WELCOME

From 2006 - 2012 these were my thoughts and insights as my wife and I planted Church of the Suncoast from scratch.  While I am not blogging anymore, take a look around, and hopefully it will help you in your journey as a Pastor, Church Planter, or Follower of Christ.

You can still find me and my musings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianmoonlive

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianMoon

Instagram: http://instagram.com/leadpastorbrian

AND, you can also check out my weekly sermons from the Suncoast right here as well.

Blessings!

 

Christmas Offering (Update 1)

Grand Opening Video Recap

Jesus gets all the glory!  It is His house.  If He doesn't build it then it will fall.  Thank you also to the dozens of volunteers who were Jesus hands and feet on this project.  The best is yet to come!

- Pastor B

Grand Opening Sunday

So, it has been a few months since I posted anything.  "Where did Brian go???"  Well, as you can see from the last post we have been in the process of transitioning our church from "portable" to "permanent."  It went in a few phases something like this:

Facility Search (2011 - Feb 2012)
We looked at strip plazas, stand alone buildings, and warehouse spaces.  By my calculations we looked at casually to seriously 7 locations in the central Pasco County area we call home.  And, we took people out to pray over 4 of those sites.  We finally found the space, the parking, and the price we needed one mile south of SR54 on Gunn Highway in the industrial park.  As time went on there seemed to be a consensus this was where God wanted us for at least the next 5 years.

Funding (April - July)
By most estimates this was going to be a $120,000 job.  We did not have $120,000 in the bank!  So, we started the first capital campaign in the history of our church called "The Next Step" Campaign.  We broke it down in two parts.  One month of praying and saving, followed by the first offering, then we gave over the next 3 months.  It was not the ideal way to do this.  Giving over a year or two would have been better, but it was what it was, and people gave what they could give.  My faith was stretched in ways I could not imagine.  The funding process of this was probably one of the hardest things I have done in my 33 years on this planet.

Faith (Signing the Lease)
The owner of the facility we were wanting to rent held this space for almost 4 months and passed up several other potential tenants for us even though we did not give him a dime.  In July they asked us to make a decision one way or the other.  Which was perfectly fair.  The only problem was we were sitting at about $30,000 of the $120,000 we needed.  But, still this seemed like the direction we were supposed to move in.  I even prayed a ridiculous prayer after reading about some of the Old Testament prophets and the things they asked God for.  I asked God to allow me to get into a traffic accident on the way to sign the lease if this was not His will!!!  To literally block me from going down this path.  And, because of a scheduling issue I got the chance to do this 3 times!!!  But, no accidents.  So, with faith and honestly a sick feeling in my gut, I put my name on the line for our church over the next 5 years.  Even though we didn't have the money.  This was either faith or stupidity.

Fabrication (August & September)
We hired a contractor after getting three different bids and over the next couple months of working with him I know we hired the right one!  It was a real partnership.  We had work nights 2 - 3 times a week where the contractor would do something during the day and then we would come in at night and do the finishing work.  And, it was a A LOT of work!  OMG!  My body, mind and soul is still trying to recover as I sit here one day removed from our Grand Opening.  Walls were built where wide open warehouse space once stood, power and A/C was installed, stages and restrooms constructed, paint, paint, and more paint, carpet, kids stuff, more paint, more trips to Home Depot (I hate Home Depot now) but finally by the absolute grace and favor of God we barely pulled off our Grand Opening.  All the volunteers really stepped up and the list of thank you's I owe is massive!!!!!!!!

Finally... we opened the doors officially:

These were just a few of the shots from my phone as I went through the morning.  Look for a video or a real photo essay later this week.  Again, so many thank you's go out to so many people.  I am feeling blessed today.  I hope you got a excited if you were there yesterday, and if you missed it, hopefully this gives you a taste of what is in store for us.  The best days... have just begun!

Thank you Jesus for being my sustaining source through all this.

Thank you Cheryl for standing by my side and still loving me when I was at my worst.

Thank you Suncoast for letting me navigate this for us, the winds are picking up!!!

The NEXT STEP Campaign

Dear Suncoast Family,
When I was just a little kid, God began planting the dream for the Suncoast in my heart.  I had a tree house that my dad and I built that served as the “church” building for my friends who played church with me. Six years ago, my wife Cheryl and I, along with a small group of nine people, set out to create relevant environments in which God could work. We started the Suncoast from literally nothing in a tiny daycare off of SR 54 near the Suncoast Parkway. Over the next couple of years, we bounced around from school to school until we finally landed at our current location at Rushe Middle School. Since then, we have rode the wave, and crash, of the local economy and housing market. For six years, through the ups and downs, we have tried to create relevant environments in which God can work in leased facilities doing what we call “portable” church. Today, it is time to take “The Next Step.” The Next Step is our first capital campaign where we are asking each other to step up and fund our next step into a permanent facility. The following information will hopefully be helpful in understanding this faith journey we are about to embark on. But, remember this is not about concrete, paint and steal. A building is not the church. You are the church! The people are the church, and we are simply here to create the NEXT relevant environments in which even more people will take their next steps with God through His Son Jesus! Read on, and I love my church!

Pastor Brian :-)


WHAT IS THE VISION?
To transform two 4,000 sq ft warehouse spaces off of Gunn Hwy in Pasco County into a theater style auditorium for Sunday services, spacious lobby with café and plenty of comfy seats, and dedicated children’s space with a huge play land! The continuing vision, phase two, would be acquire the remaining warehouse bay for church offices and ministry center to serve those in need. This would be our permanent home for the next decade!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

WHAT IS THE COST?

The total amount we need to raise to install A/C, run electrical, build new restrooms, construct walls, purchase kids equipment, paint, and freshen up our sound system and more is: $120,000.

EXPLAIN THE CAMPAIGN

The campaign idea is 120 in 120. That is, we will raise $120,000 in 120 days so that we can open for a big fall launch! To break down such a big number like $120,000, think of it like this. We need just 100 people to contribute $1,200 over the next 4 months above and beyond our normal giving. Some can and will give more as God leads, but breaking it down like this is something we all can do if we try. On April 29th we want to give all we can!

The campaign schedule looks like this:

4.1 - 4.29 Pray and set aside money in the provided envelopes.

4.29 First Steps Offering (So work can begin)

4.29 - 7.29 Continued giving to campaign, work begins!

August 2012(ish) Fall kick off in our own building with no debt!

The Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God! This next step will require and stretch our faith like never before. It is a lot like the Hebrew people as they stood on the doorstep of the Promised Land. Two of the ten spies that scouted the land came back and with faith boldly said this, “If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.” Numbers 14:8  In other words:

If the Lord is pleased,

He will meet the needs!

Accomplishing this vision will take big faith, it will take everyone being all in, but that pleases God. Being so passionate about reaching people pleases God. We trust God to meet our needs!

Will you commit to praying for our Next Step at the Suncoast for the NEXT 120 days?

• Pray for God’s favor and “favors” as we continue to get estimates.
• Pray about what amount God would have you give on April 29th.
• Pray about what God would have you give the remaining 90 days.
• Pray that our volunteer work and contracted work goes smooth.
• Pray for God to abundantly bless us with all the resources we need!
• Pray for our Grand Opening and Launch in the new building.
• Pray God uses this to reach hundreds of new people!
• Pray we don’t get comfortable and lazy once we have our own space.

To give to the Next Steps campaign, please use the special envelopes on Sundays, or you can mail your donation to:

Church of the Suncoast

PO Box 1031 Odessa, FL 33556

(Please add "Next Step" to the memo)