Baptist Doctrine and Calvary Chapel Doctrine Similar?

I'm not sure I've heard of it, sounds familiar, but I am assuming I don't know anything about them. Got a link for me?

 

I did a search and came up with all kinds of stuff. So I still will need a link to the one you are talking about.

 

http://www.calvarychapel.com/saline/what_we_believe.htm

 

I don't necessarily disagree with anything on that page, but the statement of faith is admittedly minimalist.

 

Thanks Joseph, I found there are some near us(40 miles seems near here) and I wondered if they are the samething.

 

Define minimalist please.

Thanks,

Joseph Botwinick

 

I don't know precisely what Calvary Chapels teach - I think the pastors are somewhat independent and different from each other to a degree. But I know what Chuck Smith teaches and he is one of the best expositors of the Word I have ever heard. His teaching would be very close to what most SBC churches taught before 1995, and still close to the ones who haven't 'changed'. If you love the Word of God, you will love Chuck Smith.

Listen To Chuck Smith Teach Any Chapter of The Bible

Most Baptists will disagree with his views on the Gifts of the Spirit, but you'd be surprised how he keeps it all in balance. I've listened to him teach all 66 books of the Bible and other than several chapters in Acts, you would be hard pressed to find him ever mentioning the gifts. Like Paul, he keeps spiritual gifts where they belong and never exalts them. [FWIW, I am not now, nor have I ever been, 'charismatic'].

IMHO, Chuck Smith is as solid as they come. I can't speak for other Calvary Chapel teachers though I've heard some of them are excellent. Right now Calvary Chapels are going through a hard time as some in their ranks have been conquered by the principalities and powers of change, just like SBC and all other denominations everywhere. Chuck Smith, of course, is standing firm - refusing to compromise the Word of God for the sake of success.

 

Define minimalist please.

Thanks,

Joseph Botwinick </font>[/QUOTE]Their beliefs aren't stated very clearly at times. It seems like their statement of faith is just providing the bare minimum description of their beliefs. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it makes discerning their beliefs more difficult.
------
"We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only to their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the Body of Christ."

1. De-emphasis of doctrinal distinctives
-------

"We believe in all the basic doctrines of historic Christianity."

2. This statement is as clear as mud. What are these "basic doctrines of historic Christianity"? Do they mean the Apostle's Creed? The Nicene Creed? The Westminster Confession?

-----
3. No mention of ordinances/sacraments.

"When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord."

--3 (b) This seems to imply eternal security and non-baptismal regeneration, but it would help to explicitly state these beliefs instead of only implying them.

---------

 

Iveyleaguer,

What kind of change are you talking about?

Thanks,

Joseph Botwinick

 

I hope that answers your question.

 

Yes it does. Thanks.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Chuck Smith and David Hocking are the most recognizable. I think you are pretty safe if you consider joining. They seem to be verse by verse teachers and possibly a shade more "charasmatic" than most Baptist Churches. I admit though, I have very litte first hand knowledge.

 

Hey Joseph,

By 'change' I mean a falling away or compromise of the gospel through man-made devices designed to assist the gospel in its appeal to the world and present it relevant to present culture.

God Bless. IveyLeaguer

 

I would agree that the worship style in the Calvary Chapel movement would be more "active" then most Baptist churches. Chuck Smith is a sound Bible teacher who is not a wild charismatic and wrote a great book, "Charisma verse Charismania". In it he does a great job teaching soundly concerning the gifts of the Spirit. If one is a cessionist they will not agree with it though. That being said there are some Calvary Chapel fellowships that may have independent minded pastors who get carried away. Hey wait a minute---that might really make them similar to Baptist.

Bro Tony

 

Calvary Chapels are very popular in the West and are great churches for the most part. And yes they are very similar to many progressive SBC type churches (at least in the West).

 

What do you mean by 'progressive'? I'm curious as to what a progressive church is like.

 

Liberal

 

and leaning over backwards towards humanism:

...and in those days they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.

I guess the base things that confound the wise are no longer accepted by this religious cult, and God cannot have a part in their worship unless He meets their approval.

 

More of the "new church paradigm" regarding methods, music, etc.

If I have to explain it, you probably will not be able to picture it clearly.