Seacoast Vineyard Church - Discussion Forums

Power of God demonstrated for non believers TODAY

2010-08-26T11:59:51Z

I wonder when the people of God will realize that it is not the pastors' job to lay hands on everyone, or the evangelist to come and do a healing service, or the conference speaker to hear from God for me... we do not live in the dark ages, nor are we any longer under the law of moses that would prohibit us from access to the power of the Holy Spirit, so why then do we fall on a daily basis into temptations and sin? before you think too hard i'll give you a hint it is not because of a lack of knowledge (in 90% of the cases). Thoughts on this my friends??

Find us on Facebook, twitter and more

2010-08-15T12:29:41Z

The Outreach Team is on Facebook! Find us as Kindness Central. On Twitter we are @svckindness. And the blog that posts to those is http://svckindness.tumblr.com
Check us out to find upcoming events, pictures of outreaches and more!

Kids Community Block Party

2010-08-15T12:24:25Z

Hi all!
This Saturday August 21st from 10am to 1 pm come join us at the Kids Community Block Party. There will be FREE FUN like face painting, a dunk tank, inflatible jumping corrals and a 20ft inflatible slide! And did we mention FREE FOOD!
It's going to be a hoot!
What's that? You say you want to volunteer to help? Call the church at 843.445.9000 or email outreach@seacoastvineyard.com

Pimp My Church

2010-07-08T13:28:49Z

If someone came to you and said, "Man, you can pimp my church. Do whatever you want." What would you do? More bling, less, would you lower it, drop it down to the ground? Would you turn up the volume, add those subs, or reduce it?
If your church looked like a pimped out ride, your taste, what would it look like? What would it ride like? What would it sound like? How would the rearview mirror work? Could you see for miles and miles behind you, or just a few feet? Would you want to get on down the road, or be able to see from whence you came?
Would the ride be smooth or harsh with every bump in the road felt by every passenger? Would you want to drive some instead of always having the same old designated driver? How about the floorboards, shagg carpet or bare metal? How about the sound system, Coldplay, Beyonce, or Heavy D?
What model? Ford, Chevy, Toyota......You can trick out any ride no matter what their "name."
And most of all, what's your destination? Seems to me if we pimp this church we have to have a destination in mind. I mean, it isn't just all about the cool factor and sound, or is it? Is it getting there in style, or just getting there? What's the point if a rusted up '72 puke green Ford stationwagon with holes and surf stickers all over it will get me there just as good? Or does it make a difference if I drive a Hummer (like I just saw pull up to the cafe')? Will more folks want to ride with me if my wheels are cool and a bit, elite looking? If my exhaust is loud will people know I am around easier? Or should I have a quiet ride so as not to offend the neighbors when I pull up?
Pimp my church - please!

Relationships

2010-06-11T18:01:22Z

I am researching a new sermon series, and would love some input. I am looking at every one-on-one relationship that is in the bible. Maybe that's too big for everyone; let me rephrase it - what are the "relationships" you find most challenging, and would like to know what God has to say about them?

E.g. Husband/wife; girlfriend/boyfriend; pastor/church member; parent/child; friend/friend; father/child; mother/child; older/younger; etc.

Do Churches Fear the Holy Spirit?

2010-06-11T14:48:06Z

I wonder if we have become phobic of the Holy Spirit. I mean, after all, many times it can be difficult to discern just what is the Holy Spirit and what is not...at least it seems like that. So, we revert to safety. We know it's safe to say the Holy Spirit wants people to come to Christ - so we can preach, teach, work hard in unity toward seeing that more people hear the gospel and have an opportunity to respond. I think the seeker movement was birthed out of this sincere desire to see more people come to Christ.

Then we know God loves and cares for the poor. So, now social justice is a big deal; it is the cool ministry topic (though Jesus and really, the church has always led the way in caring for those in need). It's just that now that Bono says we should be doing it, it becomes cool. So, we are safe to reach out, feed the hungry, etc., we know this is the Holy Spirit.

But what about that other stuff we read about in Acts? What about the other stuff Jesus did and said we would do? It isn't that safe deciding who has a demon and who doesn't (much less casting them out). It isn't safe rebuking false prophecies (or even knowing which is false and true); it isn't so safe praying for the blind, the lame, the diseased.

Do we "fear" the Holy Spirit or the acts of the Holy Spirit? Maybe we should. That just might get us out of the safety zone and into the ACTion zone.

Hate-filled protesting church

2010-05-29T15:32:00Z

Did anyone out there see the Westboro Baptist people this past week in the area?

Men of God...Where for art Thou?

2010-05-07T14:54:05Z

A group of men from our church just finished a long, 3-day hike in the mountains. I've heard so many great stories, but I think the best of it is, men enjoy doing tough things together. Of course it eventually became a wonderful time of openness and hopefully a beginning of healing for many.

Men are wounded. All of us. It's just part of life. The thing is, can we be "manly" enough to face it, and strong enough to be weak so that we can grow from it, and become the men we desire to be.

How about it men? What do you think? What does a real man of God look like, and how do we get there?

"Everyone gets to play..."

2010-04-15T13:49:27Z

I've been thinking about the recent 'everyone gets to play' idea as it pertains to musicians inside of vineyard. It seems to be a rehash of the old 'everyone gets to play' Wimber model, but sung to a musical tune. I've had some recent discussions within the vineyard circle about this notion, and no one seems to be on the same page. Can someone clarify?

What does this mean? Why is this being model for worship leadership being pressed? How is it supposed to work?

New Facility

2010-04-13T20:15:28Z

Well, on 02-01-2010, Seacoast Vineyard Church acquired, along with a mortgage from a bank, a 17,000 square foot facility within walking distance of the ocean, the golden strip, the convention center, banking row,, Grissom Parkway, Hwy. 31, and one of the oldest residential areas on the Grand Strand. It's only 6-miles south of our present building and is accessible to anyone coming from the west, north, or south(you'll need a boat if you come from the east).

It's been a long process; actually many years of prayer, various emotions, and lots of hard work by so many people. Thank you Seacoast for your faithfulness, kindness, constant encouragement, and gracious giving. You are the best!

If you watch (which as a confession I do), any MMA matches, you'll hear Bruce Boffer yell at the main event, "Now...it's time!" And so it is. We must continue to be faithful in our giving in order to not only up-fit the new building, but to continue to minister in the areas we have been doing. Pray for our giving to exceed $250,000 for this project. That would allow us to finish the auditorium area, lobby, bathrooms and complete the children/teen/office area. Of course there's lots of other stuff we want to do, but that would get us into the building and up and serving the community.

The biggest request for prayer is that the Lord would increase our influence in Myrtle Beach and beyond; that those already attending would reach out, bring their family & friends, and continue to love their own communities where they are.

"It's ti-m-e!!!" So welcome to our new home. Yes, it's just a tool box of sorts, but at least it's ours, and it positions us to be a blessing to many. New church plants, missions, after-school tutoring, medical clinic, food bank, small business leader training, financial stewardship training, a facility free to our city for their use, a place of worship & healing, and a place where the Bible is preached, taught, explained, so that Jesus can be seen by all. In the midst of this we believe the Lord of the Kingdom, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will come in power and pour out the Father's great love on the people of the Grand Strand in such a way that they cannot help but follow him.

It's time...come Holy Spirit!

Too much transparency?

2010-02-26T18:54:18Z

In the time spent on the road with Casting Crowns, Mark Hall often called the church to lay down the 'superchristian' attitude (as he coined it).

Superchristian (singular noun): Soo-'per-kris-jun
1.The superficial facade that 'I don't have any problems. My life's fine and dandy because I have Jesus'.

He'd often say that it doesn't bother the world so much that Christians sin, what bothers them is that we act like we don't. He'd follow that up by teaching that it's hard to hear about the truth from a 'perfect person', and instead of seeing a bunch of superchristians, what the world really needs to see is a bunch of broken people made whole though Jesus Christ.

I've had some awkward experiences attempting to be 'transparent' with a congregation. How does a pastor determine what they share about themselves with their congregation and what they don't? How honest about their personal and spiritual flaws can a pastor be with his congregation without jeopardizing the spiritual credibility necessary to lead? Hopefully despite his or her flaws, there is enough grace in the congregation and integrity in the pastor that one doesn't need to hide too much. But the question still remains, how much transparency is too much transparency? How can a small group formations pastor teach openness and vulnerability to their own small groups without showing some themselves?

~sigh~ the dilemma of seeking an infinite wisdom through the limitations of a finite mind...

Weather

2010-01-31T12:38:05Z

Sunday morning, January 31, no snow, no ice to be seen; church is on! Both services.

Sex

2010-01-23T14:30:44Z

So we're in this series, until Valentine's, on sex. I've been getting reacquainted with the history of sex in the church (that is, the theology & praxis), and it's quite amazing. No wonder there is so much confusion and misapplication. We seem to end up worshiping the creation, as we sinful people are want to do, instead of the Creator; or we become prudes of the highest order and suppress all feelings and impulses that after a closer look, may have actually been given by God as a blessing.

St. Francis of Assisi referred to his body as "Brother Donkey." In other words, it's useful but hardly worthy of worship. C.S. Lewis remarked, "no one in his right senses can either revere or hate a donkey." But "revere" and "hate" we do.

Walk past the check-out counter and you will see a shrine to "the donkey." Even as we buy food, which we must have to survive, we are told "the donkey" must look this way, and you must not only have a "donkey" that looks this way, but also "ride" a "donkey" that looks this way if you are truly cool, valuable, and worthy. Sorry for the crass use of the word ride. I think you get my drift. Sex is equated with the necessity of food. Not true. But we are sold this bill of goods everywhere.

So, how has our cultural definition of what is sexy affected you? And how should the church respond?

SHOULD WOMEN BE PASTORS?

2010-01-15T21:17:25Z

Ok. I'll be teaching out of Timothy for the next few months. Lingering right around the corner is 2nd chapter, in which Paul does not permit women to have authority over men, nor to teach within the context of the church.

There appears to be many historical complications in interpreting and correctly applying this to the American Church. It's strange that he completely bans women from participating in leadership based exclusively on gender. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only place in the Bible where we find this sort of decree. Interestingly enough, Paul seems to recognize the authority of certain women in Rome and Phillipi. (Rom 16:1-3, and Phil 4:2-3).

Vineyard seems to hold that the scriptures in their original form were inerrant and infallible. Unfortunately that also means they are not gender inclusive.

Why does Seacoast allow women to be ordained? Is this Biblical? Or is it merely 'how we do it in the vineyard'?

Adultery in the Church

2010-01-10T05:36:50Z

I was asked recently by a writer if I thought the Tiger Woods/Gov. Sanford sexual debacle has caused young people to question the integrity of marriage. Or I guess the institution of marriage was the way it was phrased. To be honest with you, no one has said a word to me about it, other than some crass, and dumb jokes (which I'm sure too many of us have heard). But it does cause me to ponder whether we in the church have hidden our faces under the cover (pun intended). Could it be that all of those smiling, innocent faces that sit in church on Sunday have something to hide? Couldn't be!

The bigger question for me is why can't we seem to build churches where people are comfortable and safe enough to not only 'fess up when failure happens, but before it does. You know, why can't we come to one another, in our churches, and say, "Dude, I'm really tempted right now. Help me." What is it about our slick produced services that seem to help hide the ugly underside of our humanity? I came to Christ because I knew I was a sinner...funny, or sad, still am. But in Christ I found help. In the church I expected help. And you know what, we should expect it, demand it, and receive it! Not just help for forgiveness, but help when we are in the throes of temptation; help for when we have personality types that seem to push us to the borders of sensibilities; etc.

Wouldn't it be neat if church turned into an affair...an affair of the heart...for God...for freedom...for protection...for honesty...