Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Approves Ordaining Woman
Char Brodersen is going his own way…
If you want a factual ,unfiltered history of all that click the link above to start, then search this site for “Calvary Chapel split”.
Brian Brodersen won that battle, but lost the war and the “movement”.
Broderson started the Calvary Global Network as an alternative to the old Calvary Chapel, which gathered into the Calvary Chapel Association.
CGN has never established an identity of it’s own, while the CCA holds fast to what they perceive as the legacy of Chuck Smith.
According to Dave Rolph on his Facebook page…Smith himself ordained some women…Rolph tells the story in typical Dave Rolph fashion…
“I worked with Chuck for almost 30 years and talked to him almost every day for closer to 40 years so we had discussed issues like this extensively. Two events come to mind. The first is when Mama Kwon visited Calvary Chapel. She was a pastor and leader in the house church movement and was involved with Operation Pearl, the smuggling of 2 million Bibles into China. (Calvary Chapel had purchased the tugboat for the operation.) We talked with Mama Kwon for a long time and she said they considered all their churches (there were hundreds) to be Calvary Chapels. Chuck had me get a stack or CC ordination certificates out of the files and we both signed them all and gave them to her. (She was the first regional director. 
) Then we both signed her certificate and Chuck prayed for her, thanking God for anointing her. But, before we blast Chuck for being soft on Scripture, and try to take the name Calvary Chapel away from him, I have another story. He and I were doing the Pastors Perspective radio program together (as we did for over 10 years) and a man called up and asked, “Pastor Chuck, what do you think of women pastors?” Chuck answered, “Well, I think most of them are lesbians.” I was waving my arms and shaking my head and he looked at me and said, “Well, they are!” So, pick a side of Chuck- Mama Kwon or lesbian pastors. Either way, it’s not worth fighting over. And if you think you are fighting for Chuck by attacking his family you didn’t know the man at all. (And I say this as someone who leans more toward the lesbian theory”
Dave Rolph is and will always be the best of Calvary Chapel to me.
The rest of this dispute is irrelevant…as is CGN.
Costa Mesa is an historical artifact of the Jesus Movement that remains physically standing, but is a long way away from what it used to mean to CC minds.
It has neither the numbers or the influence of those days.
The new temple of the true believers in Chuck is in Philadelphia now…and the leaders of the “Distinctives” clan are aging out and will soon be gone.
That old guard has accused Chuck’s grandson Char of all manner of apostasy and heresy…and I have seen no indication that he cares..nor should he.
He’s following the leading of the Spirit…just like his grandpa did.
I used to hear CC pastors repeat “movements become monuments” all the time. It seems they didn’t realize this applies to themselves too.
Crossroads Church in Vancouver, WA, where our old buddy Daniel Fusco pastors, has a couple of women pastors. Then again, I don’t know if they’re CC any longer.
CK,
They’re not…
As a former CC’er… Starting my journey under Bob Coy in ’97… I have these things to say – not that anyone asked – or cares… 1) to take Chuck’s original intention of the Moses model and to manipulate it into a control method that is deemed unquestionable is, was, and will forever be extremely arrogant of those who did that, and 2) to think that all of the fallen CC pastors who were not held accountable – or even any who were – didn’t set into motion a move from God to address such things within the movement, however He deemed fit is also extremely arrogant, and 3) neener-neener.
CC’s only answer to a 1 Timothy 5:5 widow was to get remarried so they wouldn’t have to deal with me. I even experienced being taken to lunch by an elder and his wife not to develop a friendship or see how they could minister to me, but to secretly size me up to see if I would make a good option for their son. No concern as to whether or not I was still grieving, or even no consideration if perhaps God didn’t want me to get remarried… Just a deceitful interaction with a hidden intent that the elder accidentally blurted out, much to the dismay of his wife.
I didn’t get the job. 😆 Not that I was applying.
Finally, neener-neener.
I say this light-heartedly… With a true sense of humor and amusement because I love watching God’s will be done.
From his comments here over the years, I have much appreciated Dave Rolph and considered him a kindred spirit.
“Dave Rolph is and will always be the best of Calvary Chapel to me.”
Agree! 🙏🏼
Dave Rolph is a nut but he’s right on this one.😉 I miss the Jesus Movement. But if we are going back to the Bible I’m shopping for a slave tomorrow. Considering polygamy but not sure my wife will go for it.
Dave 🤣
I liked the extra bonus . If you read far enough in Dave’s FB post you will find downloadable photos of Chuck’s Bible college grad cert and ordination cert each highlighted with a photo of gasp . . . A woman exercising authority.
Outside of that it’s refreshing to see some younger ones share their views and testimonies and vision for the gospel and the body who could care less about the fraternity of CCA but still care deeply for the individuals who comprise CCA when they don’t have to live in fear of the brand branding them.
Good!
Glad to hear it.
It’s high time that gifted women are ordained.
Ah a taste of vintage PP
That’s right, Pope Chuck was ordained in the Four Square Denomination, which was led by a woman. I wonder if he thought the lady that ordained him was a lesbian.
Dread!! 😉
Dread…this is what it takes to bring you from the cave? 🙂
dread, yup.
Dave Rolph said, “Dave Rolph is a nut but he’s right on this one.😉”
Yes, he is.
” I miss the Jesus Movement”
So do I, Dave. I moved away from So Cal in the early 80s to a place where there were no Calvary Chapels. When I moved again and found a Calvary Chapel, I was surprised that it was so different than Costa Mesa of 1970-78. Looking back, that was probably a warning, and I should have listened to that small voice then, but the rest became history.
Grateful for what was and grateful to have moved on.
I should have clarified. My agreement with Dave is his view on woman pastors, not that he’s a nut…..Lol!!!!
Heh. I left CC 3 years ago when I finally reached out to both sides of the divorce and let them know my mind had changed concerning women in ministry. The guy I spoke with at CGN was very kind, but firm in his statement that ministries which ordain women as leaders aren’t compatible with CGN. I guess things have changed…should I re-apply for affiliation? Let me think on it….nope (especially since I’m no longer a dispensationalist as well). CCA didn’t even respond to me – just removed me from their list of churches and dusted their hands. I will always appreciate the legacy of CC, but I’ve never second guessed my departure from the ranks. I wish them well.
Sad days for cccm and by extension the whole calvary movement. I’ve attended a few cc’s in the past. Even served in ministry and was a missionary from one in the 90s. Sad days
Facebook is flooded with posts from CC pastors regarding CCCM’s decision to ordain women. I believe that there are far more serious things happening in churches than ordaining women.
Bob, exactly!