kindrid/843-277-8337, or our App/Supsplash) and stop/cancel your old recurring gift. If you need any help or if you would like us to cancel your old recurring gift for you, simply email Rachel Speer on our Staff, and we would be happy to take care of it for you.
Again, here is the link to get started: https://www.churchteams.com/m/Give.asp?oID=22264&aID=dFlBM1RRSDJFR0M2dXBIWXk3QUx3dzVqNXJaMnNLQ3M%3D
You can also set it up by texting the keyword “GIVE” to our church number 843-571-1777.
We have not yet shut down any of these other giving platforms, but we are asking you to make the switch as soon as possible. They will all be shut down by the end of the year.
Thank you for your continued financial support of Coastal Community Church! We couldn’t do what we do at Coastal without your generous and consistent giving.
LIFE & LOVE
Pastor Chris
As you read this, my guess is that you’re “hunkered down” to weather whatever has become of Hurricane Ian. Please know that the Pastors, Staff, and Prayer Team are all praying for you and your family, for your safety and protection. I’m also praying that we can show the world around us the practical love of Christ through it all, whether we’re at the grocery store or the gas station. During times of uncertainty, people are on edge. Let’s make sure that as followers of Jesus we exude a calming, joyful presence.
Right now, all indications are that Saturday is going to be a beautiful day. That means that we are going to move forward with Saturday Serve! Truthfully, it’s a perfect opportunity to love and serve our community when people might just need it most. I hope you’ll join us! Chair Set-Up will be at 7:30am (yes, we’re still planning on having church services on Sunday) and Saturday Serve will be at 8:30am.
Speaking of showing the practical love of Christ to those who need it most, I want to share some exciting news with you. As a church, we’ve been praying about taking several of our more consistent Outreach Projects to the next level spiritually. So we started a little “LIFE Group Pilot Project.” What is that you ask? Well, we decided to offer a LIFE Group to good folks at Charleston Vets. Honestly, during the planning stages we weren’t really sure how many of the Veterans would be interested and would show up. 17 Veterans so far have joined the LIFE Group (see the picture above)!! WOW!! Our plan is to launch another LIFE Group next semester at another Outreach location. If you’re interested in being a part of it, please let Chris Jones know.
I know that last Sunday’s message on Romans 1:18-32 evoked a lot of conversations (that’s a good thing). It’s interesting to hear different people’s take on the message depending on where they are at spiritually and what’s going on in their lives. Some people seem to think that I preached an entire message on the sinfulness of homosexuality (I did not). The real point of my message and I believe the real point of the passage is that the good news of the Gospel of Jesus has no meaning, no real impact, until it’s set against the back drop of being under God’s wrath and judgment because of our sin. Ultimately, it’s about our need for a Savior. Just know that at Coastal, especially when we are working our way through a book of the Bible, that we are never going to shy away from hard or difficult subjects. Even the Apostle Peter said this about Paul’s writings, “Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) At Coastal, we are always going to stay true to the Word of God, but we are going to do so with grace and love. And are you ready for this? Two people gave their lives to Jesus on Sunday and were saved!! That’s the power of God’s Word and the power of the Gospel!! And like I said Sunday, no matter your struggle, we are here for you, and we will walk with you through it. And if you would like to talk about any of these issues and if you need some resources to help you walk through them in 2022, please let me know. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
It’s been another exciting week at Coastal! First of all, our new semester of LIFE Groups started this week! I’ve heard nothing but GREAT things! Personally, I lead two different Groups, and it was so great to see everyone and get started! We have awesome leaders, and I can’t wait to hear the stories of community, connection, and change! Many of our Groups are full, but for those that aren’t, it’s still not too late to join. Go to our website and sign up today!
And then, of course, we kicked off our new Fall sermon series, “A Revolution of Faith,” on the book of Romans. We had A LOT of 1st time guests and gave a way A TON of 1st Time Guest Gift Bags! I also want to thank our Pastors/Staff. As a part of this series, we’re emailing out a daily devotional (Monday-Friday) as we make our way through the book of Romans. The Pastors/Staff are writing the devotionals and doing a GREAT job! I hope you’ll include them as a part of your daily devotional life.
And speaking of our Pastors and Staff, I want to share with you some exciting changes and additions. First of all, you might have noticed several new additions on the stage with our Worship Team lately. One of those, Jarred Dawkins (JD), will become a more permanent fixture as our main Worship Leader beginning in October. JD is an energetic Worship Leader who is finishing up his degree at CSU and will be with at least through this year (and who knows what the future holds after that!). You might have noticed that we’ve “upped our Social Media game” lately! Well, that’s because Aysia Le has joined our Team as our Social Media Manager. Aysia works in the world of Social Media and Brand Marketing and has a passion for serving. My wife Janet is building a Coastal Kidz Leadership Team. Andrea Bolton will be our Nursery/Toddler Coordinator, Erin Strand will be our Pre-School Coordinator, and Rebecca Valencic will be our Elementary Coordinator. They will work closely with Janet and help with building a team, scheduling, and classroom prep.
And then last, but not least, this change is not really exciting, but it is a part of the life of any church staff and family. Ashley Hojnacki (our Office Manager) will be leaving our staff and the family of Coastal. Her husband Ed has taken a new and exciting position at a company in Michigan, and they will be moving (Ed actually begins his job next week). The exciting part for them is that they will be very close to both of their families in Michigan. I know that their families can’t wait to spend more time with Ed & Ashley’s little girl Blake. Ed & Ashley have been a part of Coastal for 11 years and Ashley has been on our Staff for almost 7 years. That’s a long time to put up with me and the craziness of a church staff! Thank you is not enough! But feel free to reach out to her and express your thanks – ashley@coastalcommunitychurch.org. And when you see her on Sunday, give her a big hug! She takes a little bit of Coastal with her, and I’m sure God is going to continue to do great things through them in the years to come. As a result of her departure, Rachel Speer will be taking on more responsibilities, Kathy Love takes over offering, deposits, and billing, and Dawn Judd becomes our bookkeeper.
A growing and changing church requires a growing and changing staff. As the Lead Pastor here at Coastal, I am and have been honored to work alongside such an AWESOME Team! God brings people into our lives for a reason and for a season. Sometimes we don’t always understand all the reasons. Sometimes the season is long, sometimes it’s short. But through it all, it’s my prayer that together we are bringing God glory, accomplishing His purposes in our lives, and day by day becoming a little bit more like His Son Jesus! Like I always say, “I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together!” See you on Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
First of all, I just want to say what an AWESOME LIFE GROUP SUNDAY we had this past Sunday! I can’t thank all of our LIFE Group Leaders enough for all of their hard work and creativity! They “knocked it out of the park!” The excitement, fun, and enthusiasm in the room was palpable! Plus, are you ready for this, so far we’ve had over 500 individual adults sign up for LIFE Groups and over 800 total signups (meaning some of you LOVE you some LIFE Groups and have signed up for multiple groups – haha)! That’s AWESOME!
I also want to recognize the winning Groups from our Booth/Display competition. Each one of these Group Leaders will receive a $50 VISA Gift Card! Everyone really did an awesome job, but there were definitely a few standouts
Most Creative: Youthful Seniors (Can there be any question here? I still haven’t recovered from the “Happy Brownies” and seeing those tattoos! WOW! Just WOW!)
Most Informative: Celebrate Recovery and Pickleball (Both of these Groups just did a great job of displaying, explaining, and informing everyone about their Group. Loved Pickle Ball’s snacks as well – pickles and chocolate balls!)
Best Overall: Single Life (Seriously, from their snacks, virgin mimosas, the decor, their “pitch”, these Ladies just did everything well! And I’m pretty sure they asked every guy, “Are you single?”)
Best Snacks: Kingdom Values and Jesus Over Everything (I went back to these tables multiple times and so did everyone else. Great food and great presentation!)
Best Sales Pitch: Ephesians (I think KC was worried no one was going to sign up for her Group, but by the end of the day her Group was full! She was well prepared and knew what to say to everyone who came by. I bet, as a Doctor, she has a great bedside manner as well!)
I know Christmas is a long way off (although I have already seen Christmas decorations and supplies out in some stores), but I want to run something by you guys. We start thinking about our Christmas Offering in early Fall, praying about what God might be leading us to do. Our goal last year was our largest ever – $125,000. And like always, you guys exceeded the goal by giving 141,747! We bought another Box Truck and we remodeled our Chapel – both of which we are fully using today! Well, one thing that’s been on my heart and I’m sure if you’ve ever been on an Outreach Event, you’ve probably thought about it too. What’s the most consistently asked question from the residents of Joseph Floyd Manor, Charleston Vets, and Patriot Villas? Especially after they get to know us and see us consistently? Answer: Do you provide any kind of transportation to your church? Do you have a bus or a van that picks up people and brings them to Coastal? I think that’s what we’re going to do with part of this years Christmas Offering. How awesome would it be to have a regular pick up at some of these places and be able to bring them to Coastal?! We could also use it (or them – haha – already thinking big) to take volunteers to different sites. And then of course it would come in handy for Student Ministry and multiple other opportunities. Anyway, that’s just what I’m thinking now, and I wanted to share the idea with you and see what you think. We’re shopping around and checking prices. We haven’t decided on the giving goal yet, but I know it will be higher than $125,000 this year!
And finally, speaking of bringing people to Coastal, who are you inviting and bringing with you on Sunday? I can’t wait! See #2 below for practical ways you can help make Sunday successful. Most importantly though, PRAY! Pray for God to draw people to Himself here at Coastal and to go before us and prepare the hearts of those who will be invited and those who come. Pray for me and my message and that people will be saved! Pray for all of our Volunteers and our LIFE Teams, that together we will treat everyone like our welcome, expected guests in our home. And pray that those who come will return and take next steps to connect to our community. By the way, I love it when you introduce your friends to me! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together! See you and your Guests on Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day this past Monday. I did something on Labor Day that I have never done before. I got up super early, saw the sunrise on Folly Beach (I’ve done both of those things before – haha), and got to witness a turtle nest inventory with about 40-50 other people! I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not, but right now there are 98 registered turtle nests on Folly Beach (there are 300 on Kiawah). And with the help of some very passionate volunteers and the Department of Natural Resources these nests are protected and flourishing. The whole experience was very informative and quite inspirational. I’ve seen videos and pictures from other people over the years who just happened to witness countless turtles breaking free from their nest and shells and making the long trek to the ocean. But I have never witnessed it myself. Well, upon inspection of this particular nest, the gentleman leading the experience proclaimed this nest to be somewhat of a disappointment. You see, the eggs in this nest, for whatever reason, were unfertilized. You could kind of feel the collective sadness from everyone there early that morning. HOWEVER, there was this one little turtle, from among all the eggs examined that morning who was alive and well, and broke FREE, ready to make the long journey to the ocean. It was only ONE, but to the crowd gathered that morning, it felt like a thousand! Watching him or her struggle, finally make it to the waves, get pushed back, and head out again, was nothing short of miraculous! We cheered this little turtle on like it was game day!
I had lots of thoughts about that experience – the miracle of creation, the handiwork of God, the power of community. But one thing in particular kept coming back – the value of ONE. In Luke 15, it’s the first and only time that Jesus told three parables, back to back to back, to once and for all explain to the self-righteous Pharisees the purpose of His mission. Luke 15:1-3, “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story. . .” You see, Jesus was simply being Jesus, doing what He always did, hang out with, even eat with “notorious sinful people.” And that made the religious establishment angry. So Jesus told these 3 stories – the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (the Prodigal Son). There is a common theme in each one of these stories: something of great value is lost, so much so that it requires an all out search, and then once that which was lost is found, you celebrate.
The value of one. Who is the ONE in your life? The truth is you probably have many – friends, neighbors, co-workers, family – where you live, work, parent, and play. Are you willing to turn everything upside down and do whatever it takes to search for them, to leave the 99 who are already found behind, to longingly, lovingly, even allow the ONE to go their own way, make their own mistakes, while you refuse to lose hope and pray for them to come to their senses and return home? (read the 3 stories) And when they return will you throw a huge party and celebrate with all of Heaven? This is why Jesus came – the ONE. Coastal, this is why we exist – the ONE. Who is your ONE? Who are you loving, serving, praying for, inviting, and bringing with you on September 18th?
“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!. . . In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents. . . We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!” (Luke 15:7, 10, 32)
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
So, have you signed up for a LIFE Group yet? If you haven’t heard, we unveiled our 2022 Fall Semester LIFE Group Catalog last week! You can go to our website right now, check out all the different Groups and sign up today. There are multiple ways to sign up for a Group (online, Connect Card, Sign-Up Sheets), but you only have to sign up one time, one way. And yes, you can sign up for multiple Groups. Most of our Groups start the week of September 18th. Next Sunday, September 11th, is LIFE Group Sunday (see below)! Don’t miss it – it’s always a lot of fun!
This weekend is Labor Day weekend. Most people have Monday off from work. A lot of people will be taking that last hurrah, that last getaway, that last trip to the beach, before the rhythm and routine of the Fall sets in. Even though schools have been back in session for 2 weeks now, Labor Day weekend feels like the end of Summer and beginning of the Fall.
So let me ask you, what does the rhythm and routine of your life look like right now? And most importantly, where does your spiritual life fit in? Is it a small piece of the pie that you’re desperately trying to fit in to an already overcrowded, busy schedule? Or is it the most important thing, permeating every part of your life, the priority through which everything else flows? Does the rhythm and routine of your life include reading your Bible, gathering together regularly with your church family in worship, LIFE Group, fellowship, prayer, giving, serving?
Here’s the good news. You choose the rhythms and routines of your life. You set the priorities. If you don’t, the urgent will always win the day. And the urgent, regardless of how pressing it feels in the moment, is usually not the most important. For example, join a LIFE Group this semester. Make it a part of the rhythm of your life. I can already hear some of your excuses. And here is the biggest one of all. “But Pastor Chris, I just don’t have the time. I’m too busy.” Hear this with all the love I can muster. You have time to do whatever it is you value – tv, social media, sports, hobbies. It’s just not that important to you yet. So, as we move into the Fall, think about what matters most in this life, let that determine your values and priorities, and in turn let those values and priorities set or reset the rhythms and routines of your life.
For what it’s worth, here’s what Jesus said matters most in life, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-38) Love God and love people. Everything else flows from that.
One last thing – who are you inviting and bringing to church with you on Sunday, September 18th – our Friend Day? You never know the power of a simple invitation.
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
We just unveiled our 2022 Fall Semester LIFE Group Catalog (it’s available online)! We would love for you to check out all of our different Groups (there’s something for everyone) and sign up to join a LIFE Group this semester (10-12 weeks)! By the way, our LIFE Groups are for everyone – whether you’re a member of our church, an occasional attender, or even if you’ve never attended on a Sunday. We’re called Coastal COMMUNITYChurch and you (and your friends and family) are a part of our community. There are all types of Groups – activity, women’s, men’s, support, marriage, Bible study, and more!
By the way, not only can you view the catalog online, but you can sign up for a Group online! Once you sign up for a group, your Group Leader will contact you before the semester begins. Unless otherwise stated in the catalog, all Groups begin the week of September 18th.
I also want to invite you to attend LIFE GROUP SUNDAY, on Sunday, September 11th, at Coastal! We have 2 services – 9:30am & 11:15am. Before and after both services you’ll be able to visit a table/booth representing each one of our 30+ LIFE Groups (kind of like a Job/College Fair, but for Groups)! There will be food & drinks, you’ll be able to meet other people checking out all the Groups, meet the different Group Leaders, and ask any questions you might have. I promise it will be a great day and a lot of fun! Hope to see you on Sunday! Start signing up for a LIFE Group today!
LIFE is Better Together!
Pastor Chris
P.S. I also want to invite you to a “FRIEND DAY” that we’re having at Coastal on Sunday, September 18th! We’re kicking off a new series called, “A Revolution of Faith.” Come and join the revolution!
I love what we do here on Sunday mornings! I do! I love the music. I love watching people come to faith. I love all of our LIFE Teams and our Sunday morning Volunteers. I REALLY love our Children’s Director and Coastal Kidz – haha! But seriously, Sunday mornings at Coastal is an exciting place to be. I don’t understand how you would ever want to miss it. I love attracting a crowd and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with as many people as possible. Jesus attracted crowds. There’s nothing wrong with large numbers of people. The early church grew very large, very fast.
But. . . there is one weakness with a crowd. It’s hard to grow in a crowd. You don’t live out/walk out your faith in a crowd. You need community. You and I were created for community. Now, at Coastal, what do we use to live out that community? What do we call them? LIFE Groups! And this coming Sunday, in your bulletin, you’ll be receiving your 2022 Fall Semester LIFE Group Catalog and you can start signing up for a Group! Actually, you should have already received one in the mail. Our mantra here at Coastal during LIFE Group sign up is that there are multiple ways to sign up for a Group (online, Connect Card, sign up sheets), but you only have to sign up one time, one way. And yes, you can sign up for multiple Groups!
I love our LIFE Groups. I love the community I’ve experienced over the years in our LIFE Groups. I love that I have 3 o’clock in the morning friends because of a LIFE Group I’ve been a part of. I love that I know many of your stories and you know mine because we’ve been in a LIFE Group together over the years. I love that the first call many people here at Coastal make when they’re in need is their LIFE Group members and leaders – not necessarily me.
Notice what the Bible says in Romans 12:5, “Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other and each of us needs all the others.” We need each other! So let me just be as straight forward as I can and tell you exactly what I want you to do. I want everyone here at Coastal to join a LIFE Group! It’s as simple as that. I want to challenge you to make the time, re-prioritize your life, and get in a LIFE Group for one semester, not for life, 10-12 weeks.
You can not grow to become the person God intended you to become on your own. You need other people. Once you learn something, you have to live it out. You can learn about love all week, but it gets fleshed out in the context of community, with people. Patience, kindness, generosity, faith are all lived out in community, in relationships. At Coastal, LIFE Groups are the primary vehicle of the church being the church – of living out your faith, of care, fellowship, love, prayer, discipleship.
This semester, we have 35 different LIFE Groups to choose from – activity Groups, study Groups, support Groups, and more! There is something for EVERYONE! Unless otherwise indicated, most Groups begin the week of September 18th and last 8-12 weeks. Make sure you check out our catalog and start signing up today!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is this Saturday morning (TOMORROW), 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.
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH! I want you to mark that day on your calendar! It’s going to be a BIG DAY at Coastal! What is a BIG DAY you ask? While every Sunday and every series is an opportunity to invite people, a Big Day at Coastal is a strategic all-out congregational push toward a single Sunday for the purpose of breaking the next growth barrier and/or setting an attendance record, in order to reach as many people as possible for Jesus! We usually have 4-6 Big Days a year: Christmas Eve, Easter, Fall Series Kick-Off, At the Movies Summer Kick-Off, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, New Year Series just to name a few.
What can I do? Start praying now. Take a few minutes every day and pray for your “ONE.” Pray for the people you and our whole church will be inviting. You might consider joining me over the next 4 Fridays in a “Friday Fast” where we give up food for 24 hours and focus our thoughts and prayers on lost people in our community and our Big Day. Start thinking about who you’re going to bring and invite them. We’ll have specific series Invite Cards available soon, but you can use our “You’re Invited” business cards now. I’d also like to ask you to give me the names of 1-5 people that you will be personally inviting to church for September 18th. Respond to this email and give me their names. Our Pastors, Staff, and Prayer Team will be sent those names to lift them and you up in prayer. Also, I’d love to receive any updates as you reach out to them and make the “BIG ASK.” I’ll be asking our entire church to do the same thing over the next several weeks on their Connect Card!
I’m real excited about the new series I’ll be kicking off on September 18th (I know, I say that all the time – but it’s true). We’re calling it, “A Revolution of Faith!” It’s a series on the book of Romans! While I’ve preached many messages over the years FROM the book of Romans, I’ve never preached a series THROUGH the ENTIRE book of Romans. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking, “Pastor Chris, Romans is LONG, 16 chapters. It’s going to take FOREVER to get through Romans.” You’re right, it is long, but that’s why we’re not going to do it all at once. This Fall we’ll make our way through Romans 1-7. We’ll take a break during the holidays and the beginning of the new year. And then our Easter series this coming year will be on Romans 8. We’ll take another break during the Summer with, “At the Movies” and “Summer Reading” and then some time next year we’ll make our way through chapters 9-11, take another break, and then finish up with chapters 12-16. So, yes, we will eventually make our way through the entire letter, chapter by chapter, section by section. It will probably take us a year and a half to two years.
The real question is WHY? Why the book of Romans? Well, the book of Romans, written by the Apostle Paul is considered by many people to be the greatest letter ever written. Study of this one letter has been behind almost every major revival/awakening in Christian history (“A Revolution of Faith”). It was the year 386 A.D. when Aurelius Augustine, one of the great theologians of the early church, was converted while reading Romans. 1200 years later Martin Luther recovered the doctrine of justification by faith from reading Romans, and went on to lead the Protestant Reformation. While listening to the reading of Luther’s Preface to Romans, a discouraged and distraught man named John Wesley trusted Christ for salvation. He went on to lead the great evangelical revival of the 18th century. A tinker named John Bunyan was so inspired by reading Romans as he sat in the Bedford jail that he wrote the immortal Pilgrim’s Progress. There are many other examples of the power of this remarkable book.
I also believe that no portion of God’s word is more appropriate for the times in which we live. What times are those? Times of uncertainty and unparalleled moral confusion. Times of recession and financial unrest. Times of international upheaval and spiritual hunger. People are looking for God, but they don’t know where to find him. And that’s where the book of Romans comes in. It tells us who God is and how you can find him. It describes in clear and certain terms, the moral dilemma of mankind, and how God moved to meet that need in Jesus. It lays out the good news that God loves sinners so much that he sent his only Son to die for them. And it spells out the radical difference Jesus can make in your daily life. It is the clearest statement of the gospel in the New Testament. Nowhere is God’s plan of salvation made so plain as in Romans.
Another reason to tackle Romans is that we’ve grown so much and added so many new people in the last few years, that we need to ground everyone in the great truths of the Bible. We need deeper roots if we’re going to keep growing bigger. If you try to grow big without also growing deep, you’ll be like the tree that was blown away in the storm. It looked good in the sunshine, but it wouldn’t last when the rains came. My goal, however, is not merely to increase your knowledge. Knowledge is important, but it is never the final purpose of Bible study. My ultimate goal is that your life, our church, and as a result our community, might be transformed as a result of studying God’s Word. So . . .start praying, start inviting, and join the REVOLUTION!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
I’M BACK! Janet and I got back from our vacation earlier this week. We had a great time, but as always, it’s also good to be home! Speaking of home, for every home or family to function well, there are certain things that just have to get done – dishes, laundry, yard work, balancing the checkbook, etc. In other words, we all have to pitch in and do our part. Well, the same is true of a church family. For OUR Coastal family to function well, there are just certain things that have to get done, regardless of your gifts, talents, or passions. They just require having a servant’s heart. One of those ongoing things here at Coastal is Chair Setup. While the Summer is not technically over yet, we have begun stacking and packing our chairs again in our auditorium on Sunday mornings after the second service. What that means is that Saturday morning Chair Setup has also resumed. On the first and second Saturday of each month, Chair Setup takes place one hour before the serving event that day. In other words, on the first Saturday of each month chair setup is at 7:30am, because Saturday Serve is at 8:30am. On the second Saturday of each month, chair setup is at 9am, because we have a Tailgate at 10am (this Saturday). On all other Saturday’s (3rd, 4th & sometimes 5th) chair setup is at 8am. With 6-10 people it takes less than 30 minutes. If you’re willing to jump in and be a servant, we’d love to see you on any Saturday morning you’re available (this Saturday at 9am). If this is a LIFE Team you would be interested in being a part of, go to our website, and sign up today!
I’d like to make a pitch for another specific LIFE Team here at Coastal – our Coastal Kidz Children’s Ministry (Birth – 5th Grade). We strongly believe that if our church is going to continue to grow, we must have a growing, thriving Children’s Ministry. We also believe that if you change the life of a child, you change the world! Simply put, join Coastal Kidz and be a world changer! Stop what you’re doing right now, go to our website and sign up to get involved with Coastal Kidz! In fact, I want to let you know about an exciting, brand new opportunity to serve within Coastal Kidz. Coastal Kidz strives to meet the needs of ALL of our children, even our children with special needs. Would you be willing to “shadow” a child with special needs? This just means that you are there to help a child participate in the Bible lesson, crafts, and other activities in their classroom. Maybe you have some experience with special needs children or you just have a heart for those kids and their parents. Talk about making a difference and being a world changer – this is it! Again, go to our LIFE Teams page on our website, scroll down until you see Coastal Kidz, and sign up today! If you’re specifically interested in being a Classroom Shadow for special needs children, reach out to our Children’s Director, Janet Rollins at janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org or 843-442-8299.
Whether it’s Chair Setup or Coastal Kidz, Prayer Team or Security or CARE Team or Production or Cafe or Office Volunteers or First Impressions or Student Ministry or Worship or Online Engagement (whew!) – you should be serving! But you should be serving, not just because there is a need – there is always a need. You should be serving because this is your family! And your family is on a mission – to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world! And Jesus said that one of the ways that you find and experience true LIFE is by giving your life away in service to others.
One last thing, Teachers have made their way back to their classrooms and Students will be joining them this Wednesday in Charleston County! One of the things that Janet and I look forward to every year is seeing all the first day of school pictures on social media! No matter what school looks like for you and your family this year – public, private, charter, homeschool, or college – will you join me in praying for our Teachers, Students, and Parents? And it looks like we’ll finally be able to start volunteering again over at Oakland Elementary School during the school day – lunch room help, assisting in the classroom, reading with a student, etc. For the past 2 years, because of COVID, volunteers haven’t been allowed in the school. Thankfully, that’s finally starting to change. As soon as we know the details and what you need to do to volunteer, we’ll let you know. If you would be interested in volunteering over at Oakland, would you simply respond to this email and let me know? This is a great opportunity to love our neighbors, make an IMPACT, and be the hands and feet of Jesus right where we live, work, parent, and play!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Not to rub it in, but as you read my email this morning, Janet and I are in the mountains (no cell phone, no internet), on a lake, and I’m either reading a book or fishing on that lake. Janet is probably sleeping in, after staying up late sewing (yes, she brings her sewing machine on vacation), dreaming about what she’s going to sew today! We’re on vacation and enjoying every minute of it!
I want to share something with you that, at first glance, might seem like it’s all about me. But it’s really not. It’s about a loving, faithful, gracious God, and it’s about you. Last week, we took our Staff to a “Church System’s Boot Camp” Conference in Orlando, Florida. It’s a part of the Pastor’s Coaching Network that I’ve been a part of for the past 12 years. We all stayed together in a house near the conference, ate together, had fun together, and yes, took a deep dive into the systems of our church and learned and grew together. Well, at the Conference, I was awarded the 2022 Renegade Pastors Icon Award. It’s a Lifetime Achievement Award that honors Pastors and Leaders for excellence in abandoning average in life and ministry. Honestly, when I first found out, my initial thought was, “Why me?” My second thought was, “Do you know something I don’t know?” You see, I usually associate Lifetime Achievement Awards with people who have finished their life’s work and by God’s grace I’ve still got a lot of life to live and a lot left to do here at Coastal.
But the real humbling honor of this award was that I was asked to share our story at the Conference – the Coastal story. Our story is not normal. And for a lot of Pastors around the country and a lot of churches, it is a story of great, great hope. You see, our church was a very small church for a very long time. Not only were we portable, setting up and breaking down, every week for 14 years, but for almost 20 years, we were a church of no more than about 100 people. Now, that is in no way meant to demean or diminish those first 20 years of our church or other small churches. Those were some of the best years of my life and I always believed that we were doing great Kingdom things. While we have this obsession in our country with fast and big and celebrity Pastors and mega churches, most churches in America are under 200 and are doing great things. Today’s church planters are told that if their church doesn’t break the 200 barrier in the first 2 years, it’s likely they never will.
Well, don’t tell that to our God and don’t tell that to Coastal! In the last 12 years our church has grown from a church of around 100 people, to a church of over 1200 people in-person and online, from a church with me and occasionally a Youth Pastor or an intern as the only Staff, to a church with 5 full time Pastors and multiple other Staff members. This past Easter we had 6 services over 3 days and saw over 2800 people in-person and online! And we’re just getting started! Together we’re going to beat down the gates of Hell and rescue people, one life at a time! We’re going to love and serve and share and feed and clothe and invite and pray and teach and give until we have nothing left and there is no one left to reach! And by God’s grace, I’m going to lead the way, until He calls me home or comes again! Coastal, I hope you’ll join me – the best is yet to come! After the conference was over, I had a publisher come up to me and give me his card. He said that our story is one worth writing down and sharing and he’d love to help me make that happen. Who knows? I might just do that. But here’s what I want you to hear loud and clear – YOU are the Coastal story, God’s redemptive story. I’m just humbled and honored to be a part of it. I love you Coastal, I love what we get to do together, and I love being your Pastor! See you when we get back!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
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
We have A LOT of guests each week at Coastal – in fact, we expect them! We work hard to create an environment where anyone new to Coastal feels like our welcomed, expected guest in our home. One of the ways in which we do that is by regularly providing a Reception for all of our Guests.
So let me ask you a question. Are you fairly new to Coastal? If you are (and you’ve never been to a Newcomer’s Reception), I want to personally invite you to join us in the Coastal Chapel this Sunday, June 26th, immediately following the 11:15am service for our next Newcomer’s Reception!
Our Newcomer’s Reception is a great 1st/next step for those people looking to learn a little bit more about our church. Not only will I share my story and our church’s story with you, but we’ll introduce our Pastors, Staff, and Ministry Leaders. You’ll also get to meet other new people just like yourself and learn about ways to get involved. We’ll even have some fun giveaways and other goodies just for you. The whole thing lasts about 30 minutes. Lunch (pizza) & childcare provided.
So if you’re new to Coastal, go here to sign up online for our Newcomer’s Reception or simply respond to this email, and let us know that you’re coming!
In His Service & Yours!
P.S. For those of you who are already Members & Regular Attenders here at Coastal – THANK YOU for all that you do to help create that warm, welcoming environment! We couldn’t do what we do without YOU! In fact, you might consider officially joining our 1st Impressions Team! If you’re interested in that, respond to this email or reach out to Chris Ranew at chrisranew@gmail.com or text him at 706-941-2044.
It’s hard to believe, but this next week is the LAST WEEK OF SUMMER OF IMPACT! It truly has been an amazing month! I can’t thank our Pastor of Outreach, Chris Jones and his awesome group of Project Leaders, enough for all their hard work! They have all done an amazing job! And I can’t thank all of you – those of you who have volunteered – enough for your humble, willing service! You truly are the heroes of our church! I hope you discovered what we always say – that YOU were blessed by the experience! But don’t think for a minute that just because Summer of IMPACT is over that serving comes to a halt here at Coastal! Serving our community is part of the DNA of our church. Continue to check out our website, my Friday 5, and our announcement sheet, & Connect Card for regular & upcoming opportunities to serve all year round. If serving during Summer of IMPACT was a first for you, don’t let it be the last time you serve. The need is always great and our ability to to make an IMPACT is only dictated by our availability. So go to our website, check out the remaining projects, and sign up today (and KEEP serving)!
As I’m sure you know, our church feeds an enormous amount of people through our Community Food Bank. That’s especially true during Summer of IMPACT and with the rising costs of food. As a result, our Food Bank is starting to get a little low. If you are able, would you consider donating non-perishable food items (anything really, but canned protein goes really fast)? And now that we have a refrigerator and freezer, we also take perishables – eggs, meat, cheese, bread, milk, frozen meals, etc. Thank you!
As our church continues to grow, one of the things we always have to stay on top of is parking. I want to offer a few suggestions that would help us out greatly. We have now opened up field parking in the back of our building. Come down the first drive and go the back of our property. Our Worship & Tech Team have already begun to park there, but there is still plenty of room for more cars. This would be an ideal place for all of our 1st service volunteers. You can also turn around and park down the first drive at an angle in the grass. And then the largest parking lot that we have access to, that we really haven’t started using, is Oakland Elementary School’s parking lot (take the first right immediately past the Greenway on your way to church). Yes, it’s a little bit of a longer walk, but you’ll get some extra steps in and most importantly, you’ll make room for our guests. This is a great problem (opportunity) to have! Thanks in advance for being a part of the solution!
Making An IMPACT With You!
Pastor Chris
First of all, before I jump into this Sunday and Father’s Day, let me just say that this past Sunday was AMAZING! We had a great kickoff to our “At the Movies” series with 730 people in person and another 500 people online. We had lots and lots of guests, gave away lots of movie tickets, and ate A LOT of popcorn! But the best part of last week was definitely Sunday afternoon at Folly Beach where WE BAPTIZED 41 PEOPLE!! That’s the most people we’ve ever baptized at any one time and a ton of people came out early, enjoyed time at the beach, and celebrated with us! It was truly miraculous – something I will never take for granted!
And then I know I say this every year (because it’s true), but this has already been our BEST SUMMER OF IMPACT EVER! The energy, excitement, and enthusiasm with all the different projects has been so high you can almost reach out and touch it! Each and every project has gone so well – great leaders, lots of volunteers, and lots of NEW volunteers! And we are just past the mid-way point. There are still lots of opportunities left. Go to our website, check out the remaining projects, and sign up today!
One thing for you to consider about Summer of IMPACT: it is your generous, consistent giving that enables our church to do all that we do – including Summer of IMPACT. This month alone we’re putting on 14 different Tailgate Parties, feeding literally hundreds and hundreds of people in our community. Our church gladly buys all the food and supplies for these and other projects. But when I say the church, keep in mind that means YOU. You are the church. People tend to travel and go on vacations over the Summer, which is great (Janet and I are looking forward to getting away later this Summer). Just remember that the Ministry and IMPACT of Coastal continues whether you’re here on a Sunday or not. And everything we do is made possible by your consistent, generous giving. You can give through our website or simply text ANY amount to 843-277-8337.
And speaking of giving, I want to share an exciting announcement! This year for our VBS Special Offering we’re going to step out in faith and attempt something we’ve never done before for VBS. We’re going to purchase and up fit a 3rd Coastal Box Truck that will become a MOBILE CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION TRUCK! I can’t tell you how excited we are about this! Our church gives away hundreds and hundreds of articles of clothing every month – and it’s growing! We’ve discovered that one key component of this ministry is being able to take the clothes to wherever the need is located. A box truck upfitted with racks, storage, and bins would enable us to do that and free up our clothing team and their vans that they are using now. I’m saying a step of faith because normally for our VBS offering we take up $2,000-$5,000. A new box truck will cost approximately $40,000. But, I know the need and I have a big faith in an even bigger God and where God guides, He always provides. So begin praying now about what you can give. If you’re excited about this opportunity, simply put your money where your excitement is. If you want to start giving now toward that project, use the keyword “boxtruck.”
This Sunday is FATHER’S DAY! And yes, it’s going to be AWESOME! There will be FREE Kona Ice for everyone, Baby/Child Dedication, a gift for all the guys (you’re going to love the gift), and some fun giveaways (yes, probably MEAT) at the end of each service! Don’t miss it! Invite and bring your friends! And remember, every 1st time guest (and the person who invited them – YOU) gets a FREE Movie Ticket to Citadel Mall Theater during our “At the Movies” series!
Making An IMPACT With You!
Pastor Chris
This coming Sunday is Father’s Day and I want to personally invite you to spend part of your day with us at Coastal Community Church! Father’s Day is always a lot of fun at Coastal – Baby Dedication, FREE Kona Ice for everyone, a special gift for all the men (trust me guys – you’re going to LOVE it!), and we even have a some fun giveaways at the end of each service!
We have 2 identical services to make it convenient for you: 9:30am or 11:15am. We’re in a series right now called, “At The Movies!” where we use current/popular movies to talk about spiritual truth. And speaking of movies, we’re also taking anyone who is available to see “Minions: The Rise of Gru” FREE, ON US,Wednesday morning, July 6th at the Citadel Mall Theater! Doors open at 9:30am – movie starts at 10am. If you haven’t already signed up to come, simply respond to this email and let us know how many people you’re bringing or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday And yes, as always, invite & bring your friends – it’s FREE for them too!
As you can see, Father’s Day is going to be AWESOME at Coastal! So if you are in town, please come and join us – 9:30am or 11:15am. If you’re out of town, you can catch both services live online. We also have a dynamic Children’s Ministry called Coastal Kidz for all kids Birth-5th Grade during both services. I promise you – you’ll be glad you came!
Hope to see you & your friends on Sunday!
Pastor Chris
(friend me on Facebook or Instagram)
Coastal Community Church
460 Arlington Dr.
(located in West Ashley directly across the street from Oakland Elementary and Orange Grove Middle Schools)
Summer of IMPACT is off to a great start as people from Coastal have literally been serving all over Charleston! We’ve already hosted multiple tailgate events feeding hundreds of people, we’ve resupplied blessing boxes, packed bag grab & go boxed lunches for the Ronald McDonald House, prepared meals in the Coastal kitchen for S.C Strong and served at the Lowcountry Food Bank. Volunteers hosted two hospitality tables with free coffee and snacks at the VA Hospital and a team served coffee and donuts for local veterans at Patriot Villas. Yes, we did all that and we’re just getting started! In fact, we have already had 171 signups for Summer of IMPACT 2022! We only had 167 signups for the entire month of June last year, and we’re only about a 1/3 of the way through! There are still so many opportunities to serve and yes, we need your help.
ONE BIG NEED NEXT WEEK: This Tuesday, June 14th, 8am-12:30pm we’re serving with Soldiers Angels and the Veterans Mobile Food Distribution. This event will provide about 70lbs. of groceries to 200-local veterans who are facing food insecurity. Coastal has been serving at this event for several years, but for the first time we’re also sponsoring the entire event. We will be buying the food and helping to distribute it. We’ll have both box trucks, all our tents, and our flags out and I’ll be handing out “At the Movies” Popcorn Invitations to every veteran who comes through the distribution. The event requires about 40-volunteers. If you are looking for the perfect opportunity to serve, this one is it. Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (Elks Lodge). Sign up on your connect card this Sunday or sign up right now by going to: coastalcommunitychurch.org/missions
Have a great week! Hope to see you and your friends on Sunday!
Pastor Chris
I just wanted to personally invite you to a new sermon series that kicks off this Sunday at Coastal Community Church called, “At The Movies!” For the next 6 weeks, we’re going to use 6 different current/popular movies to talk about Biblical truth. Come enjoy great music, a relevant message, and an awesome Children’s Ministry for kids birth to 5th grade.
I would also encourage you to invite and bring a friend with you – we expect guests at Coastal! In fact, here’s where the FREE MOVIE TICKETS come in. Not only will we be serving popcorn and giving away several free movie tickets & other fun prizes to people at the end of each service this Sunday, but every 1st time guest during the entire 6 week series will receive a FREE MOVIE TICKET to the Citadel Mall movie theater! And if you bring a friend with you – you get a ticket too!
Come a few minutes early and enjoy a hot cup of coffee or a treat from our Cafe – all FREE! It’s going to be a great day and an awesome series! We have 2 services to make it convenient for you: 9:30am or 11:15am (in-person or online)!
Have a great week! Hope to see you and your friends on Sunday!
Pastor Chris
P.S. As another fun way to celebrate our “At the Movies” series, we’ll be taking anyone who is available to see the new “Minions” movie on Wednesday, July 6th, 10am (doors open at 9:30am) at the Citadel Mall Theater. And we’re picking up the cost of the ticket! It’s our way to thank you and bless our community (your friends – yes, please invite and bring friends). Simply let us know how many people you’ll be bringing to the movie (respond to this email or let us know on your Connect Card this Sunday).
This Sunday, I’ll be closing out our “Living In Victory” series through the 23rd Psalm. I’ll be talking about living in victory over fear – specifically, fearing the future. Let me ask you a question. When you face the future, what do you see? Do you look at it with eyes of doubt? With eyes of fear? With eyes of cynicism, expecting the worst? You have two choices in life. You can either face the future with fear, expecting the worst. Or you can face the future with confidence, expecting God to be with you and His goodness and His mercy to follow you all the days of your life. Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” It is amazing how much better life gets when you start to actively look for God’s goodness and mercy in every experience. It will change your life. Don’t miss this Sunday!
It’s been a great start to “Summer of IMPACT”! Already we’ve had Teams of Volunteers help two different Graduations at our campus, pack meals for the Ronald McDonald House, put on a Tailgate Party for our friends at Joseph Floyd Manor, and later this morning we’ll be providing coffee & doughnuts to the Vets at Patriot Villas. And that’s just over the last 3 days! But we’re just getting started! There’s still plenty of different projects to be a part of. Simply click on this link: Summer of IMPACT, take a look at all the different opportunities, find the project(s) right for you, and then sign up today!
One great opportunity tomorrow is Saturday Serve! We meet at the church at 8:30am, hear a “pitch” from the leaders of the different projects that day, pray, and you pick what you want to do and go serve. It’s THAT easy! And it’s the backbone of all our serving at Coastal. We would love to see you in the morning!
Don’t forget that we kick-off “AT THE MOVIES” on Sunday, June 12th! “At the Movies” is where we take current or popular movies and use them as a hook to talk about spiritual truth. The movies we are using this year are: “Dr. Strange”, “Elvis”, “Jurassic World”, “Top Gun: Maverick”, “Minions: The Rise of Gru”, and “Where the Crawdads Sing.” ALL 1st Time Guests will receive FREE Movie Tickets to Citadel Mall Theater (and the person who invited them – YOU) throughout the entire series. There will be popcorn, movie trailers, and cool giveaways! Make sure you pick up the microwave popcorn invite tool this weekend to invite your friends to the series. I love YOU, I love being your Pastor, I love what we get to do together, and I can’t wait to see you at Saturday Serve and again on Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
There is no doubt that many people today are hurting, hopeless, and afraid. So Coastal, let’s DO something about it! If you want to make a difference, if you want to change the world, it’s not going to happen by crafting the most shared or liked social media post. Let me tell you where we can ALL start – SUMMER OF IMPACT! Summer of IMPACT is all about serving and loving our neighbors, our community – where we live, work, parent, and play. It’s a month long emphasis that kicks off every Summer at Coastal, and it literally starts TOMORROW – June 1st!
Summer of IMPACT is where we as a church saturate our community with the love of Jesus through simple acts of service. Given the 37 different serving opportunities, there is literally something for everyone. Nearly every serving opportunity is family friendly. We’ll be serving veterans, the homeless, the elderly & sick, children in crisis, those who struggle with drug & alcohol addictions and more. There are opportunities nearly every day of the month. You simply sign-up and then show-up. It’s that simple! Every project has a leader and every project is well-organized.
Click on this link: https://coastalcommunitychurch.org/missions/. Take a look at all the opportunities. Find the projects that are right for you and sign up today!
If you are looking to make an Impact in our community, if you want to “be” the change, this is the way to do it! I truly believe that everyone who calls Coastal home can sign up for at least one event. But here’s what I would also encourage you to do – invite friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers to join you! You don’t have to be a member of Coastal to participate. And get this, you don’t even have to be a believer to participate! Truthfully, I think this is the best way we have to show people what a difference Jesus truly makes in our lives.
So one last time – EVERYONE, GO TO THIS LINK AND SIGN UP TODAY!!
https://coastalcommunitychurch.org/missions/
If you have any questions about Summer of IMPACT and any of the projects, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones – (843) 870-4613.
Sure, these are dark and evil times. But it’s times like these where the light shines the brightest! Coastal, that’s you and me! Let’s be the light for all the world to see!
Shining With You!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Join us this Saturday for Saturday Serve! Show up at the church at 8:30am, hear our Leaders pitch several different projects, and then GO SERVE!
Typically, Memorial Weekend officially marks the end of the school year and the beginning of Summer. But no matter when your child gets out of school this year, I am seriously excited about all the awesome things happening at Coastal this Summer – the biggest of which is Summer of IMPACT! If you and your family haven’t yet signed up for multiple projects, it’s time to do so! And I seriously encourage you to spread the word with your friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers, especially those people in your life who don’t have a church or who aren’t even believers. Why? Because God created everyone with the desire to be a part of something bigger than yourself and to make a difference. And believe it or not, most churches don’t have a very good reputation for serving and loving their communities unconditionally. So leverage Summer of IMPACT as way to include those who might not darken the door of a church yet, but would be willing to volunteer in the community. Don’t you see? Not only is Summer of IMPACT an opportunity to serve and bless our community and you, but it is also an opportunity for outreach! If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
Another reason I’m excited about the Summer here at Coastal is that on Sunday, June 12th, we kick off one of our favorite sermon series traditions here at Coastal – “AT THE MOVIES”! It’s where we take current or popular movies and use them as a hook to talk about spiritual truth. ALL 1st Time Guests (and the person who invited them – YOU) will receive a FREE Movie Ticket to Citadel Mall Theater throughout the entire series! There will be popcorn, movie trailers, and cool giveaways! We’ll also be taking anyone who is available to see the new “Minions” movie on Wednesday, July 6th, 10am at the Citadel Mall Theater. And we’re picking up the cost of the ticket! It’s our way to thank you and bless our community (your friends – yes, please invite and bring friends).
But the best part of our “At the Movies” kick-off on June 12th is that it’s also the day of our Beach Baptism out at Folly Beach County Park at 5pm (see below)! Come out early (traffic might be an issue) and make it a fun day for your entire family (parking at the County Park on Sunday is $15, with a County Park Pass it’s free)! If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email, sign up online, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. Either way, come out and celebrate with your Coastal family!
Father’s Day on Sunday, June 19th! There will be FREE Kona Ice for everyone, a gift for all the guys, and some fun giveaways (yes, probably MEAT) at the end of each service! We’re also super excited to be bringing back VBS this year (see below) – July 11th-15th, 6-8pm, for 4 year olds-5th Grade! Make sure you register your kids, sign up to serve, and help spread the word! Oh, and on top of all of that (Summer of IMPACT, At the Movies, Beach Baptism, Father’s Day, VBS), our Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) just unveiled their Summer Calendar (see below) with a ton of events, activities, and service projects!
As you can see, it’s going to be a great Summer at Coastal! The only thing that’s potentially missing right now is. . .YOU! We can only provide the opportunities for connections, community, and service. You have to make the choice to participate. I hope you will! I love YOU, I love being your Pastor, I love what we get to do together, and I can’t wait to see you on Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
P.S. Coastal, while I truly am excited about this Summer, my also heart breaks for the many families in our nation who are grieving as they walk through “the valley of the shadow of death.” I don’t have quick, easy answers – there aren’t any. At times it’s hard to comprehend the evil that exists and persists in this world. But I do know that because of what Jesus accomplished through the cross and the empty tomb, that sin, death, and evil have ultimately been defeated. I know that this is not my home, that I’m just passing through, and so are you. Because of Jesus, there is still hope – not in this world, but in Him. And so in the meantime, I will weep with those who weep, I will mourn with those who mourn, and I will rejoice with those who rejoice. I will also be moved into Kingdom action. I will pray. I will serve. I will love. I will give. I will share. I will point as many people as possible to Jesus – the only one who can truly change the condition of the human heart (the real problem). And that’s why what we do as a church matters.
We’re in this series right now on the 23rd Psalm. Slowly read these words once more and find comfort:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
For those of you who like, “True Crime Stories,” I’ve got a little story of my own to share. This past Saturday was “Double Tailgate Day” at Coastal. In other words, both Box Trucks were out in use in the community, feeding and serving those in need. One Truck was at Charleston Vets and the other one was at The Pink House. I went to the Pink House. After we got back to the church, I stuck around to help unload and clean up. After everyone left, I went over my sermon for Sunday. When I went outside to go to my car, I was surprised to find our last remaining coyote (the other 3 “coyote decoys” have already been stolen) on top of my car! My first thought was this was some sort of prank. I took a picture and sent it to the Staff – thinking maybe they knew who the culprit was (okay, maybe I thought one of them did it – haha!). No one had a clue. When I got home, I pulled up our video cameras and “watched the tape.” The culprits were two young boys. They rode their bikes down the drive behind the church, saw the coyote, and decided to destroy it – or at least try to. Then they threw it in the woods and left. But before they left, they got another idea, went back to the woods, retrieved the coyote, and threw it on top of my car. Then they picked up some rocks and threw them at my car. Needless to say, I wasn’t too happy watching all this transpire. In fact, I wanted to drive over to the church, ride around the neighborhood, and find these two boys. But I simmered down and honestly was a little too tired to head back to the church, and waste the rest of my Saturday on what would probably be a useless search.
Well, on Sunday morning, I was doing what I normally do before church, standing in our Gather space, welcoming everyone as they come through our front door. Just a few minutes before the first service started, an older woman with two young boys comes through the front door. “OH MY GOODNESS, IT’S THEM,” I thought to myself! The criminals have returned to the scene of the crime! I recognized them from the video! So I walked up to them and with great enthusiasm said, “Good morning boys! How are you doing?” They said nothing. Their Great Grandmother said, “Say something boys. The preacher is talking to you.” Still nothing. I stooped down and said, “What did you do this weekend? No, I want to know what you did YESTERDAY, here at our church.” You should have seen their eyes – wide as saucers! Their Great Grandmother knew something was up and laid into them, “What did you boys do? You told me you were going to play basketball!” Still nothing from the boys. I said, “Tell her. Tell her what you did.” Still nothing. I said, “That’s okay, I’ll tell you exactly what you did. I watched the whole thing on video.” I then proceeded to retell their every move. And when I got to the part about throwing the coyote on top of the car, I leaned in a little closer and said, “And that car, was MY car. And then you picked up rocks and threw them at MY car.” At that dramatic moment, one of the boys broke silence, stepped back, pointed his finger at his brother and shouted, “He did it! It was his idea! He did it!”
Needless to say, their Great Grandmother was mortified and livid. After the service, she gave me their mom’s name and phone number. I called their Mom on Monday. We had a great conversation. She assured me that they were being disciplined and that her boys would be back at church and would be giving me a proper apology. She’s a single mom, with two other small children with special needs, trying to do the best she can, living with her Grandmother, their Great Grandmother, right around the corner from the church. I told her that I believed that God was going redeem this whole story and use it as a turning point in her boy’s lives. The Mom and Grandmother wanted me to come up with something for the boys to do here at the church. So, on Saturday, June 4th, they will be coming with me to our next Saturday Serve. I will put them to work and take them with me to the North Charleston Tailgate where they will help feed and clothe those in our community who have far, far less than they do.
In the grand scheme of things, this was just a small infraction by 10 year old boys. Most of us can probably remember quite a few things we did in our younger days, much, much worse. And most of us probably wish we had learned a few lessons early in life. Hopefully, prayerfully, they will learn a lesson about grace and God’s love (and, don’t mess with Pastor Chris – haha!). They’re actually students at Oakland. And on Tuesday morning when I was passing out coffee & doughnuts to the Teachers, they sought me out and spoke with me. What’s really interesting is that on that Friday – before the incident – I was the Substitute Teacher in their younger brother’s classroom (my substitute teaching stories are the subject for another day). But my point is, it’s amazing how God weaves the stories of our lives together, stories of redemption and hope. Pray for these boys and their family. Pray that God would open our eyes and hearts to see opportunities all around us to be used in His unfolding story of redemption. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I can’t wait to see you on Sunday!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Wow – we had an amazing Mother’s Day this past Sunday! We had 13 children participate in Baby/Child Dedication (we have another Baby/Child Dedication coming up Father’s Day – see below). We had lots and lots of guests! And we had 842 people in attendance! Moving forward, especially on Big Days, we’re going to need people to start parking in Oakland Elementary School’s parking lot (not just Orange Grove – which was full). Oakland’s parking lot (which is a little further away – but MUCH MUCH BIGGER) is located down the first entrance right past the Greenway. Also, we’re getting ready to open up the field parking in the back of our campus. Either way, these are good problems (opportunities) to have!
Not only is our church continuing to grow in person, but our online presence is strong and continues to grow – which leads me to a new ministry opportunity. We’re looking to grow and expand our Online Engagement Team. Coastal’s Online Engagement Team serves online, every Sunday, during both services. What do they do? They greet and serve our guests, regular attenders, and members who are attending our services virtually on Church Online (by way of our church website), Facebook, and on YouTube.
When you consider the Online Engagement Team think of it as, First Impressions, but online. Our Team members chat in the chatrooms, share thoughts about upcoming events, share moments during the service, pray for people requesting prayer, and provide the same level of excellence we’ve come to expect during our in-person services. The reality is this, if we’re going to take the online experience to the next level, we’re going to need some additional help. You’ll receive training and can serve as little as once per month or as many times as you like. If you are looking for a great serving opportunity, this might be it! Reach out to Pastor Ryan Spell (ryan@coastalcommunitychurch.org – 843-442-8985) or Pastor Chris Jones (chrisjones@coastalcommunitychurch.org – 843-870-4613) for more information.
This Sunday we’re in week 4 of our study through the 23rd Psalm called, “Living In Victory.” I’ll be talking about living in victory over indecision and discovering God’s will for your life in the process. Psalm 23:3b says, “He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” My guess is that many of you have had to make some major decisions this past year, or you are facing some right now. Should I hold on, or should I let go? Should I get in, or should I get out? Should I get married? Should I get a new job? Should I move? The stress of indecision begins to get to you. Sometimes even after we make a decision we start second guessing ourselves, “Did I do the right thing?” And that causes stress. The good news? The Good Shepherd not only feeds us, He leads us. He not only provides, He also guides. The good Shepherd not only protects, He also directs. Come this Sunday as we talk about how!
And speaking of this Sunday, I saw this quote that I wanted to share with you: “One of the best things you can do for your church this Sunday is to sit in the front middle of the room, worship passionately, and respond to your Pastor’s preaching. 10 people like that can change the atmosphere of a whole room and lift hearts heavenward!” I think they’re right! Invite and bring someone to church with you this Sunday and bring the energy – I’ll bring mine! I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Alright everyone – this Sunday, May 8th, is Mother’s Day! It’s going to be a BIG DAY at Coastal! Make sure you come early, park far away, and go out of your way to make our guests feel welcome and at home. And speaking of guests – invite and bring your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers! We have a gift for all the Moms (and a little something for all women), fun giveaways at the end of each service (SPA PACKAGE), a photo booth, Baby/Child Dedication during the service, and FREE Kona Ice for everyone!
I was out of town last week for a few days. I went to Florida for my Pastor’s Coaching Network meeting. It’s a group of about 25 Pastors from around the country. We meet 5 times a year for coaching and encouragement. It was the first time we’ve been back in person in over 2 years. It was awesome and much needed! Knowing that I was going to be gone for a few days, I got Pastor Scott to preach for me last week (he did a great job talking about busyness). Honestly, I was really looking forward to the weekend. It was the first time in a long time that Janet and I didn’t really have anything going on and I wasn’t preaching. It was going to be a nice break. However, that’s not exactly what happened. I ended up doing two funerals for 2 men who went to Coastal. For both of the funerals I shared a message from the 23rd Psalm. I talked about the very passage I’ll be preaching on this weekend, Psalm 23:3, “He restores my soul.”
You know, one of the great mysteries of my theology is how can a God we cannot see and touch and hear audibly, but who is real, how can He reach into the ravaged souls of human beings and restore them? The answer: I don’t know. . .but I know that He does it. He’s done it for me, I’ve seen Him do it for countless people, and He can do it for you if you let Him. There is no crisis, no tragedy, no loss so great that He can’t sustain you and restore you completely and David knew that. How do I know that David knew that? Because David lost his son. In fact, after the death of his child, after weeping and grieving, David said this, “I can’t bring him back. He can’t come to me, but one day, I can go to him.” We can’t bring our loved ones back, but we can go to them one day.
At one of the funerals I did last weekend, the Graveside was at the same cemetery on James Island where my Dad was buried when I was 13 years old. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to my Dad’s grave. Honestly, I wasn’t sure we could find it – but we did. As I stared at my Dad’s grave, I had forgotten that he was only 41 years old when he died – 41. That seems so young to me now. I was also reminded how God used something so terrible in my life, to bring about so much good. I was humbled and grateful, and I was reminded that the Good Shepherd can restore our soul if we let him. Don’t miss this Sunday. It’s going to be a powerful day! I love you, I love our church, and I love being your Pastor!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
It’s hard to believe, but this Sunday is May 1st! What does that mean? That SUMMER is almost here!! One of the ways our church marks the beginning of Summer every year is through something called Summer of IMPACT! If you are fairly new to Coastal, Summer of IMPACT is a month-long effort (the entire month of June) where we as a church saturate our community with the love of Jesus through simple acts of service. It’s basically what we normally do all throughout the year, but ON STEROIDS for the month of June!
There is something for everyone – from serving through our existing partnerships with non-profit organizations all over Charleston like the Lowcountry Food Bank, Soldiers Angels, the Ronald McDonald House, Carolina Youth Development Center, Charleston Vets, The Pink House, Patriots Villas, and Lowcountry Orphan Relief, to sewing lap throws for the residents of Joseph Floyd Manor, to feeding, clothing, and bring supplies to literally hundreds of hungry, hurting, and homeless people all over Charleston. There are opportunities nearly every day of the month. You simply sign-up and then show-up. It’s that easy. Every project has a leader and every project is well-organized.
So here’s what I am asking you to do RIGHT NOW:
Click on this link: https://coastalcommunitychurch.org/missions/
Take a look at all the opportunities. Find the project(s) right for you and then sign up today! You can sign up for as many opportunities as you want directly from our website. And by the way, you don’t even have to call Coastal your home to participate! Spread the word (forward this email) and invite and bring your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to serve! If you are looking to Make an IMPACT in our community, this is the way to do it!
The other thing that May always marks is Teacher Appreciation Week at Oakland Elementary School – this Monday, May 2nd – Friday, May 6th. We have a special relationship with the school. Each year we go above and beyond to express our love and appreciation to the Teachers and Staff of Oakland. We have several special things planned – lunch, breakfast, gifts, and more. Just remember that all of our community outreach projects (Summer of IMPACT, Saturday Serve, Box Truck Tailgates, Teacher Appreciation Week, Annual Oakland T-Shirts, VBS, and MORE) are all funded by your consistent, generous giving. You can give through our website or simply text ANY amount to 843-277-8337. I love you, I love our church, and I love being your Pastor! Let’s make this the best Summer ever!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Wow – we had an amazing Easter Weekend at Coastal! First of all, I can’t thank all of our volunteers enough for all of your hard work – 6 services over 3 days! All of our Teams – Praise & Worship, Tech, Coastal Kidz, Security, Cafe, Prayer, 1st Impressions – all knocked it out of the park! Many, many people were at multiple services, and some were at all 6. We seriously have the best volunteers at Coastal and could not do what we do without you!
Going into the weekend, I seriously had no idea how many people to expect in attendance in-person. I told our Staff that I had hoped to be close to pre-COVID Easter numbers – 1500+. In fact, 2 years ago, before anyone had ever heard of COVID, we had our largest attendance ever, just over 1600 for Easter. Well, this year we set a new Coastal attendance record with 1782 people in-person over the weekend! And then we had another 1115 online – for a grand total of 2897!
We had a ton of 1st time guests – people who were invited by a friend or who saw an ad, received a post card, or found us online. In fact, we had 43 1st & 2nd Time Guest Connect Cards filled out, 46 Coastal “Bags of Swag” given away, and 21 different decisions made! And of those 21 decisions. . . 8 PEOPLE GAVE THEIR LIFE TO JESUS!! Like I said, WOW! Thank you Jesus!!
Now, let me say this – Easter has come and gone, but Jesus is still alive, and there is still a sense of urgency. Keep praying, keep inviting, keep serving, keep reaching out. People still need Jesus, and He is still the hope of the world. And if the people you invited didn’t come, don’t get discouraged and don’t give up. And for those of you who came for the first time or maybe came for the first in a long time, come back! You are welcome at Coastal! In fact, we begin a new series this Sunday called, “Living In Victory.” And this Sunday I’ll be talking about living in victory over worry. Don’t miss it!
Don’t forget that we go back to our regular Sunday morning worship services times this week – 9:30am & 11:15am. If you took home and put up a Yard Sign, please pick them up and return them to the church. And if you see any others, out and about in the community, make sure you grab those as well and drop them off at the church. We really try to do our best to reuse them each Easter.
I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Finally – Easter Weekend is here! I’m not exactly sure where the phrase, “Not today Satan, not today!” originated (I think it became popular on a few Reality TV Shows), but our Staff definitely uses it around the office. For us, it’s just a reminder that Spiritual Warfare is real and that Satan wants to do anything he can to distract and divert us from our mission, especially weeks like this week.
Why this week? Because our entire church is reading through the Bible together, our 40 Day Easter Fast ends today, we’ve literally been reaching out to hundreds and thousands of people, inviting them to church, and of course, it’s the week of Easter! It’s obvious that God is up to something at Coastal, and He’s using us to reach out to the lost. When churches and Christians get serious about reaching the lost, loving and serving the community, inviting their friends and neighbors, that’s when Satan attacks. In fact, the truth is, we expect it around the office, and it’s almost comical when it happens. For example, this week alone someone got ahold of some checks from our church through one of our vendors and committed bank fraud, wasting hours upon hours of our time with Wells Fargo. The transmission went out in my car. A tire blew out on my bike. The truth is, in the grand scheme of things, these are only minor distractions.
Minor, because today is Good Friday. 2000 years ago Satan thought he had won. Jesus, the one and only Son of God, had been crucified. But when the ground in Jerusalem shook from a violent earthquake, and the sky went black, and the temple curtain that separated the people from the presence of God ripped in two, it was as though God Himself shouted from the Heavens, “Not today Satan, not today!” And 3 days later Jesus rose from the dead just like He said He would and defeated sin, Satan, and death! And now, in Christ, we have victory! That’s what we’ll be celebrating this weekend! I can’t wait to see you and your friends & family! Our service times are: Friday (tonight), 7pm; Saturday, 4:30pm, 6pm; Sunday, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am. (FREE KONA ICE at the Saturday and Sunday services!)
It’s still not too late to make that call, send that email or text, walk across the street or the office, and invite someone to church for this weekend! You never know the power of a simple invitation. Yesterday I took a plate of Janet’s homemade cookies and a postcard invitation to some of my neighbors. You never know the power of a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie either!
A few other quick reminders about Easter at Coastal: Parking & Seatingreally is important on Big Services like Easter (especially on Sunday). Please, please park as far away as possible and sit to the front and center of each section. And this is important – COME EARLY! With more guests on our campus, make sure you’re even more gracious, kind, loving, and helpful to everyone! Treat everyone as your welcomed, expected guest in your home.
I also want to challenge you to give above and beyond this Easter Weekend. You can give through our website, our App, or TEXT any amount to 843-277-8337. It’s simple, safe, secure, and convenient! It is your consistent, generous giving that enables our church to do everything it does here and in our community.
Oh, and one more thing – HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Today is our church’s 32nd Anniversary! Our first Sunday as a church was Easter Sunday, April 15th, 1990. 32 years of loving, serving, and giving to our community. 32 years of seeing lives changed by the power of the Gospel! I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor! Hold on to your fork, because the best is yet to come!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
I want to personally invite you and your friends & family to attend one of Coastal Community Church’s 6 Identical Easter Services this weekend!
Our service times are:
Friday, April 15th @ 7pm
Saturday, April 16th @ 4:30pm and 6pm
Sunday, April 17th @ 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am!
Please let us know which service you plan on attending by registering at EasterAtCoastal.com. Our regular Nursery & Children’s Ministry (Birth-5th Grade) called Coastal Kidz will be provided during all 6 services. Your kids will be safe & secure and will have a blast in our brand new facility! Our Cafe provides great coffee and treats for free; the music will be ROCKIN’; the message will be straight from God’s Word and apply to your every day life; and you’ll meet a bunch of amazing people just like you! We expect guests each week at Coastal, so invite and bring someone with you (all 1st time guests receive a FREE Gift)! Plus, FREE Kona Ice on Saturday and Sunday! I promise you, you’ll be glad you came!
Hope to see you, your friends, and family over Easter Weekend!
Pastor Chris Rollins (friend me on Facebook or Instagram)
Coastal Community Church
460 Arlington Dr.
(located in West Ashley directly across the street from Oakland Elementary and Orange Grove Middle Schools)
Well, it’s time – time to make the ask and invite your friends to church this Easter! Our Easter services are officially ONE WEEK AWAY! Hopefully by now you’re well aware that we’re having 6 identical services over three days: Friday, April 15th, 7pm; Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm; Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am. And speaking of making the ask, what’s the worst thing that can happen? They say no. And by the way, just because someone says no, keep praying, keep loving, keep serving, look for the open door and ask again later. But think for a moment about the best thing that could happen. You could be used by God to literally affect someone’s eternity. It’s possible that they hear the Good News of the Gospel and give their life to Jesus! We have the opportunity to literally change the trajectory of entire generations by a simple ask. Don’t believe me? You’re a part of Coastal today because a friend invited me to church when I was 13 years old. One week later from that ask I gave my life to Jesus and felt God’s call for ministry. Make the ask!
For those of you on Social Media, please go to our Easter at Coastal webpage and click on the “Download Shareable Easter Invite Images for Social Media” button. A zip file containing a folder of different images will automatically download on your computer. Or you can simply click on this link and download them now! These are great images to use on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out and invite people to Coastal for Easter!
And while you’re on our Easter At Coastal page, make sure you go ahead and register for the service you and your family and friends are planning to attend! That way we can spread everyone out and let people know when a service is reaching capacity. Make sure you connect with your Ministry Leader and sign up now to serve at one or more of our services. If you are not currently serving in a Ministry, Easter is a great time to get started! Respond to this email or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday and we’ll put you in touch with a Ministry Leader.
I haven’t said this in a while, but it’s probably time to say it again. For many of you, I believe that Easter weekend is a great time to come back to in-person worship! I am so thankful for the growing online ministry of our church (especially during the pandemic and shutdown). We went “all in” and made a huge investment in this ministry. It is here to stay, and it will continue to be a powerful tool to leverage for the community and for the Kingdom. However, it is NOT a replacement for gathering together in-person for worship and fellowship. It’s time to come back to in-person worship. I love this quote from Pastor Tony Evans, “I hear people say, ‘I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian,’ and they are absolutely right. Salvation is through faith alone, in Christ alone. You don’t have to go home to be married either, but stay away long enough and your relationship will be affected.”
I say none of that to guilt or pressure anyone. There are some in our community at Coastal who are shut-in, sick, out of town, traveling, and our online services are a great option. But there are others of you who simply need the nudge to return. Consider this your nudge. We need you and you need us!
I close out our “At the Cross” series this Sunday with a look at the cross through the eyes of the thief on the cross. Don’t miss it! I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Wow – it just seems as though God is moving in a powerful way through our church right now, and something is stirring. It feels like God is preparing us for something big. In the last month alone we’ve had 60 1st & 2nd Time Guest Connect Cards filled out representing well over 100+ new people! In that same time we’ve had over 20 different decisions for Christ and almost 1 baptism each week (by the way, you can go ahead and sign up for our BEACH BAPTISM – see below)! This year alone (3 months) we’ve given away almost 4,000 items of clothing to our community and served over 2,200 meals at 13 Tailgating Events, not counting the bags and bags of groceries we give away each week at our Food Pantry or the boxes and boxes of groceries we supply at our 7 Blessing Boxes in the community. Last month we had over 100 Volunteers show up for Saturday Serve (the next Saturday Serve is TOMORROW – see below), loving and serving our community. On top of all of that we have hundreds of people in LIFE Groups this semester, reading through the Bible together this year as a church, our 40 Day Easter Fast, the Night of Worship – again, God is moving at Coastal!
On top of all that, last Sunday we had 683 people in-person for worship and another 511 online! In fact, it’s time to bring out more chairs for the 9:30am service and to get back into the habit of asking everyone to sit toward the front and center of each section of chairs to help make more room. And if it doesn’t really matter to you or you don’t have a preference, please start coming to the 11:15am service. Eventually, when we add a 3rd service it will be 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am (like this Easter), but until then let’s do everything we can to make room for people. And then what’s really exciting is that we had 195 kids/volunteers in Coastal Kids this past week (34 children in the 4-K room and 31 children in the 1st-3rd room in the first service)! That could have never happened in our old facility.
All of that to say, Easter Weekend is going to be something special at Coastal! And it’s now 2 weeks away! Our service times are: Friday, April 15th, 7pm; Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm; Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am. Go to www.easteratcoastal.com right now and let us know which service you and your guests will be attending. This helps us to know when a service reaches capacity. The general rule of thumb is come to the service your friends can attend. Historically, Sunday morning at 10am & 11:30am are the largest services. Unless your guests are coming to one of those services, please try to attend one of the other services to make room. Our goal is to have our Chapel ready for overflow.
While you’re on the Easter at Coastal page make sure you click on the “Download Shareable Easter Invite Images for Social Media” button. A zip file containing a folder of different images will automatically download on your computer (like the one above). Or you can simply click on this link and download them now! Start using these images on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out and invite people to Coastal for Easter.
Pray for God to draw people to Himself at Coastal, asking Him to go before us and prepare the soils of people’s hearts. Pray for me and my message. Pray for people to respond to the Gospel and take next steps. Pray for our volunteers. Pray for the 94,000 postcards that will get sent out into our community. Like we always say, “Pray like it all depends on God.” And now it’s time to do our part, “Work, like it all depends on us.” And what do I meant by that? Make the ask! Reach out to your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers and invite them to one of our 6 Easter Services. Send a text, send an email, make a phone call, hand out tickets, post something on social media, put out a yard sign. And speaking of Yard Signs, more came in this week and are ready to go. You can pick one up at Saturday Serve or at church on Sunday. Strategically place them in neighborhoods, shopping centers, high traffic areas, and intersections. Take a picture of your sign and share it on social media with the hashtag: #easteratcoastal.
One final thought – I know I said it on Sunday, but I want you to hear it again loud and clear. All of those exciting things that are happening here at Coastal, could not happen without the generous, consistent giving of our people – YOU! Thank you for your generosity! This Sunday in our “At the Cross” series, we’ll be looking at the cross through the eyes of another Mary – Mary, the mother of Jesus. Don’t miss it! I love you Coastal and I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:
Easter Weekend is now 3 weeks away! If you haven’t heard, we are having 6 services over 3 days – Friday, April 15th, 7pm; Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm; Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am. Go to www.easteratcoastal.com right now and let us know which service you and your guests will be attending. This helps us to know when a service reaches capacity. The general rule of thumb is come to the service your friends can attend. Historically, Sunday morning at 10am & 11:30am are the largest services. Unless your guests are coming to one of those services, please try to attend one of the other services to make room. Our goal is to have our Chapel ready for overflow.
Just like last Sunday, be prepared to take home all the Easter Invite Tools – tickets, books, and now YARD SIGNS! We’ll have 200 EasterAtCoastal.com yard signs that we want to saturate Charleston with this year! Pick up several and then strategically place them in neighborhoods, shopping centers, high traffic areas, and intersections. Take a picture of your sign and share it on social media with the hashtag: #easteratcoastal. While you’re on the Easter at Coastal page make sure you click on the “Download Shareable Easter Invite Images for Social Media” button. A zip file containing a folder of different images will automatically download on your computer (like the one above). Or you can simply click on this link and download them now! Start using these images on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out and invite people to Coastal for Easter.
I want to share with you the power of a simple invitation and leveraging Big Days like Easter to reach out and invite someone to church. We had a man that was invited and came to one of our Christmas Eve services this past year. He could not remember the last time he had been in church. He LOVED it and kept coming! About a month ago he started attending our Celebrate Recovery Group that meets at the church on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm. Are you ready for this? This past Tuesday night he gave his life to Jesus! Because someone reached out to him, because we leveraged a Big Day, that man stepped from Death to LIFE, was forgiven of his sin, was adopted into God’s forever family, and now has a home secured for all eternity in heaven! Coastal, that’s why we do what we do! Don’t you dare tell me that a ticket, a yard sign, a postcard, a post on social media, a simple invitation can’t make a huge IMPACT! So. . . who are you praying for, who are you inviting? Let’s do this Coastal! Let’s work, share, & invite like it all depends on us, pray like it all depends on God, walk by faith, trust God, and celebrate what God does in our midst!
This Sunday, we’ll be looking at the cross through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, a devoted servant. Don’t miss it! I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor and being a part of the special thing that God is doing here!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:
SUNDAYS
8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am
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