Coastal Community Church's Lead Pastor Transition

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Coastal’s Lead Pastor and his wife, Hank and Donna Brooks, are retiring after 45 years in ministry and 25 years at Coastal. And just as God gave our church the promise of Philippians 1:6 at its founding, it is still relevant for us today:

“I am confident of this, that He who began this good work in you will complete it until the Day of Christ Jesus!”   Philippians 1:6

Our mission remains “to make more and better followers of Christ, and Christ-following churches.” As we trust Jesus to guide and direct us as a church family, we anticipate God’s goodness and provision will unfold before us in the days, weeks and months ahead.


Our New Lead Pastor


IT'S OFFICIAL! 

Image.jpgWe've officially voted to affirm Jake Scott as Coastal's next Lead Pastor!!

What a time of worship and celebration we had, thanking the Lord for His leadership throughout this process, and welcoming Jake and Kristin into our church family!!

Thank you for your prayers during these past few months... AND thank you to the Elders for their countless hours of prayerful searching for just the person to lead us.

Find more information about Jake and his family here.

Stay tuned for more details about the timeline for Jake's ministry to begin here at Coastal!

Frequently Asked Questions

Jake will join the church staff on January 1, 2025, as Lead Pastor. Hank’s title will then shift to Founding Pastor. Hank will continue to work alongside Jake and the rest of Coastal’s staff until June 2025, at which time he and Donna will take a hiatus from Coastal. During the overlap period prior to Hank’s departure, Jake and Hank will spend significant time together during the onboarding process. A major focus of Hank’s energies will be helping Jake gain a firm foundation of relationship and culture, setting the church up for a very fruitful future. 

Hank and Donna are looking forward to retirement. They are excited for a time of rest, the opportunity for extended family time and travel. In the future, they look forward to being a support to fellow pastors (especially church planters) and their families. 

Virginia Beach has been the Brooks’ home for over 30 years and they have no intentions to change that. They look forward to being active members at Coastal after taking an extended hiatus beginning in June, 2025. This hiatus will give Jake space to continue forging a warm relationship with the congregation and for the congregation to deepen their connection with him. After that period, you will see Hank and Donna worshipping at Coastal. They want to be cheerleaders for Jake and for Coastal’s season ahead.

You are always welcome to write to him at pastorhank@vbcoastal.com. There will be multiple opportunities to say goodbye before June 2025. A team will be planning a series of celebrations to honor Hank and Donna for their contributions to our church.

After June 2025, Hank’s pastoral role with our congregation must necessarily change. Jake may call upon him at special moments, but we, as a congregation can and need to rely on the wonderful gifts of our ongoing pastors for counsel, references, support with weddings, funerals, and the like. If you haven’t yet shared your story with a pastor other than Hank, this is a great season to build such a relationship with someone on our staff.

PRAY faithfully. Pray for Hank and Donna during this transitional time. Pray for Jake as he takes on this new role and carries on the mission of Coastal. Pray that our congregation remains unified and “on mission.”

GIVE generously. Your stewardship is essential to providing for our ongoing work and gives us a stable platform for a successful transition. Please continue supporting Coastal with your time, talents, and treasures.

LEAN forward hopefully. No matter how wise, talented and faithful Jake is, successions are challenging. Please be a positive advocate and influencer in this one.

“I am convinced that He who began this good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

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