7 Reasons to Join a New Church Plant

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7 REASONS TO JOIN A NEW CHURCH PLANT

  If you’re looking for a new church, a new place for your faith to grow, the task can be daunting.  Not only are you asking, “what do I choose: Presbyterian, Catholic, Pentecostal, Mormon, non-denominational, Methodist, Episcopal, etc. etc. etc.?”  But you have to consider the size of the church, the people there, the location, the programs, etc. etc. etc.  I know what you’re thinking, “wow, yes, it is crazy, I don’t know where to start…I just want to grow in my faith.”  

  Well, here are some reason why you should consider joining a new church, also known as a “church plant.”  Despite the statistics of most mainline denominations trending downward in numbers of Sunday attendees, there are actually some Christian groups who are opening up new church gatherings in cities all around the world and seeing tremendous growth.  Think of a church plant as a place where fresh life is being breathed into the community.

 

  If you’re currently a Christian and want to help out a church plant, that’s a great and noble thing to do.  We highly suggest that you pray about it and talk to your lead pastor about it before making the decision.  You would, no doubt, be a tremendous help if it is truly something that works out, but keep in mind that your church community needs you too!   

1.  A Fresh Start 

There’s nothing wrong with a brand new starting point for your faith.  Maybe you’ve been wanting to renew your faith in God but don’t know where to start.  You’ve checked out a few churches but nothing really clicked for you/your family.  One of the greatest hardships of a “new church” is one of the greatest blessings: you see, the very reason a church plant is “planted” is to see new people join them in walking with Jesus.  So every person counts, every person matters and a church plant takes that seriously.  

2.  Dreamers/Doers

There’s dreamers and doers, but sometimes those two qualities join together in a person’s life to make them an indelible resource in God’s economy.  Chances are if you’re a dreamer/doer you will love the environment of a church plant.  Growing up in the Silicon Valley, I’ve seen start-ups in the tech world and watched the driving passion behind incredibly successful entrepreneurial endeavors.  In a church plant, we take that same “start-up” mindset of passion-based, goal oriented gains but we pare it with prayer, the work of the Holy Spirit and heaps of love/compassion.  It’s way more than “business as usual.”

3.  Authentic Community

There is something special about the community that takes place in a church plant.  I know it can be had, and felt, in larger churches but I can’t describe how awesome the feelng of community is in a church plant.  Maybe it’s the fact that we don’t take it for granted, or better yet, that we don’t take each other for granted.  If you’re looking for a place to truly “live the Christian life” with others in a community of faith, a church plant is the place to be. 

4.  A Trial Run

If you are feeling called of God (and your pastoral leadership has recognized that) to plant a church in the future, there is no better place for you to spend six months to a year than in a church plant.  Seriously, I wish I would have done it before we planted Coast Church in Ventura, CA.  For instance, when I got into free diving and spearfishing I did extensive research.  I read books on breath hold techniques, researched gear, watched videos of pros, and read accounts from many veteran divers.  But the first time I got in the water with a friend who had been diving for many years, I learned more from him in three hours of diving than all of the books and Google searches combined.  Do your homework, but get involved in a church plant if you feel led to plant a church some day.  It is a win-win for you and the church planter. 

5.  Show Your Kids an Alternative

Bratty, spoiled church kids that have endless pizza parties, bounce houses, Sunday school giveaways, amusement park outings, skateparks in the church parking lot are THE WORST!  Trust me, I was one of them!  Until I was a teenager and attended a church of roughly 20-30 people and they didn’t have all the bells and whistles.  What I learned, very quickly, was that there was more to church than just being entertained.  Believe me, I would LOVE to have a sweet little skatepark (yes, Ventura needs a real skatepark) in the church parking lot some day, but what I want more than that is an environment where my kids can experience the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Most church plants do have some exciting things going for kids and it is only going to get better, but even if they don’t have all of that stuff, encountering Jesus is worth it. 

6.  You Want to Serve

Every church plant is looking for people with servant’s hearts who care deeply for their community.  Of course there are many avenues to serve in the weekly gathering such as: set-up of the facility, greeting, parking lot team, sound tech, AV, photography, graphic design, singing, music, Coast Kids, etc., but in the vision of Coast Church we see a community of faith that serves the community at large in Ventura and the surrounding coastal area.  We’re already planning to certify people in Life In Focus Education (a drug/alcohol rehab, juvenile delinquent education program), putting together a focus group for parents/families of children with special needs, exploring how we can serve the elderly of our community by mowing lawns/fixing things/holding services in convalescent homes, and asking tough questions about how we can simply serve our community better.  A church plant is constantly in need of creative minds and servant's hearts.  If you’re looking for a place to utilize your talents with an eternal impact on the lives of others, if you truly want to “serve” then a church plant is for you. 

7.  The Spirit Led Life

Everything in our “consumer oriented” world drives us to the biggest and the best.  One of the things we see recurring in the Scripture is that the Holy Spirit led people to do things that nobody else was doing, with tremendous outcomes in the end.  Jesus raised the bar high for that one and we should follow His example.  If you feel to join a church plant (as a permanent member or simply to serve for an interim) you should pray about it and ask God to truly “lead” you in making that decision.  We truly believe that when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives GREAT THINGS HAPPEN!

   Every community of faith has a “starting place” and a new church plant is a great place to be a part of to invest in and experience those infant moments.  Will it be perfect?  No.  Will people come and go?  Sure.  Will it be one of the best, most rewarding things you’ve ever done in your life?  I believe so!  I hope this has been educational for you and thought-provoking.  It is incredible to be a part of what Jesus Christ is doing in our time.  There are some incredible new churches being planted all throughout the world and the Gospel is touching lives like never before.   

-Pastor Scott 

Beachside Praise - Santa Barbara, CA 2015

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We had such an incredible time with some of the Coast Church Ventura, CA family at #SBBP2015 as we joined up with numerous other church communities for an event led by New Beginning Community Church in Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA.  It was inspiring to see so many young people gathered in one place to lift up the name of Jesus and to raise awareness for a great, faith-based program for at-risk youth called "LIFE: Life In Focus Education."  We're looking forward to being part of many more great events like this in the future!  


Rev. Lee Stoneking at the United Nations

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Do you believe in miracles?  Do you believe in God?  If you don't (or if you do) check out this incredible, true story of God's grace and miraculous healing.  Rev. Stoneking has many documented accounts of his healing and the story simply inspires our faith.  We believe the experience of Acts 2:38 is the answer and we believe in the miraculous, healing power of Jesus Christ.  Enjoy. 

Where Do You Go For HOPE?

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I've been in the neighborhood around our church, around Ventura College and other parts asking the question "where do you go to find hope and encouragement?"  Most people are almost uneasy answering the question because the thought of "where can I really go to find hope when I'm hopeless" is a tough one.  

When Jesus was crucified and then buried in a tomb, his followers simply didn't know where to go.  They were pretty hopeless.  Three days later Jesus was resurrected and HOPE was evident to all.  HOPE became a brilliant light shining in the darkness and that light still shines today.  

So where do YOU go for hope?  Our goal at Coast Church is that you would be filled with the Spirit of God and thus, filled with HOPE!  We know that family can let you down, friends can let you down, your favorite team can let you down, even church can let you down...but Jesus promised "he will never leave you or forsake you."  When we place our HOPE in Jesus Christ, it does not matter what we face tomorrow for we know that He holds the future and HOPE is alive and well in us.  

I encourage you to look into joining one of our Coast Community Group meetings, attending a Sunday afternoon gathering or filling out the contact page on the website and getting dialed in with a Starting Point Bible Study.  If you have any questions or need prayer/encouragement, our team is here to help.  We love Ventura, CA and want to serve you.  God bless and have an incredible day!  

-Pastor Scott 

ESTR is ALMOST HERE

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I can't believe it.  The day we love to celebrate, the day we waive high the banner of hope, the day that Jesus Christ overcame death, hell, and the grave....it's almost here.  The Coast Church family is excited about the opportunity to worship together in Ventura, CA and celebrate what Christ has done for our lives as a community of faith.  

God is truly doing something in Ventura.  We've seen lives touched, physical healing, baptisms, and a wonderful group of believers coming together for the common purpose of lifting high the name of Jesus.  Easter Sunday, or as I like to call it, Resurrection Sunday is a day where we reflect on the life-giving power of Jesus Christ and all that He did for us during the Passion Week.  

At Coast Church we preach the Gospel of the "death, burial, and resurrection" of Jesus Christ just as the apostles were commanded to.  We believe that the Holy Spirit is something that you can feel and experience in our day and age.  We believe you can be filled with the Holy Spirit just like they were on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts.  We are thankful for the Pentecostal experience and the faith that it brings to new believers who are searching for "more" than just a casual church experience.  

If you're new to faith, new to church and wondering where to start I would love to chat with you on the phone or via email.  The best place to start is to simply show up at 4300 Telegraph Rd. in Ventura (right across the street from Ventura College in the round building) and get to know us.  You'll be greeted with a smile and treated with respect in a judgement-free place of authentic community.  Our goal is that you will feel "faith, hope, and love" as you hear the music, listen to the words of the songs, meet some true Christian people, and are challenged by the Word of God as we open up the Scripture together.  This Easter, make a decision you will never regret!

-Pastor Scott

P.S.  We will be having an awesome Easter Egg hunt, a giveaway, and refreshments!  Also, if you're considering being baptized in Jesus' name, it would be the PERFECT day to do it. 

Coast Church Ventura PRVW3........March 14, 2015

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It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks we'll be gathering together for our third preview in Ventura, CA.  We have truly seen some incredible things happening as God is putting the pieces together for our community: healing, baptism, restoration, etc.  

At our last gathering I issued a challenge for everyone to bring one guest with them to our next gathering and fill up the chairs.  We are believing for this to be a reality and that lives will be touched by the presence of God.  We believe in healing, restoration, Holy Spirit infilling, the power of the name of Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Our prayer is that God would use us to reach the hurting, the broken, the addicted, and the hopeless.  

Will you consider gathering with our community on March 14th?  We would be honored to have you as our special guest and promise to make you feel at home.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us here on the site or call 805-215-3558.

Blessings, Pastor Scott

Skeptical? That's Okay, We Have Something to Share With You

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I'm a big fan of "apologetics" or the art of relaying what we believe and why we believe to others.  There are a lot of people who would consider themselves skeptics when it comes to the Bible, God, Jesus, etc.  As a believer and someone who has done my due diligence to study both sides of the coin (belief and unbelief), I don't entirely blame the skeptics for their skepticism.  Many times Christians haven't done a very good job of explaining things.  Sometimes we have no explanation (but really, science does that too).  Various times we don't do a very good job of "being Christians" to those around us and it taints our accountability in the eyes of the skeptic.  

All of that being said, when you take steps in your journey of belief, or when you simply stretch your mind to find out "what this life is all about" you inevitably come to a place of examining this one thing: origins.  Where did it all start?  How did the universe get here?  Who is responsible for it?  Where did consciousness, emotion, feeling, etc. come from?  How did the earth wind up being the only inhabitable planet in the perfect distance from the sun?  On that journey, faith is sparked, blown out, challenged, buffered, built, torn down and bellowed again.  It's pretty awesome actually.  

I love this video that Eric Metaxas and Prager University put together rebutting some of the claims of new atheism and skepticism.  The truth be told, science is not really science until it is proven (and repeatably so), therefore we ought to deem faith/belief on a higher scale than simply the "ancient writings of man."  I hope this encourages someone, pushes the skeptic to think and most of all, draws the heart of a person closer to God.  Enjoy.  -Pastor Scott

There Are Quite a Few Churches Closing Their Doors, Why Are We Opening Ours?

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This article sheds some light on why those who believe that the experience of God's Spirit outpouring on the Day of Pentecost is relevant for today's Christian experience are growing by leaps and bounds, outpacing every other faith group.  It is incredible to see what God is doing in the world today and humbling to be a part of it!  -Pastor Scott

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/48148-the-real-reason-the-pentecostal-movement-keeps-growing

Authentic Community...

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One of the recurring conversations I seem to have is about the paradox of how we live in the most "connected" society in history yet we are more "disconnected" from one another than ever before.  So what?  (the amazingly common millennial statement).  What do we do about it?  Where do we go from here?  Is there hope beyond simply more disconnectedness?  

For centuries the "church" has served as a place of community.  A place where people feel "at home" even when they're away from home.  Why can't it be like that again?  We believe it can.  An authentic community is where people are real, pretense is laid aside and everyone is respected and loved (you know, kinda like how Jesus did it).  Is this simply a mythical entity somewhere that can't really exist in the modern world?  Absolutely not.  A true community of believers loves unconditionally, serves others emphatically and reaches beyond themselves with transparency.  

Coast Church is striving to be that community.  We don't judge based on your past, we simply stand with you to see an incredible future.  We don't expect you to understand the Bible from Genesis to Revelation the first day you hang out with us, we're a group that is always learning and hoping to become better Christians.  We want you to experience the feel of genuine, authentic community that is so rare these days.  

There are several ways to take advantage of this currently:                                                                   -Coast Community Groups, weekly meetings where we take a look at the Scripture in a fresh, relevant way.  We meet at homes and coffee shops, restaurants.  Midweek evenings 7:30ish.  Everyone is welcome.                                                                                                                                   -Preview Gatherings on Feb 21st and March 14th 6:00pm @4300 Telegraph Rd. Ventura, CA  We're meeting once a month for a time of music, community and a message.  Starting April 5th, Easter Sunday, we will be having weekly gatherings at the same location on Sundays at4:00pm.   -Beyond the Walls.  Unscripted, semi-planned, and completely fun...as the weather gets better, we're looking forward to hanging out at the beach to catch a sunset together, early morning prayer at Grant Park, hours of noodly-leg jumping at Sky High Sports, singing and visiting at care homes in our community, and much more.  The church was meant to be #BeyondtheWalls.  Keep an eye on our social media for updates.  

I'm praying for an incredible year for each of you, in Jesus name! -Pastor Scott 

GIVING

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Remember when you were a kid and it was all about "getting?"  Christmas time, birthdays, etc., all you wanted was to GET.  But sometime (hopefully) you began to feel the joy of "giving" and realize that it can surpass the joy of "getting."  Generous givers are incredible people to be around and isn't it funny how usually those are the people that don't lack for anything?  There's a principle in there somewhere.

Giving is part of who we are as a community.  We want to encourage a culture of generosity at Coast Church and show the world Christ's love by giving.  In America, especially Ventura, we're immensely blessed with monetary options, with goods, with things, etc.  All it takes is a quick look around to see the hurt and the despair that is all around the world.  Well guess what, you can do something about it. 

Your giving will go all around the world.  Coast Church supports various efforts/charities/etc. that help children, troubled youth, prison inmates, new church plants, global missions workers, clean drinking water wells and many others.  Your gift will literally go around the world.  At Coast Church we want to make it seamless for you to give and support worthy causes, with the click of a button on our "GIVE" page you can get setup to give either a "one time" gift or a "recurring" monthly gift.  Your giving is safe and secure, and you'll receive a nice report at the end of the year for tax purposes.  We encourage you to start giving and feel that beautiful "joy of giving" that will quickly overwhelm you.  

Be blessed, Pastor Scott

GIVE TODAY

VLNTR - Coast Church is Looking for Help

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Coast Church is actively seeking volunteers and Team Members for several categories:

  • Prayer Team (does not have to be local)
  • Creative (photo, video, design, etc.)
  • Audio/Visual (soundboard, media, etc.)
  • Setup Team 
  • First Impressions (parking lot, greeters, etc.)
  • Musicians/Vocalists

Please feel free to fill out our contact form with your availability and what area you'd like to volunteer.  If you currently attend another local church campus, please make sure to seek the approval of your leadership team and pastor.  

PRVW Gathering #1

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It was a dark and stormy night...no really, it was dark and I got soaked when I ran out in the rain to put our banner up so everyone on Telegraph Rd. could see it.  We know how much we love our sunshine and how rain can really mess things up in Southern California.  But nonetheless, we had an incredible time at our first preview gathering.  

We wanted to do a few of these previews to introduce ourselves to the community, to get comfortable with the venue and to use the time in between to build up expectation for the next one.  Although we don't have a "church service" every week yet, we realize that "we are the church" and that the church doesn't exist just in a building, but it is made up of believers.  We meet weekly for Community Group and Bible Studies if you'd like to be a part of something more frequent.  

The gathering was a beautiful time with a refreshing presence of God felt by all.  The music was pretty awesome for our first time singing together and I felt that everyone related well with the message I brought (of course we're totally open to suggestions and what you think we can do better). Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with setup, music, prayer, etc.  If one life was touched by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it was worth it all.  

Next month we meet on February 21st at the same location and we're excited about another chapter in the Coast Church story.  What is God doing in your life?  Where is He leading you?  We hope Coast Church can be part of it.  

Blessings, Pastor Scott

Preview Gathering 1.10.15

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We can't contain ourselves.  Our first gathering as a community of believers is happening this weekend, 1.10.15 at 4300 Telegraph Rd. directly across from Ventura College.  It is going to be great.  We'll sing, worship, network, hang out with some great people and enjoy the first message in a series called "NEW" by Pastor Scott.  

You don't want to miss it........but if you do, we're meeting on Wednesdays in a community group to look at the Bible and enjoy the message it reveals to us.  Join us!