I Love What We Do!
05/17/07 06:32 PM
This has been a great week! On Tuesday morning I
had my Oakland Elementary School Prayer Group.
We've only got 4 more weeks until school is out and
our Group is over for the Summer. I'm going to miss
it. It's been a great experience. On Tuesday
afternoon I met with a couple I'm going to be
marrying in the Fall. In fact, they came to church
on Sunday. I asked them how they enjoyed Coastal.
Lynn said, "I didn't even feel like I'd been to
church." Now I have to admit that when I first
heard that, I thought, "Oh no, here we go. What was
it? What's your complaint? The music, the casual
dress, the decorations?" But then she said, "I grew
up Catholic. I thought you just go to church to get
beat up." Wow! They said it was different - but a
good different and they will be back.
And then on Wednesday afternoon I met with Justin who on Sunday checked on his Connect Card that he wanted to talk to someone about being a follower of Christ. Guess what Coastal? On Wednesday afternoon, Justin gave his life to Christ! He became a Christ follower! He grew up going to church as a kid with his family, but never personally gave his life to Christ. As a teenager and young adult, like many guys, he walked away from the church and the Lord. But now with a fiance and a child, he was searching.
Well, in the meantime here at Coastal, I've been turning up the heat, challenging you to get serious about reaching out to people - praying and inviting. Matt Beam began inviting people at work to our Easter Service. No takers. And then Justin, who works with Matt, comes up to him and asks him about his church. Is that amazing or what? Is that not a great example of God drawing people to Himself and His church? Coastal, God grows His church, but He does it through people and churches who are praying, searching, building relationships, and inviting people. Justin and his fiance come to church on Easter and never stop coming. They get involved in Jeremiah and Cyndi's Small Group. Very quickly they connect with Andy and Miranda in their Small Group. Can you see God moving?
Justin told me that at first, he thought he was okay because he was cleaning up his life and making a few changes, but then as he started coming to Coastal, he learned that didn't make him a Christian. He was learning that it was about a personal relationship of faith and trust. It almost sounded too easy, too good to be true. And there in my office at about 5:30 Justin crossed the line of faith. He put his faith in Jesus Christ and asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and be his Savior and Lord. PRAISE GOD! Coastal that's what life is all about! That's why we do what we do! That's why we talk about growing! That's why we talk about making room for one more and one more and one more! That's why we talk about going to two services. And when we go to two services we'll be planning a third. And then we'll add services on Saturday. And in the meantime we'll be making plans for another building. That's why church is not about you or me and your comfort and your preferences and your likes or dislikes. It is about doing whatever it takes, giving whatever it takes, sacrificing whatever it takes to charge the very gates of Hell and rescue as many people as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! God is up to something here Coastal! Can you feel it? Can you see it? I love what we do! See you on Sunday! Hold on tight!
And then on Wednesday afternoon I met with Justin who on Sunday checked on his Connect Card that he wanted to talk to someone about being a follower of Christ. Guess what Coastal? On Wednesday afternoon, Justin gave his life to Christ! He became a Christ follower! He grew up going to church as a kid with his family, but never personally gave his life to Christ. As a teenager and young adult, like many guys, he walked away from the church and the Lord. But now with a fiance and a child, he was searching.
Well, in the meantime here at Coastal, I've been turning up the heat, challenging you to get serious about reaching out to people - praying and inviting. Matt Beam began inviting people at work to our Easter Service. No takers. And then Justin, who works with Matt, comes up to him and asks him about his church. Is that amazing or what? Is that not a great example of God drawing people to Himself and His church? Coastal, God grows His church, but He does it through people and churches who are praying, searching, building relationships, and inviting people. Justin and his fiance come to church on Easter and never stop coming. They get involved in Jeremiah and Cyndi's Small Group. Very quickly they connect with Andy and Miranda in their Small Group. Can you see God moving?
Justin told me that at first, he thought he was okay because he was cleaning up his life and making a few changes, but then as he started coming to Coastal, he learned that didn't make him a Christian. He was learning that it was about a personal relationship of faith and trust. It almost sounded too easy, too good to be true. And there in my office at about 5:30 Justin crossed the line of faith. He put his faith in Jesus Christ and asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins and be his Savior and Lord. PRAISE GOD! Coastal that's what life is all about! That's why we do what we do! That's why we talk about growing! That's why we talk about making room for one more and one more and one more! That's why we talk about going to two services. And when we go to two services we'll be planning a third. And then we'll add services on Saturday. And in the meantime we'll be making plans for another building. That's why church is not about you or me and your comfort and your preferences and your likes or dislikes. It is about doing whatever it takes, giving whatever it takes, sacrificing whatever it takes to charge the very gates of Hell and rescue as many people as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! God is up to something here Coastal! Can you feel it? Can you see it? I love what we do! See you on Sunday! Hold on tight!
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