Is Calvary Chapel Theologically Sound?

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by Roger Servin in Theology

I started attending Calvary Chapel back in December of 1999 as the result of a good friend inviting me to go and check it out.  I had just gotten out of the Marine Corps two months prior to this and so I was sort of looking for a good church to attend anyway.  So we went one Sunday and I was pleasantly surprised.  It was nothing like what I was used to coming from a Catholic background first and an Assembly of God church more recently.  I liked the time spent in worship, I enjoyed the atmosphere, and more importantly I liked that the pastor what actually teaching through the scriptures.  You see, in Catholicism this was non-existent, and in the AoG church I had attended prior to entering the military was a very small congregation with a pastor who thought it was sufficient to just speak forth many different verses from memory each week while everyone clapped and yelled out loud.  So to say the least, I thought Calvary Chapel was it and I was there to stay.

I was a baby Christian at that time, all I knew was that I had broken God’s commandments every day and that I needed to repent and believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.  I had a great love and appreciation for the Savior because of what He had done for me.  I had a desire to serve Him in any way that I could and tell others about Him.  I was hungry for His Word!

Week after week the pastor would teach the Word and have altar calls at the end of the service.  Back then, I would say that he would more often than not preach on sin, hell, righteousness, judgement, etc…  Every once in a while I would hear something a little different coming from the pulpit…  “if you’ve come to the end of yourself… your marriage is on the rocks, you’re on the brink of divorce, you take drugs, you’re an alcoholic and you need to break out of the addiction, you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired…  then just come to Jesus, and He’ll make it all better.” At that time I didn’t think too much of it, I even believed it to be biblical… and so I went with the flow of things.

Over the next couple of years I actually began to hear more and more of the message I just described and less and less of the biblical Gospel.  I now know that God was definitely speaking to me and opening my eyes to see what was going on during that time.  As this was happening week after week, (I heard gradually less about sin, hell judgment, Law) and as I was studying the scriptures on my own God began to show me that there was something wrong with what I was hearing.  I couldn’t really pinpoint what it was right away, but I just knew that something was off.  It just sounded a little too squishy to me…  as Todd Friel would say.  I continued to press on as a worship leader in various ministries even though I knew that something was wrong with what was coming from the pulpit.

It wasn’t until about 3 1/2 years ago, probably about March of 2006 when I started listening to then Way of the Master Radio hosted by Todd Friel.  (Now Wretched Radio)  One day, he was talking about the Reformers and Reformed Theology.  This was something that I had never heard before… I mean, I had heard of Calvinism but I didn’t know that it was also called Reformed Theology.  It struck interest in me so I endeavored to find out what it was.  And I endeavored… and researched… and studied the scriptures… and endeavored some more.  After wrestling with it for about 6 months, I was a Calvinist!

This led to more and more studying… going deeper into the scriptures, going to the greek and hebrew and studying the Word exegetically, using  proper hermeneutics.   I have studied ecclesiology, eschatology, dispensationalism, covenant theology, missiology… and I’m still going praise God!  Prior to learning about reformed theology I didn’t even know these words existed in the dictionary!  I didn’t know church history, I didn’t know anything about Martin Luther, or any of the reformers. (except C.H. Spurgeon, cause every good Calvaryite throws in a little Spurgeon every now and then!)

Since then, my eyes were fully opened to the pragmatic ways of Calvary Chapel. (”If we get them to get up and walk down the aisle during an altar call and repeat the sinners prayer after us, then they are saved.  Look at how many raised their hands tonight!  How many decisions were there?  Praise God they made a decision to follow Christ!” – paraphrased)   I want to say one thing: This does not pertain to every Calvary Chapel, I know full well that there are a few out there that are swimming against the flow!  They’re not all like this. But let me say this:  Just because someone raises their hand, or stands up, or walks the aisle and repeats a prayer after you doesn’t mean they are saved at all!  Especially if they heard the “weighed and found wanting”,  “squishy” interpretation of the Gospel that we hear so prevalent in the American church today.  You know what I’m talking about too… “God has a wonderful plan for you life…” or “Just give Jesus a chance and He’ll make everything better…”  or “Accept Him into your heart…” or “There’s a God-shaped hole in your heart that can only be filled by Jesus…” or “you’ve tried everything else and you find that there is nothing that can fulfill you so give Jesus a go, He will fulfill you…”

None of these are biblical. Go ahead, try and give me one text (in context, no proof-texting allowed) that resembles any of the examples I just gave…  You’re not going to find one if you’re being honest, rational and exegetical in your approach to scripture.

Check this out.  Dr. James White, founder of Alpha and Omega Ministries, just posted a blog featuring a youtube video with Chuck Smith and other Calvary Chapel leadership taking a call during the radio program “Pastors Perspective” the other day and I wanted to include it here to show you just how shallow their approach to interpreting the text can be.  So I’m going to embed the video and then include the audio of James White discussing what he heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKXYeUqH8QE

Now, here’s James White’s podcast “Dividing Line” where he also plays the video and then shares his thoughts on what he heard. (What you want to hear is about 12 minutes into the podcast)
James White’s original post can be found here.

My friend Michael Brewer who blogs over at Diary of a Broken Vessel wrote a post about his experiences at Calvary Chapel a couple of weeks ago that I thought pretty much hit the nail on the head as to some of the problems we find within the Calvary Chapel movement or brand as he calls it.  I wanted to add his thoughts here within this post since I agree with most if not all that he had to say…

Original post here. Or just read below…

I have a tendency to be very critical and sharp when it comes to discussing Chuck Smith, the Calvary Chapel “brand“, the church of my youth, and those leading (or involved with) them.

Chuck Smith’s system,beliefs, theology, or whatever you want to call it is questionable at best. The Word is mishandled and conformed into his image and heavily backed by verses that support only the Calvary Chapel position.Controversial subjects that can be quite uncomfortable are handled in a way to find themiddle road so that everyone is kept happy and peaceful -though ignorant- so as not to lose numbers (Calvary Chapel Distinctives, pp.56-57).

Some people object because they feel that I gloss over certain passages of Scripture, and they’re correct. But glossing over controversial issues is often deliberate because there are usually two sides. And I have found that it’s important not to be divisive and not to allow people to become polarized on issues, because the moment they are polarized, there’s division.

~Calvary Chapel Distinctives, Chuck Smith, pp. 55

Chuck Smith also holds to an authoritarian form of church government known as the Moses Model.

Let’s look at an example of theocracy in which God was ruling. Under God there was a man called Moses. Moses went to God for guidance and direction. Moses was the earthly leader who was recognized as receiving from God the guidance, direction, laws, and rules for the nation. It was recognized by the people that he was their link to God…

…In the church today we see this structure in a modified form. We see that Jesus Christ is the Head over the body of the church. It’s His church. He’s the One in charge. As pastors, we need to be like Moses, in touch with Jesus and receiving His direction and guidance. As pastors we need to be leading the church in such a way that the people know that the Lord is in control…Also like Moses, within the church we have a Board of Elders who are there to pray with us and support us in seeking the Lord’s leading for the church.

Let me warn you. First of all, you want to get elders who are men of prayer, and who recognize that God has anointed you and ordained you as the pastor of the church…

…It’s necessary to have godly men who recognize that God has called and ordained you as the pastor of the church. Men who will work with you and support those things that God is directing you, as the pastor, to implement within the church…

~Calvary Chapel Distinctives, Chuck Smith, pp. 21-23

In short, the pastor is a type of Moses, he has the greatest access to God, hears God the clearest, and surrounds himself with those who approve of him and support his moves (cult of personality). This has lead to all sorts of abuse within many Calvary Chapel churches (not limited to the senior pastor alone!).

Critics say this “Moses model” produces pastors who refuse to let their authority be challenged. Such pastors often resist accountability measures such as financial audits and providing detailed financial statements. Some curious Calvary Chapel attendees, who have sought financial information from their churches, say they were ostracized.

Other churchgoers say Calvary Chapel pastors also don’t like to be questioned. During the investigation for this article, Smith cautioned CT’s reporter: “The Lord warns, ‘Don’t touch my anointed. Do my prophet no harm.’ I think that you are trying to do harm to the work of God. I surely wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”

-Day of Reckoning, Rob Moll, Christianity Today

Chuck Smith’s “Distinctives” are to be accepted by all affiliate churches via their “fellowshipping” process according to the Calvary Chapel Outreach Fellowship website.

Can I become a Calvary Chapel if I don’t necessarily agree with the Calvary Distinctives and have Biblical proof for my position?

No, because we want the use of the name Calvary Chapel (copyrighted) to imply the doctrinal positions expressed in the “Distinctives”. This is not to say other positions are wrong, they are simply other positions than those held by Calvary Chapel. It is no different in the secular world and referred to as “branding”. When a name comes into widespread recognition that describes what one can expect, it needs to be maintained as such.

~CCOF FAQ

So it really comes as no surprise that there are so many people who have experienced similar abuses (and treatment when that abuse is challenged or brought to light) across the board. I have talked to many current and former Calvary Chapel goers who have shared similar stories of abuse of authority, ostracism when they questioned prominent members/leaders within their Calvary Chapel, and how they are called out as being unfaithful to forgive when they have sought to have their problems addressed (the victim being told that they are at fault).

Personal Stories

The church of my youth also followed closely in the way of Chuck Smith, which as discussed above, makes perfect sense. I experienced certain abuses, and when I brought them to light I was turned away to deal with it myself, or was told to just forgive. And I completely agree that we should forgive those who have wronged us, but when the wrongs are being committed habitually and blatantly, you have done as Scripture demands, and you are still brushed off, there then comes a point when the church needs to step up.

We didn’t do that. In not just my case alone, in several instances I witnessed practiced sin ignored for the sake of maintaining peace among the saints. This turned those of us who made claims of wrong doing into dividers and enemies of peace. Without accountability or real church membership, the matter was simple: if you don’t like it, there’s the door.

Now I have written about some of the wrongs I’ve seen and experienced before. I used to own a blog titled The Mess You Left Behind where I -in a rather sinful manner (and for which I later repented)- spewed forth vile rhetoric in response to the wrongs committed against me. And I have since forgiven those who have wronged me, but still I am critical.

Calvary Critical

I am critical of Chuck Smith because he does what is right in his own eyes. He holds his own views superior even though their may be Biblical support against them. The Moses Model (really?). Heencourages scoffing at ideas contrary to his own (and also demonstrates a lack of knowledge of what happened at the cross, and proper exegesis of Scripture -see link-).

I am critical of the Calvary Chapel Brand because of the abuse I have experienced, witnessed, heard, and read about. I am critical because of the treatment of God’s Word. How God’s Word is made into a play thing that we manipulate to fit our own reasoning and conscience. How peace and love are to be sought after in all things, at all cost.

And I am critical of the church of my youth for a number of reason similar to the things discussed above. But chiefest of all things I have regarding them is this: a family was utterly destroyed before them. They were warned before, they were talked to during, and they were asked begged to help after, but in silence they stood for the sake of peace, ignoring sin, and that family is utterly undone. And I have not spoken to my father since then.

Because of all of this, I will always be critical of Chuck Smith, the Calvary Chapel Brand, and the church of my youth. But…

All Things Are Not Equal

But please understand that NOT ALL CALVARY CHAPELS ARE THE SAME! There are some that break what seems to be the general mold. There are those Calvary Chapels that submit first to the Word of God, understand what the Church is supposed to look like, practice what they preach, practice church discipline, and seek the Will of God first and foremost.

So…

So if it ever seems that I am being critical of Chuck ‘n’ Pals or of the Calvary Chapel Brand or even the church of my youth this is my official reason as to why you can expect these things from me. I pray that they are not the overarching theme of my life or my writings. And I write this for anyone who has ever been hurt like I have, or for those who have ever wondered why I am so critical of the things I have spoken of here today.

– Michael Brewer

And here’s a brother who is a Bible College director within the movement who has questions…

Me again.  Now, like I said before there are Calvary Chapels out there that are in opposition to what Pastor Chuck has laid out in the distinctives.  As he continues to grow older there is no doubt in my mind that there will be many more that will “come out” so to speak.  Here is an good example of a church that has different views. (albeit biblical)

My earnest prayer to God is that He will bring about change within the CC movement.  That He will raise up pastors and elders that will be biblically honest, properly exegeting the scriptures and not suppressing the truth of His Word in order to keep people in the pews.  God’s Word is divisive by nature… and if you’re interpreting it and preaching it rightly that’s exactly what it will do.  But at the end of the day, you will know that you have true Christians there who care about being true to the text of scripture whether it is palatable or not.

As for me and my family, we will be moving on.

– Feel free to leave comments, they are welcome.  Even if you’re feeling a bit snarky…

Tags: altar calls, brian broderson, calvary chapel, Catholic background, chuck smith, distinctives, doctrine, eisegesis, exegesis, Jesus Christ, Marine Corps, pulpit, scripture twisting, scriptures