Current Youth Nights

November marked another one of our monthly Current Youth Nights at Coast Church in Ventura, CA.  We had some first time guests, some friends from other local churches, food, fun, and an inspiring word from our friend Dave Ceja from Angeles Church in Glendale, CA.  

God is moving in the lives of young people and a movement is being born in Ventura County that wants to put Jesus first in their lives.  We love seeing young people excited about Christ, actively engaging in their communities and schools.  If you know any middle or high school students in Ventura County that are looking for a great place to gather for monthly youth services, we know a place...Current Youth Nights.  

Next Current Youth Night is Friday night, December 2nd at 7:00pm at our Ventura church location: 2734 Johnson Dr. Suite A.  805-215-3558 for more information.  This upcoming Youth Night will be a movie night where we will view the film, "Woodlawn" and have a special discussion on racism, prejudice, and how we can overcome it in our generation.  You don't want to miss it!  

Impact Your Community

We need your help as we raise funds to purchase a van for Current Youth and Coast Kids.  Thank you for taking the time to consider partnering with us to reach our goal of $15,000 to purchase a safe, reliable van and insurance to continue reaching students in our communities.  Every gift helps! 

The quickest and easiest way to give is via PayPal, but we do accept checks and cash. All donations are tax-deductible as we are a recognized 501c3 charity organization. Please share.

Click: http://www.coastchurch.com/give/  (preferred giving option)

or

visit our GoFundMe page. 

We are also seeking local (and national) businesses and brands that would like to partner with us as sponsors.  Each sponsor will have a vinyl decal as advertisement on the van for one year.  Contact Coast Church if you'd like to partner with us as a business partner coastchurchventura@gmail.com or 805-215-3558.  

STORIES from the Coast

Juan H. teaching the Current Youth Movement in Oxnard, CA. 

As a new church in Ventura, CA (a church plant started in early 2015) we have intentionally focused on STORIES.  In particular, we are focusing on seeing Jesus write incredible stories for people who may not have been writing the best chapters previously.  

Juan is one such story (you can see him teaching our Current Youth in the photo above).  We started teaching Juan our Starting Point Bible studies before we even had our first Sunday gathering.  Without going into all of the details, Juan had been through some tough pages of life and he was wanting to rebound in a big way.  He was at a place of going "ALL IN" for Christ.  I'll never forget the afternoon when we baptized Juan in the Pacific Ocean in Ventura.  I'll never forget the night he received the Holy Spirit.  It's been so cool to see the pages unfold in a life when the pen is handed over to the Author. 

In the fall of 2015 Juan felt to start a Bible study at his apartment complex in north Oxnard so we discussed some ways of going about this.  We had an open house, meet and greet night and a bunch of young people showed up.  It was pretty obvious that there was an open door to reach the youth in the area so we started having a weekly Bible study there in Oxnard, CA.  The STORY is still unfolding but we've seen these young people touched by the Scripture, we've seen them learn how to pray, how to read their Bibles, and even how to share their faith with others.  

What started with one man wanting to turn his life around has turned into a group of 15-20 young people meeting every Wednesday evening to learn about Jesus Christ and now they are turning their lives around.  The STORY is where it counts and we value every STORY that God is working in.  

P.S.  If you feel moved to partner with us financially, we are currently raising funds to purchase a van to transport youth and the disabled to Sunday gatherings, special events, etc.  You can read more information just a few blogposts down and you can always click the "GIVE" option up top.  Thank you and God bless you, Pastor Scott 

Let's Make a Difference

Last night a 24 year old young man was stabbed to death in North Oxnard, in a neighborhood that Coast Church Ventura has established a Community Group Bible study geared towards young people.  Our hearts are absolutely burdened by the loss and we mourn the loss.  Yet there is a holy angst that is rising within us to DO MORE, to make a DIFFERENCE in this community.  

It may sound crazy, that a new church in Ventura (which is just getting started) would be reaching out to a community in Oxnard, but we believe that usually the crazy ideas are the ones which God is right in the middle of (think: David and Goliath).  

We know there are mega-churches around but NOBODY has reached the kids we are reaching in this neighborhood and we see a great need to shine the light of the Gospel to them.  Our prayer is that God would continue to use us to reach this dark world and shine brighter than ever before.  The bad news is that this junk is happening...THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN HELP!  LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN VENTURA AND OXNARD!

How can you help? 

-Join the Coast Church team!

-Host a Coast Community group or volunteer to help with one that is going. 

-Donate to our fundraiser to purchase a van to pick-up kids in this area for youth events, church gatherings, camps, etc.   

-Donate snacks, drinks, school items, etc. to be used in our Coast Community group in N. Oxnard.

NO DREAMS - The Coast Church Van Project

The blank looks and the silence in the room was my first indication that we were in the right place.  The question was asked, "what are your dreams in life" and the silence was deafening.  One of the older boys stepped up and said, "to get a job and pay the bills."  I'll never forget the first night of our Youth Bible Study in North Oxnard at that apartment complex.  I can never put that visceral silence of "youth without dreams" away from my thoughts as we endeavor to reach out to a community that needs the light of the Gospel.  

It started with a group of 13 young people hanging out at our BBQ and now we're seeing a group form that is hungry for something real in their lives.  We're in need of a church van to transport the group to our Sunday gatherings, to community outings, to events, and also to provide others with a ride who do not have transportation.  In the near future we will begin a program called "LIFE - Life in Focus Education" that teaches life skills, gang intervention, drug/alcohol rehab, parenting, anger management, etc.  We want to be able to offer transportation to these classes as well.  

When I read the headlines on KVTA's Facebook page this morning about a homicide in a public park in Oxnard (less than one mile from the apartment complex we have our group at) my heart hurt but I also felt a glimmer of hope for the future.  Knowing that we're shining light into the darkness is the solace we have when facing the daunting task of reaching an area where this kind of tragedy is the norm.  

A safe, reliable, used 15 passenger van will cost between $20-30,000 if we were to purchase from a dealer.  We have a contact who is a wholesale broker and can get us a $20-30k van at roughly $15k and is agreeing to do so at no charge to our church.  

Christmas is a tough time on the pocketbooks of most people but it is also a time when miracles happen and when great causes see great support.  We realize that this idea represents more than a van, it represents hope for a community, it represents future leaders...it represents DREAMS in hearts of children who have NO DREAMS.  Would you partner with us today?  We appreciate your prayers and support!        -Pastor Scott

P.S.  We have room for several business/corporate sponsors to have their company logo on the back of our van.  Do good and advertise all around Ventura, Oxnard, etc.!