Calvary Chapel buying up whole TOWN

[ks__author (ks__author)]

I live in a very small rural farming town in Kansas. Population around a hundred or so. When the town decided to not have a grade school anymore it was put up for sale. The grade school was old, not really suitable for children anymore. And they were bused to the larger town nine miles from here for school. Two people bought that grade school and they are with calvary chapel.
Being raised spiritual although not in any real church I HAD never heard of CC and commented on it to my husband. He hadn't either, not even had other friends or family. The pastor here began buying up old houses and fixing them up. While the town saw it as a good thing. Someone was making the small town look better. The old grade school was turned into a 'bible college' we were told. And the houses he had bought were going to be 'dorms'. Now by this time I was thinking something was odd...
Then the people came. People with the CC who lived in these houses. Some looking scary...and I mean scary. My sister-in-law instructed her children to not be around any of them, out of fear! Some seemed to stay in town for only a short time, doing odd jobs on the houses the pastor had fixed up and then not seen again. I began to wonder what exactly was going on. I probably would of not been so scared until I met the girl.
Apparently the church had moved a girl into one of the 'dorms' and she seemed nice enough. She was walking around town one day and saw my friend and I on the front porch visiting. She stopped by, begging us for a 'smoke'. Saying the pastor didn't let her watch t.v., smoke or drink. She had to have lights out by ten PM. I began to worry a bit about the girl, asking her why she was here. She told me she was from Hawaii although she had moved to New York and the pastor got her moved here. KANSAS I asked...I mean who in the heck wants to live in KANSAS...not only Kansas...but rural, small farming Kansas? She told me her mother was a good friend of the pastor and he was helping her get to Hawaii. She seemed scared, afraid to tell us much information. Her eyes darting around the yard for the pastor, telling us to warn her if he came by. She didn't appear to be on drugs, as a healthcare worker I have seen people on drugs. This girl seemed just plain scared. She looked to be about my age also, in her early to middle twenties. She talked to my friend one more day after that stopping by for another 'smoke' on her daily walk around the small town, then soon disappeared. After telling my friend she would stop by when she could to say hello, it was nice to see a friendly face she had said. I never seen that girl again, and my friend had said while the girl was visiting with her the pastor had rolled up slowly in a blue van, asking her to help him at the college. She got into the van with him and was gone. I know that sounds odd, but this is like such a small town not running into people is impossible. I never got the girls name, and now I wish I would have.
By then I was scared. Something was not right.
I got on the internet and it seems this pastor was a former Catholic, his wife was from Southern Cali and they got into the whole Calvary Chapel there.( Former landlords apparently.) He had been a pastor for churches in Lawrence and Emporia. Now he was here in this small town...and I had no idea why. They had plans of making the 'bible' college good and even have satellite classes with Chuck Smith...the founder of this 'group' I soon found out.
I finally went to visit with them out of curiosity, against many friends and family begging me not too and they called themselves a 'group'. Telling me quickly that they were not a religion. Saying that Mormons were cults...and Catholics had everything wrong. They invited me to a bible study and I accepted. Although I missed it. Worried that maybe I should find out more information before I try to see what is up.
THIS IS A SERIOUS POST!
IS THIS A CULT!?
What is going on in my small town???
Or am I being stupid???
Should I just forget the whole thing or maybe look into more information? I don’t have much knowledge about religion, but something seems so funny here. Please help, any answers would be greatly appreciated.

[nina_s (nina_s)]

Dear ks,

It's good to be wary with so many cults and weirdos out there, but Calvary Chapel is NOT A CULT OR WEIRD. I used to attend big Calvary (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) where Chuck Smith is the pastor. I can assure you he is a man of God who teaches the Bible and is "right on."

Calvary seems like a denomination because there are Calvaries worldwide, but they aren't a denomination because big Calvary has no authority over them---unlike the denominational structure.

As with any church you will find that each Calvary takes on the flavor/character of its leadership. The little Calvary here in the Gorge (I am in the Northwest), has a wonderful pastor for teaching the Bible, but unfortunately he and his family are too controlling (pastor's family does everything) and women are limited in what they can do (can't be worship leaders). When I consulted an associate big Calvary pastor by phone, he said that that was not big Calvary's way at all! He said that because they're not a denomination, I needed to pray about it---and either leave or work with the pastor. I left.

Get to know the pastor and attend a Bible study. Let me know what you think! I have been a Christian for 36 years, saved in a Presbyterian church at a camp, attended Campus Crusade for Christ, Billy Graham crusades, and a number of mainstream churches here in the Gorge.

Incidently, because of the way things are at that Calvary here in the Gorge, people have come and gone without that church growing.

Just a thought, but maybe Calvary was looking for cheaper land in a nice quiet town in which to start a Midwest Bible school.

Be sure to check out the main Calvary Chapel site and read Chuck Smith's biography---it's very interesting. Another former Calvary pastor who didn't want to become a denomination is Greg Laurie, who changed Calvary Riverside's name to Harvest. He has hosted crusades (a la Billy Graham) and also has a wonderful testimony.

I am glad you have your wits about you! I will warn you to be careful of the following pastors/teachers/speakers who are NOT affiliated with Calvary in any way---but who are "off":
Mike Bickle (Friends of the Bridegroom), Rodney Howard-Browne, Toronto Airport Vineyard, Cesar Castellanos and his Government of 12 (G12), Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Joyce Meyers, John & Lisa Bevere, Oral & Richard Roberts and any of the Word of Faith teachers & the ones who are heavy on "you must submit to your authority!" God is our only authority, and we submit only to Him.

Perhaps some will disagree with my list, but I believe in testing everything by the Word of God. Jesus loves you and wants our love back, and for us to love one another.

Should you wish to e-mail me privately:
sharonm@gorge.net

Please, no one else e-mail me there, as I prefer to respond on this forum for all others, thanks.

God bless you!

Nina (Nina's my pen name http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/happy.gif )

[osyanez (osyanez)]

I used to attend 5 different Calvary Chapel churches over the last 3 years (including Chuck Smith's location), mostly due to relocating and moving around. If I were you (either nina or ks), I would stay away. Deception is rampant in the CC system. I am not a part of this group, but you can get great information on CC and their teachings at www.atruechurch.info/smith1.html (http://www.atruechurch.info/smith1.html), www.atruechurch.info/laurie.html (http://www.atruechurch.info/laurie.html), and www.atruechurch.info/raulries.html (http://www.atruechurch.info/raulries.html).

Please do not take this warning lightly. CC gives a false assurance of salvation to many people. It took me years to find out I was duped.

[nina_s (nina_s)]

Dear ks,

The website atruechurch listed by osyanez is a church of about 40 people who believe THEY are the only true church. They list Chuck Smith, Billy Graham and other right on pastors in the same list as false teachers!

I would be wary of their site, as something doesn't feel right/ring true in everything there, even parts seem to be right on.

ks, please just pray and commit it to the Lord---you are wise to be wary of any new group, but Calvary Chapel IS in agreement with the Scriptures. If you like, you can call big Calvary and ask some questions. I'm not sure if this area code is still correct, as they have added some new ones to Orange County, California, but the phone was (714) 979-4422. I can call from here in Washington State and ask questions for you if you like.

We are, afterall, seekers of the Truth---seeking Jesus together!

God bless, and Merry Christmas!

Nina

[osyanez (osyanez)]

nina_s,

Where on their web site does it say they believe THEY are the ONLY true church? It doesn't. It says they don't know if they're the only true believers. Chuck Smith and Billy Graham aren't "right on" pastors. Have you read a true church's reports on them? At least they have biblical references as to why men like Chuck Smith and Billy Graham are false teachers. Look at the Scriptures and tell me I'm wrong.

Calvary Chapel is not, as you say, in agreement with the Scriptures. Do you believe a Christian can commit suicide and still go to heaven? We find no evidence for that in the Bible, but Calvary says so. Do you believe God will not send anybody to hell? The Bible says He does and will, Calvary says he does not and will not. What about free will? Do you believe that only we can choose to accept or reject Christ? God says it's not of him who wills, but of God who shows mercy. Calvary says we do this on our own free will.

Granted, not all Calvary Chapels have the same teachings as each other and, as my wife says, agreeing with Chuck Smith is not a requirement to bear the name of Calvary Chapel. If other Calvary Chapels aren't in agreement with their head church (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) then why call themselves Calvary Chapel? More importantly, shouldn't they be in agreement with Scripture to call themselves Christians?

Many people see what a true church says about Calvary Chapel and well known preachers and ministries and are quick to call atc false, heretical, etc. when they haven't even read the articles on the web site themselves. I was one of them. What made me change my mind? I read the Bible and learned the truth for myself. True, atc pointed out a lot of the deceit of Calvary Chapel, but that's beside the point.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I attended various Calvary Chapel churches. The churches and teachers whose services I regularly attended or listened to on the radio include Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (Jon Courson, Chuck Smith, Carlos Ayoub), Harvest Christian Fellowship (Steve Wilburn, Greg Laurie), Calvary Chapel Jurupa Valley (Jim D'Alessandro), Calvary Chapel Chino Valley (David Rosales), Calvary Chapel Community Church in Victorville (Paul Smith), and Calvary Chapel Phelan (Larry Anderson). They each have their faults, some worse than others. I learned a lot from them, but much of it was deceit.

[nina_s (nina_s)]

osyanez,

I will only touch on one of your points, as I've got to dash out, since I have just gotten in from an out of town trip.

I believe that a Christian who commits suicide will go to Heaven. The Bible states that we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and that He will never leave us or forsake us.

My mother who had suffered a stroke and was suffering from Parkinson's, tried to commit suicide---she didn't remember the attempt. She died of complications a week and a half later.

Do I believe she's with Jesus? YES!!!

The only unforgiveable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit i.e. continued rejection of Jesus as Lord---and dying in an unsaved state, rejecting the True and Living Savior.

Regarding free will and God's grace: It is by His grace that we are saved. He knows the past, present and future---He knows whether we will choose to accept or reject His Son. He does not force us like little robots to follow Him, but instead gives us a free will to choose Him on our own.

John 3:16-20 or 21 states that God desires ALL to come to Him, but that man often choose darkness because his ways are that way. (Sorry for the awful paraphrase!)

It is BY LOVING others that people see Jesus' love---by His kindness and compassion.

I will write more later.

In His Peace,

Nina

[osyanez (osyanez)]

My God reveal His truth to you and save you from your lost state.

[joel517wheel (joel517wheel)]

My name is Joel Wheelersburg, I am attending Calvary Chapel Bible College. I can assure you Calvary Chapel is not a Cult. Calvary Chapel believes that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all. Calvary Chapel teaches the word of God Book by Book and Verse by verse, that doesn't sound too weird to me! I would encourage yo to ask a friend to go with you to one of their services and check it out for yourself. Calvary Chapel has realy helped to give me a deeper understanding of Gods word.
So, please don't worry.
God bless,
joel wheelersburg

[alphaomega (alphaomega)]

Chuck Smiths books and teachings are indeed scary and frightening. They are a good example of how well one can know the bible in his head but not have a clue what key doctrines are in the bible regarding even salvation. I was just reading one of his books online and he was refuting the "word of faith" movement I geuss because of his encounter with Benny Hinn and TBN. He sees this error which is fine and good, but over all these years of preaching from the pulpit he obviously doesn't have a clue about the nature of the "election of grace" and the "gospel of grace". I have heard a few of his sermons on election and predestination, and he is way off base and needs serious correction, yet he puts himself in the position of a teacher.

I hope for his own sake he is like Apollos who just needs to instructed in the deeper things of God, but comon this guy has been preaching his "free will arminian" gospel for a long time now, so how is he any different than say Benny Hinn and Paul Crouch who have the same foundation of Arminianism???

He is a blind man leading the blind. I pray the Lord would open Chuck Smiths eyes and he repent of this false pelagian arminian gospel he is spreading.

[chozen (chozen)]

I go to a calvary chapel,, and even if I did go to another church, I would still be seeking the same thing, and the only thing I am seeking there is what is TRUE, not what pastor chuck says , but what the scripture says, and from calvary chapels I have been too and still attending, your reading from the bible,, nothing more or nothing less,, and everything I have heard has been from scripture,

Remember God is God, and man is man,, If you don't like what you hear, then get in the scripture and read it yourself. Pastor Chuck I am sure would tell you to think for yourself also.. and don't trust him, but trust God, and stop looking up what other people say, and seek God yourself. I have no doubt.

[theophilus (theophilus)]

Pastor Church is a wonderful man of God and a great preacher and Bible teacher. I have listened to him since the mid 1970s. I even attended a Calvary Chapel for 7 years. This does not mean that I agree with everything... in fact I converted to the Catholic Faith a few years ago after leaving the local Calvary where I live. But that does not mean that I have ill-will for them. Their theology is mainline Evangelical... with a slight emphasis on the Charismatic gifts of the Spirit. My guess is that this small town group is being set up for dealing with troubled youth and young adults. The best way to help people change the nagative direction of their lives is to separate them from that which got them in trouble ... take it from a County Jial preacher.

~ Theophilus

[inkorrekt (inkorrekt)]

Everyone is paranoid about a man who really cares about people. I had been to every church and I felt like talking to stone walls. When I wrote to Chuck Smith, he responded quickly and he was the only one who identified my problems and helped me. Yes, we have few churches that help people struggling with drug addiction. They are housed in remote areas with supervision and when they come out, they have no desire for drugs. Is this a Cult? Who on earth will accept this? This i snothing but paranoia. Chuck Smith is a true man of God who cares about people.To All of you who criticize him, please be very careful. The prophet Isaiah says that Curse will be upon those who call good evil and evil Good.
Remember, Oneday you will all stand before God along with Chuck. What will you say to God on the day of judgement?

[abbyj (abbyj)]

Calvary Chapel is not a cult. I have been going on and off for 20 years. I was saved 20 years ago and got free from addiction due to the Lord and people from this church reaching out to me.

People have said that the teaching is too strict. It is not. I have experienced backsliding when I left the church for some time because I felt that it was too hard to live as the Bible taught.

I came back when my son got involved with drugs and needed Christ. I can't tell you how thankful i am now that I am opart of CC. I know that the teaching that I receive is from the Bible.

Yes, I do disagree with my pastors sometimes. And that is acceptable. It is not something that anyone makes me feel bad for.

For a church to be a cult there must be doctrinal error that is of an important nature relted to salvation and the person of christ.

Somebody's experience not making friends or feeling singled out does not justify calling a church a cult. Sometimes these problems are a result of people having trouble fitting in themselves.

Joining a ministry is the best way to find a nitch in any church.

The post about drug addiction and recovery:
My son went to U-Turn 4 Christ (in mexico). This is associated with Pastor Chuck Smith. This is how my 16 year old got clean and never went back to drugs or alcohol. That is a miracle as most teens relapse several times. This does not make it a cult. Lots of recovery programs teach that the person needs to be removed from the environment to think about living differently... With teens, their peer group is influential in whether or not they can get clean. without getting away from that, it is difficult to remain sober. He came back after 2 months. About as long as a backpacking trip for some.

I am a social worker and know this to be true.

Anyway, there are many good churches out there-not just CC. When checking out a church each church is different. CC can be similiar in many ways and doctrinally sound. Yet the culture of each church is different.

[mikey]

wow !!!! if chuck smith is a false teacher,,,,,,the united states never had a GODly teacher !!!! chuck is about as good a teacher as we have seen in the last 30-40 years !!!!! cult ???? scared ???? stop !!!! i am a longtime calvary attendee from being a longtime roman catholic. the situation in kansas might very well be this. calvary has certain "ministries" or programs for people who are in dire straits,,,,,drugs,booze,adultry,law breakers etc....in south carolina as an example from my own calvary boynto beach florida,,,,they have an outreach to these very people. they have like in kansas a "campus" full of work. people are sent there to work and ofcourse "seek ye the kingdom of GOD first",,,,in order to rid themselves of oppressive situations,,,,,a deliverance work. the people who volunteer are sent out,,,,and the overseeing pastor places some strictness to the outside secular world,,,,but rather infuses them with GODly teaching. they have bible devotions,and teachings multiple times a day. they have no luxuries and little else but the bibles they study as they seek GOD. they are fed spirituallty and physically. in return they are prayerfully given over to GOd to "release" them from their issues. if i were in kansas i would be giving money to support this outreach. i would even offer to help in some sort,,,teach a bible class,sew into a few lost souls etc. this is biblical teaching,,,,speak the word to the lost and undesirables. this is a great work going on. i exhort you all to pray for these people who are laboring for GOd's work..... i would like to find out more myself to maybe fly in and contribute myself !!!!! maybe even take in a nice deer bowhunt as well !!!!! trust in the LORD with all your heart and HE will make your paths straight. no man is perfect,,,,but calvary has stood for sound doctinal teaching straight from the bible verse by verse in an expository fashion. calling that a cult or tainted in itself is tainted or cultic. JESUS never called HIMSELF to a denomination,,,,man did ,,,not GOD. calvary is not a denomination,,,,its GOD's word verse by verse.....may GOD continue to bless it and prosper it in JESUS' name !!!!!