Coastal Church Podcast

<p>As the church, God’s spiritual family, we have the responsibility to reach out and rescue those who are spiritually perishing. The Bible reminds us that we can’t carry out this mission in our own strength but must rely on God’s mighty weapons and His Holy Spirit. Like any rescue effort, we must be prepared, equipped, and anchored in prayer.</p>

<p>Connecting to a local church is more than just attending a weekly service—it’s about joining a community where you can grow spiritually, support others, and find purpose. God designed us to be in relationships, and the church is His plan for helping us thrive together.</p>

<p>It is with great joy that we invite you to celebrate 30 years of God’s faithfulness to Coastal Church! We're streaming LIVE from the Vancouver Convention Centre.</p>

<p>The book of Acts ends by highlighting Paul’s final days in Rome. While Paul remains a key figure, the book of Acts ends on a cliffhanger, emphasizing that the work of spreading the gospel is far from complete. This unfinished story signals that the mission of the church—to GO into all the world—continues. Acts chapter 29, though unwritten in the Bible, continues to be written through the lives of believers to this day, empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry on the mission that began in Jerusalem.</p>

<p>Life’s storms are inevitable. Whether they come as personal trials, challenges in our families, or difficulties in our communities, storms test our faith. However, it is in these very storms that our faith can shine the brightest, serving as a powerful witness to those around us.</p>

<p>Acts 24-26 depict Paul’s trials and defenses before various Roman authorities. Despite facing false accusations and prolonged imprisonment, Paul steadfastly testifies to his faith in Christ, leveraging every opportunity to proclaim the gospel. His appeal to Caesar ultimately sets the stage for his journey to Rome, in fulfillment of God’s plan for him to witness there as well.</p><p>In Acts chapter 24 we see how Paul’s Roman citizenship had kept him from being killed. Now he stood before Felix, governor of Judea. As usual, Paul was sharing the faith, even with a very hardened ruler despite the risks involved.</p>

<p>In the book of Acts we see on several occasions that Paul gave his testimony in defense of his faith and each time it had a powerful impact. Your testimony will also have a powerful impact on those you share it with.</p><p>Telling your testimony may seem intimidating but if you remember a few simple principles, you’ll discover the “joy of your salvation” as you share.</p>

<p>In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2020&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Acts chapter 20</a> Paul continues his journey and when he arrives in Miletus, he calls for the elders of the church from Ephesus and reminds them of the choices he modelled for them. He then exhorts them to take heed and care for the flock as he had.</p>

<p>A life of faith in Christ will at times upset others. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2019&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Acts 19</a> we see the following attributes of faith upset the people of Ephesus:</p><p>• Faith rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit.</p><p>• Faith rooted in the word of God.</p><p>• Faith rooted in the name of Jesus.</p><p>• Faith that produces miracles and renounces demonic powers.</p>

<p>This Sunday we’re excited to have guest speaker, Pastor John Oh, speak a message titled “Rejoice in the Gospel”.</p><p>John Oh has been serving as the senior pastor of SaRang Church in Seoul for 21 years, overseeing a membership growth of over 100,000. He places a strong emphasis on intentional discipleship in the workplace, global networking, and the unification of the two Koreas. He received a Ph.D. from Potchefstroom University and was a Harvard University Fellow. He also currently serves as the president of SaRang Global Academy (SaGA) and as the chairman of the board at Soongsil University. John is married to Nan-young Oh and has two sons, Joseph and Timothy, and two granddaughters, Eden and Ayla.</p>

<p>Psalms 111 and 112 are both acrostics of the Hebrew alphabet, which helps pair these psalms together in a way that they complement each other. In Psalm 111 you have the qualities of God. In Psalm 112 the qualities of a person sees their identity in God.</p>

<p>The book of The Acts of the Apostles is the blueprint of how Jesus established His church. In chapter 18 we see how God used ordinary people, regardless of their background, race, gender, or profession to accomplish His plan of making disciples.</p><p>As we look at the characters, we see that they experienced the same challenges you and I do yet they all invested into the work of the kingdom.</p>

<p>Acts chapter 17 features three cities that Paul shared the Gospel. Each of the encounter was somewhat different and teaches a valuable lesson on how to share our faith.</p>

<p>In Acts 16 we find the apostle Paul on his second missionary journey with Silas. Along the way, they have several gospel encounters that result in the transformation of lives. The diversity of backgrounds among those they meet illustrates that no one is beyond God's reach. This chapter encourages us to trust in the power of the Gospel and the importance of prayer to see people have a God encounter.</p>

<p>In Acts 15:2 we read of “no small dissension and dispute” arising in the church. However, by verse 31 we read there was great joy throughout the church. This chapter in Acts is a blueprint for the church showing us how to go from conflict to connection.</p>

<p>In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas are blazing a trail in missionary work. Despite facing severe opposition and physical harm, they continue their mission to spread the gospel. Their perseverance, even in the face of danger, is a powerful example of dedication to God's calling.</p>

<p>In Acts chapter 13, The Holy Spirit directed the church to separate Barnabas and Saul to embark on what is known as Paul’s first missionary trip. The Biblical pattern seen here is for the church leaders to pray and fast and then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on those who are called and send them on their assignment.</p>

<p>The Book of Acts is a book of miracles - God’s power in action. To act means to do something, to carry out, to move, behave, or exert power, and that is exactly what we see in today’s message in Acts chapter 12.</p>

<p>In the Bible, one Mother stands out for leaving a legacy of extraordinary courage and unwavering faith. Her name is Jochebed, the mother of Moses, who had just a few short years with her son, yet the impact she left is still felt today. In the face of Pharaoh’s ruthless decree condemning Hebrew male infants to death, Jochebed defied the tyrannical order and entrusted her son’s fate to the hands of God. Her life still speaks today as a testament to the power of a mother’s love and faith that can shape a nation.</p>

<p>In Acts Chapter 11, the early church begins to see a clearer picture of God’s purpose for salvation. Not only was the gospel of Christ for every nation, whether Jew or Gentile, but God’s plan included bringing every nation, tongue and tribe together in Christ.</p>

<p>Cornelius was a Roman Centurion who got God’s attention. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+chronicles+16%3A9&version=NKJV" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2 Chronicles 16:9</a> says “the eyes of the LORD search to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” This week we explore the qualities of Cornelius from Acts Chapter 10.</p>

<p>The conversion process of the apostle Paul is one of the most significant events in the book of Acts. The chief persecutor of the church is converted to be a zealous follower of Jesus Christ.</p><p>Paul’s conversion follows the same basic process for everyone.</p>

<p>After the stoning of Stephen, great persecution arises in Jerusalem as believers are imprisoned and forced to flee the city. As a result, the good news of Jesus begins to spread everywhere they are scattered. In Samaria, Philip preaches with healings and miracles following and leads many to Christ while Peter and John pray for these new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 8 shows us how the Holy Spirit helps the Church and what it takes for the Holy Spirit to move among us.</p>

<p>Acts chapter seven serves as a pivotal point for the spread of Christianity globally. Stephen, a member of the serve team in the early church is a great example of lay person who faithfully serves.</p><p>His influence leads to his defending his action by a powerful sermon, that highlights two crucial points: Israel’s historical resistance to God’s prophets and the inadequacy of the law to save due to its inability to transform hearts.</p>

<p>Every sermon preached by every Christian in the New Testament centers on the resurrection. The Gospel is essentially the good news of Christ’s resurrection. The news that flashed across the ancient world, that set hearts on fire, changed lives, and turned the world upside down was not “love your neighbor”. Everyone knew that was not news. The news was that a Man who claimed to be the Son of God, and the Saviour the world, had risen from the dead. Jesus’s resurrection has since impacted the lives of millions of people.</p>

<p>On Palm Sunday, the vision that Jesus had for the future was not what the people were looking for. We often have our own plan for God in our lives instead of submitting to Him and understanding what He sees for us.</p>