By Marsha West
Beware of supposing that a teacher is to be trusted because although he holds some unsound views, he yet ‘teaches a great deal of truth.’ Such a teacher is precisely the man to do you harm: poison is always most dangerous when it is mixed with wholesome food. ~ J.C. Ryle
When the Jesus movement hit southern California beach towns like a tsunami during the 1960s, mainline Reformed denominations suddenly seemed out of step with what was happening in the culture. The mood dramatically shifted almost overnight. Protestant Creeds and Confessions and long-held traditions were frowned upon by the counterculture generation dubbed “hippies.” The inerrant, sufficient, infallible, God-breathed Word of God would no longer be the final authority for faith and life.
Early on, Calvary Church pastor Chuck Smith began reaching out to hippies and welcomed them into the small church he pastored — and young people showed up in droves. Those barefoot “dirty hippies” became what was known as “Jesus freaks.” The Jesus movement soon morphed into the Calvary Chapel movement as many other Calvary Chapel churches were planted by those who came and went, those who would eventually establish a global church network.
Not long afterwards the Market-driven Church became the evangelical model for the right way to “do church.” The Purpose-Driven/Seeker Sensitive movement was built on utilitarian pragmatism – whatever works. In other words, if churches build it to look like the culture, seekers will come.
But the march toward pragmatism and a market-driven paradigm is not what this piece is about. It’s about a book based on the 1960s Jesus People movement by Greg Laurie & Ellen Vaughn. Greg Laurie’s memoir was recently made into a movie, Jesus Revolution. Some of you may have read the book or gone to see the movie by now. Even so, hang in there because many important details were conveniently left out of the movie, which I’m going to bring to light, details you’ll no doubt find shocking.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jesus Revolution, but are aware of who Greg Laurie is, his memoir will transport you to the tumultuous 60s & 70s and the events that occurred during what was deemed the “revival” that ushered in the Jesus movement. Back then many young people heard the name Jesus for the first time in their lives. The message that spread up and down the California coast and far beyond was that Jesus Christ would save sinners who were bound for hell if they would give their lives to Him. Through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, hippies, bikers, prostitutes and druggies came to faith in Christ, repented of their sins and were baptized in the Pacific Ocean (or elsewhere). Let there be no doubt that the 60s & 70s revival was Good News for those who truly got saved.
Out of the counter-culture Jesus movement another movement emerged that drew many “Jesus freaks” through the doors of Calvary Chapel (CC) located in Costa Mesa California. The main characters in the movie frequented the church Pastor Chuck Smith led — Lonnie Frisbee and Greg & Cathe Laurie.
Although the Lauries are important to the story, the principle focus of this piece is Chuck Smith and Lonnie Frisbee, the catalysts for the CC movement. Continue reading →