Ex-Calvary Chapel???

[Maccabees]

James_2:24:

Having a Jewish person in your congregation means absolutely nothing. Are you assuming that Jews cannot stray? There are a great many Jews in the Catholic Church as well. A couple notable Jewish-Catholic apologists are Rosalind Moss and Rhonda Chervin. Amongst many others…

I am also an ex-Calvary chapel member; I went to Church with my sister and her family before returning home to the Catholic Church. Although I only spent a short amount of time in that Church before returning home, I did do a more extensive study of it AFTER leaving.

Having said that **there is much to worry about in Calvary Chapel. They do not teach Biblical truth and are causing people to stray from the faith in both Protestant and Catholic circles. They hold to the “rapture” belief and teach a great many wacky things about the “end times”. Listen to Tim Staples and Jesse Romero debate them. You can get the tape “Calvary Chapel meets the Catholic Church” from St. Joe’s Communications. They blow Calvary Chapel theology away in this debate. **

Chuck Smith founded Calvary Chapel he’s not Jewish. The fact a Jew follows his is irrelevant. What is not irrelevant is that your founder should be Jewish not American the church in the Bible was Jewish. THe catholic church was founded by a Jew. Jesus Christ. Our first pope was a Jew. Peter. of course the rest of the apostles were Jewish as well and are the foundation for the apostolic succession that we have today in the catholic church that was started by Jews. Many Jews are active catholics today.

 

[James_2_24]

Maccabees:

Chuck Smith founded Calvary Chapel he’s not Jewish. The fact a Jew follows his is irrelevant. What is not irrelevant is that your founder should be Jewish not American the church in the Bible was Jewish. THe catholic church was founded by a Jew. Jesus Christ. Our first pope was a Jew. Peter. of course the rest of the apostles were Jewish as well and are the foundation for the apostolic succession that we have today in the catholic church that was started by Jews. Many Jews are active catholics today.

Are you responding to me??? I’m not a Calvary Chapel member… The whole point of my post is in total agreement with what you just said

 

[hglosson]

Dear brothers and sisters in the Catholic faith. I was raised a Catholic and fell away from the church by the draw of the world. At 33 I heard the word of God as to salvation by faith in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection, and asked for forgiveness and salvation through him. If you feel that Calvary Chapels are anti Catholic because of their teachings you need to check the bible to see if it is Calvary chapels spin on things or the word of God. I have never found any teaching from Calvary Chapel to be other than God’s word. If you also through your searching of the scriptures find this to be so you need not be angry or afraid of Calvary Chapel. These saints have a heart for all Christians regardless of denomination.

 

[Maccabees]

hglosson:

Dear brothers and sisters in the Catholic faith. I was raised a Catholic and fell away from the church by the draw of the world. At 33 I heard the word of God as to salvation by faith in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection, and asked for forgiveness and salvation through him. If you feel that Calvary Chapels are anti Catholic because of their teachings you need to check the bible to see if it is Calvary chapels spin on things or the word of God. I have never found any teaching from Calvary Chapel to be other than God’s word. If you also through your searching of the scriptures find this to be so you need not be angry or afraid of Calvary Chapel. These saints have a heart for all Christians regardless of denomination.

Catholics have been checking the Bible as you say for 2000 years it is their book by the way. Catholics also believe is salvation by faith through Christ I urge you to buy a Cathechism you sound misinformed on these issues. Considering Christ said he would be with the church always and the gates of hell would not prevail against the church ask yourself some questions why would he wait till 1965 to find your church Calavary Chapel and give it all the Biblical truth you think the church teaches thats almost 2000 years in the wilderness my friend that makes Christ a liar according to the Bible. Catholics and most protestant denomination would disagree with Calavary Chapels teaching on the rapture which originated in the mid 1800’ think about that one for a second calvary chapel eschatology did not exist in church history for 18 and half centuries in church history. Calvary Chapel has an objective to convert catholics that is their agenda they don’t want catholics to stay in catholic church as is. Your kidding yourself of course they love you your now an ex-catholic. We don’t hate Calavery Chapel members we just think they are misrepresenting the catholic position and we want to set the record straight.

 

[MaggieOH]

I am a cradle Catholic and so I have no personal experience of Calvary Chapel, however, I have clashed with a member of Calvary Chapel on another list.

It is very true that Calvary Chapel is very anti-Catholic. It is not true to claim that the teachings of Chuck Smith are faithful to the Bible. There are a lot of errors in Smith’s teachings.

My somewhat spirited clashes with the member from Calvary Chapel ended when he refused to apologise for posting slander against Scott Hahn. The information that he posted came from another Calvary Chapel site where it was claimed that Scott Hahn had lied about his Protestant ministry. This person refused to retract what he had posted.

On top of this I found that this member of Calvary Chapel believed Jack Chick tracts, as well as other material that came from the Jack Chick site. Regardless of my own anti-Islam sentiment, I will defend Islam against the Jack Chick style rhetoric that claims that Moslems worship a moon goddess. I sincerely accept that they believe that Allah is our God, but that their perception of God is in error, for they seem to think that God is Master and that they are the slave/servant of Allah. In other words, Calvary Chapel had been promoting a false story about Islam that has been designed to get up the ire of “Christians”.

I have not had contact with this person for more than two years and I am happy to keep it that way.

I suggest that you start checking out as much information that is available on the Internet to provide a good background to the errors that are perpetuated within Calvary Chapel.

MaggieOH

 

[scylla]

Thanks for the response, we live close to Palm Springs and attend Our Lady of Solitude. We have just been to Baptism class and will baptize our two kids this Saturday. We are getting married in the church in 3 weeks.
We have gotten some guff from my sister-in-law who is with Calvary Chapel, but she is coming around and is not so mad at us anymore for coming back to the Catholic Church.
I know many good people in Calvary Chapel and know many of their pastors are good people trying to do what is right, but once I investigated the Catholic Church, I was overwhelmed. You can’t argue with the truth. You can twist it and try to argue against what you think is the Catholic Church but once you really take an unbiased look at it, it’s unstoppable.
The year 1965 can’t compete with 33 if you are honest with yourself. Sure it might have catchy music, good childrens programs and a very open atmosphere, but the Church is God’s church no matter how you try to reinvent it.

 

[Ignatius]

New Heart:

I know many people who attend Calvary Chapel and the Word of God is taught faithfully, verse by verse.

Very few deviate from the scriptures; many, either deliberately or through error, misinterpret scripture. That is the more common problem.

I would suggest you not worry about your family members attending there.

How can one not worry about loved ones who have strayed away from the Church which Jesus Christ founded. Paul says the Church is the Pillar and Foundation of Truth. There is always a grave risk to those who have fallen away from the truth as taught by Jesus Christ and handed down from generation to generation right to the present day. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and look into what the first post-apostolic christians taught and how they worshiped, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Let us go in peace to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[enanneman]

scylla:

Thanks for the response, we live close to Palm Springs and attend Our Lady of Solitude. We have just been to Baptism class and will baptize our two kids this Saturday. We are getting married in the church in 3 weeks.
We have gotten some guff from my sister-in-law who is with Calvary Chapel, but she is coming around and is not so mad at us anymore for coming back to the Catholic Church.
I know many good people in Calvary Chapel and know many of their pastors are good people trying to do what is right, but once I investigated the Catholic Church, I was overwhelmed. You can’t argue with the truth. You can twist it and try to argue against what you think is the Catholic Church but once you really take an unbiased look at it, it’s unstoppable.
The year 1965 can’t compete with 33 if you are honest with yourself. Sure it might have catchy music, good childrens programs and a very open atmosphere, but the Church is God’s church no matter how you try to reinvent it.

I was deeply moved by your post. Thank you for sharing it.

Peace be with you, and welcome!

Eric

 

[trimont]

I’ve been to Calvary Chapel once. My sister and her husband are very involved so went with them on a certain occasion. I couldn’t wait to get out and get to Mass!

The pastor at this particular one is a self described “recovering Catholic”. I take much offense with this term that seems to be thrown around mostly by people who haven’t been in a Catholic church in decades.

Rather than paint all of CC with a broad brush, I think it probably takes on the complexion of the individuals involved.

Oh, how I love Holy Mother Church!!!

 

[Maccabees]

trimont:

I’ve been to Calvary Chapel once. My sister and her husband are very involved so went with them on a certain occasion. I couldn’t wait to get out and get to Mass!

The pastor at this particular one is a self described “recovering Catholic”. I take much offense with this term that seems to be thrown around mostly by people who haven’t been in a Catholic church in decades.

Rather than paint all of CC with a broad brush, I think it probably takes on the complexion of the individuals involved.

Oh, how I love Holy Mother Church!!!

Many Calvary Chapel’s pastors are former catholics. Its funny that the catholic church remains such a sticking point to those who leave the church years later. You never hear anything about a recovering Methodist etc There is something different and more signficat about the catholic church or else it wouldn’t bite at them that they are leaving the church. The catholic church is not just another denom. Calvary Chapel is on the other hand just another seeker friendly evangelical denom a dime a dozen really.

 

[James_2_24]

scylla:

We have gotten some guff from my sister-in-law who is with Calvary Chapel, but she is coming around and is not so mad at us anymore for coming back to the Catholic Church.

Hi Scylla:

In the above quote you state that you came back to the Catholic Church and that your sister-in-law is with Calvary Chapel… but you did not state where you were coming from. I assume from Calvary Chapel?

God Bless!
James_2:24

 

[scylla]

I think I stated I was coming from other since I didn’t want to say I only went to Calvary Chapel. I did go there, my wife pushed me into it and it was nice. I also have been to other non-denoms and bounced around from here to there. I grew up a Catholic, but never really knowing why I was Catholic other than because my parents were.
Calvary Chapel is nice and they do stick to the scriptures as someone earlier has posted. The problem is they stick to their interpretation of the scriptures, with no authority to back up their interpretation. This becomes then the Chuck Smith, apostolic succession, in which his followers follow his initial interpretation and their own. The Calvary Chapel tradition of interpretation then looks true to the scripture, as long as you look at it from their point of view. That is how they run the show “To Every Man an Answer”, they interpret the scripture for you.
What really changed my mind about Calvary Chapel and led me back to the Catholic Church, has to boil down to one thing…

Authority

Why is Calvary Chapel interpretation any better than the Lutheran, the Apostolic Church of Christ, the Episcopalian, the Baptist, the Church of Christ, the Jehovah’s Witness, the Calvary Baptist, the Calvary Christian, the Harvest Church or the Seventh Day Adventist interpretation etc, etc, most if not all claim to go by the Bible alone, they all have a love for scripture, I am sure all of them can claim to have pastors who are loving and caring people dedicated to serving God.

Which church is the Church that Jesus Christ founded? Would our savior create a church, pray that they would “be one even as we are one” John 17:22-23 then let it supposedly disappear go into hiding until Martin Luther came along, or until Charles Taze Russell came along or until Chuck Smith came along?
The gates of Hell would not prevail against this church, it would have uniformity in doctrine, it would be one visible universal church. (to kinda quote John Martignoni) That is the Church I have found.

One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Most problems people have with the Catholic church aren’t what they think is the Catholic Church but what people tell them what it is. Calvary Chapel might be where your friends go, where people have a good time fellowshipping, might have a great school but are they the true Church started by Jesus.
I will follow Jesus anywhere and he has led me home to his Church the Catholic Church

 

[scylla]

My wife just came in the room and just reminded me about a pamphlet that they were handing out at Calvary Chapel, which I had forgot about. This pamphlet was aimed at comparing Calvary Chapel with the Catholic Church.
This is one of the anti-catholic practices of Calvary Chapel, a lot of the anti-catholicism you can find at Calvary Chapel can be described as passive-aggressive or not overly aggressive. Not attacking the Catholic Church blatantly, just very subtley.

 

[James_2_24]

scylla:

My wife just came in the room and just reminded me about a pamphlet that they were handing out at Calvary Chapel, which I had forgot about. This pamphlet was aimed at comparing Calvary Chapel with the Catholic Church.
This is one of the anti-catholic practices of Calvary Chapel, a lot of the anti-catholicism you can find at Calvary Chapel can be described as passive-aggressive or not overly aggressive. Not attacking the Catholic Church blatantly, just very subtley.

Is there somewhere I can purchase this pamphlet? I would love to look at it. I am very interested in Calvary Chapel since I have a family member who left the Catholic Church for Calvary Chapel.

Thanks!

 

[WBOZ]

I spent much of my formative years in close personal contact (e.g discipleship groups, youth ministry, private school attendance, etc) with current members and even some current staff from Calvary Chapel, Evangelical Free Church and most of the other megachurch nondenoms and para church groups in Southern California. Much to the chagrin, if not horror, of my mother I reconciled myself to entering the Catholic Church in 1996.

While individual members of these churches may be open to a pleasant discussion with a Catholic friend or neighbor the pastoral staff at almost every Nondenominational Protestant Church would have antipathy if not outright disdain for dogmas of the Catholic Church.

The Calvary Chapel Website currently has an example of this in “What the World is Coming To” a commentary on the Book of Revelation by its founder and Senior Pastor, Chuch Smith. While the “commentary” does not go so far as to call the Catholic Church “the whore of Babylon” it may as well. I have chosen not to excerpt the copyrighted material, however the website can be reviewed by all interested parties.

I would encourage all Catholics to engage in an open discussion with their family and friends who attend Calvary Chapel churches (most of the remainder of the spinoff churches in the rest of the country draw their Pastors from personal proteges of Chuch Smith or of the churches “Bible College”. This site and others like it will provide the raw material for beginning any apologetic discourse regarding your Catholic faith.

Pace e Bene

 

[scylla]

I am pretty sure we tossed out the pamphlet, but I will ask my wife to look around and see what it contains and if possible I could send it to you. I will post here if I find it. This was given to my wife years ago, I think it was a little while after we got married and people (maybe her sister) were concerned for her. I questioned Calvary Chapel, a little to much for their taste I guess.

When this thread started, I looked around and ordered the radio tape, “Catholicism meets Calvary Chapel” Jesse Romero and Tim Staples. We listened to one tape last night, and this might do a lot more than that pamplet. Though the audio quality isn’t perfect, I would prefer a CD, it leads to some good insights to the mindset and dogma of Calvary Chapel.
It took only about 4 days to get this tape and I really recommend it if you are looking to see the theology of Calvary Chapel.
I really thought I would see some pretty good or new arguements, but it seemed like they just got most their information of the anti-catholic websites and cobbled together different arguements from different faiths. I was kinda dissapointed in the Calvary Chapel point of view I thought would be deeper. (nothing against Calvary Chapel, they are just trying to reinvent the wheel from a King James Version point of view, but with great sincerity)

 

[Maccabees]

When your denom starts in the year 1965 you can’t help but be samll potatoes in theology against the giant of the catholic church lets see Augustine, Aquinas, Pope Gregory, and Pope John II or Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie, Raul Ries and Jeff Johnson.
This is like comparing Mount Everest to a Molehill.
Its amazing how much mileage they got by borowing a catholic book (the Bible) and butchering it.

 

[INRI]

john654:

I don’t know how much experience you have with these anti- catholics but I don’t think you have been to their book store.
QUESTION: Have you been to their book store in Orange County?

John

I think the greater damage is often done by having rotten/dissenter literature in supposedly Catholic bookstores. When I first came back to the faith, I bought Catholicism by Richard McBrien, naively assuming that, based on heft and academic credentials, I would get a pretty authoritative view of the church. This book was recommended by a Paulist priest at the local Newman center to boot. Thank goodness I never had the stamina to wade more than a few pages into it, but what I read was disturbing enough and left me confused. That book ended up collecting a lot of dust on my bookshelf before I finally deposited it in the garbage.

 

[discipleof1]

New Heart:

I know many people who attend Calvary Chapel and the Word of God is taught faithfully, verse by verse. Some of the ministers have a solid Jewish background, with Greek as a major, and are very knowledgeable with the Scriptures, the nuances etc. I would suggest you not worry about your family members attending there, and it is a good idea to go to a few services and see for yourself.

Where I live there are not too many because of the remote location, but in the United States major there are many.

The first site listed below is a Jewish believer and teacher from a Calvary Chapel. His knowledge of the Scriptures is a real blessing. You can listen to him in real audio as well from the broadcasts link on the page.
75bible.com/beliefs/beliefs.html

calvarychapel.org/

God Bless you New heart, I have a heart of flesh now too. Excellant post, Jesus is Lord in the Roman Catholic Church just as he is in Calvary Chapel.

 

[James_2_24]

INRI:

That book ended up collecting a lot of dust on my bookshelf before I finally deposited it in the garbage.

You really shouldn’t have thrown that book away. We need to read the books of the enemies of the Church (if I may call them that) in order to answer their charges and assertations. But that’s just my opinion.
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: