First Impression! This past Sunday we had a lunch and meeting with our First Impression Volunteers - around 25 adults. Susan Brown took care of our lunch (and my dinner - need the recipe for that chicken alfredo lasagna!). Our meeting was long, but our entire team has not gotten together like that in a very long time. Sometimes in meetings we just want the facts and the schedule - tell me what to do and when to do it. What we did Sunday was a little more foundational. We wanted to remind everyone what we do and WHY we do it. We wanted to communicate the mission of this particular ministry and how it fits in to the whole. The mission of the 1st Impression Ministry is simple: "to create an atmosphere of warmth and personal acceptance, providing a safe atmosphere for people to experience LIFE!" That fits like a glove with our church's mission "to share and experience LIFE!"

The two biggest changes to this Ministry are the number of people increasing each week and the 5 minute huddle before having to be in place. Twenty minutes before each service the 5 team members for that service will get together for a quick 5 minute huddle (team building, assignments, & prayer) and then be in place 15 minutes before each service. We also went over some "standard practices" that needed to be improved and addressed.

The other obvious change is a new Ministry Leader - Ben Quick. Ben has only been at Coastal for a short time, but he has jumped in and is ready to serve in his area of calling. He loves guest services and making people feel welcome. He has the gift of hospitality. He also has a lot of experience in that area in the business world - The Sanctuary at Kiawah. And he's ready to use that for God's glory so that people can come here and experience LIFE! I said it at the meeting, but I want to say it again - my Mom, has done an outstanding job faithfully leading this ministry to this point. And she's excited about continuing to serve in this ministry, seeing it grow to exciting new levels. Too many people to count have been welcomed to Coastal by "Ms. Nancy." And that won't change. Thanks Mom!

The truth is we all forget why we're here. We need to be reminded that we don't go to church, we are the church - and we are on a mission to see people cross over from death to life! And whether you're on the First Impressions Team or not, or whether you're signed up for a particular Sunday or not, we're all there every Sunday for the same purpose - to see people come to LIFE in Christ!

I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet. Been a long day and now I'm watching the Oscars with the family. One observation - I used to think I watched a lot of movies. But as the show goes on I keep saying, "What movie was that?" A few highlights of the day:

-The Praise & Worship Team continues to absolutely rock! It is an honor and privilege to serve with those guys! Loved the songs today - really went well with the message.
-The second service dogged the first in attendance. I thought the first service was great - and then the second was even better!
-Want to get everyone's attention? Smash a porcelain plate to smithereens on stage! I actually drew blood in the second service - cut my finger!
-Great to see Quinn in church today! The little guy was at MUSC Children's Hospital for a few days this week. Told his parents he wanted to come to church!
-Also great to see an old friend of mine in church today as well.
-Loved the new Welcome Center sign!
-We have a lot of people who serve in the 1st Impression Ministry. Enjoyed the lunch (thanks Susan) and meeting (thanks Ben, I mean Joe Pesci)! I'll be blogging more about our meeting later.
-Can't wait for the Unleash Conference.
-Already planning for VBS!
-God won't put more on you than HE can bear!
-I really do have a hard time reading about the life of the Apostle Paul and not being embarrassed about how self-centered and spoiled today's church has become. We think we work hard and sacrifice and then we need a break.
-Had a few guests today, but we've got to keeping inviting people to church!

That's right my Blog turns one year old today! One year ago today, with the help and encouragement of my good friend Buck, I entered the Blogosphere! When I first started to blog I didn't know if I would keep it up or more accurately, if anyone would read it. Truthfully, 206 posts later (wow - that's hard to believe), I've thoroughly enjoyed it! Sure, there have been those times when I would feel the pressure of having nothing to write and I'd get that looming feeling of, "It's been a while since my last post - oh no!" And there have been plenty of times I'd wonder if people would understand what I was trying to say.

But overall, it's been a blast. It's been an opportunity for me to bear my soul, cast vision, and tell our story - the Coastal story. Looking back over the last year's worth of posts I've talked a lot about Coastal, what we've done, where we're headed, and why we do what we do. I've announced upcoming events and shared a lot of pictures. I've bragged and lamented about my Clemson Tigers. I've talked a lot about my family - my marriage and my children. (Janet, thank you for being my sounding board and editor for almost every post. Lydia & Christopher, thank you for letting me embarrass you just a bit from time to time!) I've celebrated birthdays and anniversaries. I've told you about weddings I've officiated and funerals I've been a part of. I've shared mistakes and lessons learned and praises & victories to be celebrated. And you've seen my weird sense of humor.

I've only been tracking the online stats of my blog for about 4 months, but already in that short time I've had just over 1800 visits from a total of 23 different countries. The top five countries are: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, and Germany (evidently me and David Hasselhoff are huge in Germany). Direct traffic makes up for just over half of my visits with the rest coming from referral sites (top 3 referral sites: Jeremiah, Buck, and Andy, with the Beam's catching steam). During that short period of time I've had 171 visits via 114 keyword searches - the top word searches obviously being Coastal Community Church or Pastor Chris. But several strange keyword searches have sent people to my blog: pooper trooper, sanjayah, pastor rollins' death (whoa - what's going on there), soiled himself, what do you think of pastor chris (probably from some disgruntled wackjob), crazy hair day, lazy pastor (one of my most read posts), chick-fil-a, pirates of the caribbean, and whenever you need me I'll be there - just to name a few. Keyword searches for 5 different people from our church sent people to my blog (someone's looking for you Prisca!).

Online comments are nice, but the best "stats" of all are the ones you can't track - the comments that I hear at church, in a small group, in the community, or from friends far away. It's always cool when someone comes up to you and says, "Hey, I read your blog . . ." So Happy Birthday "Blogging with Pastor Chris!" I hope you've enjoyed it just as much as I have! Now let's eat cake!

Wow - we were rockin' yesterday! It was just one of those days where we seemed to be hitting on all cylinders. I want to brag on the Praise & Worship Team. They have really stepped it up and it shows. They come to practice prepared - having listened to the music and practiced on their own during the week. On Sunday mornings they are on time and ready to go. And beyond all that - they truly love playing and leading people in worship. I love you guys!

Our attendance was up a bit - had a bunch of guests. I even had a two couples I'm marrying later this year come in from out of town(Washington D.C. & San Francisco) to visit with me after the second service. And for the first time since we went to two services we actually had more people in the second service than in the first - by one person! And we were missing about 40 regular people as well. We are on the verge of something big!

People have really gotten into this "Mythbusters" series. Every week someone comes up to me and shares another popular phrase that people attribute to the Bible, but is not actually found there. Yesterday we talked about a Biblical understanding of money as we looked at the phrase, "Money is the root of all evil." Like several phrases, that one is close to what is found in scripture, but not quite accurate. I Timothy 6:10, "For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Although at times speaking on money or giving can be one of those "touchy" subjects - I don't think that was the case yesterday. I believe that so many people today are in such a financial mess, they are desperate to hear sound Biblical financial principles (although people might doubt we did that yesterday when they learn we gave away a lottery ticket in both services - you had to be there!). They want help and hope. In fact, later this year we are going to begin regularly offering a "Good Sense" Financial Seminar to do just that.

This coming Sunday, immediately after the second service, we will be having a 1st Impression Team Lunch & Meeting. It's for everyone who has served in this Ministry or is interested in serving. Look for more information later this week. Easter is just around the corner! Pray & invite now!

I am a romantic. 22 years ago I asked Janet on our first date - Valentines Day. I was so nervous. It was the first date I had ever been on. I can still see her walking down the stairs of her dorm in her "red dress." It seems like yesterday I brought her flowers for the first time. I remember the meal we ate - the best steak I've ever had, at a very romantic restaurant in Atlanta called, "The Mansion." I remember the car ride after dinner and me so focused on trying to hold Janet's hand that I ran a red light. I remember telling her, "I love you" for the first time. Janet is the only woman I have ever told, "I love you." I remember asking her if I could give her a kiss. She is the one and only woman I have ever kissed. We got married the next Valentines Day - 21 years ago. It seems like yesterday watching her walk down that aisle in Fayetteville Christian Church. She is even more beautiful to me today. I still enjoy getting my wife flowers for no reason, opening the car door for her even when it's raining, holding her hand, playing with her hair, talking to her throughout the day, and dating her. I am a romantic.

God is also a romantic. Let me explain. Romance is not about flowers and candy and love songs and perfume. Romance is simply choosing to love someone in the ways that they most need and want to be loved. It's about you discovering their preferred language of love. It might not be your preferred way to express love, but loving someone is not about you. It's about knowing someone else and putting their needs above yours. Maybe for your wife or husband flowers don't do it, but a walk on the beach does. Maybe cards aren't that important, but a handwritten note melts their heart. Maybe an expensive restaurant isn't their thing, but a homemade meal by candlelight or meeting for lunch at the mall speaks volumes. You've got to figure that out. But if you love someone, it's worth it. God knows you. He gives you what you need, not what you deserve. He loves you just the way you need to be loved. He is willing to sacrifice Himself to prove His love for you. God is a romantic!

Janet, what can I say! It just keeps getting better and better! As impossible as this seems, I love you more today than I did when I first said the words 22 years ago. Knowing you, loving you, and doing life with you is the joy of my life! And with you I know that the best is yet to come. I thank God for you every day and pray that our children experience the same loving relationship that we have. Happy Valentines Day & Happy Anniversary!

Pastor Bill Hybels often says that, "Vision leaks." In other words, we forget why we do what we do. We get distracted. We get side tracked. At Coastal Community Church it's all about seeing people come to LIFE! We don't want anything to get in the way or be a distraction from that happening. That's why we exist - to share and experience the LIFE of Christ. Sunday morning is truly a matter of life or death. I really believe that. And that's why every little detail and ministry is important. It all fits together so that people who are dead in their sin can be brought to LIFE in Christ.

Think about it this way - in a life saving surgery no one would ever say that the details aren't important or that having a team mentality doesn't matter. No one would ever say that other than the surgeon, no job is important. Who cares if those checking in the patient are friendly, set the patient at ease, and explain the procedure in a caring, easy to understand manner? Does it really matter if the cleaning staff emptied the trash or swept the floor the night before? Who cares if the instruments are ready and clean? Who cares if the Nurses take pride in their job? What does is matter if the anesthesiologist shows up on time or comes prepared? Does is really matter if the patient is checked on post-op? Does the proper medication, diet, or physical therapy really make a difference in recovery?

The answer to all those questions is obvious. And yet what we're doing on Sunday mornings is even more important - more is at stake! Our primary focus is seeing that person come to LIFE in Christ! The focus is not about you and your needs. Every detail, every job, every ministry, from the point someone pulls on to our campus, gets out of their car and walks into our building is all laser focused on seeing that person take one step closer to God and cross over from death to life! Understanding why we do what we do and who we do it for answers a lot questions, settles a lot of arguments, motivates our volunteers, and keeps us laser focused.

And because of that focus we only concentrate on a few things - Sunday morning Worship Services & supporting Ministry, Children's Ministry, Student Ministry, Small Groups, & LIFE Development. That's it. That's our focus. LIFE - Love it (worship), Learn it (LIFE Development), Live it (Small Groups), Give it (Ministry & Outreach).

Well, I know this is extremely late, but I did want to share some thoughts from Sunday. We had our largest crowd to date in the first service! And then we had our smallest crowd at the second service. Do you know what my attitude is? Not one of disappointment or frustration, but one of optimism and excitement! Actually, the way I look at it is that we have structured ourselves for the future and we now have plenty of room for growth. That's why we went to two services!

So Coastal, let's go for it! Pray. Build relationships. Invite people to come to church. Include our guests in your ministry, small group, and the life of our church. By the way, let's all make sure we're using the same language to refer to those who come to Coastal for the first time. Instead of saying, "visitor" let's refer to them as "guests." Guests sounds more welcoming and inclusive. Visitors come and go - guests are welcome to return.

Let's also try to cut down on the distractions during the service. If you MUST get up during the service - go out the back door, walk around and then return that way. Turn your cell phones off. (However, and this is a first, we had someone listen to my entire sermon on Sunday via cell phone! So unless you have someone listening to the message, turn off your phone.) Parents, take advantage of our Nursery and Children's Ministry. Obviously, we understand newborns staying with mom, but after a few months it's time to use the Nursery. If you have a baby in the service with you, please sit towards the back of the auditorium. Then, if your baby cries, coos, or makes noise, you can quietly excuse yourself out the back door. Everyone else please sit toward the front of the auditorium and toward the center of the aisles to make it easier for our guests to find a seat while bringing the least amount of attention to themselves.

Back to Sunday. We were in week two of Mythbusters. We talked about the phrase, "Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child." Although that phrase is not found in the Bible, the Bible does have a lot to say about discipline. People are really hungry for Biblical truth about marriage and parenting. I thought it was a great day. It was also a long day. Our Praise and Worship Team was there from about 8AM until about 2:45PM. They stayed after church to learn and practice new music. These guys are awesome! In fact, all of our volunteers are awesome! Don't miss our Volunteer Appreciation Banquet Saturday, March 8th, 6-8PM. It's going to be fun and inspirational!

Thursday is Valentines Day and mine and Janet's 21st Wedding Anniversary! Yea! Woo-hoo! I am truly a blessed man!

My Clemson Tigers are now record setters! We hold the longest losing streak in NCAA history on an opponents home court, 0-53 vs. the North Carolina Tarheels in Chapel Hill. Wow. And the sad part is that we led for the entire game until North Carolina sent the game into the first overtime and then into double overtime. Okay Beam family(our resident Tarheel fanatics), let the harassment begin! Don't worry, I can take it like a man. After all, I'm used to it.

Check out this news story from ifoApplestore:

Charleston Store Location Confirmed
February 8th, 2008

A potential location for Apple’s future Charleston (SC) store has been pinpointed–301 King Street in the downtown section. A news story reports that Apple’s architects have visited the location, and have inquired of city building permit officials about what alterations they can make to the building. No lease has been signed yet, but Apple is apparently serious about opening a store, and at this location.

(Okay, okay - it's time to move the bloody teeth down a post.) There has been a lot of talk in the church world lately about either being "attactional" (come and see) or "missional" (go and tell). Usually in those discussions, like we do in most things in the church world, it's always either/or. I think it's both/and. I want our services to lift up Jesus so high and so clear that you can't stop talking about it and inviting people to come. I want the Word of God to be so powerfully proclaimed that you can't help but want to bring someone with you. I want you to be so confident that your friends who are far from God are going to hear the gospel at Coastal in creative, relevant ways that inviting them to come is second nature.

But I also want you to see your very lives as missionaries in a foreign world - a world that you are called to learn about, study, and strategically live. I want you to see your lives as the life of Jesus for all to see. I want you to know and understand that God has called you and placed you in a work place, a family, a neighborhood, a school, and a community to reach people that I will never be able to reach. Every contact, every interaction is an opportunity. I want you to live, give, serve, and love like Jesus in this world. And when the watching world asks - and they will - tell them the reason for the the hope that you have! And yes, invite them to Coastal! You see, we are in partnership together! Go and tell your friends to come and see! See you and them on Sunday!

(I hope you've already eaten.) So how did you spend your morning? I spent mine taking my son Christopher to MUSC for "minor oral surgery," i.e. he had two teeth removed. It had something to do with his braces and the spacing in his mouth.

He's way past the "Tooth Fairy" age, but as you can see for yourself these two teeth are definitely worth something. He's only supposed to eat soft foods today, so he and I are heading to Ladles Soups for lunch. No, he didn't cry. And yes, he wanted to keep the teeth.

I went to a Memorial Service this afternoon for Dan Long's (a guy at our church) mom. When we were sitting at the dinner table tonight we got into a discussion about funerals. Lydia said that many of them are boring, especially when she doesn't know the person. Janet asked her if she would rather go to funerals of people she knew. Christopher said that if Janet died first, I'd probably play, "Brick House." We all said that we would make sure that our services weren't boring. Christopher said that when he died he wanted to be cremated. "Really - why's that son?" "Because it would be cool to be set on fire and not feel it." That's my boy! I know - we're weird.

Okay, this is the last time I use the football ref for my Sunday Replay post until my Tigers take the field again (the real start of the football season). We kicked off our new series, "Mythbusters" yesterday. We didn't really go over the top with decorations or props, but everyone loved the sign Cindy Tighe did and yes, everyone loves our creepy friend "Buster." I will be having some fun with him in the coming weeks. The series is not really what you might expect. We're simply looking at some popular phrases normally attributed to the Bible, but are no where to be found in scripture. But then we're using that as a hook to talk about God's truth.

Yesterday we looked at the phrase, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" - found no where in scripture. But then we look at purity and being clean before God. We have a Holy God and not even the shadow of a sin can stand in his presence. We have a stain that can't be cleaned with soap and water or any external effort on our part. God wants us to get clean from the inside out. And only Jesus can offer that kind of cleansing. We are made clean by His blood. We stay clean through His Word and the power of His Spirit. I thought the message really resonated with people. Honestly, it resonated with me. It's so easy for us to try and "clean up" on our own effort. And even when we allow the Word to cleanse us, we still sometimes use it just like the Pharisees to look down on others. We're "clean" - you're "dirty." We really trample all over the grace of God.

We had a few visitors and return visitors yesterday. I'm glad we went to two services when we did. I know the second service seems a little "empty" right now now, but we're just now getting in a groove and working out any kinks. As always, be willing to go to the service that your friends will come to. But I can feel the momentum starting to roll. We are pulling out the stops for something really big at Easter. It's going to be a creative way to share the gospel and introduce people to Jesus. You must get your lost friends to church! Pray. Build relationships. Invite. Start now. Never stop. In fact, start inviting them to come now and to Easter!

After church we stopped at Costco, picked up a few snacks for the game, stayed home, watched the game, and enjoyed a quiet evening with my family. It was very nice.

WOW! What a game! A lot of people asked me who I was pulling for. Truthfully, I didn't care. Would have liked to see history made, but I also like to pull for the underdog. Just wanted to see a good game. And boy did we get that or what!? This is the first time in a long time that the game was better than the commercials - and they were pretty good.

Our Coastal Kidz (1st-5th Grade) are in a new series on Sunday mornings called "Winter EXtreme." Nancy Rankin & Linda Evans painted the backdrop for the series. Here's a couple of pictures. We have so many talented people at Coastal!

This Sunday we begin a new series entitled, "Mythbusters." There are literally dozens and dozens of popular sayings, ideas, and so-called “truths” that people think are in the Bible, but they’re just not there. So over the next several weeks we're going to "bust" those myths! As always at Coastal, it should be a lot of fun!

Here is a picture of "Buster." We were not able to get our hands on a real crash dummy, so this fun loving torso will have to do. Actually, Jeff Denton calls him B.O.B. (Body Opponent Bag - ask Jeff), but for the next 5 weeks he will be affectionately known around here as Buster.

I have to admit, he's freaked us out all week long here at the church. I've been able to scare several people. It was awesome! For the first few days we left him up in the Welcome Room. I knew he was there, but he still creeped me out. Check out the "Mythbusters" sign! I gave Cindy Tighe a picture and she did the rest! Foam board is our friend! She did a tremendous job! Anyway, I can't wait for Sunday! Invite and bring your friends!