Much has been written, said, and posted about the Calvary Chapel Movement since the passing of Pastor Chuck Smith in 2013. He pastored Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa for almost 50 years. He is very missed, deeply. You might be wondering if it’s ok to visit or attend any local Calvary Chapel church. It IS ok! You should. God is still moving among many Calvary Chapel churches in wonderful dynamic ways.
As you’re reading you may be asking “who are you that you would comment on the status of a movement?” It’s a good question to ask. I’ve not been invited or appointed to hold a position of leadership within Calvary Chapel, nationally or in my region. I’m not a key or a core leader. I’m not even a first generation Calvary Chapel pastor.
I’m a guy who walked into a Calvary Chapel in Downey, California some 27 years ago. I was a punk and a wreck. My life was just about over, literally. Those are points to elaborate on in other articles. Yet as my pastor Jeff Johnson taught the Bible that evening I walked out born again! Forever my life was changed since that Wednesday night in 1991. For the past 18 years I’ve had the privilege to serve as pastor of a wonderful church in Aurora, Colorado that loves our community and is committed to sacrificially serving in the name of Jesus. We’ve been affiliated with the Calvary Chapel family of churches since 2000. That’s a honor.
I’m a Calvary Chapel pastor. I count it a dear privilege to serve alongside so many for the cause of Christ. I’m grateful to be part of this large growing family of churches. I don’t use that word “family” lightly. Like any family we don’t have everything perfectly in place, but it’s love that binds us together. That’s what our pastor, Chuck Smith taught us and we will do well walking in God’s Agape love toward one another and toward a lost and dying world.
So what about the Calvary Chapel movement?
Jesus is still on the move, drawing men and women to himself. Men are still in fellowship. Churches still share core distinctives and principles. Yes, we know things changed when Pastor Chuck Smith went to heaven. That’s to be expected. But many things didn’t change. Whatever is of God will continue on. Whatever is not of God will cease. Calvary Chapel has always been a family of diverse churches, sharing core principles and distinctives, loosely bound together with cords of love. This family of churches is not a monolithic movement. There is no one example to follow. Instead the beauty of this family of churches is found in stark diversity and differences being molded together in love! This amazing freedom of ministry has allowed me and so many others to pastor. Imagine that!
So what about the Calvary Chapel movement?
As long as Jesus is the main focus, He will continue to move within Calvary Chapel churches. When, in all of recorded history, has Jesus stopped moving among the lost? Never! When has Jesus ever abandoned His Church? Never! So as men and women follow Him, they will be in the middle of His mission and movement. How exciting! If Jesus is replaced with anything or anyone, enjoying His ministry will be replaced with human activity. The lampstand will be removed. The anointing of God will cease and before it’s even realized, the Spirit will depart. God will not bless biting and devouring one another. Ever. He doesn’t bless those who sow seeds of discord. He doesn’t bless gossip. He doesn’t bless pride. We’ve seen this happen with other movements of God, unfortunately. May God protect Calvary Chapel from this sin.
So what about the Calvary Chapel movement?
As long as we serve remembering the ministry belongs to God, His move among us will continue.
Zechariah 4:6 So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.
As long as we serve in love, loving one another, helping one another, serving one another, His move among us will continue.
1 Cor 13:4-8 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
As long as we serve inspired by the Spirit and not in our own strength, His move among us will continue.
2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel (strive – KJV) but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
As long as we serve remaining flexible and open to His Spirit, His move among us will continue.
Proverbs 3.5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
As long as we serve trusting Him for every need, His move among us will continue.
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
As long as we serve in the example of the selflessness of Jesus, His move among us will continue.
John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
As long as we feed the flock of God systematically teaching through the entire Bible, His move among us will continue.
Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,”
As long as prayer is the backbone of His Church, His move among us will continue.
Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
As long as we take good care of His flock, His move among us will continue.
1 Peter 5:2-4 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
As long as we worship Jesus passionately in Spirit and in truth, His move among us will continue.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
As long as we remain unconditionally submissive and tenaciously loyal to Jesus, His move among us will continue.
John 21:22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.
As long as we keep the main things, the main things, His move among us will continue.
Luke 10:42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
As long as we walk in the Spirit and not in our flesh, His move among us will continue.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
As long as we talk about Jesus more than we talk about men, His move among us will continue.
Mark 6:12-13 So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
As long as we walk in humility, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation, His move among us will continue.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
So what about the Calvary Chapel Movement?
Jesus is still on the move all over the earth right now. He’s still using Calvary Chapels around the world to serve the poor, feed the hungry, house the homeless, preach the gospel, love the unlovely, disciple the saved, and teach the Bible verse by verse. If you’re looking for a church, visiting a local Calvary Chapel is a good idea.
If you’re a leader in God’s church, refuse to destroy another brother. Refuse to talk bad about another brother. Refuse to hurt the cause of Jesus Christ. Refuse to get caught up in the drama of any perceived difficulties.
I love pastors. I love pastors on all sides within the whole Body of Christ. I love the Church. I love to serve Him. I love to be used of God. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, only more awaits us as He builds His Kingdom by saving one by one!
thank you pastor
Encouraged and blessed to have you as our Pastor!
Thank you Pastor Ed. Your blog post is most helpful. This is a great word and reminder for us Calvary pastors to be encouraged by! I am stirred to walk in humility and faith more and more – and to renounce any sinful gossip about our family of churches. May this blog post travel far and wide for His glory. – Jeff
Thank you pastor, love from Africa.
Precious stuff! Thank you.
Much appreciation for your love of His church and bringing the big picture.
Thanks pastor Ed . Even though we are making longer in Colorado we still love and miss you all .
God Bless You Pastor Ed. Thank you for your continued posts and vision above and beyond the static. We appreciate you and the article and mainly the Holy Spirit for giving you the the Scriptures relatable to us all.
Thanks, Ed, for these great reminders.
Thank you Pastor Ed for faithfully teaching the truth, and for serving as an example of the Good Shepherd. It’s a privilege to follow you and Marie as you follow Christ.
Thank you brother – your words are gracious and they all point us back to Jesus.
Pastor Ed,
You are so spot on, the LORD is good, and all his ways are perfect, he chooses to have us, fragile, fallible, humanity join him as he brings HIS Kingdom to Earth, and HIS will be done, what was accomplished in the past years through Pastor Chuck, and his “mighty men of Valor”, who were a bunch of rag tag hippies, surfers, dropouts, druggies, gang bangers, academic egg heads, etc., was done by the SPIRIT Of the Living GOD, it was awesome and fantastic, but what he is about to do in HIS CHURCH now is something new, we are just barley able to perceive it, and if it were told, few would believe it was possible, yet it is coming. And I rejoice in it, we have not taken the whole land the LORD has promised to us, And Like Joshua and Calev, we are just beginning to enter the kingdom he has called us to… MARANATHA!
Thanks Ed! Those are such great thoughts! I appreciate you.
Right-on Pastor Ed, much love.
I stay out of church politics, national politics, and even politics in my workplace as much as possible. We have to stay where God puts us, or go where He sends us, despite our personal feelings. Jonah knows a thing or two about this. I don’t take pride in being part of the Calvary Chapel movement. I honestly don’t care. What I do care about is being in a church that calls sin, “Sin”, and teaches that Jesus is God, and is the only pathway to righteousness. Anyways, I don’t know much about the Calvary Church movement. I just know I am where God has put me, and despite my preconceived notions about the worship, the teaching style, etc., etc., I find myself growing spiritually, living in contentment with where God has me, and living a life of peace. Pastor Ed, I know this has been a concern, it gets mentioned by you in church, and in social media. We pray for you. It takes a special heart to herd sheep. I have no idea why certain breeds of dogs are so good at it. I’m rambling. Meili and I pray for you, like we pray for all our leaders.
Thank you, Pastor Ed, and God bless you. You’ve been a “pastor’s pastor” for me ever since we moved to Denver in 2004 to plant Calvary Denver Downtown. You’ve never asked about church politics, nor “legal” affiliation. You’ve never looked down on us because we’ve remained a small fellowship, but have been consistently loving and encouraging me, including me whenever the fellowship of pastors is invited to come together. You always default on the side of love whenever some conflict rumbles in the family that is Calvary Chapel, and you model that very correct position with grace and with vigor.
While our flesh seeks to battle over nonessential differences, bringing embarassment to the Lord’s church, you always choose to point us to the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Thank you.
great summary. good word. amen.
That’s what cynics do….snicker at the sincerity of soft-hearted saints. A hardened heart sees all thru a dark haze. Sad!
Pastor Ed, thank you for another lesson In Him. God has a way of spreading His grace over the back slider. This morning, for me, it was the CC movement message, encouraging a way back to Him. We are truly blessed as the Spirit stomps the flesh, time and time again.
We need to remember that it is not a movement we remain faithful to but the Lord Jesus and Him alone. I am one who came back to the Lord and got grounded in Word at CCCM. I continue to find Biblical teaching and rich fellowship at Calvary Chapel but know things can change. Jesus is not impressed with our concerts but for sincere hearts who love and serve Him as we care for one another. One day those who truly love Jesus may be assembling in a park or a living room.
Pastor Ed turns our heads & hearts back to Jesus and our commission. Thank you!
Continuing to pray for less of sword bearing Peters to more of walking on water Peters! (Especially in my own heart!)