Calvary Chapel

[followerofjesus]

I was just curious if anyone here attends or has every attended a Calvary Chapel? I know that each congregation is autonomous and each is different, but for the most part, are they biblically sound churches? I live near San Antonio, Texas; there are five of them here that I know of and before I attend one, I would like to get a little information about them. My current church seems to be getting more and more seeker sensitive all of the time, and it's really starting to weigh heavily on my heart...it may be time to move on and I was just curious about Calvary Chapel if anyone has any information.
Anything would be appreciated.

[mattfivefour]

Yes, they are biblically sound. If you have specific questions, you can ask my fellow mod and pastor here, OnceWasLost. He is the senior pastor of a Calvary Chapel in the Los Angeles area.

[readytogo]

I've been a member of a Calvary Chapel as well. They are biblically sound and generally have an interest in end-times prophecy.

[WKUHilltopper]

Probably pretty much like anything else these days--just have to judge that on the individual merits of a particular church. You can't even get consistent fried chicken at KFC or their franchises anymore. Churches seem to be in the same category...there's no guarantee in a "name brand" these days.

[Bobbi]

Wouldn't attend a Calvary Chaper church if you paid me, but that is because the worship services with the singing reminds me of a rock concert. Honestly didn't pay to much attention to the preaching because the worship service turned me off so much. Never went back after 1 or 2 times.

[mattfivefour]

Wow, Bobbi! What one was this?

@ Hilltopper— likely more at Calvary than elsewhere, at least in doctrine ... due to the strict requirements for an assembly to join and maintain membership in that fellowship.

[WKUHilltopper]

@ Hilltopper— likely more at Calvary than elsewhere, at least in doctrine ... due to the strict requirements for an assembly to join and maintain membership in that fellowship.

I'll keep that in mind. Actually I would consider bailing on the church I attend now. The SBC (not the Sun Belt Conference--LOL) is kinda honking me off.

They have a main website listing all the locations nationwide?

[followerofjesus]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Wouldn't attend a Calvary Chaper church if you paid me, but that is because the worship services with the singing reminds me of a rock concert. Honestly didn't pay to much attention to the preaching because the worship service turned me off so much. Never went back after 1 or 2 times.

Was a matter of it being too loud or the style itself? Or both? I don't mind CCM as long as it's praise and it isn't a "performance".

I'll keep that in mind. Actually I would consider bailing on the church I attend now. The SBC (not the Sun Belt Conference--LOL) is kinda honking me off.

They have a main website listing all the locations nationwide?

Church List

[WKUHilltopper]

Church List

Thank you.

Just one in Louisville? Wow

[FaithInChrist]

We go to a Calvary church, but it's Calvary Christian and is independant of the Calvary Chapels, it's not listed on the list above. Our praise and worship is usually current music, with occasional old hymns added in, but it's music that only praises God, not me, I, us, stuff, it's all about God, you can feel the Holy Spirit in the building and that is what we were looking for. To us if the Holy Spirit doesn't want to come to church it's not for us. Our pastor is 100% committed to Biblical teaching, there is no itching ears at church. In fact some have left because they did not like the message that living together is a sin, or that homosexual relationships are a sin. Our pastor tells it like it is and also our pastor believes we are in the last days. He doesn't preach on Bible prophecy, but in his regular sermons he will insert "proof" biblically and through examples that are going on in the world that the days of this age are coming to an end soon.

I recommend my home church to any that are in the N. Texas area. It's far North so it might be a bit far for some, but if you live close you might really want to try it out.

PM me if you want more info about the church, I would love to meet you there Sunday morning. Edit to add this - anybody that is interested can PM me, I didn't mean that just for followerofjesus. :)

[followerofjesus]

We go to a Calvary church, but it's Calvary Christian and is independant of the Calvary Chapels, it's not listed on the list above. Our praise and worship is usually current music, with occasional old hymns added in, but it's music that only praises God, not me, I, us, stuff, it's all about God, you can feel the Holy Spirit in the building and that is what we were looking for. To us if the Holy Spirit doesn't want to come to church it's not for us. Our pastor is 100% committed to Biblical teaching, there is no itching ears at church. In fact some have left because they did not like the message that living together is a sin, or that homosexual relationships are a sin. Our pastor tells it like it is and also our pastor believes we are in the last days. He doesn't preach on Bible prophecy, but in his regular sermons he will insert "proof" biblically and through examples that are going on in the world that the days of this age are coming to an end soon.

I recommend my home church to any that are in the N. Texas area. It's far North so it might be a bit far for some, but if you live close you might really want to try it out.

PM me if you want more info about the church, I would love to meet you there Sunday morning.

That does sound like a great church, thanks. DFW is quite a ways from me, but the next time I'm up there for the weekend, I'll let you know...I would love to check it out.
The pastor of the Calvary Chapel closest to me has a daily teaching program on one of the local radio stations here, and he sounds like someone I would really enjoy sitting under. I just need to figure out what God wants me to do about our current church. I can tell the road it's going down and it's one I really don't want to travel; it's just hard packing up and leaving a place where you have established ties and relationships. I would really appreciate everyone's prayers about this.

[FadingCrimson]

I attended Calvary Chapel Solid Rock in San Antonio, Texas for awhile. It was very Biblically sound, you can hear some of the sermons on their site to judge for yourself: CalvarySR.com. The worship services were simple and nothing out of the ordinary, but that might actually be a blessing. I had a good experience there in the beginning. I wanted to find fellowship and get more involved with the church, but I never really felt God's blessing - they didn't have a lot of youths I could relate with. I was also going through a terrible trial at the time and started missing some services, and I could tell the assistant pastor seemed to have some tension against me. I talked to the head pastor about my trial and even broke-down in tears because of it in front of him, and he seemed to be uncomfortable about the situation. At that time I needed to know Christ's love, but I just didn't find it there - I actually ended up scarred by it. You might have a better experience though.

I tried finding another church, and came across Mission Church, also in San Antonio. The teaching seemed great, but the congregation seemed a little iffy. The worship services were mostly rock though, and they allowed casual attire during service - even hats. The pastor however seemed a lot more caring and mature in his relationship with Christ, and I've heard good things about him. I don't know if God wants me to be involved in a church right now, especially because of the rise in apostasy and nearness of the Rapture. But, if you're interested, here's their website - they meet at the Palladium: MissionChurchUSA.org.

[followerofjesus]

I attended Calvary Chapel Solid Rock in San Antonio, Texas for awhile. It was very Biblically sound, you can hear some of the sermons on their site to judge for yourself: CalvarySR.com. The worship services were simple and nothing out of the ordinary, but that might actually be a blessing. I had a good experience there in the beginning. I wanted to find fellowship and get more involved with the church, but I never really felt God's blessing - they didn't have a lot of youths I could relate with. I was also going through a terrible trial at the time and started missing some services, and I could tell the assistant pastor seemed to have some tension against me. I talked to the head pastor about my trial and even broke-down in tears because of it in front of him, and he seemed to be uncomfortable about the situation. At that time I needed to know Christ's love, but I just didn't find it there - I actually ended up scarred by it. You might have a better experience though.

I tried finding another church, and came across Mission Church, also in San Antonio. The teaching seemed great, but the congregation seemed a little iffy. The worship services were mostly rock though, and they allowed casual attire during service - even hats. The pastor however seemed a lot more caring and mature in his relationship with Christ, and I've heard good things about him. I don't know if God wants me to be involved in a church right now, especially because of the rise in apostasy and nearness of the Rapture. But, if you're interested, here's their website - they meet at the Palladium: MissionChurchUSA.org.

Thank you for sharing that and I'll keep it in mind for sure. It really is hard trying to find a good church where you fit in; I know there's no perfect church and a lot of times it comes down to personal preference and what you are willing to compromise to join with a fellowship.
I don't think Mission would be a good fit for me because of the music and the casualness of things from what you have mentioned. It just drives me crazy when I see a guy in church wearing a baseball cap.

[Hannah]

Our local Calvary Chapel went downhill when they started to get into Word of Faith teaching & peddled a prosperity doctrine. Their members where encouraged to invest into supposed money making projects. Unfortunately they were run by a Conman and the Church is currently being sued by ex-members who lost thousands of dollars. The Conman became a member of the Church as they went into teaching prosperity doctrines (I think these conmen know they have easy pickings when Churches teach greed is good).

No Denomination is free of being corrupted today. Don't go for the denomination but what you hear from the pulpit. Ask good questions of the minister and elders and see what their Biblical stance is on various doctrines.

You have to be a good Berean and discern if the Church is good or not. We can't tell you if we haven't been there and listed to what they are teaching.

The Calvary Chapel near me is recovering from the Prosperity doctrine outfall. I have heard recently they have now started to clean up the Church and gone back to good old basics of the Gospel and Living a godly life for the Lord (no prosperity doctrine or strict tithting). I pray for their recovery. I know a few people who used to attend the Church and one or two still going there who have kept me in the loop.

Go into whatever church you want to attend with prayer, ask the Lord to help you discern if it is good or not.

Praying God will guide you in this matter, amen.

BTW this can happen to any Church that strays from good Biblical teaching. It just happened to my local Calvary Chapel.

[followerofjesus]

Thank you Hannah. That is so sad to hear happen to any fellowship, but that is exactly what happens when we stray from sound doctrine, take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on ourselves.

[eddie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did not Chuck Smith (founder of Calvery Chapel) state that he believed that Jesus would return in May of 1981 and when that did not happen moved the date to Dec 31, 1981?

[mattfivefour]

Yes, like many of us at the time, Chuck believed that if a generation were 40 years then since Israel became a nation again on May 14, 1948 then Jesus would return before that date in 1988. This meant the Rapture would have had to have been before that date seven years earlier, in other words in 1981. That's what we all thought. When that didn't happen, he figured by the end of that year. Of course, we all know we were wrong. Just shows why it is so important NOT to date set!

But the fact he did and we all did has nothing to do with anything else or the accuracy of the doctrine at the various Calvary Chapel churches..

[FaithInChrist]

Yes, like many of us at the time, Chuck believed that if a generation were 40 years then since Israel became a nation again on May 14, 1948 then Jesus would return before that date in 1988. This meant the Rapture would have had to have been before that date seven years earlier, in other words in 1981. That's what we all thought. When that didn't happen, he figured by the end of that year. Of course, we all know we were wrong. Just shows why it is so important NOT to date set!

But the fact he did and we all did has nothing to do with anything else or the accuracy of the doctrine at the various Calvary Chapel churches..

Sure glad he was wrong, I would have been left behind along with my family and many other wonderful brother's and sister's in Christ. God knows what He is doing, I pray to always have faith and trust in the Lord.