Calvary Chapel Churches

Calvary Chapel is representative of the newer independent churches characterized by lively, young congregations and free worship. Almost a quarter century has elapsed since the first "Jesus People" began to populate the pews at Calvary Chapel to hear pastor Chuck Smith. Raised in a variety of religious backgrounds and emerging from lifestyles that involved everything from LSD to Eastern religions and free love, these new believers expressed their faith in ways that were consistent with their culture rather than the language of the church. Through Calvary Chapel they found love, life, and learning in the things of Christ. Over the past two and a half decades, the numbers of those touched by this church have grown as has the number of Calvary Chapels that have now been planted across the United States. Worship at Calvary Chapel has not changed significantly during this time. The emphasis is still on intimacy in worship, contemporary praise, and straight to-the-point Bible teaching. T…