Small Group Questions | Holy, Holy, Holy | Isaiah 6:1-13

This Spring Coastline Bible Church started preaching through the Old Testament book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah is known as one of the three major prophets. The book starts with confrontation but ends with comfort. God is not impressed with Israel’s religious practices because their hearts are far from God. Israel has rebelled against God, forsaken Him, and turned their backs. Today we will see God confront their rebellion and invite them back into relationship with Him. Each week, we’ve created small group questions designed to help people reflect deeply, apply personally, and grow spiritually. I’m sharing those questions here so others can benefit; whether you’re leading a small group, studying on your own, or learning to pray these questions are for you. 

Small Group Questions | Holy, Holy, Holy | Isaiah 6:1-13

In Isaiah 6 we see a powerful moment in the life of Isaiah. When he encounters the holiness of God, while serving in the Temple, everything changes. Isaiah becomes aware of his own sin, receives cleansing from the Lord, and then willingly offers himself to serve God’s mission. This passage reminds us that our view of God shapes the way we see ourselves and the way we live our lives. When we see God rightly, we offer ourselves fully. As you discuss the questions below, take time to reflect on how Isaiah’s experience connects with your own journey of faith. Ask God to help you see Him more clearly and to respond with humility, gratitude, and willingness to serve.

1) Neal shared a story about volunteering to help coach his son’s baseball team that led to years of coaching baseball. Share about a time you volunteered to help with your kids, community, or church. How did that serving role go for you? 

2) Read Isaiah 6:1-4. Isaiah’s encounter with God begins in a moment of uncertainty for Israel. How do times of uncertainty or transition in life sometimes make us more aware of our need for God? (read Psalm 46:1–3 and Hebrews 12:28)

3) Isaiah had a unique encounter with the Lord. What stands out to you about Isaiah’s description of God’s throne room, the song singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” and the shaking of the temple? (read Exodus 15:11, Psalm 99:1–3, and Revelation 4:8)

4) Read Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah’s immediate reaction to the holiness of God is, “Woe is me!”. Why do you think encountering God’s holiness makes Isaiah aware of his sin and how have you seen this to be true in your life? (Luke 5:8–11 and Job 42:5–6)

5) Isaiah confesses that he has “unclean lips” and lives among people with unclean lips. Why is confession an important part of our relationship with God? Did this sermon prompt you to confess something hidden in your life to God? 

6) Read Isaiah 6:6-8. Notice that God takes the initiative to cleanse Isaiah and prepare him for ministry. What does this teach us about God’s grace and forgiveness that we see in our lives? (see Hebrews 9:13–14, Ephesians 1:7 and Titus 3:5–7)

7) Read Isaiah 6:9-11. God invites Isaiah to ministry and he volunteered for the role. In the sermon we talked about how God calls people to serve Him in everyday places: our neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities. Where has God placed you right now to be a witness for Him?

Close your time in prayer asking God show you how to serve Him. 

As we kick off the New Year, Coastline chose to preach on Bold Prayers. Throughout God's Word we see God's people cry out to Him. This might look like a cry of gratitude or a cry for help. In the New Testament the one thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. They saw the dedication Jesus had and something in His prayer life drew them to want to model what He was doing. We too can learn from the example of Jesus in our prayer life. Not only can we learn from Jesus but we can learn from a humble king, a hurting widow, and many more in the Bible who called out to God. Each week, we’ve created small group questions designed to help people reflect deeply, apply personally, and grow spiritually. I’m sharing those questions here so others can benefit; whether you’re leading a small group, studying on your own, or learning to pray these questions are for you. 

Small Group Questions | Selfless Prayer | 1 Kings 3:1-15

We’re starting the year by looking at what God’s word says about prayer. The month of January can usually be a reset in our life and a time to evaluate how we use our time. Prayer is simply communication with God. It takes time, intentionality, and focus. Sometimes we’re distracted in our prayer life and sometimes we’re extremely focused. In 1 King’s 3:1-15 we learn that Solomon had a divided heart. He loved the Lord but also struggled with the worldly practices around him. He goes to the most important place to worship and has a meaningful interaction with God that really changes his life. Through a humble prayer God gives Solomon what he asked for and even more! 

1) We live in a world with such abundance which makes us think we don’t need to ask God for our daily provision. When you think about everything you have at your fingertips, how does that impact how you choose to pray? 

2) Read 1 Kings 3:1-3. When we read this passage we learn that Solomon had a divided heart. Read Matthew 6:24, Jeremiah 31:33, and James 1:22. What does God’s word teach us about having a divided heart? 

3) Having a divided heart is an age old issue humanity has struggled with for centuries. Share with your group about a time you recognized your heart was divided in choosing the world over choosing the ways of the Lord. 

4) Read 1 Kings 3:4-6. Solomon’s first response to God was thankfulness. Take some time to share what you are thankful for and where you see God’s provision in your life. (see Philippians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, Psalm 100:4, and Psalm 107:1).

5) Read 1 Kings 3:7-9. When you read the entirety of Solomon’s response to God, does it follow the pattern of the ACTS prayer model we learned last Sunday? How does the humility of Solomon impact you? (see James 4:6 and Proverbs 22:4).  

6) Neal offered us three ways to remain focused, and not distracted in our prayer life: Put your phone away, create space for times of prayer, and viewing prayer a text thread with God. What one(s) do you plan to implement this week? 

7) Read 1 Kings 3:10-15. God responded to Solomon with abundance. Read Ephesians 3:20, John 10:10, and Psalm 103:8. Share with your group how you’ve seen God’s provision and abundance in your life. 

Close your time in prayer asking God to help you grow in spiritual maturity. 

Small Group Questions | Immeasurably More | Ephesians 3:14-21

In the Fall of 2025, Coastline began a journey through the book of Ephesians. This letter from the Apostle Paul is packed with timeless truth about who we are in Christ and how we are called to live as His people. From God’s eternal plan of salvation to the call for unity in the church, Ephesians grounds us in the gospel and shows us what it means to walk faithfully in a broken world. As we’ve studied this book together, our congregation has been both encouraged and challenged. Each week, we’ve created small group questions designed to help people reflect deeply, apply personally, and grow spiritually. I’m sharing those questions here so others can benefit; whether you’re leading a small group, studying on your own, or walking through Ephesians with your church.

Small Group Questions | Immeasurably More | Ephesians 3:14-21

Just like Redwood trees, Christians were never meant to do life alone. We are called to be connected in a church community with other believers. Today we’re continuing our sermon series through the New Testament Letter of Ephesians. The letter was written by the Apostle Paul who ministered in the city for over three years. Paul lived among the people, experienced the city, and saw life change first hand. Today we’re going to see the pastoral heart of Paul really lived out. Today we’ll see Paul’s pastoral heart: how he prayed for the church, how he invites us into a powerful life of prayer, and how he points us to the God who does superabundantly more.

1) In the beginning of the sermon we learned about how Redwood trees have roots that only go about 10 feet deep but over a hundred feet wide. They are connected to each other. Who are you connected with in your spiritual life? 

2) Read Ephesians 3:14–15. Paul describes a posture of prayer and praying on our knees. Read Daniel 6:1-10. In the sermon we were invited to take the next 30 days to pray on our knees. Have you tried praying on your knees yet?

3) Paul traces our spiritual family tree. Let’s look at three other passages that expand this truth: Read John 1:12, Romans 8:15–16, and Ephesians 2:19. When you think about your life, what makes it so special to be united in the family of God? 

4) Read Ephesians 3:16-19. Paul prays two powerful prayers for the church: They would be strengthened in the power of the Holy Spirit. Because we are rooted and established in love we have power in Christ. How do these encourage you to pray bigger prayers in your daily life? 

5) We learn that Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith. Read: John 14:23 and Colossians 3:16. What does it mean for Christ to “dwell in your heart”? What would it look like to make your heart a more welcoming place for Christ to dwell?

6) Paul mixes metaphors here: rooted like trees, built like a house. Let’s see how the Bible uses both pictures: Read Jeremiah 17:7–8 and Matthew 7:24–25. How do roots and foundations help us picture the Christian life?

7) Read Ephesians 3:20-21. God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Where do you need to trust Him for “immeasurably more” right now?

8) Think about your “My Circle” card. How does this passage in Ephesians change your thoughts on praying for others and praying for God to do radical life change? 

The Faithful Church | Revelation 3:7-13

In late Spring 2025, Coastline began a seven-week journey through the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation.When most people think of Revelation, they picture beasts, dragons, strange numbers, and the antichrist. But before all of that, the book opens with something deeply personal: Jesus speaking directly to His Church. This series has been a powerful experience for our congregation—challenging, encouraging, and deeply relevant. As we studied each letter, we created small group questions to help people dive deeper, reflect honestly, and grow spiritually. I’m sharing those questions here so that others can benefit from them too—whether you’re leading a small group, studying on your own, or walking through Revelation with your church.

Small Group | The Faithful Church | Revelation 3:7-13

This week we continue our series through the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation. This week we look at the church in Philadelphia. This is one of the two churches to not receive a rebuke for their actions. Jesus only has an encouragement and promise for this church. The church in Philadelphia was small and experiencing persecution for their faith. They were a faithful church who lived out both the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission; they were living on mission in their area for the Gospel. Study these questions to learn more about the church in Philadelphia and reflect together on what Jesus is saying to us today.

1) We don’t often make headlines for the thousands of faithful choices we make each day; only for the ones that go wrong. What does faithfulness to the Lord look like in the everyday life of a healthy Christian? Share a few examples from your own walk.

2) Read Revelation 3:7-8. These verses give us three descriptions of Jesus: holy, true, and holding the keys. Take some time to talk about the importance of each description and how they help us grow in our walk with Jesus. 

3) Revelation 3:8 focuses on Jesus’ ability to open and close doors. Read Isaiah 22:22. 1 Corinthians 16:9, Colossians 4:3, and Psalm 37:23–24. What do these verses teach us about looking for opportunities in the doors Jesus opens and closes? 

4) Read Revelation 3:9-10. Jesus speaks of His power to protect His people. The Church in Philadelphia was facing trials. Can you share a time when Jesus strengthened you during a trial and what made His encouragement meaningful?

5) The church in Philadelphia was a faithful church in an unfaithful world. Read: Acts 2:42–47, Acts 6:3–4, Acts 8:1–4, and 1 Peter 2:9-10. Which qualities of a faithful church stood out to you the most? How can we reflect these in our church today?

6) Read Revelation 3:11-13. In a world that can feel like it’s trying to drown us in pressure, temptation, and disappointment, Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia: “I am coming soon.” How does this encourage you today? 

7) Jesus tells the church to “Hold on!” Read Psalm 16:8, Proverbs 4:25-27, Romans 12:1-2, and Hebrews 12:1-3. Do you have a specific verse that helps anchor your faith in Jesus when discouragement sets in? Share it with the group. 

Close in prayer asking Jesus to make us a faithful church to the end. 

Family Portraits | Small Group Questions | Luke 1:26-38

Coastline Bible Church just started a brand new sermon series called: "Family Portraits." For the month of December we're studying the people who would have been closest to Jesus at the time of His birth. The thought is that we will see what the Bible teaches us about those who might have been in the birth, or early years, pictures of Jesus. We want to learn from these individuals on how they lived their lives, handled the news of Jesus, and their response.  For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | Mary-Surrender | Luke 1:26-38

As we move into the Christmas season we begin a brand new sermon series for the month of December. During this month we will look at different people who would have been present in the early days of Jesus’ life on earth. We begin this series by looking at Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was a teenager when the angel Gabriel visited her. He gave her a four-fold angelic message that would serve a prophetic word about Jesus and His time on earth. At the conclusion of this meeting Mary offers a great line that she is surrendered to the plans of God. Oh that we would follow in her example and surrender our life to God this Christmas. 

1) As we move into this Christmas season we can look around and see the clash of the sacred and secular. Christmas is the only Christian holiday that is also a major secular holiday. How can we hep redeem Christmas for Christ? 

2) Read Luke 1:26-27. Luke introduces us Mary the mother of Jesus. He makes is clear that she is a virgin and a descendant of David. Read Isaiah 7:14, 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Jeremiah 23:5-6. Talk about the prophecies about Jesus. 

3) Each of our lives have a backstory and a lineage of people in our family line. Read Matthew 1:1-17. When you read the backstory of Jesus share about some of these people. Who sticks out as faith, broken, committed, or scandalous? 

4) Read Luke 1:28-30. Immediately the angel Gabriel tells Mary not to be afraid. Read Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 56:3, and Philippians 4:6-7. What are you afraid of right now and where do you need help overcoming that fear? 

5) Read Luke 1:21-33. The angel gives a four-fold prophetic message about Jesus. When you read these verses what part about the prophecy are you most looking for in Jesus? Share why you focusing on that this Christmas season. 

6) After Mary hears this message she responds with a question and statement (read Luke 1:34-38). Mary chose to live a life surrender to God’s greater plan. What cost would it be to Mary for such surrender? 

7) For Mary to have such a great surrender meant to trust God with her entire life. Thinking about surrender: where, how, or what do you want to surrender to God this Christmas season? What is holding you back from such surrender? 

Close your time in prayer. Pray for strength to invite a friend to meet Jesus. 

Philippians | Week 8 | Small Group Questions

Coastline Bible Church is doing an eight-week sermon series called: "Defined by Joy." The Apostle Paul helped plant the church in Philippi (see Acts 16) but never forget about them. They played a key role in supporting him as God called him to plant other churches. From this series we want to learn how to have our lives defined by joy and not circumstances. Paul modeled this well to the early church. For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | The Church God Uses | Philippians 4:10-23

The letter to the church in Philippi has strengthened believers for centuries. It has been a source of encouragement for Godly people living in crooked times. The letter has encouraged the church to find contentment in Christ in all areas of our lives. That means leaving jealousy, covetousness, and greed. It sets a model for us to be generous with our resources and focus on Kingdom advancement. The church in Philippi modeled being generous. As Paul concludes the letter we are drawn back to the introduction about being a people full of grace. Grace is a natural effect of the goodness God has shown to us and what we can show to others. 

1) Neal opened the sermon and talked about how the church has stepped up to help people out in difficult times. Share about how the church has helped you out or how God has used you to help others. 

2) Read Philippians 4:10-13. Paul has learned how to be content in all situations. Read Proverbs 19:23, Luke 3:14, and 1 Timothy 6:6. Are you content in your current life situation? Share the reasons for why or why not you feel how you currently do. 

3) Paul and Joseph learned to be content because their past experiences shaped them (read Genesis 37:26-27, 39:19-23, and 2 Corinthians 2:21-30). How has your past taught you to be content in your current situation? 

4) The church in Philippi shared in Paul’s troubles (read Philippians 4:14). What are practical ways we can share in the troubles with each other? What does it look like to support each other in trouble? (Psalm 68:19, Matthew 11:28-30, Galatians 6:2). 

5) Generosity was a primary characteristic of the church (read Philippians 4:15-20). Do you enjoying giving of your time, talent, and resources to the advancement of the Kingdom? (see Luke 6:38) 

6) Paul understood that God would meet all our needs when we give generously. How can we got about living a generous life while continuing to take care of our personal needs? (see Matthew 6:2-4, 19-24, 17:27, and Mark 12:41-44) 

7) Read Philippians 4:20-23. The last year has made some people hesitant to greet others. How can we excel at being a church body who knows each other while maintaining respect for everyone’s personal space needs? 

Close your time in prayer by praying for: The Martinez Family in San Francisco. 

Philippians | Week 4 | Small Group Questions

Coastline Bible Church is doing an eight-week sermon series called: "Defined by Joy." The Apostle Paul helped plant the church in Philippi (see Acts 16) but never forget about them. They played a key role in supporting him as God called him to plant other churches. From this series we want to learn how to have our lives defined by joy and not circumstances. Paul modeled this well to the early church. For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | 1,000 Points of Light | Philippians 2:12-30

If we were to summarize Philippians 1 it would be: Christ first. The summary of Philippians 2 would be: Others next. Paul realized that the generation he was living in was a crooked and warped generation. He knew that if the local church obeyed the truth of God and lived that out in their community that the natural conclusion would be an opportunity to serve others. Paul longed for the early church to be a light to a dark world. Knowing this he encouraged them to have a relentless commitment to become like Christ, to have a joy that reflects Christ, and to live out a sacrificial love for others. He gave them examples of selfless love to help them be a light to others.  

1) Doug taught us that the Luxor light in Las Vegas is the brightest light in the entire world. The light can be seen from 300 miles away. How can we be a brighter light in our homes, neighborhood, community, and workplace for Christ? 

2) Read Philippians 2:12-13. Paul encouraged the church to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. None of us can work FOR our salvation, but how do we play an active role in growing in our faith? (see Psalm 5:3, Mark 1:35, Acts 2:42-47)

3) Paul taught the church that it was God working in them. As you think about maturing in your faith, share about how you’ve seen God in your life to fulfill His good purpose. It might be something that happened years ago or recently. 

4) We are called to do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14-18). What is something that you have been complaining about lately and you need to stop complaining about it because it’s not solving the problem? 

5) Scripture calls us to be holy because God is holy (read 1 Peter 1:15-16). What does it look like to be blameless and pure in a crooked generation? How can you lean into God when you’re struggling being holy? (see Romans 8:26). 

6) Read Philippians 2:19-30. We read about early church leaders who put the needs of others before their personal needs. They modeled a sacrificial love to those around them. How can we live that same lifestyle? (see 1 John 4:16-21, 5:3). 

7) The church in Philippi was marked by a deep concern for the needs of others. Compare their attitude with the parable in Luke 12:16-21. As you think about your life, who do you want to be more like?   

Close your time in prayer by praying for: Young Life. 

3 random thoughts on TV

A couple nights ago I was laying in bed trying fall asleep. I starting thinking about TV and what we watch. Growing up I loved Adam Sandler movies. I also watched Days of our Lives with my grandma. When I stayed home sick from school I enjoyed watching the Price is Right (confession: I still enjoy it). Charity and I have watched Survivor, The Amazing Race, and more together. 

Having seen the progress of the television I can share of my thoughts on this. I remember when you had to walk up to the TV to change the channel. I remember being a teenager sitting in front of the TV watching the Watts riots take place. I remember when TiVo came out (I know it's not called that anymore). I remember getting our first DVR. I remember switching to Hulu and cutting the cord. The way we interact with television content has changed in the last twenty years of my life. 

All of this didn’t go through my mind but it might provide some back story to where I’m going here. As I laid in bed I thought these three thoughts: 

1) Who decides what makes it on the news? 

I’m not sure when the news originated. I’m guessing it was once just word of mouth, then went to print, and now we have it on television. I wonder who sits in the News room and decides what makes it on the news. I’m guessing it’s the producer/director. I’m also guessing they are looking for stories that will get ratings. 

2) Reality TV stars make it because their life is so wild. They are less than 1% of the population.

I have three young kids. I remember when the first season of The Real World was aired on MTV. I thought to myself: this isn’t the real world. The goal was to find something so provocative and so compelling that people would want to watch. They created drama and it took off. The show, in my opinion, went downhill. It turned to: drinking, fighting, sex, and drama. But if the goal is to make money and attract views, they have succeeded. 

3) Most reality TV doesn't reflect reality. 

What is reality TV isn’t is reality. What if we are teaching the next generation that reality TV is what life is really like. I enjoy watching shows like: Alaska the Last Frontier and Homestead Rescue. I don’t enjoy the Real Housewives of any city or the Bachelor. I think the latter shows focus on drama. I think the prior shows are trying to show a different version of life. I don't know how to make the change but I'm aware of this as a father. 

So there you have it, my random, late night thoughts on TV. 

Flawed but Faithful | Week 1 | Small Group Questions

Coastline Bible Church is doing a five-week sermon series called: "Flawed but Faithful." This is going to be a unique sermon series because typically when we read the Bible we are looking for the text to be God-centric; meaning we put God at the center of our focus. But for five weeks we’re going to focus on the life of Peter. We’re going to see that Peter is a human just like us. We’re going to learn that Peter followed Jesus, stepped out in faith, tried to justify himself, and had wild ideas. We’re going to see that Peter is a flawed man who was faithful to God. Peter played a key role in building the local church and because of his faithfulness to Jesus we have the local church. For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions ::: Nothing but Net ::: Luke 5

If we were to write a short biographical sketch of the Apostle Peter it might look something like this: Born into a Jewish family in the region of the Sea of Galilee. Raised in a small fishing village called Capernaum. Followed the family trade and became a fisherman. Married. But those statistics don’t define Peter. In Luke chapter 5 we read about a wild encounter that Peter had with Jesus. Peter knew who Jesus was but now would be given a great decision of trusting Jesus. After an unsuccessful fishing trip, Peter catches the largest catch he’s ever seen. At this point Jesus invites Peter to follow Him as a disciple. This was a huge invitation for Peter to leave everything to follow Jesus. Study these questions and see what Jesus is inviting you to. 

1) Our sermon started with some actors who passed on high profile roles. In a sense they missed out. What is something that you feel like you missed out on in life? Can you point to an event that you wished would have gone different in your life? 

2) Read John 1:35-42. Near the Jordan river is when Peter first met Jesus. Jewish people were constantly looking for the Messiah (see John 4:25). Share a time when you brought someone to meet Jesus and how they responded. 

3) We don’t know how long it was until Jesus taught on the shore of the sea of Galilee (Read Luke 5:1-3). Peter was in the presence of Jesus. How do you practice being in the presence of Jesus (see Psalm 5:3, Mark 1:35, and John 1:43-51) 

4) Peter went from the back row to close proximately to Jesus (read Luke 5:4-5). Peter was willing to obey Jesus even when it didn’t make sense. Share about a time that Jesus asked you to do something that didn’t make sense.  

5) Obedience can be a tough thing because it goes against our will. Read Luke 2:51, Acts 6:7, Romans 16:19, and 1 Peter 1:14. Many of our heroes in the faith learn obedience. Where is God asking you to obey Him right now?  

6) Peter has a unique response to Jesus (read Luke 5:8-11). Share about a time when you recognized the depth of your sin and couldn’t handle being in the presence of God. How did that change your faith walk? 

7) This encounter gave Peter a new purpose in his life. He would now fish for men. Read Acts 2:37-41, 3:1-10, 4:8-13, and 10:34-46. Looking at the story in Luke and these accounts in Acts, how were these words of Jesus fulfilled?  

Close your time in prayer. Talk about who you will invite to Coastline Online? 

Thoughts on the current state of our country

It’s no secret that I dropped out of high school. I don’t know a ton about US history or politics. I’ve voted for people and regretted it later (maybe you have too). Some years I totally forgot to vote because I was so tired from changing diapers the night before. But this is a big year for our nation and I don’t have any diapers to change.

As we move into the election I want to share some thoughts that are swirling in my head:

1. The Constitution. 

Right on top of the document it says: “We the People.” We means it speaks to more than one political party. The is a descriptive word. People is us. People who surf. People who hike. People who play tennis. People who watch baseball and people who don’t. People who BBQ and Vegans. The constitution was written by the people and for the people. 


2. It’s a voting year.

You might not like the way I vote but it doesn’t mean we have to hate each other. Your neighbor might have a sticker on their car that upsets you, but you can still talk to them. As adults we can have civilized conversation. We can actually disagree on things and still be friends. 



We had a guy leave our church one day and we got a coffee to chat. He pulled a list out of his pocket and shared a couple things he didn’t like about my leadership. He shared how my teaching was surface and I tell too many stories. I kindly listened. At the end of the conversation I said: “You know, we have more in common than you think.” I could see a change in his eyes. The couple things that bothered him were a drop in the bucket in the big picture. 


3. Christ followers. 

Let me speak to those who follow Jesus. I need you to act like a Christian. You might want to blast someone on social media. You might want to comment on something because your fingers are itching for the keyboard strokes. You might want to speak up in a situation. I’m not saying don’t. I just don’t know any one who ever came to Jesus because someone blasted their political view. We are called to love others (John 13:34-35). We are called to be selfless (Philippians 2:3). We are called to the be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

Coastline Grand Reopening

You’re invited to our GRAND REOPENING worship gatherings on Sunday March 3, 2019 at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM. Both gatherings will feature dynamic worship, engaging teaching, and a fun kids’ ministry from birth to fifth grade. We’ll also have bounce houses for kids, food for everyone, and corn hole on the quad between the services.

Coastline opened its doors in 1922, and for nearly 100 years has faithfully communicated and demonstrated the love of Christ both locally and globally. The past several months we’ve seen God do a new thing and move in fresh ways in our faith community. People are finding hope in Jesus, experiencing belonging through community and receiving guidance for life situations. We want you to experience this too!

Join us at our Grand Reopening! We’re putting on a big celebration to let our city know that there is a place they can come to find community, ask tough questions, and discover hope through the truth in the Bible.

Everyone is welcome! We can’t wait to see you on Sunday, March 3!

426 S. Mills Road
Ventura CA 93003

This is Us- Sermon Series

This is Us is one of my favorite shows on TV right now (ok, it's my favorite). The story is fresh, compelling and raw. The characters are normal. They have struggles. They are dealing with the daily problems of life.

Our church just finished a seven week teaching series on our core values. Instead of calling it our core values we called it: "This is Us". The sermon series was a huge hit!Understanding the show is what lead to us doing a sermon series by the same title. About a year ago God led us to Ventura to revitalize a church that was in trouble. I didn't realize how bad things were until we got here. I was in a conversation with a guy who told me, "I thought the church was going to close the doors." Those things happen at churches, but God loves this place too much!

Our leadership dug in, gave more and invested more to seeing Coastline move into the future as a healthy church. We casted new vision, restated our core values and simplified our mission to be laser focused.

The core values were crafted in team unity. We looked at our core values that had great intentions but were outdated. They used language that wasn't really how people talk. During the process someone said, "Our old core values were written in the King James Version of the Bible and the new ones are written in the New International Version." Those are the kind of values you want! Core values that anyone can read and understand.

Here are the Core Values in no particular order except we always think "We Put God First" needs to be on top. Understand this, these core values are the best version of ourselves as a church community. We are not perfect but strive for this!

We put God first.

Our church is committed to the God of the Bible. He is our ultimate authority. He is the object of our worship. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and live our lives in obedience to its truth.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:34-39, 2 Timothy 3:16

We build people up.

We are a fun, welcoming, loving and encouraging church community. We want to help everyone take the next spiritual step to grow in their faith journey. We invest ourselves in the lives of others because we think that developing servant leaders matters.
Deuteronomy 34:9, John 13:34-45, Ephesians 4:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:2

We do life together.

We believe that God did not create anyone to be alone so we do life together. We think life change happens best in circles rather than in rows. Jesus established the church so that we may help, encourage and love each other as we follow Him.
Genesis 2:18, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:46, Hebrews 10:24-25

We are outreach focused.

Our church does not expect people to seek us, therefore we intentionally pursue people who are far from God. We are committed to doing anything, short of sin, to help people find Jesus.
Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 5, Luke 15, Acts 2:47

We pray bold prayers.

We know that God is awesome and capable, so we make “the big ask” of God in our prayer life. We come to God with a bold list of prayers and take time to actively listen to Him on a regular basis.
1 Samuel 3, Mark 1:35, Acts 12:5, James 5:16

We are multigenerational.

The church is meant to be multigenerational. We think the best way to keep the love of God fresh in our hearts is to place a high value on kids, students and families. We intentionally invest in the next generation.
Joshua 24:15, Proverbs 22:6, Mark 10:13-16, 1 Timothy 4:12

Grace happens here.

We understand that we do not deserve the grace of God but God’s grace is experienced and extended to one another here. This is a safe place to meet with God and learn about the great things He has done for each of us.
John 8:1-11, Romans 3:24, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Timothy 1:9

A Spiritual Legacy

The apostle Paul is known as the spiritual father of Timothy. Paul wasn’t content with only being a spiritual father though:

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT)

It was approximately 63 A.D. when Paul wrote his final letter. It was addressed to his dear son, in the faith, Timothy (2 Timothy 1:2a). Paul had been imprisoned before but this time he sensed the imminent fate awaiting him from that cold jail cell. Paul rarely wasted a moment of time, so from that dark cell he wrote another letter to Timothy. I wonder if as he penned the letter he thought about the words of Christ calling His disciples to go and make more disciples. Did he think about all the lives he had seen change over the last twenty plus years he followed Jesus? Paul wanted to leave Timothy with parting words that would encourage him to press on.

You’ve probably heard it said, “That having grandchildren is your reward for not killing your kids.” People love to joke about. If you’ve been around parents you will hear them regularly share their struggles with parenting, feelings of inadequacy and regret. Paul was looking for spiritual great grandchildren in the Lord.

Paul would most likely never meet those great grandchildren on this side of eternity, but he longed for the gospel message to outlive his earthly life. Paul wanted a spiritual legacy who would carry the gospel to the next generation.

Paul knew he needed to build Timothy up to see this accomplished (read 2 Timothy 1:6-14). Isn’t it usually the other way around? Normally its the person on the outside encouraging the person in jail to be courageous. But this isn’t the case with Paul. He wants Timothy to remain strong in his faith.

Next, Paul lists out three things in verses 9 and 10: He saved us, He called us with a holy calling, and He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. The Gospel is all about salvation. That’s why it’s good news. But the gospel is about more than just forgiveness. The God who saved us has also called us to a holy life. God is holy and when God calls a person He calls him to live a holy life, and he begins to mold him for that purpose.

But that’s not all, look at verse 10. The gospel is also about “life and immortality.” To make that a reality for us God destroyed death. Jesus Christ is a destroyer of death. He didn’t eliminate death, He put it out of commission; He rendered it powerless and ineffective over us. Spiritually, we’re no longer dead but alive. Physically, though we may die, we’re immediately ushered into immortality.

Paul gave Timothy two commands here (verses 13-14). Did you see them? Timothy is to keep and guard. First Timothy is to keep the pattern of sound teaching. Paul stresses the need to have correct teaching. But it’s not only sound teaching. The teaching must be accompanied by faith and love. We can have wonderfully sound teaching but if we have no faith how would we take action on what we’re commanded to do? We can have perfectly sound teaching but if we share the gospel mechanically and without love people won’t respond. These must remain together. A true Christ follower will hold to sound teaching with faith and love in Jesus Christ. Not only will they hold it to, they long for it!

Paul intentionally invested in Timothy’s life. He provided encouragement to this young man. Do you have someone you are investing your life in? If you are a Christ follower, will you have spiritual great grandchildren in heaven?

God has given us each the same amount of time to invest in others. Investing in others is is a Biblical command. Listen to what John Hagee once said, “If your investments are limited to this earth, you are the world’s worst investor.” Let me make a quick observation about spiritual legacy, people who have a spiritual legacy take their spiritual life seriously. Paul took it serious. This isn’t meant to be a condemnation but an encouragement to focus on your spiritual legacy.

Let me give an illustration of what spiritual investors do—they live as spiritual owners. Coastline is looking to develop more spiritual owners, people who leave a spiritual legacy like Paul wanted. These are people who live their life like a manager and not a consumer. Mangers solve problems, while customers think it’s all about them. Managers look for solutions while customers look to be served. Believers should long to serve people at their church and long to help everyone be a spiritual investor.

Since coming to Coastline ten months ago I’ve heard wonderful stories of people who are investing in others. Our church has a rich heritage of this. Some of you are here today because a person in this church took interest in investing in your life. The best gift you can give that person is to invest in others. Take the things they taught you and pass them on to others who will pass them on to others. If you have never had someone invest in you spiritually, go ask someone. Find someone who you respect, trust and would like to be more like. See if they will invest in you as you grow to be more like Jesus.

We Put God First

A few weeks ago we started a new sermon series at Coastline. For seven week we are talking about core values. The first one I spoke on was "We Put God First."

One day Jesus taught in the Temple Courts of Jerusalem. He was asked a question that was meant to test Him

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40. 

As calmly as possible Jesus a quoted God’s word to the question asker. He knew the religious leaders were testing Him with the question. He was most likely thinking Jesus would choose one of the ten commandments for His answer. His answer is what is so marvelous. Jesus essentially takes the entire Law of Moses, the pinnacle for the Jewish people, and summarized it for His answer.

For our core value of putting God first, we’re going to focus on what Jesus said about loving God. His answer about loving others we’re going to save for another day. Jesus quoted the Old Testament for His answer on loving God (see Deuteronomy 6:5). God’s people wandered in the desert for forty years. They had disobeyed God and their hearts were hard. As the next generation got ready to enter the Promised Land, Moses need to adequately prepare them in the ways of God. So Moses instructed them to love God with all their: heart, soul and strength. Jesus told the religious leaders to love with with all their: heart soul and mind.

Both of these men brought about a (w)holistic approach of loving God. They longed for people to put God first in their love, thoughts and actions. Jesus knew if that if you only loved God with your heart, your mind would remain unchanged. If you only loved God with your mind then your heart would be far from the Lord and distant. A complete transformation needed to happen for those who claimed to love God and it would show in all areas of their life. That is what Jesus was saying in His answer to the religious leaders who tried to test Him.

When I was in seminary I had a prof who helped me see how my entire life was connected. Let me show you this quick graphic. All of the different areas of our life impact each other. When we are having a hard time emotionally it impacts our spiritual life that that impacts our thinking. Our thinking impacts our decision making process through our spiritual life. Our choices impact our spiritual growth and so on. Do you see how all of these areas are connected?

Jesus instructed us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, because He knew the interconnectedness of our soul. Now did you notice that neither Moses or Jesus said this was a buffet of choices? It was never; “Here are three options, you choose how you want to love God and put Him first in your life.” It was always to love God with everything we have been given. Now you might be wondering why you should love God. You might be trying to decide if God is worthy of your love. You might be thinking about what will change in your life if you love God.

The Bible tells us that God created us. It was in the very beginning of time. God created the earth, air, light, plants and animals. But God saved the greatest of His creation for the very end; mankind. Some people don’t believe that but stick with me. God is worthy to be loved because He created us. You are God’s greatest creation. If you are looking for purpose in life, look to God. You can fully love God because He is your creator.

Live your life as God’s greatest creation. Love God because He created you, loves and longs to be in a relationship with you. Too often we miss this. We think that all we’ve done in the past disqualifies us for God’s love and that is far from the truth. The best way to figure out how God loves you and how to love Him is to read the Bible. You can start reading the Bible right now. You can use an app, the paper version or find a great reading plan online. If you’ve never read the Bible start reading the Gospel of Mark. It’s a short account and action oriented. If you’ve been reading for a while, try reading the entire New Testament in the next four months. Be creative and make reading the Bible a habit. I think it will help you see how much God loves you and help you understand the need to put God first.

We are a church that will be known for putting God first. Our church is committed to the God of the Bible. He is our ultimate authority. He is the object of our worship. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and live our lives in obedience to its truth. Our response is to leave a life of sin and selfishness and follow Jesus. To put God first means that nothing else is the top priority.

The most important thing at Coastline is God; we put God first here.

I have a dream of a church where all the people put God first in their lives and encourage others to do the same. I have a dream of a church that is more concerned with the will of God than a personal agenda. I have a dream of a church that is so focused on God that nothing more will satisfy. I have a dream of a dream of a church that starts a movement of Godly people. I have a dream of a church where men, women, teens and children put God first.

Imagine a people seeking God more than a successful career. A church where students care more about God than sports or test scores. A church where parents pray with their children. A church where grandparents give sacrificially for their kids to know Jesus. A church where people in the prime of their life model putting God first until they stand in His presence. That is the kind of church I want to be a part of. A church that is committed to putting God first.

Living with a traumatic brain injury

On January 4, 2018 my mom fell and hit her head. The biggest problem is that no one knew she fell... and no one knew she hit her head. I called her the night of her fall but she had been coming down with a cold so she just told me she was tired. The next day I called again and it was evident something was wrong.

Our good friend, and pastor, Mike Barnes went to her home. She was lucid and he called an ambulance. She went to the local hospital in Big Bear Lake and six hours later was medical-evacuated by helicopter to UCLA Medical center. I beat my mom to the hospital and was the one who signed for her to have life saving brain surgery. My sister flew out and my wife sat by my side as I wondered what would happen to my mom. It was a tense time.

Today I can write about the experience with more perspective. It has been just over three months since my mom fell. She regularly goes to doctor appointments, takes long naps and continues with speech therapy (she graduated from physical and occupational therapy).

At this stage in her healing my mom is unable to return to unassisted living. We felt like the best solution was to have her live with us. She has been with us for over two months now and has progressed greatly. She no longer needs a walker to get around. Her surgery was a success. There is no more fluid in her brain. Her speech is about 80% back to normal.

When you look at this picture you can't tell anything happened to my mom. Unlike breaking an arm or leg, my mom never got a cast. She didn't have pins put in her arm to help it heal. For people who have a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) you can't tell they have been hurt. This has been one of the biggest eye openers for me. She never had a cast on her head to let the rest of the people in society know something happened.

She smiles all the time (ok, most of the time). She can tie her shoes, feed herself and preform most of the tasks you and I can preform. She may never drive a car again. She is terrified to fly again. She is scared that someone at the store will bump her and she will fall down. She has irrational fears that we get the privilege of seeing her overcome with the help of God.

My mom graduated from college and taught school for almost thirty years. She is a bight woman and a hard worker. When she left the hospital she could barely read. She began reading Dr. Seuss books with my kids. She humbled herself and checked out second grade reading level books. She sat on the couch and asked us what words meant; it was tough to see but encouraging. She just finished her first novel (at her reading level). She has grown but it has taken time.

This whole situation, as painful as it is, has taught us the value of life again. God is a life giver. People with a TBI have it tough. My mom gets very tired at night. Her speech is less understandable as the day wears on. Regularly she looks at me to help her finish a sentence, just like a younger sibling would look to their older sibling for help. She is growing and God continues to help her make small advancements.

With all this said, you might walk by a person today who had a TBI. You might pass them in the store or they could be sitting in the car next to you (hopefully not driving yet). You might not be able to tell the person had a brain injury. They may look normal on the outside but on the inside they have experienced a very difficult injury.

A God-sized goal

At the end of last year I began asking God for a vision for our church. I wanted a God-sized goal, something that if God didn't show up it would never happen.

I began writing notes in my journal. I stayed up late in bed asking God to speak. I didn't want to just say some goal and it not be from God.

At the beginning of the year I began to get a sense of what the goal would be. I started talking with some of our staff and Elders about reaching more people at Easter. See, we've been working on relaunching Coastline Bible Church. We haven't done an "official" relaunch date but are working on restoring the church to what God wants it to be.

I'll shorten the details of the entire process but share the God-sized goal we came up with:
To be a church of 400 people worshipping Jesus in two identical services on Easter Sunday 2018

In early January we called a special meeting to share the God-sized goal with our church. It would take all of us pitching in. It wasn't something I could accomplish on my own. See when I got to Coastline we were a church of about 160 people on an average Sunday. Within a handful of months we broke 200 for the first time. Then on Christmas Eve we hit 280; God was working in the hearts of His people as we cast a new mission and direction for the church.

The afternoon we cast the goal someone in our church asked if we would have a class to help people share their faith. Her question was great! A previous elder said he would teach the class. After two classes on Sunday morning and being invited to three small groups we had trained almost 80 people on how to share their faith (that is almost half of our regular attendance!)

Now what you're waiting to read. Easter Sunday came. We had trained dozens of leaders for the increase. We doubled our volunteer base so we could launch a second service. We slotted a huge breakfast to keep people around and talking. God showed up on Easter. We had a number of people accept Christ as their Savior. When the count came in, we reached 383 people on Easter Sunday.

Our church swung for the fences and we hit the wall! It was a huge win. People were and still are rejoicing in all God is doing at Coastline. I'm sharing this not to brag on me, but to brag on God and all the amazing people here at Coastline. Keep seeking Jesus.

Our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. Our prayer is similar to that in Acts 9:31

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31)

Pray for the 100,000 people in our city that aren't in a relationship with God.
Pray for the over 700,000 people in our county that need to hear the truth of Jesus.

We are going to keep swinging for the fences to help more people find and follow Jesus.

A story about a meeting in hell

Dr. Clarence Macartney told a story about a meeting in hell.

Satan called his four leading demons together and commanded them to think up a new lie that would trap more souls. “I have it!” one demon said. “I’ll to earth and tell people there is no God.” “It will never work,” said Satan. “People can look around and see there is a God.”

“I’ll go and tell them there is no heaven!” suggested a second demon, “But Satan rejected that idea. “Everybody knows there is life after death and they want to go to heaven.”

“Let’s tell them there is no hell!” said a third demon. “No, conscience tells them their sins will be judged,” said the Devil. “We need a better lie than that.”

Quietly, the fourth demon spoke. “I think I’ve solved your problem,” he said. “I’ll go to earth and tell everybody there is no hurry.”

It’s easy to fall into this lie that there is no hurry to share the truth of Christ. It’s easy to fall into the lie that someone else will tell you friends, neighbors and family about Christ. It’s also easy to fall into the lie that you can wait to make a decision to follow Jesus. Today is the day to look for the opportunity to share your faith.

Let me tell you, there is a hurry to tell people about Jesus. Our church has been studying the book of Acts and The Apostle Paul was ready to share his faith throughout this book in the Bible. He models to us the need to be ready to share the hope of Christ. He was ready in season and out of season. He shared the truth in the synagogue, the marketplace, temple and the courtroom. If you’re ready to share the hope of Christ, God will give you opportunities.

In just four Sunday’s from today we will celebrate Easter (not just at my church but at your church and in your city). We’re taking a giant step of faith and adding a second service for seven weeks (pray for us). There are many people who are in no hurry to make a decision about Christ but I'm inviting you to make a hurry about it. Today is a great day to be ready to share the love of Christ.

Use the template that Paul used in Acts 26 to share your faith:
1) Talk about your life before Christ
2) How you met Christ
3) What changed in your life afterwards

Coastline Core Values

Yesterday at our vision meeting we shared the core values of Coastline. Coastline has a rich history of being a light in Ventura. A few months ago our elders decided that we would gather with our staff and restate our core values. These core values are the best version of our church.

After months of prayer, drafts and a great team meeting here is what we feel God has given us:

We put God first
Our church is committed to the God of the Bible. He is our ultimate authority. He is the object of our worship. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and live our lives in obedience to its truth.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:34-39, 2 Timothy 3:16

We build people up
We are a fun, welcoming, loving and encouraging church community. We want to help everyone take the next spiritual step to grow in their faith journey. We invest ourselves in the lives of others because we think that developing servant leaders matters.
Deuteronomy 34:9, John 13:34-45, Ephesians 4:11-12, and 2 Timothy 2:2

We do life together
We believe that God did not create anyone to be alone so we do life together. We think life change happens best in circles rather than in rows. Jesus established the church so that we may help, encourage and love each other as we follow Him.
Genesis 2:18, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:46, Hebrews 10:24-25

We are outreach focused
Our church does not expect people to seek us, therefore we intentionally pursue people who are far from God. We are committed to doing anything, short of sin, to help people find Jesus.
Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 5, Luke 15, Acts 2:47

We pray bold prayers
We know that God is awesome and capable, so we make “the big ask” of God in our prayer life. We come to God with a bold list of prayers and take time to actively listen to Him on a regular basis.
1 Samuel 3, Mark 1:35, Acts 12:5, James 5:16

We are multigenerational
The church is meant to be multigenerational. We think the best way to keep the love of God fresh in our hearts is to place a high value on kids, students and families. We intentionally invest in the next generation.
Joshua 24:15, Proverbs 22:6, Mark 10:13-16, 1 Timothy 4:12

Grace happens here
We understand that we do not deserve the grace of God but God’s grace is experienced and extended to one another here. This is a safe place to meet with God and learn about the great things He has done for each of us.
John 8:1-11, Romans 3:24, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Timothy 1:9

We will not use lip service and say we value these values; we will truly value them. We will put the best of our efforts into these areas and do them with excellence. (Please note that this list is not in order or importance, we just had to start somewhere).

The Unstuck Church | Book Review

Title- The Unstuck Church: Equipping Churches to Experience Sustained Health

Author- Tony Morgan

Publisher- Thomas Nelson

Pages- 205

Quotable- "For the church to return to sustained health, a growing core of people needs to come to the realization that church isn't about me."
( I could have written 20 quotes from this book but only choose one)

A few months ago called me and my family on the greatest adventure/step of faith in our life. About two months into my call to lead Coastline Bible Church I was talking with my mentor about where our church is at. He is familiar with the church and cares deeply for both of us. He recommended that I read a new book by Tony Morgan. I immediately got it on Amazon and started reading it.

I've followed Tony Morgan on social media for a while and read many of his posts. He a well respected leader, pastor and helper of churches. Tony essentially breaks down the seven stages that each church will experience:
1) The Launch stage
2) Momentum growth
3) Strategic growth
4) Sustained health
5) Maintenance
6) Preservation
7) Life support
(Carey Nieuwhof explains these more on his website)

From the first chapter to the last word each chapter has been helpful in the role God has called me to in leading. Tony combines his experience, with practical application and stories from churches in the different stages that every church goes through. He writes about churches who are shaping the mission and vision of their church. He talks about helping a growth church move from leader driven to a strategy for sustained health.

Now there is also the downside, the side no church wants to find itself on (this is the beginning of the maintenance mode). Tony provides practical steps for churches that are dying to become healthy again. He speaks clearly about reaching out, investing in the community and having strategic focus. He encourages churches in these stages to make drastic changes so they can be a vital part of their community again.

One part that really stuck out to me was Tony's emphasis on prayer. He knows that no matter how much strategy, information and great ideas a pastors has it requires a movement of God to help the church become healthy. He emphasizes the need for pastors to be praying for God to reach their community. Tony also talks about staff teams and the importance of having a unified team. Team leadership is one of my favorite subjects!

This book has been fantastic in aiding me in leading the church. If you're a leader, elder, director, staff member or pastor at a church I highly encourage you to pick up this book. You might see something that could help your church move to strategic growth once again.

5 thoughts about our recent move

Three months ago our family took the biggest step of faith we’ve ever taken—let that sink in real quick—and we moved to Ventura.
We packed our home.
Left our community where we were known and loved.
We loaded a moving truck and followed a call from God.

The first three months have been a wild ride. When you take in a job change, a new city, a new school for the girls and some of the loss our family experienced. A long-time friend said to me that in our move we experienced three of the most stressful events could go through. And they all happened about a week apart.

As I've been thinking about our move here are 5 thoughts that keep surfacing:

1. Our church is extremely caring and gracious 

Our church has embraced us with open arms. They've been extremely kind and caring to us in the move. My first day in the office was cut short due to health complications with my dad. I was encouraged to go see him. At my first elders meeting I found out that my dad 24-48 hours to live, they told me to leave right away and see him. It seemed like the first month I simply preached on Sunday because of loosing my father and needed to be with him and plan the funeral.

Three weeks in to our move our church had a potluck. At this potluck they threw us a "pounding". It's an old Midwest thing I hear. Everyone would bring a pound of this or a pond of that to help a new family to the area. Our cupboards were packed after the pounding!
The list goes on about their kindness.

2. Everything didn’t work out how I thought it would

On the day of our move the moving truck showed up four hours late. To this day I still think the driver was drunk but have no proof. The following day I arrived in Ventura to meet them at 9am like they said, they didn’t arrive until 5pm… The moving truck part of the story is actually trivial in all things. They had our personal belongings and things are things.

The part that didn’t work out how I wanted it to is the family aspect. My hope was to see my dad more and be closer to him. I had dreams of visiting him once a month and BBQing with him. I had ideas of him being at my kids birthday’s. I longed to have my dad visit our church and listen to the word of the Lord. God had a different plan. My dad died eight days after our move. It’s been a tough loss to grasp and my heart still is wounded.

3. The pastoral community here is wonderful 

I’ve reached out to multiple pastors and experienced nothing but arms wide open
I literally didn’t pay for a lunch with anyone the first three months (now it’s my turn to pay). Every pastor who I’ve connected with has said things like: “I’m in your corner” or “We’re rooting for you” or “I’m praying for you as you get landed here.”

The community amongst the pastors I’ve connected with has been awesome! I’m thankful for men like: Chris, Mike, Dan, Derrick, Larry, Bert, Don, Scott and many more that I’m grabbing lunch with the next couple weeks.

4. Being closer to family has been a blessing 

We’ve seen our family more in the last three months than I can remember. I can’t count how many times our kids have seen their grandparents. Charity’s parents are 1.5 hours away. My mom and Jerry are 3 hours away. I saw my dad five times in the last week of his life.

Being closer is a blessing. We were able to spend John’s 60th birthday with him. The kids love seeing Mema and Papa more. We’ve been to Big Bear as a family a few times to see my mom and Jerry. Two weeks before our move Jerry was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. It was a tough diagnosis to handle but we trust in the care of our Lord. We thrilled to be closer to my mom in this tough season.

5. Leading a church has increased my faith and prayer life

One of the greatest challenges has been leading a church. I’ve lead in pastoral ministry for almost fourteen years. My mentor, Doug Meye, once said: “Neal when you’re business says ‘Senior Pastor’ you’re going to feel a new weight of responsibility. He was right! This role has increased my prayer life, my listening to the Lord and my patience in making decisions.

I’m loving the regular preaching load and working with the staff here. We have a great church community filled with people who love the Lord. We’re seeing God add people to our community each week and praying to reach more. I’ve been praying for God to add 100 new people/families to our church by Easter. We’re longing to reach those who are far from the Lord, those who haven’t attended church in a while and those who are moving to the community. We want to see more conversion growth and stay away from transfer growth.

Let me sum up our move with a short story. Charity and I walking in downtown Ventura last month on a date. During our walk Charity said: “This is the first city we’ve lived in as a married couple that I feel like we both fit.” She is right. Ventura is a great fit for our family. Please pray for us to reach and lead in this city for decades to come!