Calvary Chapel is a non-denominational fellowship. It is affiliated with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California.
In the Dallas area, Calvary Chapel was started by a group of people who had heard Chuck Smith, pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, on radio. It began as a home Bible Study with the group listening to Chuck Smith's tapes. Upon determining that they wanted to form a church, they contacted Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa concerning their desire for a pastor. As a result, Bill Philipp, from San Bernardino, California, felt God call him and his wife to Dallas to start Calvary Chapel in 1980. The church grew from its small beginnings in a home to meeting in a hotel within the next couple years. Pastor Bill left in 1986, succeeded by Pastor Rick Coburn the same year.
Pastor Rick was saved through the ministry of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. He attended there 11 years prior to coming to Dallas, and it was there that God prepared him for ministry. His preparation included teaching home Bible studies and heading a ministry to Mexico which consisted of collecting and distributing food and clothing on a monthly basis to Mexican villages and orphanages. Pastor Rick is married and has three grown children.
The primary emphasis of this fellowship is threefold:
1. Evangelize
2. Disciple
3. Equip the Saints for the work of the ministry
STATEMENT OF FAITH
Calvary Chapel is a nondenominational church. We are not opposed to denominations as such, only their overemphasis on the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the Body of Christ. We seek to emphasize the spiritual unity of all true believers. We make no distinction concerning an individual's race or ethnic background because we acknowledge that there can be no preferential treatment with God. It shall be the policy of this church to give preeminence to the preaching of the gospel, to the studying of the Word of God, and to exalting the Lord Jesus Christ.
BELIEFS
In order to identify the church as conservative in theology, and evangelical in spirit, we set forth this general statement of beliefs:
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and inerrant in the original writings.
II Timothy 3:16
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.
Genesis 1:1 , Matthew 28:19 , John 10:30
3. We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teaching, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth.
John 3:16, Matthew 1:18, Matthew 1:23,
Hebrews 4:15, I Peter 3:18, Acts 1:9,11,
The Gospels
4. We believe that the lost and sinful man must be saved, and that man's only hope of redemption is through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and that only by God's grace and through faith alone are we saved.
John 3:16-19, John 5:24, Romans 2:23,
Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5
5. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ; we believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher and Guide. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Spirit. Therefore, we will have "afterglow" services and/or "believers' meetings" to practice the use of these gifts in accordance with Biblical guidelines.
John 14:26, John 16:13, Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 3:16, I Corinthians 6:19-20
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; they that are saved unto resurrection of life, and they that are unsaved unto the resurrection of damnation.
John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:12-15
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 12:12-13, Galations 3:26-28
8. We believe in the two New Testament ordinances of water baptism and the Lord's Supper (communion to all believers). These ordinances are observed in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, as acts of love and devotion, and are not considered to be necessary to our salvation.
Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 22:19-20, I Corinthians 11:24-25