Book Description
What makes Calvary Chapel Distinctive?

It's always good to have a grasp of the distinctive work that God has done in our fellowship. If Calvary Chapel is exactly like the church across the street it would be better to simply merge the two. But, if there are qualities that make us different, then we have a unique and special place in the plan of God. Certainly there are churches that share many of our beliefs and practices. But God has done a wonderful work of balance in the Calvary Chapel movement that does make us different.

Some churches believe in the gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit, but don't have a strong emphasis on Biblical teaching. Others place strong emphasis on teaching the Word of God, but don't believe the gifts of the Spirit are available and valid today.

In Calvary Chapel we value the teaching of the Word, and possess an open heart to the work of the Holy Spirit. This balance makes Calvary Chapel a distinct and uniquely blessed movement of God. And so, it's important to understand the Biblical principles that explain why God has allowed us to exist and grow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Very good summary of Calvary Chapel theology
Some bullet points:

*After reading this book, I have to say... his spirit I like and I have real respect for someone who teaches right through the Bible (eight times!).
*A lot of his distinctives aren't exactly unique distinctives. That's to be expected. No one would want an entirely distinct denomination--it wouldn't be Christian.

Holy Spirit
*Regarding the Holy Spirit's indwelling, empowering, and baptizing, he places a lot of stock in the difference between Greek prepositions para, epi, and en.
*States categorically that believers need to have a second experience with the Spirit, whatever they might call it.

*He says Calvary Chapel is episcopal because it has an overseer with elders under him.

*Dismisses the church growth movement: says programs and hype create a self-perpetuating need for more of the same whereas simple Bible preaching is solid food and the best way to grow a church.
*He firmly defends his decision to restore fallen ministry leaders. He spends so much time on it that it seems like he's taken a lot of flack for it. But he couches much of it as if he's speaking only of restoring fallen people, not putting fallen pastors back in their authority positions. He admits he's been burned on this but would rather err on the side of grace.

Calvinism
*A quotation from page 55: "It's easy to fall into legalism. We need to beware of this temptation. Beware of taking a hard stand. I have found, for the most part, that when a person gets heavy into 'Reformation Theology,' they usually get heavy into legalism. They want to make sure the 'T's' are crossed and the 'I's' are dotted just right. 'Reformation Theology' has some good points, but so does a porcupine. When you embrace it too forcefully, then you're going to get the points." He says right after this that the Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.

*He's on his eighth preaching tour through the Bible.
*He opposes tongues speaking in church on mostly practical grounds: it's not convenient, because not everyone can hear the interpretation. He encourages the private use of tongues, however.

Eschatology
*"I believe it is God's intention that every church age be convinced that they are the last generation." 75 "Paul believed that he would probably be alive and remain until the coming of the Lord." 76 Smith is pre-mil, pre-trib.
*He takes what can be called the "historical" view of the seven churches (they were seven actual, historical churches) but thinks they also represent periods of church history--and (!) types of churches in existence today.
*Lot is a type of the church (following 2 Peter's mention of him), evidence that God will not allow the church to go through the Tribulation.
*"He that now letteth" is the Holy Spirit. 93

Overzealous and Poorly Researched
Chuck Smith was one of the first to make bold proclamations against the traditional church model by crusading for Calvary Chapel churches and Maranatha music in the early 70s. Now, about 30 years later, he decides to reveal his beliefs in his book Calvary Chapel Distinctives.

Chuck starts his book off with a bang! He says in Chapter one, in the first paragraph, "We believe that church history, for the most part, has been a sad a tragic story of failure." Hmm? I thought that Calvary Chapel believed in the canon of Scripture and some of the reformation doctrines? How can one believe that the church that established the very canon of Scripture was a faulty and tragic church yet still hold to that canon? In the next page Chuck says, "So you can't look at church history and find the model for the church..." The rest of his book is based on this supposed fact and Chuck's call to rescue the church through his new doctrine and philosophy of ministry.

The second chapter speaks about church government, but in a very straw man fashion. He says that the church of Acts is the model but he completely throws out the Presbyterian model by stating that Presbyterians are looking for a "hireling," and that "the pastor can be fired by these people" Well, he is nearly slandering here because I know for a fact that it takes much more than a search committee to fire a Presbyterian pastor. Chuck then says, "woe to the man who pastors a congregational church...[the pastor] is hired by the congregation rather than ordained by the Lord." And he says, "everyone should be a deacon." He then goes on to say that the church should be modeled after Moses and is more of a "theocracy." Wow! This is dangerous to believe.

Chuck, whom is clearly not educated on the subjects addressed, fills the whole book with inflammatory comments.On page 53 he says, "when a person gets heavy into `Reformation Theology,' they usually get heavy into legalism." He is in serious error here! Legalism can be found anywhere but history has shown that the Reformed camp, if anything, has moved more towards liberalism: the complete opposite of "legalism."

Chuck commits a whole chapter on "The Rapture of the Church," (of course) and goes as far as saying, " I believe that God wanted every church age to believe that it was the last." Why would God will that people believe in something that is not true? I'm sure this is coercion for people not to accuse him of being a false prophet for his statements about the Lord coming back in the 80s (true story).

One last comment from Calvary Chapel Distinctives: "The minute you set your position one way or the other [referring to doctrine], you've lost half of your congregation. Why would you want to lose half your congregation?" Chuck also condemns seminaries and degrees by making them out to be an ungodly pursuit of worldliness.

Chuck's frustrations do come from an awareness of serious problems within the Protestant church. Many of us are grieved by the ungodly pursuits for intellectualism and "high-culture-only leaders," within the ministry. And yes, many have become dogmatic in non-essential doctrines, which in turn have caused division. But Chuck is simply not studied enough to conquer these problems. And he is also dogmatic in non-essentials himself. Just look at his chapter on the rapture. Or, simply look at the whole book, an entire dogmatic assertion in itself, based on false assumptions for the exaltation of Calvary Chapel.

Yes, again, the traditional church has issues, but this is not the way to deal with them: on a straw man, and slanderous way with no reference at all to the traditional bad guys.

I'm sure Chuck Smith is a polite and sincere fellow with much passion, but this book with his entire rebuke is in dire need of admonishment and correction.

Some of what Calvary believes
Fine book but doesn't accurately portray the depth of Chuck Smith's ultra fundamentalist preoccupation and focus on the end times.Additionally, if you are confused by the "From the gutter-most to the utter-most" review it is because it is not about this book - it is about Harvest, co-authored by Chuck Smith and Tal Brooke.Come on, reviewers, at least read the book!

An Excellent Model
The first time I was exposed to Calvary Chapel was back in 1977. I was invited to what is now called Harvest Christian Fellowship and the teaching ministry of Greg Laurie.

Coming from a 'fundamentalist, independent, Baptist' church, you could probably imagine my 'shock and horror' to see the guys and gals greeting each other with hugs of affection, progressive worship music, relaxed dress code, people laughing and carrying on, having a good time, etc. - buncha hippies :-)!

But then Greg, with his long hair and all (cue the spoof song 'Hairology' from 'The Fundamentalist Hour'), opened the Word and taught it simply yet powerfully.

My confusion only escalated during the 'Harvest Crusades' where hundreds of people would go forward proclaiming Christ as Lord and Savior - how could God 'bless' all these hippies and their unbiblical doctrines and practices (at least the way I saw scripture)? Drove me nuts!

Fastforward to 2002 - for the last 2.5 yrs, I've been attending a Calvary Chapel. It is exactly what my wife and I needed - she cried after the first sermon - she was introduced to a Jesus she always wanted to meet. More than anything, my personal philosophy of ministry was confirmed by the precious folks at Calvary Chapel.

Pastor Smith has written and synopsized Calvary Chapel's distinctives in a clear and forthright manner, leaving no doubt as to where Calvary Chapel stands on numerous issues. It becomes a framework for all future CC pastors.

Pastor Smith has through the years cultivated a unique relationship with his 'sons in the Lord' to love the Lord and teach the Word very effectively. You may or may not agree with all that Calvary Chapel holds to in this book, but to employ the principles in this book for 'doing church' will go along way in getting your church off on the right foot.

I heartily recommend this book to folks from all doctrinal persuasions as an excellent guide on where and how Calvary Chapel stands and worships Jesus.

It's the Insider's Scoop
This book presents the view points of church management of one of the most successful churches in the states today.It touches some controversial aspects like Calvinism vs. Aminianism, Pentecost view vs. Baptist view of the Holy Spirit, etc., and shows the balanced ground that Calvary Chapel is taking on these issues.It also illustrates by examples the point that, throughout the church history, many movements were born of the spirit but attempted to be perfected in flesh and ended up dying.It contains a lot of godly counsel and scriptural quotes, yet without an attempt to convince people for argument's sake.Finally, this book is another exmaple of pastor Chuck Smith's casual and personal communication style. ... Read more

Product Description
"...lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5A Calvary Chapel PerspectiveCalvinism and Arminianism...since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century, Christian churches and leaders have disagreed over such issues as depravity, God's sovereignty, human responsibility, election, predestination, and eternal security-as well as the nature and the extent of the atonement of Jesus Christ.In the midst of this tumultuous debate, it is easy to ignore the plain statements of the Bible, and to believe we have the ability to fully understand God's ways. How tragic it is when we become more concerned with being "right" than being loving.Our desire at Calvary Chapel is to bring believers together in the love and unity of the Holy Spirit, focusing on out awesome God rather than on ourselves. ... Read more

Product Description
Redeemed and Restored is a collection of twelve spiritual autobiographies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Redeemed and Restored by Calvary Pastors' Wives
When great women of faith were asked, "What influenced you the most?" Their answer is always first their devotional life, then second, books, especially biographies made a profound impact on their spiritual development. That is what this book is about. It contains 12 radical and amazing testimonies; biographies of ordinary women who have been transformed by God's extraordinary power.

Reading these stories will demonstrate to you that God loves to use ordinary women (just like you!); women who went from helplessness to hope, fear to freedom. And the last chapter is reserved for you to write your own story of how God has Redeemed and Restored you! ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains devotionals for each day of the year so that you will have the opportunity to study along with a variety of pastors within the Calvary Chapel family. ... Read more

Product Description
Line Upon Line: I encourage you to teach the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Watch the growth. The most exciting thing in the world is to watch people grow from being nourished and strengthened and fed the whole counsel of God s Truth.Join Pastor Chuck and Brian Nixon as they share upon resources that expound upon God s Word and Truth. ... Read more

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Includes Give thanks to the Lord/How I love You Lord/Sing Hosanna/Teach me your ways/Forever/You Reighn Forever/As Long As I live/Celebrate/Elohim/Praise ... Read more

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Chuck Smith's famous "Calvary Distinctives" in a readable Spanish Language version. ... Read more

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Lessons From the Foundation, Calvary Chapel Pastors & Leaders Conference 2004, Tucson, AZStudies of Acts 1-7 ... Read more

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*Complete audio of Old & New Testaments in MP3 (Set of 8 Cd's). ... Read more

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New Believer...Old Believer...What Do You Believe?A fourteen-week Bible study written to help ground you in your faith as a Christian, to stir up the gifts given you by the Holy Spirit, and to deepen your own personal relationship with our Father who has called you by name...What is true repentance and faith?Sin, Salvation and Forgiveness-am I saved?Is the Bible really the Word of God and without error?How can the Bible help me to live after God's own heart?What is the Trinity?How do I pray?Can I really put Christ first?What dose it mean to live a Spirit-filled life?Join us as we sit at the feet of our Master to seek and find the answers to these and many other questions through the in-depth study of God's unchanging Word."As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."Colossians 2:6-7 ... Read more

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Written as a primer for Christian schools, Sunday schools, and church-sponsored education groups, The Master Teacher discusses the Biblical base for developing a philosophy of education. Focusing on the foundation, framework, and fruit of a Christ-based model, The Master Teacher discusses such topics as:The Biblical philosophy of education.Jesus as student.Jesus as teacher.Heart, soul, and mind frameworks.Paideia (the training of a child)The fruit of educational endeavors.The role of the Holy Spirit in education.The attributes of God in relation to education.The Master Teacher is a wonderful introduction for teachers, administrators, and pastors interested in the primary role of developing a Christ-based philosophy of education. ... Read more

Product Description
What Bible Should I Buy?Which Translation Of The Bible Is The Best?Find the answers to these questions and much more in Choosing The Right Bible. This booklet includes a quick overview of the Bible's development as well as practical insights on how to choose the best Bible suited to your personal growth and study needs.Deciding on a proper Bible can be a great adventure or a frustrating endeavor. Through the help found in this booklet you will be able to make an informed decision about choosing the right Bible for you. ... Read more

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Begin Charting Your Own Extraordinary Journey.In Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God, you will visit ancient locales and meet dynamic charcters that have the potential to powerfully impact your life.An Extraordinary Journey provides a convenient place to interact with those characters. With reflection questions to guide you, plenty of space to write, and inspirational quotes from the book, this companion journal will become a treasured keepsake and reference guide to the paths you have walked with women just like like you-both Bible characters and modern day Marthas and Marys. Recording your responses as the Holy Spirit Exhorts, encourages, and convicts will be like charting a course for your own extraordinary journey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Extraordinary Journey: Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life
This is a companion journal for the book Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God: Practical Insights from Women of the Bible.

When you read the Bible and especially focus on the women of the Bible you will discover much that can be applied to your life. Opening the Word of God and meditating on what it says gives the Lord a chance to speak to your heart. This journal gives you a place to write down what God says! Each section is devoted to the one woman discussed in the companion book Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God. And with each section comes life application questions that will cause you to dig deep into the things of God giving the Lord further opportunity to minister to you.

This experience will launch you out on your own extraordinary journey. Are you ready? ... Read more