Over the years, Lancaster Baptist Church has helped support many church plants throughout California. It is thrilling to see what God has done through one of those churches, Coastline Baptist Church in Oceanside, California.
Stephen Chappell, pastor of Coastline Baptist Church, knew God was moving him to plant a church in California while finishing Bible college and working as a youth pastor. In June of 1998, Stephen Chappell, his wife, and their two young daughters packed their belongings and moved across the country to San Diego County. There were no people, no buildings, and no salary—just a heart of faith and the call of God.
Pastor Stephen Chappell found a location, picked a date, and began to knock on doors telling the community a new church was starting in Carlsbad. On July 26, 1998, Coastline Baptist Church kicked off their first Sunday service with fifty people in attendance. Pastor Chappell lead the music with the aid of a remote controlled CD player then preached a message entitled “Opportunity.”
For the first three years the church met in the Harding Community Center in Carlsbad, California. Every Sunday morning a team of volunteers hauled a trailer to the center and set up chairs, the sound system, nursery equipment, and more. The church office was located in Pastor Chappell’s garage, and the church phone rang directly to his home. Many of the early services concluded with a trip to the Pacific Ocean for a baptismal service. Bible studies were held in Pastor Chappell’s home, and the mid-week service was held in the Best Western Oceanside Inn.
God added to the church, and the church began to pray about moving into a new facility in 2000. God provided a permanent church home that year, but by late 2001 the church was feeling the pressure again to move into a larger facility. Pastor Chappell preached that year on “Higher Ground” and prayerfully considered purchasing a shopping center up the hill from their current location. Through a series of faith-building moments, Coastline was able to purchase the shopping center. After months of prayer and labor, Coastline celebrated the Grand Opening of their new auditorium and educational building.
Coastline Baptist Church continues to see spiritual and numeric growth with over 500 people coming through their doors every Sunday morning. Even with the addition of a second morning service, the church still needs additional room for their adult Bible classes and children’s classes. They have recently expanded their lobby, and they are currently planning to add a church kitchen and construct several more classrooms.
God has blessed the biblical focus of Coastline Baptist Church. They have labored to reach their community through door-knocking, community newsletters, and special events. They have also kept world missions as a priority, generously supporting over sixty missionaries and sending several teams for short-term missions trips. God is using the ministry of Pastor Stephen Chappell and the Coastline Baptist Church to reach the West Coast for Christ.
