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Upcoming Events
Beach Baptism
Come Celebrate New Life! 📅 Beach Baptism – Sunday, July 5, 5:00 PM Hot Dogs; 6:00 PM Baptism In the Fellowship Hall You can Learn More about Baptism by Watching Pastor Jonny’s Baptism Sermon. Sign Up to be Baptized using the instructions below this Video. In addition to taking the names of Baptizees ... we have separate instructions for those that want to sign up to Volunteer to help setup the event.Baptism Sermon To sign up for Beach Baptism Email info@churchbythesea.com with the Subject Line: Baptism “Jesus stepped towards us in His baptism and we step towards Him in ours. It's about love. It's about identifying with our Savior. The act of baptism is a sacred meeting point between us and God where we declare, 'Here I am, Lord... I trust Christ and Christ alone for my salvation. While God is present with us always through faith, there is something uniquely special about that moment of obedience and in doing exactly what our Lord did.” - Pastor Jonny Volunteer Need: We're looking for people to help us Setup for the evening Baptism after Sunday Morning Service. To Sign Up Email info@churchbythesea.com with the Subject Line: Baptism Helper
Staff & Leaders
Our dedicated team of pastors and staff are here to provide spiritual guidance and support - as well as resources to help you on your faith journey.
See What’s Happening
Check out this month's events to find out what's happening and how you can be involved. Explore the full list of upcoming ministries and services.
Connect and Grow
At Church by the Sea, we believe that faith is not meant to be lived out alone. We offer various ministries, small groups, and community events to help you connect with others and grow in your spiritual journey.
Whether it's attending a Bible study, joining a prayer group, or participating in a community service project, there are numerous opportunities for you to deepen your faith and build meaningful relationships.
Messages that Matter
View our library of previous sermons.
Developing a Healthy, Holy Harmony- A Holy-ish Church #3
1. The Message of the Cross DIVIDES People 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 NLT For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to pr...
Pastoral Devotionals
Jesus Wept | Devotional Number One
Jesus Wept #1 Dear Friend, Over this past year, our Church by the Sea family has carried a significant weight of loss. This series originally went to Five People I identified, that turned into Seven ... then Ten, and now I’m just making it Public. I launched this e-devotional, Jesus Wept, as a shared resource for those navigating the landscape of bereavement. __ The Path Forward This resource is designed to meet you exactly where you are: The Individual: Some of you are already supplementing this e-devotional by meeting with me in person. Everyone should know: you are always welcome to schedule time to dive deeper into anything that resonates here. You're also welcome to just read and reflect. The Collective: While our losses are diverse, there is a shared heavy burden in grief. It is my hope—perhaps a pastoral pipe dream—that as we move further down this road, we might eventually put faces to names and find strength in one another. I’m thinking a shared meal and Q&A. A little Light in the Shadow Talking about grief is difficult, and I won't sugarcoat the reality of the ache. However, the goal of Jesus Wept isn’t to be a bummer, but to cast a little light into the shadows. To talk about grief is to talk about life. ___ Here is what I want you to hold onto today: Grief is not a task to be completed. While that may sound daunting, it is actually a liberation. It means we don't have to ‘get over it’. Instead, we can learn to carry it better. We can refuse to let it consume or define us, and eventually, we can even allow it to be the soil in which we grow. You are profoundly cared for. You are being held in prayer, specifically and deeply. There are ways to tame your grief so it works for you, but there is no 'right way' to Grieve. So don't expect instructions or platitudes, just support. Grieve your way, and never feel ashamed. Whether your loss is fresh or you are approaching a difficult anniversary, know that you are not walking this path alone. Keep an eye on your inbox in the coming days as we begin this guided journey through the hurt. Question: What's the hardest thing you're facing in your grief journey right now?
Blog
Exile
Living in Exile: Hope, Identity, and Resisting Babylon We all live in exile. If it often feels like you don't belong in this world as it is, it's because you don't. In 1 Peter 2:9–12, believers are called "temporary residents and foreigners" warned to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against our soul. To understand what it means for a Christian to live in exile, we have to grasp its history. The ancient Israelites found themselves conquered by Babylon, living in exile far from their homeland. Surprisingly, even when they finally traveled back, the prophets continued to refer to them as exiles because they were home, but not really. They were still ruled by oppressive empires and trapped in the same corrupt ways. Because of this, exile became a spiritual reality and an archetype—a universal symbol for alienation and a longing for something more. In the Bible, exile is the human condition until Christ returns. We are sojourners in a foreign land longing for a better home. Jesus of Nazareth wandered without a home, announcing a great restoration and promising in John 14:2, "In my Father's house there are many rooms." Until that day, Peter gives us core principles for navigating our current reality ... namely that ... What we hope for is what we live for. To live in the light of God's presence, we must live like God exists and live in the light of Jesus' return. Here are the three precepts for navigating life in exile: 1. Remember Who and Whose You Are The first step is remembering who you are and who you belong to. First Peter reminds us: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation... Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people." Identity dictates behavior. While out with my five-year-old daughter, Zoe, I was playing the role of my usual goofy self—singing and dancing by the car. In a hushed, embarrassed tone, she whispered, "Dad, stop. We're at the store. Don't embarrass me." She later reminded me of a past tea party, saying, "You slurped tea at that tea party. That's not fancy. You need to be fancy." Zoe was highly attuned to identity and playing the part for the settings I’m in. She knew that the goofy dad needed to stay home so that the public shopping dad could take the spotlight. Observing her commitment to living into a specific role raises a challenging question: Do we have that same commitment to live into our identity in Christ? When we have a complete understanding of who we are because of Jesus, we live differently. Certain behaviors from the old life pass away because that is simply not who we are anymore. We are set apart, and set-apart people reject the darkness of past pain because what we hope for is what we live for. 2. Resist "Babylon" The second precept for living as a Christian in exile is to resist "Babylon"—the sinful aspects of the culture we face day to day. We are in the same situation as Daniel was in Babylon as Christians in an increasingly post-Christian society. In Daniel chapter one, the Babylonian empire asked Daniel and his friends to eat things that would go against their faith, defying God’s laws. While many others just went with the new culture fearing for their lives, Daniel and his friends refused to disobey. They asked for a few days to eat vegetables and fruits to obey God, and God honored their decision to remain faithful. They were healthier than the others as a result of their obedience. Resisting Babylon today goes against the grain. Babylon says it's about you and your convenience, but the kingdom of God says it's about sacrifice and laying down our life for our master Jesus. It means resisting the world's values—whether that means refusing to cheat on your taxes because others do, or staying committed to a marriage when it gets tough. Every breath is a second chance, and it is never too late to start again. 3. Represent the Kingdom of Christ Abstaining from a sinful culture is about what we don't do, but verse 12 moves into what we are meant to do: "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God." It is not enough for us to resist evil; we have to promote the love, compassion, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Resisting Babylon is just cleaning house, but representing the holy nation of Christ is refurnishing. Simply abstaining from evil is meaningless if we do not partake in the holiness of Christ. In Luke chapter 11, Jesus warns that when an unclean spirit leaves a house and finds it swept and put in order but empty, it returns with seven other spirits more evil than itself. If we make room for Jesus but don't ask him to take residence in us, other things will take that empty space. We are challenged in 2 Corinthians 5:20 as ambassadors for Christ. We must ask ourselves: Are we serving others? Are our words becoming of an ambassador? Are we patient with difficult people? Do people see us as the church, living out what we hope for? Conclusion: Taking Spiritual Inventory Sometimes we just get a little too comfy here on earth, and we forget that we are just passing through. If we forget who and whose we are, we'll get lost. If we fail to resist Babylon, we will become like it. If we fail to represent God's kingdom, we won't be directing people to the hope we hold on to. There is a story of a man who got lost driving around. Refusing to ask for directions, he made his own custom turns and judgment calls. He approached a sign that said “Do Not Enter,” but because the road looked clear, he decided to go anyway. Things seemed fine until he came upon the back of a similar sign. It read: “Welcome back, stupid.” It was the back of the do not enter sign had ignored! He had the opportunity to change direction, but he didn't. Without Christ's directions, we too will find ourselves going around in circles. The Bible warns, "Be careful if you think you stand, lest you fall." Even as believers, we can drift off course and find ourselves tempted to live life in cahoots with Babylon. Take a spiritual inventory today and adjust your course. If you do not know where you stand in your faith, you can resist Babylon today, recognize you were made for the kingdom of God, and totally change the direction of your life. Being in exile means being different. What are you hoping for? Because what we hope for is what we live for. And hope promotes the defiant whimsy which says Christ has the final word of Love. And that is worth throwing some confetti for 🎉
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