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'''Calvary Chapel''' is an independent [[Protestantism|Protestant]] church started by [[Chuck Smith]] in California during the late 1960's.  Formed under the [[Jesus Movement]] where the first parishioners were [[hippies]], the churches spread under the leadership of Smith so that today there are over 1,000 Calvary Chapel churches in the world.  They are known to strike a balance between traditional Protestant theology and the more modern [[Charismatic movement]].

'''Calvary Chapel''' is a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination.

 

The denomination started as a single church started by [[Chuck Smith]] in [[Costa Mesa, California]] during the late 1960's (which is considered to be the denomination's "mother church").  It would later grow as a result of openly embracing the [[Jesus Movement]] where many of its new parishioners were [[hippies]], the churches spread under the leadership of Smith so that today there are over 1,000 Calvary Chapel churches in the world.  They are known to strike a balance between traditional Protestant theology and the more modern [[Charismatic movement]].

Calvary Chapel professes to be non-denominational, but it does hold strongly to certain controversial beliefs or practices that have historically divided and defined the denominations. One example is its commitment to [[believer's baptism]] (not [[infant baptism]]), administered by [[immersion]]. There is a belief in the [[Gifts of the Holy Spirit]] including [[Glossolalia]], i.e. Speaking in Tongues, but the open manifestation of these gifts is usually reserved for smaller groups instead of the larger service. One distinctive of the church, not common amongst Pentecostal/charismatic style churches, is its practice of studying the Bible in a progressive fashion, line by line (commonly known as [[expository preaching]], which is more common among Evangelical and Fundamentalist congregations).

Calvary Chapel professes to be non-denominational, but it does hold strongly to certain controversial beliefs or practices that have historically divided and defined the denominations. One example is its commitment to [[believer's baptism]] (not [[infant baptism]]), administered by [[immersion]]. There is a belief in the [[Gifts of the Holy Spirit]] including [[Glossolalia]], i.e. Speaking in Tongues, but the open manifestation of these gifts is usually reserved for smaller groups instead of the larger service. One distinctive of the church, not common amongst Pentecostal/charismatic style churches, is its practice of studying the Bible in a progressive fashion, line by line (commonly known as [[expository preaching]], which is more common among Evangelical and Fundamentalist congregations).