Chuck Smith (1927-2013) was an influential American pastor who was a key figure in the Jesus Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement, which began as a small church in Costa Mesa, California in the 1960s but eventually grew into a worldwide network of over 1,500 churches by the time of his death.
Smith became a Christian in his late teens after struggling with alcoholism and a failing marriage. He started attending and teaching Bible studies at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, which was then pastored by Chuck Smith Sr. When the church struggled with declining attendance and financial difficulties in the 1960s, Smith became pastor and began implementing expository preaching and verse-by-verse Bible teaching. This style, along with Smith’s casual and welcoming attitude, resonated with young people and hippies who were disillusioned with the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Calvary Chapel soon became an epicenter of faith for these young converts to Christianity.
As Calvary Chapel grew rapidly in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it became a cornerstone of the nationwide Jesus Movement, which saw large numbers of youth and counterculture adherents abandon the hippie lifestyle for evangelical Christianity. Smith was one of the most influential pastors during this movement. He emphasized the importance of Bible study and preaching directly from Scripture, ministering through love and relationships, and creating an informal, laidback church atmosphere. Under Smith’s leadership during this time, Calvary Chapel pioneered innovations like contemporary Christian music, casual dress in church, and ministry outreaches to youth and addicts.
Throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the Calvary Chapel approach spearheaded by Smith spread through church plants and affiliated fellowships across America and internationally. Smith was a proponent of the “Moses model” of ministry, where one main pastor teaches sequentially through the Bible while sending out assistants to replicate that style in new churches. This model allowed Calvary Chapel to rapidly expand its reach while maintaining unity around Smith’s central leadership role and teaching style.
Smith was also a futurist who understood the potential of radio, television, cassette tapes, and other forms of media to spread the gospel. His “Word for Today” radio program, prophecy conferences, and distribution of his recorded Bible studies helped popularize his verse-by-verse expository style. Smith’s emphasis on exegetical preaching and systematic teaching through books of the Bible became a defining feature of the Calvary Chapel movement.
In addition to pastoring and oversight of the Calvary Chapel network, Smith was a prolific author who published numerous books on theology and ministry. He was also known as one of the key figures in helping restore interest in eschatology and Bible prophecy in the second half of the 20th century. His prophecy conferences at Calvary Chapel were massively popular events that influenced many American evangelicals’ views of the end times.
Smith faced criticism from some evangelicals who felt his informal approach and emphasis on grace diluted the importance of holy living and strict theological standards. However, his supporters praised the Christlike love, humility, and forgiveness Smith exemplified throughout his ministry. Even after building one of the largest evangelical churches and networks in America, Smith lived a simple life focused on Bible teaching rather than finances, fame, or political power.
By the early 1990s, Calvary Chapel was a global denomination with over 700 fellowships worldwide. Smith had also trained hundreds of younger pastors in his methods through ministering conferences and resources. When he passed away in 2013 after a battle with lung cancer, he left behind an enormous legacy and movement that continues to be influential today.
In summary, Chuck Smith was the hippie-loving, surfing pastor who shepherded the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 70s through expository preaching at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. His verse-by-verse teaching style, emphasis on relationships, and informal church atmosphere spawned the widespread Calvary Chapel phenomenon and influenced thousands of pastors and millions of Christians worldwide.
Early Life and Background
Charles Ward “Chuck” Smith was born on June 25, 1927 in Ventura, California. His parents Charles and Maude Smith were Christians and raised him in the church, but Smith struggled spiritually during his youth. As a teenager, he turned away from the faith and got involved in drugs, alcohol, and partying.
After a troubled stint in the Navy, Smith met his wife Kay at Ventura Junior College and got married in 1948. He worked a series of jobs while attending Life Bible College, a small nondenominational Bible school pastored by Charles W. Swindell. Here Smith began learning the Bible in depth and sensing a call to the ministry.
Smith was ordained as a pastor in the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel denomination in 1951. He started a church in Corona, California but soon became disillusioned by divisions in the congregation. Struggling in the ministry and his marriage, Smith left the pastorate in 1954 and returned to his hometown. He backslid into alcoholism and remarried after divorcing Kay in 1958.
But several years later, Smith rededicated his life to Christ after attending Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa where his father Chuck Smith Sr. was pastoring. In December 1962, at age 35, Chuck Jr. separated from his second wife, reconciled with Kay, and began assisting his dad in ministry. This launched his career as a pastor and teacher at Calvary Chapel.
Tenure at Calvary Chapel
From 1962 to 1965, Chuck Smith taught Bible studies and served at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa alongside his father, who continued in the senior pastor role. But by 1965, the church was $20,000 in debt and down to just 25 regular attendees. The senior Pastor Smith took a sabbatical, and Chuck Smith Jr. reluctantly became pastor at age 38.
Smith emphasized verse-by-verse Bible teaching and shared pastor duties with his friend Don McClure. Smith taught from the gospel of John on Sunday mornings, while McClure taught on the book of Acts on Sunday nights. Midweek Bible studies covered other books of the Bible sequentially. This expository, “through the Bible” approach was foundational to Smith’s ministry philosophy.
As Smith and McClure continued teaching systematically through the Bible, Calvary Chapel began attracting large numbers of youth and counterculture seekers. Smith welcomed hippies, bikers, and addicts into the church and became known for relating to the marginalized with love and authenticity. Attendance swelled, and by the late 1960s Calvary Chapel was the epicenter of the growing nationwide Jesus Movement.
Smith was one of the most influential leaders in the Jesus Movement revival among youth. He emphasized relational ministry and providing a place for converts to grow in their faith through Bible teaching, fellowship, and spiritual mentorship. Smith helped restore enthusiasm for Christianity among the postwar “baby boom” generation.
In 1969, Calvary Chapel made a defining commitment to expositional preaching when Smith finished the four gospels and started teaching through the entire Bible sequentially from Genesis to Revelation. He would end up teaching verse-by-verse through the entire Bible four times during his tenure.
As Calvary Chapel grew rapidly, Smith appointed assistant pastors and home fellowship leaders to minister to the new converts flooding into the movement. By 1974, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa had 10,000 attendees and two dozen affiliated and home fellowship churches. The informal, communal nature of the church appealed to converts seeking an alternative to the counterculture lifestyle.
Throughout the 1970s, Smith continued as the lead pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa while training other Calvary Chapel-affiliated churches. He emphasized church government should follow a “Moses model” with senior pastors teaching like Moses while sending out assistants like the elders Moses appointed. Notable assistants trained by Smith included Greg Laurie, Mike MacIntosh, and Skip Heitzig.
Smith helped pioneer contemporary Christian music by welcoming new bands like Love Song to play at Calvary Chapel. Seeking to engage the younger generation, Smith allowed casual dress at church services. He also established Hideaway Ranch as a recovery ministry to help former addicts. These innovations made church feel welcoming and culturally resonant for the younger generation flocking to Christianity.
By 1981, Calvary Chapel had planted almost 200 churches. Smith’s “Moses model” of ministry focused on identifying and training younger assistant pastors who could plant new churches using verse-by-verse expository teaching modeled after Smith’s style. This allowed the movement to expand rapidly while maintaining cohesion and consistency in its Bible teaching philosophy.
In the 1980s, Smith leveraged radio to spread his Bible teaching outside the local church. The “Word for Today” broadcast aired Smith’s verse-by-verse expositions and commentary on stations nationwide. This radio ministry further popularized the Calvary Chapel style of Bible preaching.
Smith also held large prophecy conferences, which grew into major events attracting thousands. His interest in eschatology was sparked by prophetic Bible conferences he attended at the King’s College in the 1950s. Smith’s own prophecy conferences and teachings on the end times influenced a generation of American evangelicals to become more focused on Bible prophecy.
By the 1990s, Calvary Chapel was an evangelical phenomenon, with over 700 affiliated churches worldwide and resources like radio programs, books, and conference tapes spreading Smith’s Bible teachings. Thousands of pastors were trained under Smith’s discipleship and sought to replicate his ministry philosophy in new church plants.
Even in his later years, Smith remained intimately involved at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, teaching the Bible, counseling parishioners, and ministering through baptisms. He continued pastoring there until he passed away from cancer in 2013 at age 86.
Teaching Style and Ministry Philosophy
The foundation of Chuck Smith’s ministry was expository preaching, working systematically through books of the Bible verse-by-verse. He avoided topical and motivational preaching, focusing instead on explaining and applying the straightforward meaning of Scripture.
Smith believed strongly in the authority and sufficiency of the Bible. His sequential approach walked listeners through books in their full context. By focusing simply on the exposition of Scripture, he allowed the Bible’s message to come alive. Smith taught over 140 books of the Bible during his teaching career.
At Calvary Chapel services under Smith’s leadership, worship music was kept to a minimum so maximum time could be spent delivering in-depth Bible teaching. Smith believed worship should emphasize teaching and understanding God’s word.
Smith’s teaching style was pastoral, relating the heart of the biblical message in a simple and practical manner. He avoided complex theological jargon and emphasized the love of Jesus. There was no imposing pulpit at Calvary Chapel – Smith sat on a stool with the open Bible in his hands.
Calvary Chapel avoided rigid programs and formal services. There was an emphasis on fellowship and community amidst the informal “come as you are” atmosphere. For Smith, facilitating relationships was more important than erecting grand church buildings.
Smith exemplified the character qualities he taught. He was known for compassion, humility, and an exemplary prayer life. By modeling Jesus’ heart of forgiveness and grace, Smith attracted people seeking authenticity and second chances.
At Calvary Chapel’s Bible College established by Smith in 1975, pastoral training focused heavily on theology and ministry experience over rigid academic standards. Smith believed ministry should be learned through discipleship, hands-on leadership, and studying Scripture.
Smith pioneered the “Moses model” of church leadership. Like Moses appointing elders beneath him, Smith empowered assistant pastors to exercise leadership while he remained the directing pastor and central teacher. This model allowed for accountability and unity across the Calvary Chapel network of churches.
For Smith, Calvary Chapel was about the work of the Holy Spirit. He avoided rigid controls and overly formal ministerial roles, instead trusting the Spirit to guide the church. There was a sense of grace and working organically in the Spirit’s power.
In summary, the core of Smith’s ministry philosophy was relying on the Spirit’s power, teaching the uncomplicated Word of God verse-by-verse, modeling Jesus’ heart of compassion and grace, equipping others for ministry, and building an authentic, informal community of believers.
Legacy and Impact
Chuck Smith was one of the most influential evangelical pastors of the late 20th century. He left an enormous legacy shaping the Christian church today.
Smith’s verse-by-verse expository preaching revitalized biblical exposition in evangelical churches. Many pastors today cite Smith as a mentor and inspiration for prioritizing systematic Bible teaching ministries.
As a key leader in the Jesus Movement, Smith influenced thousands of young people to give their lives to Christ out of the hippie counterculture movement. He demonstrated that church could resonate culturally while remaining doctrinally sound.
Under Smith’s leadership, Calvary Chapel pioneered a more casual and informal style of church that made Christianity feel accessible and welcoming for generations raised outside the traditional church environment.
Smith inspired a renewed emphasis on eschatology and Bible prophecy which sparked widespread interest in the end times that continues today, especially in American evangelical circles.
The Calvary Chapel phenomenon spawned by Smith significantly expanded the reach of evangelical Christianity both nationally and internationally. Today Calvary Chapel has over 1,500 affiliated churches worldwide.
Smith was a trusted Bible teacher who distributed millions of recordings, radio broadcasts, books, and other resources of in-depth biblical instruction. His teachings continue to influence Christians globally.
Smith emphasized mentorship and training, raising up hundreds of pastors who lead Calvary Chapel churches and other congregations today. His ministry philosophy lives on in these pastors’ own ministries.
Despite fame and influence, Smith modeled humility, authenticity, and prioritizing love over legalism. He exemplified a grace-filled Christianity focused on Jesus and Scripture rather than political power or clout.
In summary, Chuck Smith left a lasting imprint on biblical preaching, modern church ministry, evangelical outreach, and the personal lives of millions of Christians who studied under or were touched by his decades-long ministry career.
Controversies and Criticisms
Despite his popularity and influence, Chuck Smith was not without his critics and controversies over his decades of ministry.
Some evangelicals criticized his casual style and emphasis on grace, arguing he was weak on calling for personal holiness and repentance. His critics felt Calvary Chapel watered down Christianity’s ethical demands.
Smith’s dispensationalist teachings and association with the charismatic movement were controversial in some Christian circles. His end times views and support for spiritual gifts like tongues were rejected by some evangelicals.
Legalistic Independent Baptists and fundamentalists alleged Smith was theologically suspect and undermined biblical doctrine by welcoming non-traditional Christians from the counterculture like hippies and bikers.
Some accused the Moses Model structure of giving too much power and influence to Smith as the figurehead. They argued its congregational autonomy could lead to abuse or lack of accountability.
Smith faced criticism in the 1970s for his reluctance to directly confront and condemn drug use, promiscuity, and non-traditional lifestyles among new converts at Calvary Chapel.
In the mid-2000s, Smith was drawn into controversies over allegations of immorality against two prominent Calvary Chapel pastors, including his nephew Chuck Smith Jr. This damaged his reputation in some Christian circles.
Throughout his career, Smith had to defend himself against accusations he was theologically unsound, biblically compromised, too lenient on sin, overly authoritarian, and responsible for moral failings in the Calvary Chapel network.
However, among mainstream evangelicalism Smith remained enormously popular and respected until his death. His critics were a minority compared to those who saw him as a biblical, gracious pastor and pivotal mentor to the contemporary church.
Quotes from Chuck Smith
“The distinguishing mark of Christians is not how much we know about the Bible, but how we live in the Spirit.”
“Don’t try to impress people with your knowledge. Impress them with how much you care.”
“God does not require a perfect, sinless life to have fellowship with Him, but a walk of faith whereby we please Him through believing what He has said.”
“I believe in the importance of the local church. The church is God’s instrument upon the earth.”
“Don’t tell God you have a problem – let God tell you He has the answer.”
“God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.”
“To really trust God in the darkness, follow Him in the light.”
“If God causes you to suffer, He will give you the grace so that you can properly endure it.”
“The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions.”
“Don’t speak about the Bible – speak the Bible!”