What I like about Calvary Chapel

[Sojourner1]

Well I couldn't resist starting this thread

What I like the most about Calvary Chapel is the expository teaching. I enjoy learning verse-by-verse as opposed to topical studies. I can't stand the "fill in the blank" forms that many Pastors use for topic-driven sermons. They just seem to be more of an inch-deep and a mile wide type of sermons.

The next thing I love about Calvary Chapel is the worship music. Most of the churches I have been to have amazing worship teams.

I also like the home fellowship groups that meet weekly, rather than going to a Sunday School class.

Those are my top three

 

[brinny]

It's the Bible teaching for me......it's riveting.....they know their stuff, both the Old and the New testaments....

 

[Rob V]

Although I commented in the "other" thread on the dangers of personalities in the pulpit, I would recommend Calvary Chapel as a church to anyone looking for one, the church I now attend is mostly former Calvary people who inherited a small church from another denomination, but now have become independent.

I agree that verse by verse study of the Bible is essential to declaring the whole counsel of God, and not your own hobby horse sermons.

Having been part of several worship teams in Calvary I can tell you they may range in talent, but not in heart. All of the ones I was a part of truly sought to worship in music, not perform.

Lastly what I liked most about Calvary Chapel, especially in the earlier days, was an openness to God, exemplified by allowing for spiritual gifts to be expressed in certain settings and in order. When properly taught and lead this waiting on the Holy Spirit of God was life altering. This also gave birth to much of the direction that was taken, and prophecy was fulfilled in many situations, starting with Chuck when he was a Four Square Pastor of a small church. Someone prophecied that he would become the pastor of many flocks. While that seemed pretty general, it was a bold reach from where he was at that time.
This happened many times, sadly as others began to lose the balance (The Word of God/The Holy Spirit) the church split into two movements, The Vineyard Movement and Calvary Chapel. Neither movement ever recovered the other half that was lost as the result, and in some way this dichotomized the two teachings and movements, with Calvary Chapels moving more toward the teaching part, and Vineyards more toward the waiting on the Spirit part, but in the beginning it was not so.
This is speaking generally, I have attended all spectrums of both churches and you have to look at each one individually, but if I had to choose you would find me at a Calvary Chapel, and if I was in some part of the country looking to attend a church, well that would be my first choice.'
We must remember that just as people are flawed, so is every movement, and it behooves us to be objective and seek to avoid the pitfalls that tend to end the outpouring of God's Spirit moving.

 

[GracetotheHumble]

Yes the preaching and worship are good.

 

[Tigger45]

If I was in a new town and looking for a non-denom style church I'd start with the local CC because I'd have a better understanding of what they are normally about more then just another non-denom that just sprouted up.

 

[createdtoworship]

in Haley's Bible Handbook it has a section entitled "the most important thing in this book"

in that section it describes a successful ministry.

it involved devotions, reading the Bible daily.

and having the sermon on that part of the Bible read.

that would totally revolutionize Christianity if it did that one thing, He says.

Calvary Chapel teaches through the Bible, verse by verse.

and is the closest thing I have seen to what Haley describes as a successful church and ministry.

I would not be surprised if the late pastor Chuck modeled his ministry after that book since he talks about it all the time in his old chuck smith sermons. (but that is just speculation, I really don't know where Chuck Got the idea to do exposition, after all....foursquare don't do that)

 

[GracetotheHumble]

Calvary Chapel teaches through the Bible, verse by verse.

Calvary isn't the only Church that practices this. My Lutheran Church teaches through books verse by verse in our adult sunday school class and in our wednesday night bible study. Many other Churches teach verse by verse.

 

[createdtoworship]

Calvary isn't the only Church that practices this. My Lutheran Church teaches through books verse by verse in our adult sunday school class and in our wednesday night bible study. Many other Churches teach verse by verse.

I agree that many will teach one or two books every once in a while verse by verse.

but I have never seen a church, nor do I believe they exist that teach (in the main sanctuary) verse by verse through old and new testament.

I can't find any material to purchase on it, accept calvary pastors sermon notes and audio's.

if you can find one for sale, through the Bible that is not a calvary, or affiliated. I would be absolutely shocked. Because it's very hard to be that disciplined. Most give up.

Even I have taught verse by verse through John in small group setting.

but I would not dare venture to teach leviticus, or revelation for example.


but yes, I agree many churches will pick a book and go indepth with it, and teach it verse by verse.

I suppose to say they did it.

but it's not really doing what Haley was asking.

 

[GracetotheHumble]

I agree that many will teach one or two books every once in a while verse by verse.

but I have never seen a church, nor do I believe they exist that teach (in the main sanctuary) verse by verse through old and new testament.

I can't find any material to purchase on it, accept calvary pastors sermon notes and audio's.

if you can find one for sale, through the Bible that is not a calvary, or affiliated. I would be absolutely shocked. Because it's very hard to be that disciplined. Most give up.

Even I have taught verse by verse through John in small group setting.

but I would not dare venture to teach leviticus, or revelation for example.


but yes, I agree many churches will pick a book and go indepth with it, and teach it verse by verse.

I suppose to say they did it.

but it's not really doing what Haley was asking.

There are a lot of churches that teach through the bible but that doesn't mean they offer their messages for sale. The Lutheran Church I go to has been going through the bible but it is a small group of only 40 people and there are no recordings being made. We do actually have an outline sheet with questions which is something Calvary does not do.

 

[food4thought]

The CC I went to was small, but the fellowship was great... people stuck around and actually talked with each other after services and Bible studies, and the subjects were often spiritual. This is very different from the other churches I have attended, including the one I currently attend. If the CC where I lived had more than 20-30 members I would probably be attending that one instead of the UMC.

And yes, the verse by verse expository teaching and contemporary worship are very good, as well. I miss all of these things right now.

 

[MWood]

I agree that many will teach one or two books every once in a while verse by verse.

but I have never seen a church, nor do I believe they exist that teach (in the main sanctuary) verse by verse through old and new testament.

I can't find any material to purchase on it, accept calvary pastors sermon notes and audio's.

if you can find one for sale, through the Bible that is not a calvary, or affiliated. I would be absolutely shocked. Because it's very hard to be that disciplined. Most give up.

Even I have taught verse by verse through John in small group setting.

but I would not dare venture to teach leviticus, or revelation for example.


but yes, I agree many churches will pick a book and go indepth with it, and teach it verse by verse.

I suppose to say they did it.

but it's not really doing what Haley was asking.

Try the Les Feldick ministries.

 

[Rahmemhotep]

Try the Les Feldick ministries.

Love watchin' or listenin' to a good old recording of Les Feldick's teaching.

 

[MWood]

Love watchin' or listenin' to a good old recording of Les Feldick's teaching.

You have it right, old. The ones that I watch are from the early '90's on Angleone channel Sunday 8pm. This was before DVDs.

 

[DawnStar]

Some great Jesus music came out of Calvary Chapel in the late 60s and early 70s. The group Love Song being one example.

 

[Dave-W]

Indeed. Larry Norman was part of that congregation as well. So was Ken Gullikson who started the Vineyard Fellowships.

 

[John Stephenson]

I like the expository teaching and the music.

 

[KevinC1129]

I love the expository teaching. When teaching the Bible that way, you can't skip over the "uncomfortable stuff" like many do in topical sermons.
Also, the people. Every CC I've visited, I've been welcomed and made feel like I'd been there for years. You can't say that about many churches.

 

[brinny]

i love that they teach the Old and New Testaments, and don't bat an eye about it.

They know their stuff.

 

[brinny]

I love the expository teaching. When teaching the Bible that way, you can't skip over the "uncomfortable stuff" like many do in topical sermons.
Also, the people. Every CC I've visited, I've been welcomed and made feel like I'd been there for years. You can't say that about many churches.

Yes, that is what caught my ear....that they don't skip over the "uncomfortable stuff". i am so thankful that they don't.

It takes a certain kind of "fearlessness" to preach n' teach that way LOL!

God bless them.

 

[Ralf624]

Well I couldn't resist starting this thread

What I like the most about Calvary Chapel is the expository teaching. I enjoy learning verse-by-verse as opposed to topical studies. I can't stand the "fill in the blank" forms that many Pastors use for topic-driven sermons. They just seem to be more of an inch-deep and a mile wide type of sermons.

The next thing I love about Calvary Chapel is the worship music. Most of the churches I have been to have amazing worship teams.

I also like the home fellowship groups that meet weekly, rather than going to a Sunday School class.

Those are my top three

Hey, I my journey with the at her has been for about two years give or take. I didn't join any church I basically one day was on YouTube and some man came across and something said watch. It was different than what I have ever seen. It was not ritualistic as when growing up Catholic church are. No on had ever spoken about god in that way. After about a year I remember some friends telling me about Calvary chapel how good it is so I just went. I don't for the life of me know what the names mean on churches like you mention calvary. Does that pertain to a certain style?