Any Calvary Chapel converts out there??

[Corki]

Just wanted to say a few words about Calvary Chapel. I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago because I felt the Lord telling me to learn his word. I grew up in the Catholic Church and never once did we ever take a bible with us. I learned more about scripture in a few months at calvary than i ever did at the catholic church. We study the books of the bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse. We usually don’t spend a lot of time on a particular subject only as the bible presents itself. Like the end times. Our Pastors make themselves available to speak to them if you want to talk about a certain subject. At the catholic church we never heard about salvation only about the works that one does. Which is sad. I urge any Catholic to read their bibles and commentaries to better understand the context of the bible.

I am sorry to hear of your experience. You must have belonged to a very poor parish. We don’t have to bring our own Bibles to my parish (though many people do) since we have missals with the Scripture readings already organized according to what the priest will teach about week-by-week. Of course nearly everyone has a Bible at home and we use them in all of our religious education classes. In fact the Bishop is giving out free Bibles this month just in case someone doesn’t have one. But every year, I ask my CCE kids who needs a Bible and I have only given out three in all those years (and those were for families that needed one in a second language).

I also wonder what language you were attending Mass in and why you couldn’t find a Mass in a language you could understand. At my parish and everyone I have ever attended including those in several countries, salvation is taught in the very prayers at the heart of the Mass. It is impossible to attend a Catholic Mass and not hear about salvation.

I absolutely agree with you about the value of studying the bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse. That’s why the better Catolic Bible studies use that approach. But it is also good to look at how a topic has been covered in the Scripture over time and accross books. Our Bible study group has done some studies that use that approach too. I also agree that a good commentary is essential. The best I have seen/used is the Haydock commentary. We have several to reference but keep going back to that one. Since you seem to enjoy commentary, you would probably like that one too.

 

[ppasa316]

I would normally have let this thread die (it is so old) but felt this remark and your previous post merited a comment.

KnightRider is sad because his friends left Jesus who can be found in the Eucharist. At Calvary Chapel, all you have is a Bible. Not very filling.

As for not having the Bible at Mass, did you listen? Really listen? I ask because there is so much Scripture read and said during one Mass than you will find in a Calvary Chapel service. And Catholics can read the Bible on their own or with a Bible study in their parish.

I question the validity of you hearing Jesus telling you to leave Him in the Eucharist to follow a man in a man made church. Now, I am not saying that you don’t find some fulfillment in that community. But it isn’t truly Jesus centered. Calvary Chapel focuses heavily on Chuck Smith’s interpretation of the Bible and pushes that forth so it is heavily Chuck Smith centered. Read the library here on the homepage. Read books by Catholic authors then tell me that you have Jesus fully outside the Catholic Church in Calvary Chapel.

The Catholic Church understands and teaches that we are saved by grace through faith poured out in loving works. We do works not because they save us but because we love God and want to do His will. When you love someone, do you just say I love you and leave it at that? Or do you do things for that person to show your love? That’s why we do works out of love not out of some false idea that works save us. And we will be judged by our works, as Jesus says in the parable of the sheep and goats.

My friend Jesus can be found everywhere Jer 23:23-24. As far as the Eucharist it is only symbolic Lev 17:10-11. As far as scripture I like what the Bereans did after Paul. The bible says they searched the scriptures they not only listened. Act 17:10-11. Unless things have changed I disagree about more scripture being read in Mass than at a Calvary. I truly believe it was the Holy Spirit leading me to a bible based church. As far as Calvary Chapel focuses heavily on Chuck Smith’s interpretation of the Bible and pushes that forth so it is heavily Chuck Smith centered. That is totally false. The bible is the word of God not Chuck Smith. Why would i switch back and read books that have misinterpretations of scripture. I do agree with you that we will be judged my works after we have received salvation through Christ.
Keep in touch
God Bless

 

[ppasa316]

In a couple of minutes…I’m taking my bible to bible study…knowing in the next building over is the Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Jesus Christ!

Who says Catholics don’t take their Bibles???

How many times do you take your bible into your services.

 

[Craig_Kennedy]

I thought that this was a great statement. I entirely agree with the sentiments of it.

Salvation is ENTIRELY BY GOD’S GRACE ALONE based on CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS. I agree that denominations have nothing to do with a person’s salvation and I thought the explanation in regard to 1 Timothy 2:5 in this post was very well made.

Yes, indeed, there is only ONE MEDIATOR between God and man - the man, Christ Jesus.

This was a great post!

Cheers, In Christ Craig

 

[ppasa316]

I thought that this was a great statement. I entirely agree with the sentiments of it.

Salvation is ENTIRELY BY GOD’S GRACE ALONE based on CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS. I agree that denominations have nothing to do with a person’s salvation and I thought the explanation in regard to 1 Timothy 2:5 in this post was very well made.

Yes, indeed, there is only ONE MEDIATOR between God and man - the man, Christ Jesus.

This was a great post!

Cheers, In Christ Craig

I totally agree. what i said was when i went to a catholic church i was never taught about salvation. As far as Calvary Chapels believing one is saved through baptism this is the first time i have heard that one. The Calvary that i attend believes what the bible says. You must asked Christ into you life to be born again. Check the Statement of Faith at Calvary Houston.

 

[Pacbox]

My friend Jesus can be found everywhere Jer 23:23-24.

Jesus is in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. Now we can all pray to Him and indeed Jesus is not confined to a box or a book but what you are saying is something pagans say which is that Nature=Jesus.

As far as the Eucharist it is only symbolic Lev 17:10-11.

From the NIV: " 10 " 'Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."

I don’t understand how this relates to the Eucharist being symbolic. Now Jesus said:

47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53Jesus said to them, “I** tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.** 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

John 6, particularly the verses I just bolded, highlight that the Eucharist is in fact the flesh and blood of Christ and not a symbol. People left Jesus because they found it a hard saying that they would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood. If Jesus had meant it symbolically, he would have called back those who left and explained it as such. He didn’t. He meant what He said and that was that people must eat His Flesh and Drink His Blood to have life within them.

As far as scripture I like what the Bereans did after Paul. The bible says they searched the scriptures they not only listened. Act 17:10-11.

What Scriptures did they search to prove that Paul and Silas were telling the truth about Jesus? The Old Testament because the New Testament had not been written yet.

Unless things have changed I disagree about more scripture being read in Mass than at a Calvary

Then apparently you weren’t paying attention in Mass at all. I highly suspect you were never Catholic in the first place.

I truly believe it was the Holy Spirit leading me to a bible based church.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead someone away from the truth into error. That’s not the Holy Spirit. That’s Satan.

As far as Calvary Chapel focuses heavily on Chuck Smith’s interpretation of the Bible and pushes that forth so it is heavily Chuck Smith centered. That is totally false. The bible is the word of God not Chuck Smith.

Then my friend, you have been mislead. Calvary Chapel is totally Chuck Smith centric. The pastors in the Calvary organization look to Chuck for EVERYTHING, especially HIS interpretation of the Bible. You can’t be a Calvary Chapel pastor or member without believing 100% their distinctives. The organization, the pastors, its members do nothing without Chuck’s say so. It’s his interpretation or the highway.

Why would i switch back and read books that have misinterpretations of scripture.

What misinterpretations of Scripture? Oh, you mean the ones that don’t fit your narrow view and actually teach the Truth.

I do agree with you that we will be judged my works after we have received salvation through Christ.

Calvary Chapel doesn’t believe in doing good works, except converting people to their false Gospel. Otherwise that’s works salvation, which oh, those Catholics preach.

 

[Pacbox]

I totally agree. what i said was when i went to a catholic church i was never taught about salvation. As far as Calvary Chapels believing one is saved through baptism this is the first time i have heard that one. The Calvary that i attend believes what the bible says. You must asked Christ into you life to be born again. Check the Statement of Faith at Calvary Houston.

Calvary Chapel believes Baptism is Symbolic, not that you are saved through it. They believe you just have to ask Jesus into your heart and then you are saved. That’s it.

The Catholic Church on the other hand, says that one must be baptized to be saved.

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”

 

[ppasa316]

Calvary Chapel believes Baptism is Symbolic, not that you are saved through it. They believe you just have to ask Jesus into your heart and then you are saved. That’s it.

The Catholic Church on the other hand, says that one must be baptized to be saved.

Throughout the bible it is faith and faith alone that is commanded as a condition for receiving God’s gift of Salvation. The Philippian jailer asked What must i do to be saved Pauls answer Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Acts 16:30-31. John 3:16, John 3:36. The theif on the cross was saved by faith alone unless he got off the cross got baptized and got back on. Luke 23:43 This is by scripture not by the saying of any church.

 

[ppasa316]

Jesus is in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. Now we can all pray to Him and indeed Jesus is not confined to a box or a book but what you are saying is something pagans say which is that Nature=Jesus.

From the NIV: " 10 " 'Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."

I don’t understand how this relates to the Eucharist being symbolic. Now Jesus said:

47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53Jesus said to them, “I** tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.** 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

John 6, particularly the verses I just bolded, highlight that the Eucharist is in fact the flesh and blood of Christ and not a symbol. People left Jesus because they found it a hard saying that they would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood. If Jesus had meant it symbolically, he would have called back those who left and explained it as such. He didn’t. He meant what He said and that was that people must eat His Flesh and Drink His Blood to have life within them.

What Scriptures did they search to prove that Paul and Silas were telling the truth about Jesus? The Old Testament because the New Testament had not been written yet.

Then apparently you weren’t paying attention in Mass at all. I highly suspect you were never Catholic in the first place.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead someone away from the truth into error. That’s not the Holy Spirit. That’s Satan.

Then my friend, you have been mislead. Calvary Chapel is totally Chuck Smith centric. The pastors in the Calvary organization look to Chuck for EVERYTHING, especially HIS interpretation of the Bible. You can’t be a Calvary Chapel pastor or member without believing 100% their distinctives. The organization, the pastors, its members do nothing without Chuck’s say so. It’s his interpretation or the highway.

What misinterpretations of Scripture? Oh, you mean the ones that don’t fit your narrow view and actually teach the Truth.

Calvary Chapel doesn’t believe in doing good works, except converting people to their false Gospel. Otherwise that’s works salvation, which oh, those Catholics preach.

You must rememer that Jesus spoke many time in a symbolic way. I am the gate Jn10:9 the vine Jn15:1. Please readJn 6:63 It is the spirit that gives life the flesh profits nothing. if the disciples had taken what you say as being true do you think they might have thought Jesus was talking about cannibalism.
Of course the Old testament and as far as listening I was raised in the catholic church up until I was 33 yrs old. That is untill the Lord led me to a bible based church. I still disagree with you on the basis of chuck smith. To be honest I dont even listen to him. I listen to the teaching of my Pastor who backs everything he says by scripture. I also listen to Raul Ries and David Rosales Calvary Pastors. You can find them on the internet. The misinterpetations are not my view. I go by the word of God backed by scripture.
God Bless My Friend
Keep in touch

 

[billguy]

Just wanted to say a few words about Calvary Chapel. I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago because I felt the Lord telling me to learn his word. I grew up in the Catholic Church and never once did we ever take a bible with us. I learned more about scripture in a few months at calvary than i ever did at the catholic church.

This is a constant theme in former Catholics’ beefs about the RCC. Which is worse, though?..to be taught lies while learning about one version of Bible interpretation(Calvary), or to feel as if you have not been presented with a sufficient amount of Bible exposure(RCC). The first presentation, which includes lies, is the Calvary Chapel version; the second is the RCC.

It is our responsibility to listen to God’s Word, and His Word is being broadcast at the RCC even if you haven’t tuned in. You think you aren’t being taught the Bible in the RC Church? First, it is being taught; the scriptures are read every Mass, and the entire Bible is eventually covered. Catholic Bible study is comprehensive, however, so it requires more time than many would want to endure at a Mass. That’s why the Bible studies at parishes are separate from the Mass. Catholic Bible study, however ambiguous due to it’s thoroughness, is comprehensive and consistent between all Catholic churches; you’d be hard pressed to find a consistent interpretation between Calvary chapels however. While you were feeling so empty regarding the Bible in the RCC, did you actively ask about Bible study? There are Catholics with well worn Bibles filled with notes from discussions they’ve had with other parishioners and priests.

Re: my accusation of Calvary lies: This is serious accusation, but I’ve experienced it firsthand at Calvary and many others have also at different Calvarys. I’ve come to the conclusion that Calvary relies on lies about other Faiths as an integral part of their ambitious conversion process. They misrepresent the RCC, period, it’s confirmed and consistent in many Calvary Chapels. The Catholic Knight articulates it, I’ve articulated it at the Catholic Knight’s website, the poor girl in “Almost Snookered by Calvary Chapel” articulates it, Tim Staples articulates it directly to two key Calvary instructors in the essential audio CD “Catholicism meets Calvary Chapel”, and many others articulate it. BTW, they also misrepresent many other Faiths. I have yet to hear a priest say anything similar against another faith at Mass - priests are encouraged to engage in civil debate in which those they may be detracting from are given an opportunity to rebut and represent themselves.

We study the books of the bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse.

It seems you’ve simply found a church that presents something that you were lacking but probably would’ve found at the RCC with much greater fidelity. I appreciate your attempts at tuning into God’s Word, but keep tuning - you may have overshot His station.

 

[ppasa316]

This is a constant theme in former Catholics’ beefs about the RCC. Which is worse, though?..to be taught lies while learning about one version of Bible interpretation(Calvary), or to feel as if you have not been presented with a sufficient amount of Bible exposure(RCC). The first presentation, which includes lies, is the Calvary Chapel version; the second is the RCC.

It is our responsibility to listen to God’s Word, and His Word is being broadcast at the RCC even if you haven’t tuned in. You think you aren’t being taught the Bible in the RC Church? First, it is being taught; the scriptures are read every Mass, and the entire Bible is eventually covered. Catholic Bible study is comprehensive, however, so it requires more time than many would want to endure at a Mass. That’s why the Bible studies at parishes are separate from the Mass. Catholic Bible study, however ambiguous due to it’s thoroughness, is comprehensive and consistent between all Catholic churches; you’d be hard pressed to find a consistent interpretation between Calvary chapels however. While you were feeling so empty regarding the Bible in the RCC, did you actively ask about Bible study? There are Catholics with well worn Bibles filled with notes from discussions they’ve had with other parishioners and priests.

Re: my accusation of Calvary lies: This is serious accusation, but I’ve experienced it firsthand at Calvary and many others have also at different Calvarys. I’ve come to the conclusion that Calvary relies on lies about other Faiths as an integral part of their ambitious conversion process. They misrepresent the RCC, period, it’s confirmed and consistent in many Calvary Chapels. The Catholic Knight articulates it, I’ve articulated it at the Catholic Knight’s website, the poor girl in “Almost Snookered by Calvary Chapel” articulates it, Tim Staples articulates it directly to two key Calvary instructors in the essential audio CD “Catholicism meets Calvary Chapel”, and many others articulate it. BTW, they also misrepresent many other Faiths. I have yet to hear a priest say anything similar against another faith at Mass - priests are encouraged to engage in civil debate in which those they may be detracting from are given an opportunity to rebut and represent themselves.

It seems you’ve simply found a church that presents something that you were lacking but probably would’ve found at the RCC with much greater fidelity. I appreciate your attempts at tuning into God’s Word, but keep tuning - you may have overshot His station.

Sorry brother but i defend my faith anytime with scripture. I know where you are coming from. I used to defend the catholic faith too without really knowing what i was defending by using scripture. Dont get me wrong i know there are many Catholic believers. I am not a Catholic hater just really was sharing my experience as a Catholic and the misuse of scripture in the Catholic church.
God Bless

 

[billguy]

Sorry brother but i defend my faith anytime with scripture. I know where you are coming from. I used to defend the catholic faith too without really knowing what i was defending by using scripture. Dont get me wrong i know there are many Catholic believers. I am not a Catholic hater just really was sharing my experience as a Catholic and the misuse of scripture in the Catholic church.
God Bless

Misuse of scripture?..but wasn’t your whole arguement against the RCC’s LACK of scripture?..didn’t you say you never brought a Bible to church? Not once until now do you mention the misuse of scripture…are you adding to or changing your arguement? Maybe you just misspoke or are generally confused.

If you’re about to get into a discussion about the RCC’s misuse of scripture, GREAT!..contact the best Catholic apologist you can(maybe Tim Staples or someone else in his league), and by all means DON’T do what Calvary Chapel is famous for…creating isolated one sided arguments or cherrypicking those they debate with. The only discussion I’ve ever heard between capable Calvary Chapel instructors and capable Catholic apologists took place in the audio CD “Catholicism meets Calvary Chapel”. Even that discourse left much to be discussed, but it is a good example of how quickly the Calvary Catholic criticisms fall apart when put under light. When has Chuck Smith bothered to ask the RCC for a critique of his teachings on the RCC or Calvary Chapel methods?

My question stands…did you actively persue a Bible study while in the RCC? If not, then maybe it wasn’t the RCC’s Biblical justification or interpretation that was the problem, but the style in which you were presented access to the Bible…or the style in which you chose to persue access to the Bible.

What is interesting is that Chuck Smith’s own son shows a very Catholic method of spiritual inquiry. He has written about his differences from the Calvary method, namely that he enjoys an ‘intellectual’ view of the Bible and declares the Calvary style as ‘not intellectual’. After Chuck jr refused to give up his friendship with a Catholic monk, and after he was (gasp!) discovered to attend a Catholic retreat house, he was brought through the ringer at Calvary, trashed on Calvary online blogs and eventually became “disfellowshipped”. Sadly, this “disfellowship” from Calvary Chapel involved being forced to change his church’s name, erase all association with Calvary, and have his Church erased from the Calvary Chapel rolls and contact lists. Eventually, Chuck Jr was forced to leave as pastor of the church he pastored for years after outside petitioning from the likes of Calvary conduits like ‘Apostacy Alert’. Chuck Jr’s inquiry into his Faith seems legendary.
articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/02/local/me-smiths2
apostasyalert.org/REFLECTIONS/TrueChurch.htm

 

[ChristIsLord]

i got a bit caught up in calvary chapel when i live in california that’s where it’s big. i learned of it from a radio station i can’t remember which one.

anyway i didn’t see much worship or even much reading from the bible. sure everyone had a bible with them and the pastor would say something along the lines of *“turn you bibles to matthew…” * and read a verse or two then go into a thirty minute diatribe throwing maybe a verse or two of scripture out to back his points up, which to me is worthless, i’ve seen judaism, islam, mormonism, catholicism, protestantism, and any other ism out there supposedly “proven” from isolated scripture quotes.

i left because i didn’t buy into all the nonsense i heard from the pastor, to me it was clear that he set what the parishoners believed. whatever he said went, he was a “mini-pope” no doubt.

years later in NY frustrated from my inability to find a faith i poured my heart out in an email to “calvary chapel” and received an envelope asking for a contribution and continuous spam and nothing else.

chuck smith does have some good messages though, he’s a decent speaker but has horribly corny jokes.

 

[fbl9]

i got a bit caught up in calvary chapel when i live in california that’s where it’s big. i learned of it from a radio station i can’t remember which one.

anyway i didn’t see much worship or even much reading from the bible. sure everyone had a bible with them and the pastor would say something along the lines of *“turn you bibles to matthew…” * and read a verse or two then go into a thirty minute diatribe throwing maybe a verse or two of scripture out to back his points up, which to me is worthless, i’ve seen judaism, islam, mormonism, catholicism, protestantism, and any other ism out there supposedly “proven” from isolated scripture quotes.

i left because i didn’t buy into all the nonsense i heard from the pastor, to me it was clear that he set what the parishoners believed. whatever he said went, he was a “mini-pope” no doubt.

years later in NY frustrated from my inability to find a faith i poured my heart out in an email to “calvary chapel” and received an envelope asking for a contribution and continuous spam and nothing else.

chuck smith does have some good messages though, he’s a decent speaker but has horribly corny jokes.

a good example of what happens to people caught in the web of decit.

 

[ppasa316]

Misuse of scripture?..but wasn’t your whole arguement against the RCC’s LACK of scripture?..didn’t you say you never brought a Bible to church? Not once until now do you mention the misuse of scripture…are you adding to or changing your arguement? Maybe you just misspoke or are generally confused.

If you’re about to get into a discussion about the RCC’s misuse of scripture, GREAT!..contact the best Catholic apologist you can(maybe Tim Staples or someone else in his league), and by all means DON’T do what Calvary Chapel is famous for…creating isolated one sided arguments or cherrypicking those they debate with. The only discussion I’ve ever heard between capable Calvary Chapel instructors and capable Catholic apologists took place in the audio CD “Catholicism meets Calvary Chapel”. Even that discourse left much to be discussed, but it is a good example of how quickly the Calvary Catholic criticisms fall apart when put under light. When has Chuck Smith bothered to ask the RCC for a critique of his teachings on the RCC or Calvary Chapel methods?

My question stands…did you actively persue a Bible study while in the RCC? If not, then maybe it wasn’t the RCC’s Biblical justification or interpretation that was the problem, but the style in which you were presented access to the Bible…or the style in which you chose to persue access to the Bible.

What is interesting is that Chuck Smith’s own son shows a very Catholic method of spiritual inquiry. He has written about his differences from the Calvary method, namely that he enjoys an ‘intellectual’ view of the Bible and declares the Calvary style as ‘not intellectual’. After Chuck jr refused to give up his friendship with a Catholic monk, and after he was (gasp!) discovered to attend a Catholic retreat house, he was brought through the ringer at Calvary, trashed on Calvary online blogs and eventually became “disfellowshipped”. Sadly, this “disfellowship” from Calvary Chapel involved being forced to change his church’s name, erase all association with Calvary, and have his Church erased from the Calvary Chapel rolls and contact lists. Eventually, Chuck Jr was forced to leave as pastor of the church he pastored for years after outside petitioning from the likes of Calvary conduits like ‘Apostacy Alert’. Chuck Jr’s inquiry into his Faith seems legendary.
articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/02/local/me-smiths2
apostasyalert.org/REFLECTIONS/TrueChurch.htm

Wow like i said I base everything by scripture. We never once heard about a bible study in the Catholic Church in all the 33 yrs I was there. That was one of the main reasons for leaving. When I left I began to do personal studies about the errancy of the scriptures by the Catholic Church. Why would I listen to a CD about Catholism and Calvary Chapel. I know what scripture says. As far as Chuck Smith Jr. leaving I totally agree with that. He began teaching as an emergent Church. Like praying to statues, using incense, using eastern mystiscm such as chants and so forth. If you want to discuss different subjects using scriptures maybe we can do that.
God Bless

 

[billguy]

Wow like i said I base everything by scripture. We never once heard about a bible study in the Catholic Church in all the 33 yrs I was there.

I’ll ask you for what I think is the third time, did you ever in that time ask for a Bible study? It appears not.

When I left I began to do personal studies about the errancy of the scriptures by the Catholic Church.

…with capable Catholics? When I told my Calvary friend that he needed to get the Catholic perspective not from a religion competing with the RCC for parishioners but from a capable Catholic, he said, “Oh, the pastor at Calvary is a former Catholic”. When I pointed out that maybe a former Catholic is not the best resource for representation he said, “Well, you’re a Catholic, what do you think?” Unfortunately, I had to say “I’m not a reliable resource either. I’ve been out of the Church for years, and I simply don’t know everything to properly offer a good Catholic perspective.” I only knew that many of the things Calvary was teaching were simply misrepresentations of Catholic teaching. But when I actually researched more of what Calvary was peddling, I found very rich answers from the RCC. Being tested by my friend made me appreciate the RCC more, but only after I searched for the answers. I too drifted, but after finding sites like Catholicanswers, I’m back.

Why would I listen to a CD about Catholism and Calvary Chapel.

Because it relates directly to your assertion that Catholic scripture interpretation is “errant”. That CD is a sample comparison of the two perspectives on scripture. One nonCatholic blog stated that after she heard that CD, it dispelled several Catholic myths she grew up with and assumed well into adulthood.

PS, If Catholics actually prayed to statues, would they have broken piles of those statues in their dumpsters every time one of their “sacred statues” falls over. The dumpster is exactly where those ceramic “gods” go when my mom breaks one.

 

[WetCatechumen]

Greetings to all!

I was baptized at Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho, in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, when I was ten years old, by the pastor. He’s a very good man, I’m very fond of him and he’s a strong Christian.

My family attended there regularly for some five years, mostly upon my insistence. I was always a religiously minded youngster, read my Bible, answered all the questions in Sunday School, knew more than the teacher (frequently), and so forth. I remember many Sundays it was just me and my mother at church, as my father (who is nonetheless a devout Christian, in a strange way), would stay at home with the other eight kids (large family) and I’d go to church because I liked it.

I enjoyed my time in their youth groups and in Sunday School. I enjoyed the people and the atmosphere. I really feel like the people there, for the most part, are true Christians.

In high school I stopped attending, mostly correlating to me not using it as an outlet for socialization as my family is rather cloistered, and we are homeschooled, but I chose to go to public high school. In high school I fell in, unfortunately, with the Latter-day Saints. I never joined their religion, but I believed it and wanted. You see, all of the “Christian” and “Catholic” kids were drinking, smoking, having pre-marital sex, and being generally ****** people, whereas the Mormons actually all believed their religion and practiced it well.

Hence, Calvary Chapel was the last church I attended before I started attending a local parish this summer. I dated a Catholic girl who is very intelligent, and I went to church with her, and the homile and reading that day were about how Christ promises us rest, and it really spoke to me, and I could see that that was where rest was to be found for me. I continued attending with her and did quite a bit of research. The Mormons had already destroyed sola scriptura and sola fide, and thus the acceptance of a Catholic view of Scripture as a part of the Deposit of Faith made much more sense.

Unfortunately, she went back to her Catholic school and we are broken up, as we did not want to do long distance, so I switched to a parish closer to home (that is much more conservative), and have been attending for nearly half a year.

I actually visited a Calvary Chapel last night. My younger brother goes there for the youth group, and I went into the chapel with my father to pick him up, and the first thing I noticed is that while it was definitely a Christian building, the lack of a sacrificial altar and the Eucharist made it feel naked and incomplete. It just felt empty. Pointless.

Any non-liturgical church meeting seems silly to me now. I love Calvary Chapel. I have friends there, was baptized there, and kind of grew up in it. However, Catholicism just makes much more sense, and I can accept it at an intellectual level much easier than the, “Let’s blindly accept that these 66 books that Martin Luther chose are true.” philosophy that most evangelical churches espouse.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Throughout the bible it is faith and faith alone that is commanded as a condition for receiving God’s gift of Salvation. The Philippian jailer asked What must i do to be saved Pauls answer Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Acts 16:30-31. John 3:16, John 3:36. The theif on the cross was saved by faith alone unless he got off the cross got baptized and got back on. Luke 23:43 This is by scripture not by the saying of any church.

but it also says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. is it not?
believing is just the beginning of. wait there is much more. you also must obey all Jesus taught. there is more you must be baptized. there is more and Jesus says to the Apostles whoever hears you hears me and my Father, whoever rejects you will rejects me and One Who sent Me. how can we hear the apostles today if we did not have Apostolic succession thorugh the ages teaching all the Jesus had taught the Apostles? there are much more. it is up to you to ignore all these things and go your own way or believe what Jesus said.

**
Lord come to the aid of Your Church.**

 

[wina]

In a couple of minutes…I’m taking my bible to bible study…knowing in the next building over is the Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Jesus Christ!

Who says Catholics don’t take their Bibles???

 

[ppasa316]

I’ll ask you for what I think is the third time, did you ever in that time ask for a Bible study? It appears not.

…with capable Catholics? When I told my Calvary friend that he needed to get the Catholic perspective not from a religion competing with the RCC for parishioners but from a capable Catholic, he said, “Oh, the pastor at Calvary is a former Catholic”. When I pointed out that maybe a former Catholic is not the best resource for representation he said, “Well, you’re a Catholic, what do you think?” Unfortunately, I had to say “I’m not a reliable resource either. I’ve been out of the Church for years, and I simply don’t know everything to properly offer a good Catholic perspective.” I only knew that many of the things Calvary was teaching were simply misrepresentations of Catholic teaching. But when I actually researched more of what Calvary was peddling, I found very rich answers from the RCC. Being tested by my friend made me appreciate the RCC more, but only after I searched for the answers. I too drifted, but after finding sites like Catholicanswers, I’m back.

Because it relates directly to your assertion that Catholic scripture interpretation is “errant”. That CD is a sample comparison of the two perspectives on scripture. One nonCatholic blog stated that after she heard that CD, it dispelled several Catholic myths she grew up with and assumed well into adulthood.

PS, If Catholics actually prayed to statues, would they have broken piles of those statues in their dumpsters every time one of their “sacred statues” falls over. The dumpster is exactly where those ceramic “gods” go when my mom breaks one.

Yes I asked for a bible study. Cmon use some common sense. Share some of the things that Calvary was peddling or misrepresentations. Back what you are saying with scripture. This is several times i have asked for references. How are you defending your faith without any biblical references. If you can’t I understand but please don’t reply anymore. Thanks
God Bless