Current Youth Nights || LAUNCH

We love our middle school and high school students from all around Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Carpinteria, Ojai, Camarillo, Calabasas, and beyond Ventura County.  This FREE youth event is for them to have a safe, positive place to hang out on the weekend, a chance to win some awesome giveaways (Herschel backpacks, Neff backpacks, gift cards, Curren Caples Flip skateboard, etc.), and hear an inspiring message that can radically change their lives and make an impact in their world for Jesus.  

We believe there is more than just another youth group being formed here in Ventura, we believe there is a MOVEMENT of youth who want to see their world impacted by the Gospel.  Join us and help spread the word.  

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 

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.!