Please note: this post was originally posted on the main KBC site at the end of September. We wanted to place it here to provide readers of the Movements vs. Methods article with a context.
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As the Calvary Chapel movement gets older it is interesting to watch the changes that take place and the new concerns that arise. I am not old enough to have seen the Calvary Chapel movement in the early 70′s, but I have now been around CC leadership for the last ten years. I have seen enough to know that the future success of Calvary Chapel is not written in stone and some serious conversations need to take place.
Because our focus at the Bible College is on equipping a new generation we often feel like we are at tennis match: on one side looking at the historical foundation of the Calvary Chapel movement, and on the other side strategizing how best to train leaders for the future. Unfortunately I have to confess that I have been critical of Calvary Chapel in the past. I have complained about the things Calvary Chapel is not doing rather than appreciate all the good things that it has done. But whether I am an appreciator or complainer, I still am relating to young adults on a daily basis. And I feel the pressure to be fruitful today.
I find myself sorting through snippets of Calvary’s history; evaluating what is of greatest worth to pass onto these young adults. For a while I was critical of Calvary Chapel’s lack of one to one discipleship. I really felt like Calvary was dropping the ball on discipling young believers, and budding leaders. But this last week that critique changed a bit.
I realized the awesome reality of one man (Chuck Smith), modeling biblical church life, sending out hundreds of pastors to plant churches, that in turn saw thousands saved and mature in Christ. It is kind of dumb to take shots at what is missing in Chuck’s discipleship model when he is the leader of 1500 CC church plants. You go and get your own 1500 churches and then you can take your shots. (I may regret saying that later in this article.)
Chuck’s model has been simple; teach the Word in a home Bible study. As it grows rent a store front. If you keep growing, buy a big facility, start a bookstore, radio station, K-12 school, and maybe even add a Bible College. This model has been copied time and time again. It has been duplicated so many times that it almost seems unspiritual and boring. But lets assume that it is a God inspired model that served the first generation of Calvary Chapel church plants well. There are a lot of Calvary Chapels that have followed this model and done incredibly well. A lot of people have gotten saved, discipled, and equipped through this model.
But then, us young folks come on the seen and see this incredible model fully developed, and we begin to poke at the problems. This could be pride, and ingratitude toward those who have laid such a terrific foundation. But at the same time we have to carry the baton in a few years and want to be fully convinced that what we are doing is biblical, and quickened by Spirit.
So we are caught in a precarious position of looking prideful and ungrateful as we ask questions and test the creeds of the first generation. How can we lead a future generation if we have some serious concerns or questions?
With that in mind I intend to write a series of articles that wrestle with the future areas of growth. These articles are based on questions students have asked in the classroom. I am interested in input from all directions. I am by no means the smartest guy in the room. I am only asking questions and posting the ideas I hear and come up with.
There are a few ways that you can add, disagree, contend, challenge. I will be creating a survey that accompanies each question. You can also e-mail me at joshturansky (at) gmail (dot) com. You can follow me on Twitter at @JoshTuransky. Or you can facebook me.
I really want to hear from current leaders in Calvary Chapel, but I also want to hear what young adults are saying. Also, those of you outside the CC movement; I want to hear your thoughts as well. Please engage whether your thoughts are fully developed or not. There are young adults being discipled at this Bible College and at a dozen other campuses that represent future leaders. Your input could really benefit their development.
Here are some of the questions I want to ask:
- If the success of Calvary Chapel came from a work of the Holy Spirit, and not a method, but we don’t have that same movement of the Holy Spirit today, what methods are we to follow?
- Why did Calvary Chapel find so much success in suburban areas, but there has not been as much success in urban/inner city areas?
- What is Calvary Chapel’s philosophy of missions?
- Why does Calvary Chapel tend to be anti-intellectual, but rely heavily on seminary scholars in sermon preparation?
- What leadership role does the Pastor’s Conferences play in the movement, and why does Calvary Chapel have the same guys teach year after year at most of these conferences?
- Why does Calvary Chapel tend to be exclusive from the rest of Christianity in America? Or in the positive; “Who outside of Calvary Chapel do we co-labor with?”
- Why does Calvary Chapel find Acts as a model for church life, but an Old Testament leader (Moses) as a model for church government? This question has been asked and answered in other places, but I want to aggregate those answers here.
- Is it a false perception to see that the older Calvary Chapel leaders who have been around since “the Tent” days reach tenure, and join the “Good Ol’ Boys Club”? Maybe this is a question about accountability.
If you want to have input on these questions please start by filling out the survey linked here. I also would love to read your e-mails.
God bless,
Josh Turansky
Instead of being influenced toward faith and humility there is a pull towards pride and self-sufficiency. I’m not saying that all Calvary Chapels are prideful and lacking faith. I’m only saying that the circumstances aren’t necessarily encouraging our attitude in the direction of faith and humility.