Coastal Church Podcast

<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>

<p>In Acts chapter 6 we discover how the early growing church responded to division and the powerful solution of a serve team. When we all embrace our unique roles in God’s kingdom, whether teaching, giving, encouraging, or serving; this will foster unity and empower the healthy growth of the church.</p>

<p>The Gospel transformed the lives of the early church! This message reveals tragedy and failure in their midst and how this continues to speak to us today. His grace surpasses our shortcomings, and continues to fulfill His plan, sustaining us in the power of the Holy Spirit.</p>

<p>In turbulent times, characterized by uncertainty and upheaval, it’s easy to succumb to fear and anxiety. However, as believers, we’re reminded not to be governed by fear but to trust in God’s sovereignty and providence. Rather than letting fear dictate our actions, we are called to lean on God’s strength, knowing that He is in control and will guide us through all seasons of life.</p>

<p>Acts chapter 5 underscores the importance of integrity, perseverance, and bold proclamation in the growth of the early Christian church. Like the apostles, we can persevere through opposition by relying on the strength of our faith, maintaining our commitment to the Word of God, and trusting in God’s faithfulness through all circumstances! Join us in this message from Pastor Jachin Mullen.</p>

<p>Prayer is an indispensable key to the effectiveness of the Church and vital to the spiritual health of individual believers. We see in Acts 4 how prayer continues to guide and sustain the ministry life of the early church.</p><p>In Acts 4, the opposition “… ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18) but they couldn’t “… stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).</p><p>Before we GO on God’s mission, we need to PRAY for God’s purpose, presence, and power.</p>

<p>To GO where God is calling us to as a church and individually is going to require faith. God does not call us to GO where we don’t need Him to succeed. As the early church prepares to fulfill the Great Commission given by Jesus, we see the power of faith in the first miracle in the Book of Acts. Through this incredible example of the power of faith, we learn how we too can walk by faith and reach the place God has called us to GO.</p>

<p>The spiritual, the supernatural, the life of faith seems crazy to the world, to the natural. Not all crazy is spiritual, but all spiritual can seem crazy to the unspiritual. This weekend, we look forward to a powerful message from our guest speaker Pastor Christian Akerhielm about The Right Kind of Crazy.</p>

<p>The early church understood in order to stay healthy and continue to reach out to the world around them, it was important to assemble in small groups. These meetings were more than just a gathering, rather it was an intentional assembling sharing spiritually and materially with each other.</p>

<p>The power of the Holy Spirit is not an end in itself but only a means toward the end of making disciples. In this message Pastor Dave Koop shares about the power of the church, its message and SHAPE.</p>

<p>Guest speaker Ake Carlson shares a message unveiling the great significance of The Name of Jesus. Names represent something and represent the person behind it. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see the Name of Christ being revealed to us and for us, so we can know Him personally and be full of His power to do His work!</p>

<p>This year as a church we will delve into an exploration of the responsibilities and expectations that Jesus places upon His church as seen in the book of Acts. In the first chapter we will see the proofs, promise, priorities, program, prospect, and prayer that sets up the divine mandate to “GO!”.</p>

<p>God is leading our church into a new chapter marked by a stronger emphasis on missions. As our church enters into its 30th year, we have reached a stage where God is compelling us to plant more churches, and to send more messengers into the mission field. The message of Christmas, God’s gift to us in His Son, must be shared and we can draw inspiration from the shepherds who, upon encountering the Christ-child, went on a mission to spread the Good News. “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” - Luke 2:17-18 NIV</p>

<p>Christmas itself has now far outstripped Easter in popular culture as the real celebratory center of the Christian year–a move that completely reverses the New Testament emphasis. We sometimes try, in hymns, prayers, and sermons, to build a whole theology on Christmas, but it can’t in fact sustain such a thing. Easter, however, should be the center. Take that away and there is, almost literally, nothing left.</p>

<p>For a gift to be complete it must be received. Christmas is all about God extending His gift to us. As Christians, Christmas is more than a nostalgic feeling, it is a time to reflect deeply on what God truly gave us.</p>

<p>Christmas is about the light coming to earth. In the Gospel of John, we find the beautiful proclamation that encapsulates the essence of Christmas: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. - John 1:5, ESV</p>

<p>Exploring the account of the Wise Men in Matthew chapter two, we discover an enduring lesson that speaks directly to all of us on how we too can respond to the extraordinary gift of God sending His Son.</p>

<p>Christmas is a huge celebration in our homes as we gather with loved ones, especially if it includes the sounds of children! God designed home and although not perfect, they are a gift from God.</p>

<p>We are living in a time where there is a thick darkness on the earth and yet a thick powerful glory of the church. We are moving into biblical times and must be ready for it. Though, we do not know how long this time will take, we understand that the world is changing at a high speed and we see signs of what the Bible describes as the end time and restoration of the Church.</p>

<p>The power of a gift is simple; it is LOVE. We are wired for love.</p><p>Because LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe, a gift has the possibility to transport this power into the lives of those around us. God demonstrated the power of a gift when He gave the greatest gift of all times.</p>

<p>This week we were privileged to have Roar Sorenson share at our School of Missions and our weekend services. His rich experience and expertise having studied and lived in Israel and currently teaching Jewish Studies at the Scandinavian School of Theology comes to us at a timely moment.</p>

<p>In a world saturated with the clamor of daily life, we need to pause and remember that true freedom, whether national or spiritual, is not a given; it must be remembered, cherished, and anchored in truth.</p>

<p>The English word ‘worship’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘weorthscipe’ which literally means to ascribe worth to something. If something captivates our heart’s affection, our mind’s attention and our soul’s ambition, it effectively has our worship. Our ultimate purpose is to worship God. Until we discover our purpose in God, we will never be satisfied.</p>

<p>This last great act of faith we see from Abraham is the finding of a wife for his son Isaac. The fulfillment of the promise God gave him, that through his seed he would bless the nations, depended on Isaac finding the right wife.</p><p>Likewise, one of the greatest steps of faith we will make in our lives is choosing who we will marry. The courtship of Isaac and Rebekah provides valuable wisdom of how we should go about looking for a spouse.</p>

<p>Abraham’s test of faith is one of the most well-known accounts of his life and one of the most challenging to understand. To learn from Abraham’s example we must understand the following:</p><p>Understand the difference between a test and temptation.</p><p>Understand there are options in taking the test.</p><p>Understand that faith is obedience and unwavering trust in God’s goodness.</p><p>Understand the end your heavenly Father has in mind.</p><p>Understand that Jesus passed the ultimate test for us.</p><p><br></p>

<p>Throughout the Bible, believers are urged to pray for one another, to lift up the needs and concerns of others in prayer, and to intercede on their behalf. Intercession is a powerful way to express love and care for one another, following the example of Jesus, who interceded on behalf of humanity.</p>