In 2009, Francis Chan released Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. The title alone reveals his concern: while the Western church deeply values Scripture, embraces God’s sovereignty and is committed to following Jesus, it often lacks practical experience with the Holy Spirit. One reason for this seems clear—Jesus said the Spirit “moves where it will” (John 3:8), making Him mysterious and unpredictable. And for those of us who prize doctrinal precision, mystery and unpredictability can be unsettling. Yet, Scripture has so much to say about the Holy Spirit and His ministry to the church. To ignore or diminish His work is to ignore Scripture itself. And many of these teachings? They’re undeniably strange.

This spring, we invite you to explore The Strange Things of God, a six-week sermon series diving into the charismatic gifts found in the Bible—tongues, prophecy, healing and deliverance. Each week, we’ll examine how these gifts operated in the early church and how we, as Coastline Covenant Church, can embrace them today.

The Strange Things of God Reading List
If you find yourself wanting to study and learn more about the Holy Spirit. If the topics within this series excite you and stir a hunger for more; or if they raise questions within your mind: Here is a suggested reading list to help you in your pursuit of the Holy Spirit.
1. Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, by Dallas Willard
2. Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in your Life, by Sam Storms
3. The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts: Explore Nine Extraordinary Spiritual Gifts, by Sam Storms
4. Paul, the Spirit and the People of God, by Gordon Fee
5. Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today, by Jack Deere
6. Surprised by the Voice of God: How God Speaks Today through Prophecies, Dreams and Visions, by Jack Deere