By A. Clay Worrell, Executive Director of CGN

Ten years ago, on October 3, 2013, Pastor Chuck Smith finished his earthly race and entered into glory with Jesus. Through the life of this ordinary man, our extraordinary God did a supernatural work of renewal that genuinely changed the world. This renewal started in a small church in Orange County called Calvary Chapel over five decades ago, the fruit of which continues today across six continents through thousands of churches that share the name and/or DNA of Calvary Chapel.

Anybody who has listened to Pastor Chuck’s teachings or read his books, and especially those who had the privilege of knowing him personally, know that the last thing Chuck would have ever wanted is for his life to be memorialized in a way that would bring glory to anyone other than Jesus Christ.

In fact, I distinctly remember a famous Chuck sermon where he said:

“And after I go, if I find that there’s some hall or gymnasium and it’s got the Chuck Smith Memorial plaque on it … If I’m still alive, I’ll dynamite it. But if I’m with the Lord, I’ll ask Him to send an earthquake. Keep centered around the person of Jesus; He’s the One that brings us life and a relationship with our God!”

With that exhortation in mind, and out of fear of an earthquake of judgement, our heart here at CalvaryChapel.com and Calvary Global Network—during this month that marks the ten year anniversary of Chuck’s passing—is to honor and remember Pastor Chuck in a way that brings glory to the God whom Chuck dedicated his life to serve.

This month on CalvaryChapel.com and across our social media feeds, you will see articles and videos from a variety of people whom God has touched and influenced through the life and ministry of Pastor Chuck Smith. Our prayer is that these personal stories, testimonies, and lessons learned will be an encouragement and a blessing to you, our readers, and that we would all be reminded that God is still at work in this world and he is not done with Calvary Chapel.

Thank you, Jesus, for Pastor Chuck.

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Revolution has taken Hollywood by storm. The Lionsgate production has broken box office records, becoming the company’s highest-grossing movie since 2019, at well above $30 million. The film is based on a true story, documenting how tens of thousands of counterculture young people (hippies) came to know and follow Jesus in the late 1960s and early 70s.

The narrative revolves around the lives of four main characters: Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney, Super 8, The Kissing Booth), Cathe Martin (Anna Grace Barlow, The Big Leap, Grey’s Anatomy), Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie, The Chosen), and Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer, Cheers, Frasier). Greg has seven stepdads and is a disillusioned 17-year-old living in a trailer with his alcoholic mother. Cathe is a young, pretty socialite type caught up in the hippie scene through the influence of her older sister. Lonnie is a charismatic hippie preacher, and Chuck is a middle-aged conservative pastor of a small church.

The Late 1960s and Early 2020s

The movie does a fantastic job of recreating Southern California culture as it was in the late 60s, with a beach concert featuring Janis Joplin and a pro-LSD sermon preached by none other than Timothy Leary. Naturally, the film has drawn in many Christians, as was expected. What was not expected? The number of non-religious people flocking to the theaters to see the movie. The reasons seem to be wide-ranging. The depiction of the times is authentic. The portrayals are non-judgmental, in that the characters are not condemned even though their lives are obviously a mess. And Jesus is seen as being outside of the “religious” context, gracious and welcoming, a friend of sinners, you might say. To be clear, no one plays Jesus in the film. But he is front and center, seen in the humility and love shown by Chuck Smith when he opens the doors of his church to welcome in the hippies and in the simplicity and sincerity of Lonnie Frisbee, the radical hippie preacher who “looks” like Jesus, at least how some people imagine him to look.

The movie might also resonate with so many because of the similarities to our current times. The late 1960s shares many parallels with the early 2020s. The social unrest, racism, riots, war, and drug epidemic destroying the lives of many young people seem very much like the messages we are seeing and hearing in our news feeds today.

In contrast, the film’s message is this—no matter how messed up, broken, empty, or hopeless your life may be, Jesus is the answer. Greg has given up hope of finding any real happiness or purpose. As a result, he decides to tune in, turn on, and drop out, like so many others. Just when things are spinning completely out of control, Lonnie Frisbee visits Greg’s high school campus and preaches a gospel message. Listening from a distance, not wanting to get too close to the Jesus freaks, Greg is intrigued. After wrestling with Jesus’ words, You’re either for me or against me, he gives in, surrendering himself to Christ. From this point forward, everything changes. Things are far from perfect (the movie keeps it real), but the big questions of life—Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?—have all been answered.

The Message of the Jesus Revolution Is for You

Maybe you have the same types of questions today. You feel that life is without purpose and without hope. This is understandable; after all, the world is in the same mess now as it was then. Why? What’s it all about? Is there any peace in the midst of this madness? Yes, believe it or not, there is! Jesus said, Come to me, and I will give you peace (see Matt. 11:28).

Like those in the film, in the mid-1970s, I, too, was a young, aimless, restless soul. I had tried everything the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll culture had to offer but still came up empty. I had even encountered a few Jesus freaks, and they were just a bit too freaky for me. Then one day, I randomly opened a Bible and read the following words of Jesus:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

These Scriptures struck a chord deep in my soul, and I accepted the invitation from Jesus to come. For me, just like many others, everything changed. My problems did not automatically go away, but the big questions, those that kept me up at night, were answered. The Jesus who saved untold thousands in the Jesus Revolution of the 1960s is still saving people today. He alone can give hope and bring real purpose to our lives. And he has a plan and purpose for your life. Receive him today, and watch and see what he will do.

In the wake of massive attacks targeting its energy grid, Ukraine is preparing for an extremely dark and difficult winter, potentially one without heat or electricity. In the darkness, the Church has an opportunity to shine brighter than ever before, and many are rising to the occasion with compassion, innovation, and a vision for bringing the hope of Jesus to those around them. Please watch this powerful video and pray for Ukraine and our brothers and sisters there.

For more information and to give financial support, visit our CGN Relief Fund: https://calvaryglobalnetwork.com/relief/

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on edtaylor.org

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 just 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. But those are points to elaborate on in other articles. Yet, while the pastor, Jeff Johnson, taught the Bible that evening, I was changed. I walked out born again! Since that Wednesday night in 1991, my life has been forever changed.

For the past 18 years, I’ve had the privilege to serve as pastor of a wonderful church in Aurora, Colorado. The people love our community and are 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 truly an 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 Chuck Smith, our pastor, taught us, and we will do well to walk 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, as well as so many other men, 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 us if we are 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 Corinthians 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 person at a time!

Having just finished 29 years on the pastoral staff at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and having 19 years of senior pastoral experience before coming here, I think I have some perspective about what is going on. My observations are based on what I actually see and hear, and not on rumor and gossip. This does not mean I am right.

I am hearing rumors about Brian Brodersen. Though they may be rumors, people are forming their opinions of Brian based on them. I hear these accusations.

Accusation:

Brian is depreciating Bible exposition.

What is happening:

Brian is now doing 50-60 minutes of Bible exposition on Sunday mornings (currently Galatians). I like that he sticks to teaching the text. He restructured the times of the morning services to allow for more time, so he could do this. Chuck spoke about 30 minutes in more of a textual message. Brian has moved the Thru-the-Bible to Wednesday nights, where he has started over in Genesis. He has changed the Sunday evening to a prayer and worship format. This is to make way for our new home fellowships, which will be discussing the Scriptures that Brian has been teaching. I don’t think lecture is the only form of communicating Bible truth.

Accusation:

Brian is depreciating eschatology.

What is happening:

Brian just concluded an extensive series (Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings Chuck-style) on the book of Revelation. When he was gone to Europe for several weeks, he had Don Stewart do a series on prophecy.

Accusation:

Brian is promoting women preachers.

What is happening:

I have heard that there was a church in England who had ordained one of our women missionaries, and that Brian was to be held accountable for that. This is a false rumor. She is not ordained or pastoring. Rather she has been given opportunities to share in churches and places that need the gospel and the love of Jesus. Brian is not promoting women ministers, but definitely is encouraging missionary work.

I remember when I had a woman who wanted to teach on missionary geography in our Tuesday school. Pastor Chuck’s response was “Sure. She can teach on anything.” I went back to him repeatedly on this subject, because I wanted to be sure we were on the same page. The courses were only six weeks, and he said that would be O.K. because the women were not functioning as pastor-teachers. So I had women teaching Bible and on the Christian life, because that is what I felt he wanted me to do. He always carefully scrutinized each teacher and what that teacher was teaching.

There may be others. I am just not aware of them.

From my viewpoint on site at CCCM, I see no substance to these charges. So my conclusion is that it must be an issue of power and control.

I have been saying for years that the demographic of the Calvary Chapel movement has been the Baby Boomer culture. The Baby Boomers are now past 50. The Calvary Chapels are greying. If we don’t adapt our style to minister to the new generation, while holding strongly to our values, we will die; and our values will not be perpetuated. Brian is to be commended because he has a vision for this. We have had controversy here at CCCM, because some of the older generation felt we should stick with their preferences. My feeling is that my generation should be mature enough to recognize that our responsibility is to pass our values on to the next generation.

We should be pursuing love and unity, and not the works of the flesh.

I’m relaxing in the courtyard at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa [CCCM] in the early morning anticipating another great day at the Senior Pastors Conference [SPC]. This courtyard is a familiar place as I first started spending time here over twenty-five years ago. As I write, there are only a handful of people here and it’s quiet, but in about an hour thousands from all over the world will gather. They will be encouraged, equipped, edified, and prepared to continue to advance God’s kingdom and the Calvary Chapel [CC] Movement.

In the last quarter century I’ve been blessed by amazing teaching from Pastor Chuck and many other gifted Bible teachers and leaders. I have been witness to the expansion of our movement around the globe. From this vantage point I’ve seen our tribe gather from the four corners of the globe to relate, remember and rejoice. And I’ve observed transition. Presumably the greatest transition that the CC Movement encountered was Pastor Chuck’s passing to eternity in October 2013.

Following Chuck’s passing when I came to CCCM in the summer of 2014 for the first SPC, there was a palpable uncertainty. There was a sense of anticipation but also trepidation. And the inescapable question, “What’s going to happen now that Chuck is gone?” There was an understandable yearning to honor the legacy of the charismatic leader of our movement and to secure some sense of closure. And there was also recognition that there was a need to turn the page and move forward to continue the work. For most of the many pastors I spoke with that year it was bittersweet. There was some sorrow that Chuck wasn’t there and would no longer be physically with us to provide the fatherly influence and wisdom that he had imparted from the inception of our movement. Nevertheless, the sweetness greatly outweighed the bitterness. There were several reasons why.

First, there was a collective recognition that our movement was ultimately dependent upon Jesus rather than Pastor Chuck. Chuck was a larger-than-life figure and a great leader, but after his passing we could see the Lord was on His throne and that the church and the CC Movement belonged to Him. Second, we understood that what makes our tribe “our tribe” is a common philosophy of ministry and systematic theology [our DNA]. Thus the passing of our leader did not pose a threat because the DNA had been, and would be, imparted successfully. Life-threatening mutations were not an undue cause for concern because the successful transmission of our DNA was likely to continue. Third, there was an appreciation of our generation integration. There were younger and older gathered together with love, respect and appreciation rather than fear, suspicion and resentment.

Now in 2015 I’m especially grateful and excited for our movement. We have a legacy of over fifty years as a movement. There are leaders who are able to mentor and impart invaluable wisdom to the generation(s) that followed them. I’m truly grateful that I can glean that collective wisdom from the leaders who have laid the foundations of our movement, and I suspect that it would be dangerous for our movement to neglect it.

In addition, I’m excited for our movement. The movement is old enough to be established, young enough to have access to the tribal elders, and fresh enough that the young braves of the tribe are encouraged to engage in the tribe’s business. Presently, I’m observing countless next-generation leaders who have been or are being raised up for the work of ministry. Since these new leaders have a solid foundation created by the leaders before them, this platform creates significant leverage. And finally this leverage creates a great sense of optimism that the best days are ahead for our movement. Thus I rejoice and am grateful for the glorious days of our past and present, but I’m especially excited for our future.

The job of a missionary is to take a universal message outside of your own culture and bring it into the culture of the people you are trying to minister to.