Charles Ward “Chuck” Smith, (June 25, 1927 – October 3, 2013), was the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement. Beginning with the 25-person Costa Mesa congregation in 1965, Smith’s influence now extends to thousands of congregations worldwide, some of which are among the largest churches in the United States. He has been called “one of the most influential figures in modern American Christianity.”^[1]

Early life and career

Smith was born in Ventura, California in 1927 to Charles and Maude Smith.^[2]

Smith graduated from LIFE Bible College and was ordained as a pastor for the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. In the late 1950s, Smith was the campaign manager and worship director for healing evangelist Paul Cain.^{[citation needed]} After being a pastor for a different denomination, he left his denomination to pastor a non-denominational church plant in Corona, California, and eventually moved to a small pre-existing church called Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California in December 1965.^[3]

Calvary Chapel

In March 1968, Smith brought into his home the then-18-year-old pentecostal evangelist Lonnie Frisbee with his wife Connie. Chuck Smith paired him up with John Higgins who already had a Bible study going for youth; they started a Christian commune called “TheHouse of Miracles.” John and Lonnie went out into the community to reach its youth with the gospel during the early days of the Jesus movement.^{[citation needed]}

The church in Santa Ana grew and, as of 2006, was attended by 35,000 people and had spawned over 1,000 churches that have branched out as part of the Calvary Chapel fellowship worldwide. Smith has been called “one of the most influential Christian pastors in Southern California”^[4] who “is known for training other prominent ministers.”^[5] Notable ministers who have been mentored by Smith include Skip Heitzig, Mike MacIntosh, and Greg Laurie.^{[6][non-primary source needed]}

At its beginning, Calvary Chapel operated as a cross-cultural missions organization that bridged the “generation gap” as it existed during the Vietnam War period. Calvary Chapel was a hub of the “Jesus People” phenomenon that existed at that time and was featured in Time Magazine for its success among “hippies” and young people. Calvary Chapel pioneered a less formal and contemporary approach in its worship and public meetings; for example, it did outreaches on the beach, and baptisms in the Pacific Ocean.^[7]

Much of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has its roots in Calvary Chapel worship music. Calvary Chapel’s rolling commentary-style of preaching kept the Calvary Chapels close to the text of the Bible and was readily understandable by many hearers. Calvary Chapel developed its own internal training early for multiplication of church leaders and pastors; by pioneering a more informal and contemporary style in its church practices, Calvary Chapel reached large numbers in Costa Mesa, CA and expanded easily by adding many pastors and new congregations in many locations. The impact of Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel on evangelical Christianity is profound, widespread, and largely unheralded. Rather than being a teacher of systems and methods of growing large churches (elements of which frustrated him in his denominational experience), Chuck Smith teaches the Bible at pastors’ conferences modeling in word and deed what he feels is the critical core of Calvary Chapels.^{[citation needed]}

A documentary, What God Hath Wrought, produced by Screen Savers Entertainment in collaboration with Smith, tells the story of Smith’s life, the Calvary Chapel movement and its influence on modern-day Christianity.^{[citation needed]} In the film A Conversation with Chuck Smith (2013) Chuck Smith talks about his battle with lung cancer and other personal topics.

Chuck Smith is the author and co-author of several books; titles of his books include Answers for Today; Calvary Chapel Distinctives;Calvinism, Arminianism & The Word of God; Charisma vs. Charismania; Comfort for Those Who Mourn; Effective Prayer Life; Harvest;Living Water; The Claims of Christ; The Gospel According to Grace; The Philosophy of Ministry of Calvary Chapel; Why Grace Changes Everything; Love: The More Excellent Way; The Final Act; and others.^[8]

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