A modern apostle

3:26 p.m. Today's project is to go see and hear Chuck Smith, the pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and founder of the Calvary Chapel movement, at our church this evening. We are all excited to hear him, especially Steve, who was saved there in Costa Mesa at the tent in 1973 during the Jesus Movement.





Chuck's anointing by God and obedience to His call has made him, I believe, an apostle of the modern church. He has founded Calvary Chapels around the globe; birthed the Harvest Crusades back in 1990, not to mention training and raising up the pastors who now lead hundreds of thousands of people to Christ.

Chuck Smith's message is simple: teach the Word of God directly from the Bible. At 83 now, having survived a stroke, his enthusiasm for Jesus Christ is stronger than ever, and his message to the believer that "Christ is coming--be ready," has never changed.



As a new believer in 1980, I remember immersing myself in Chuck's Bible study tapes in the old library upstairs at Calvary Chapel Riverside, The love and authority in his voice, his expounding of the scriptures, and the warmth of his conviction that God is to be trusted unequivocably, inspired me to pursue the call God had on my life to teach women's Bible studies.



9:51 p.m. Now returned from a fabulous event that saw about a dozen people give their lives to Christ at Chuck's invitation, I just marvel that the Word of God can be so powerfully delivered with gentleness and love!

Speaking of love, the blessed main part of the evening was a concert by Lovesong, the original Christian rock band founded by Chuck Smith when he auditioned the group in the early '70's. My hubby Steve especially was blesssed, because he was born again in the midst of the movement; I had heard the songs on Christian radio and on cassette tapes after I got saved in 1980. I recorded a number of them tonight to share with family members when they join us in August--Steve's side of the family all attended Calvary Costa Mesa back in the day, and his late father was an usher there.

I'll be especially interested to hear Heidi and Pavel's response to the music, the inspiration for the Christian bands they enjoy. In fact, lead guitarist Tommy Coombs leads the band named after him today; Pavel loaded his Christmas CD onto our iTunes.

Now, it's a new generation's turn to go forth and preach the gospel!!