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What to Expect
Understanding the unique work God has done in Calvary Chapel churches can offer clarity on how we differ from other evangelical communities.
Bible Focused
We are a Bible-loving church. We are not motivational speakers/life coaches, nor are we lecturers. We are not liberal, nor are we legalistic. We believe the Bible is God's message to us from Heaven, and that His Word is 'living and active' (Hebrews 4:12) and that it 'endures forever' (1 Peter 1:25). This makes it very relevant to us today, and so it must be taught properly, and it must continue to be our primary guide until Christ returns.
Gifts of the Spirit
God gave the Church the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the 'equipping of the saints for the work of ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ' (Eph.4:12).
While there is little doubt as to the regular, continued functioning of the class of spiritual gifts described in Romans 12:6-8, there is much debate as to the ongoing function of the 'miraculous' spiritual gifts described in 1 Cor. 12:8-10 in the Church today.
Whilst it is clear that God does not use the miraculous gifts in the same, normative way as He did in the first century of the Church (to verify and give credibility to the teachings of the apostles), we acknowledge that God still occasionally uses miraculous gifts in the church and in evangelism, according to His perfect will and purpose.
Therefore, we submit to God's sovereignty in the area of giftings and maintain an open heart to the work of the Holy Spirit. We hold that in the context of a church gathering, any bona fide gifts must always be exercised properly and orderly and for the edification of the Church (1 Cor. 12-14).
Expository Teaching
Acts 2:42 says: 'And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.' The example given to us at the birth of the Church leads us to place great emphasis on continuing steadfastly in God's Word.
We believe we can be most faithful to this through expository teaching - teaching the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book. Therefore, we typically focus on one book of the Bible at time, unpacking it's context, meaning, and application.
We believe the Bible is filled with amazing depth and richness, and that it is God's desire for us to study it, meditate on it, and apply it (Det. 6, Joshua 1, Heb. 4).
We also do topical teachings from time to time and during certain times of the year.
Soteriology
How are people saved?
We believe in God's Sovereignty over mankind, but we also believe in Man's Responsibility for his decisions and actions. Therefore, we are not Calvinist, nor are we Arminian - we believe both of these doctrines are too restrictive in seeking to explain a supernatural process, which the Bible indicates to involve both God's Sovereignty and Man's Responsibility.
We are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
We are not saved by our works, but we must continue in faith. The Bible tells us repeatedly to 'endure', to 'hold fast' , to 'not draw back', to 'LIVE by faith', and ultimately, to 'overcome'.
God throws the rope out to us in the stormy tempest and we must hold fast. Anyone who holds fast until the end, and reaches the shore, will not thank himself for saving himself. He knows only God saved him. But he knows that he himself needed to hold fast until the end.