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Bringing the Bible home
Quarterly • Winter 09 • Issue 13
becoming Christlike
Making Way for the King
More Jesus less self
Paranoia to Peace a life transformed
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Winter 09 • Issue 13
F E A T U R E S
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Becoming Christlike in a fallen world BRIAN BRODERSEN
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Making Way for the King CHUCK SMITH
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Word to Women more Jesus less self CHERYL BRODERSEN
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Changed Lives
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cowboy country to coalminers’ town BRYCE HEARD
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Christ in Britain struggle for English rule BRIAN NIXON
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Divine Appointments fulfiling the heart’s cry BOB CALDWELL
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Changeless Truth attributes of God (part III) God in man’s image JOSEPH HOLDEN
D E P A R T M E N T S
18 25 30 34 35
News Update Resources Churches & Ministries Programme Guide Pastors on Air
Published by: Calvary Chapel Radio PO Box 647 BROMLEY Kent BR1 4WQ Tel: 020 8466 5365 Web: www.calvarychapelradio.co.uk Email: newsletter@calvarychapelradio.co.uk Executive Editor: Brian Brodersen Editor: Karen Robinson Design: Neil Godding Contributors: Chuck Smith, Brian Nixon, Joseph Holden, Cheryl Brodersen, Bryce Heard, Bob Caldwell, Tommy Fretwell Printed by: T&C Printers 020 8460 8416 Web Design: www.calvarydesign.com
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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BRIAN BRODERSEN
becoming Christlike
in a fallen a e world o d
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t is interesting that many people in our culture and around the world, though troubled and turned off by the church, are intrigued by, and even interested, in Jesus Christ. They find the church appalling but Jesus appealing! What does that tell us? It tells us that the church has evidently done a poor job of representing the Lord. Maybe that is due to our having lost sight of who Jesus is, what He’s done and what He intends to do. That brings me to this question: What does Jesus desire to do in our lives? In a recent interview John Stott gave an excellent answer to that question. He said: “I want to share with you where my mind has come to rest as I approach the end of my pilgrimage on earth and it is—God wants His people to become like Christ. Christ-likeness is the will of God for the people of God”.
God wants us to become like Jesus. But how does that happen?
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I agree—God wants us to become like Jesus. But how does that happen? I believe meditating on the Gospels with an open heart and a desire to see Jesus afresh in all His love, grace, humility and authority will go a long way in accomplishing that goal. And as we as individuals become more like Christ, the church will become more appealing to those who have been previously turned off. This strange dichotomy in people’s minds between Christ and the church should not exist and will cease to exist the more we live Christlike lives.
… when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 Jn 3:2-3).
Brian Brodersen Brian Brodersen is associate pastor at the founding church of the Calvary Chapel movement and has a vision and heart to see God’s Word restored to the people of Britain. His passion for Britain and the British was ignited during his years pastoring in Central London. He is a host of Pastor’s Perspective, a Q/A programme broadcast around the world and on Calvary Chapel Radio.
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CHUCK SMITH
Prepare ye the way of the Lord! “Prepa are the way of f th he LORD; make His paths s straight. Ev very valley shall be fiilled and eve ery mou unta ain and d hill l brought t low: the croo oke ed places shall be made straight and rou ugh ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the Sa alvation n of God”. Lu Luke k 3:4 :4-6 -6
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he King was coming, and John the Baptist had been called to be His forerunner—to announce that His kingdom was at hand and to urge the people to prepare themselves through repentance. In essence John was called to smooth the way for the Lord’s arrival. Jesus—the holy, righteous King—was coming at a time of great spiritual, moral decay. The atmosphere was hostile to righteousness and to the things of the Lord. So John went about urging the people to repent. “Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees”, John warned them. “Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:9). When the people asked, “What shall we do then?” John answered, “He who has
E Excerpt from Wisdom For Today, a devotional from Genesis to Revelation by Pastor Chuck Smith. To purchase p your own copy make cheque payable to Calvary Chapel Radio for £16 (inc p&p) and send to Calvary Chapel Radio. See page 3 for address.
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two tunics, let him give to him who has none: and he who has food, let him do likewise” (3:11). In other words, stop thinking about yourselves. Consider others. Straighten out those crooked ways in your life. Get ready for the King.
A certain amount of preparation is nec cessa ary before a life meets God. We e are all in need of f smoo oth hing g.
Our King is coming! With David, let’s pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Lord, we invite You to smooth out the rough spots within us. Have Your way with our hearts, Father.
AMEN.
Chuck Smith Chuck Smith is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement. With an emphasis on biblical exposition, Calvary Chapel has grown from the first gathering of twenty-five individuals in 1965 to encompass a worldwide fellowship today of more than 1,200 churches and over 60 Bible colleges.
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A Word to Women MORE
JESUS
... LESS SELF
J
ohn the Baptist had a specific course allotted to him by God. He was the forerunner of Jesus. As His forerunner, John was to make the people aware of their sins and their need for repentance. He was to prepare the people of Israel to meet their Messiah. The people needed to be awakened to their need for a Saviour and be made conscious of their failure to live up to the standards of the law. They had to recognize the looming condemnation that was over them. Therefore, John preached morality. He preached repentance. He preached about the impending judgment and called people to repent and be baptized.
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
When Jesus came, John began to point people to Jesus. John even pointed his own disciples to Jesus in John 1:29 when He said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” And later John testified, “He must increase, but I must decrease” in John 3:30.
John the Baptist’s course seemed to end abruptly when Herod arrested him, imprisoned him and then beheaded him. Yet, in Acts 13:25 Paul announced to the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia that John finished his course. John did exactly what he was anointed by God to do: he continually pointed people to Jesus. Every Christian’s course bears this similarity—we are to point people to Jesus. John easily could have justified garnering a following after himself. How humbling it must have been for the mighty and popular prophet to
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John did exactly what he was anointed by God to do: he continually pointed people to Jesus.
Cheryl Brodersen
A Bible teacher who loves to explore the treasures of God’s Word. Here, Cheryl highlights some of the timeless truths found in God’s Word.
‘GGra r cciiou ous Wo Word rds’ss’’ airirs onn CCRRad rd addio io evveeryy Sat a uurrda d y aatt 12. 2.0000 andd 200..00 00 hou o rs rs
… at every turn we must seek to fulfil our purpose in life and point people to Jesus.
be stunted in the prime years of his ministry in the prison of the wicked King Herod. How ignoble for a prophet to die on the whim of a dancing girl! Yet, this was the end of the course ordained by God for John.
Somewhat disillusioned while he lingered in prison before his death, it is written in John 7:19 that he sent the remnant of his disciples to Jesus to ask: “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Even this query was part of the weaning process for the disciples of John. They were turning from the mortal prophet to the immortal Saviour of the world. We too have a course laid out for us by God. Our course will take dips and turns that are unexpected and even daunting. Doubts will assail us often and people will seek to honour us beyond our humanity. Thus, at every turn we must seek to fulfil our purpose in life and point people to Jesus.
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CHANGED H LIVES
BRYCE HEARD from cowboy country to coalminers’ town Bryce Heard, pastor of Calvary Chapel Mansfield, shares on the moment his drug-fuelled paranoia gave way to indescribable peace and joy and a lifetime of blessing.
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t was 3.00 am on 26 March 1995 and I was sitting with friends on a back porch in Austin, Texas, in the USA when God’s light began to dawn. Though what I was experiencing at that moment looked and felt so real, “it can’t be”, I thought. “Did I really just lose my soul? Has it gone into hell already? Is there really no hope? Everything around me seemed real but ‘something’ inside me wouldn’t let me believe it. I had dropped a couple hits of LSD that night and taken some other drugs as well but “was that it!? Could I no longer be saved?” I continued the questioning in my head. A voice from within was trying to convince me of this “apparent” truth. “Don’t worry, Bryce, you’re lost”, the voice persisted. “At least now you can go do whatever you want to do, love whoever you want to love and experience anything you want to experience because you are destined for hell.
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Don’t be hindered by what is right and wrong; go with what feels good. This life is now all that you have left because when it’s over, you are going to hell, so be free!” And with that, I jumped up and stumbled into the house in disbelief. “It can’t be true”, I mused. Inside the house I sank into the settee, trying to deal with all the emotions and things I was seeing. As I sat the fireplace became a roaring inferno before my eyes and then the floor fell away before me so that I was left standing on a moving pavement that hung over nothing. The moving pavement was slowly taking me closer to the fire and as I looked around I saw the eyes of many people I knew watching me, crying over me, laughing at me. I called out to them, “help me, save me”, but no one moved; they only watched as I drew nearer to the flame. “It’s true. I am lost”, I conceded. A face appeared
in the flame laughing at me as I began to believe and submit to this truth. As tears began to run down my cheeks, the vision dissipated … it was over. Suddenly, the vague background noise of Alice in Chains singing “Man in a Box” punctuated my despair with “won’t you come and save me”. The lyrics “Jesus Christ, deny your maker” became crystal clear as the music screamed at me to deny Jesus and accept the inevitable. This was the last moment, the last chance— “Jesus Christ, deny Him and it is all finished”, the voice echoed. I thought to myself, “Jesus Christ … deny my maker?” I yelled “NO WAY, Jesus save me?!” and as I did, a narrow path appeared leading up and off the moving pavement away from the burning flame. I fell to my knees on this narrow path and someone covered me with an indescribable peace and joy. I realised at that moment, after many years of searching, I had finally found what I was looking for—a truth I learned in Sunday school—that Jesus truly is the Saviour and He was now my Saviour. During that first half hour of experiencing the peace of God, for the first time in my life, the Lord Jesus showed me many things about my future. There were going to be major changes
in my life. I would lose everything I thought was important to me if I truly followed Christ. Relationships, reputation and the very route I was charting for myself would all be lost but what I would receive in knowing Jesus would far surpass all that I was to give up. It wasn’t a hard choice. I had tried a lot of things to attain only a tiny fraction of the wonder and love I was experiencing at that moment. I got up from my knees and rang my parents at about 4.00 am. The first words out of my mouth were, “you were right”. Later that day I boarded a plane and headed home to spend a week with them and try to sort out what had just happened. As I waited for the plane I spoke on the phone with my housemates. I told them that I had become a Christian the night before and my life would be different. They tried to convince me the Bible was in error and that I was crazy, but nothing could shake my faith in the Jesus who had just saved me. Four days later the pastor of Calvary Chapel St George looked over his desk to me and stated simply, “you should be a pastor”. As he said it I thought he was the one who had been smoking something! He had no idea what I had been up to that past year. “A pastor”, I responded, “you must be crazy!” but he handed me the book Harvest by Chuck Smith as I walked out the door. That book charts the lives of men who had been transformed by God to minister to His people and that book changed my life. “If God could use these guys, then perhaps He could use me”, I thought. Six months
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later I entered Calvary Chapel Bible College in Twin Peaks, California. Ever since that memorable day, when Jesus took me out of the pit, His Word became a lamp to my feet (Proverbs 3:5-6). Though the next five years were often three steps forward and two steps back, God continued to show His faithfulness. I learned quickly that experiences can be deceiving and that our lives had to be based upon the Word of God. The simple day-to-day walk with Jesus, reading and applying the Word of God, took me on a journey I couldn’t have imagined and gave me true experiences with the Holy Spirit. It was during those years, despite all my excuses and protests, that God called me to preach the Word and today I pastor a church in Mansfield in the East Midlands. Moving to Mansfield was the natural yet supernatural next step, as my wife Bethany is from Mansfield. We were married in Mansfield and moved to America for a year to get involved with a church to learn, grow and strengthen our marriage before we went to the mission field. One morning as we were praying, we asked the Lord to open up doors for us to be used in England and it suddenly dawned on me that
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those doors were already wide open in Mansfield. The only reason I hadn’t considered going to Mansfield before that time was because I had already been there. I wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t been before, but as we prayed the Spirit impressed upon our hearts that Mansfield was the place where He wanted us to move to. It was September 2000 when we arrived in Mansfield. I had boldly told everyone in our supporting churches in Utah (our home church), Texas, and New Jersey, that God had called us to go start a church in Mansfield and we were on our way. Settling into our seats for our flight, I suddenly thought, “How does one start a church?” Fear of failure tried to grip my heart, but God’s Word freed me again, “lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path”. Paul tells us that peace comes in believing. What a simple concept. I believe, He gives peace in a situation because it is God who will remain faithful to do what He sets out to do. Nine years on and my wife Bethany and I can testify that it is truly the Lord who has been faithful. I have made so many mistakes, yet God’s grace has carried us through. From three people meeting in a front room, the church has reached out as far away as the Thai/Burmese border to Burmese refugees, and as close as Sheffield to the Karen refugees. Besides the church and Bible studies in Mansfield, doors have opened to start Bible studies in the city of Nottingham, the village of
Jacksdale and the town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire. And three years ago the Lord led us to open a coffee house through which we reach out to our local community in Mansfield. As a church we firmly believe that faith comes through hearing and hearing is through the Word of God. “The exceeding greatness of the power of God toward us who believe,” is what the Bible says is available to us in Ephesians 1:19. God wants to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or even think” (Ephesians 1:20). I don’t think we have even begun to scratch the surface of what God intends to do and so we press on and watch God do even greater things than these through the simple teaching of His Word mixed with faith.
Bryce invites you to join CC Mansfield live on Sunday mornings @ 10:30 am on www.calvarychapelmansfield.org.uk
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Christ in Britain
Brian C Nixon author & educator
The
Struggle for English Rule
AD 1216 - AD 1348
Henry III
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n our last time together we eavesdropped into the lives of Richard I and his brother John - giving special attention to Richard’s role in the Crusades. Though much can be said of the Crusades, this article is not the place to wax eloquent about the pros and cons of the religious, political and social infighting of Medieval Europe and the Islamic Middle East. If anything can be said, it is that the Crusades are more complicated than most people think, covering vast ground, requiring specialized insight. What we should remember—in historic situations such as the Crusades—is that God loves all people—on both sides of the fighting—and yearned then, as He does now, for people to come to repentance and turn to Christ, thereby finding the peace, joy and love offered to humanity in the life, death and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus. With that said, what we did learn last time is that Richard I reigned from AD 1189 – AD 1199 and was succeeded after his death by John, who reigned from AD 1199 – AD 1216. While Richard was a popular king, signified by his nickname, “the Lionheart”, John proved an unpopular king. At John’s death, in AD 1216, his son Henry became Henry III, King of England.
Henry III
H
enry was just a boy when his father died, becoming king at the age 9. And like most 9 year olds, Henry was clueless about ruling a country. To add injury to insult, the England left to Henry was a mess. Civil war, political infighting and religious turmoil ruled the day. Had it not been for the intervention of papal legate, Guala Bicchieri, who helped bring order out of such chaos, the future of England looked doomed indeed. Bicchieri was able to set up a council that was able to govern the country, but with it he also brought the See of Rome and the Pope’s interest to bear to a greater degree in the affairs of England. From Bicchieri’s intervention, after John’s death in 1216, Rome held special power and influence in England as it helped rule the country through several legates steering it away from total collapse. By the time Henry was old enough to rule, he turned to the legates for help but the thought of England’s King turning to Rome for advice and help angered many in England. The English people felt that their English King should be concerned with England, not Rome. To make things worse and
The future of England looked doomed. add to their concern the Pope in charge was Innocent III (AD 1160 – AD 1216), whom we now know was the most powerful Pope in history. Innocent required supreme authority in all religious and political matters and with this Roman oversight came taxes—and taxed the English were! As one can imagine, the English people were not well pleased with Henry III’s alliance with Rome. In particular, they did not like how the Church of Rome was taxing its people. Some people reacted and in AD 1231 a society was formed under the leadership of Robert Tweng. This society began to protest by burning Italian property and causing general mischief but despite their efforts, little change came from their actions. On a different level, some English Church officials began to rile themselves up against Rome for allowing the confirmation of bishops without the approval of the English bishops. One such official was Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, who refused to acknowledge the confirmation of the Pope’s nephew to an English position, stating, “With all filial respect and obedience I will not obey, I resist, I rebel”.
The ‘person on the street’ did not like ‘non-English men’ dominating the religious and political spheres of influence.
What was clear through all this intrigue was that the English were becoming more nationalistic. The ‘person on the street’ did not like ‘non-English men’ dominating the religious and political spheres of influence. The outcome of this unrest was the formation of a movement, led by Simon de Montfort, that kept an eye on the political and religious happenings of the day, adding strength to truly English interests.
The Friars From another vantage point, England was seeing an influx of Franciscans and Dominicans in the ranks of ecclesiastical life. As many in England sought religious and political reform, they yearned for a clergy that was with the people of England, not a group of clergy ruling from the outside, such as Rome. The result was that two groups of friars, the Order of Preachers (Dominican) and the newly established Franciscans, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi, began to preach, train and minister
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on a very personal level to the people of England. The first friars arrived in AD 1221. They were brought to Canterbury by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, and introduced to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton. They attended to the practical, daily elements of English life: Mass, serving the poor, and teaching and many friars headed for the larger cities, establishing schools and centres of learning. At Oxford the Dominicans founded a school of theology, producing many wonderful scholars such as Robert Kilwardby (AD 1215 – AD 1279). Robert Kilwardby studied at the University of Paris, where he was noted as a teacher. He joined the Dominican Order and turned his attention to the teaching and study of theology. He was enacted a monastic superior of the Dominican Order in AD 1261. Just over ten years later, in AD 1272 Pope Gregory X ended a dispute over the vacant archbishopric of Canterbury by appointing Kilwardby. And in AD 1273 Robert became Archbishop of Canterbury. Meanwhile, the Franciscans were also producing scholars such as Roger Bacon (AD 1214 – AD
1298), John Duns Scotus (AD 1266 – AD 1308) and William of Ockham (AD 1288 – AD 1348) all of whom went on to influence medieval thought and philosophy.
exists. With this, Scotus developed a multi-faceted argument for the existence of God, and argued for the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Roger Bacon placed significant stress on empiricism, i.e. that knowledge comes from experience. He is sometimes credited as one of the earliest European advocates of the modern scientific method inspired by the works of Plato.
As one can see, this period in English Church history, though marred by political and religious infighting, was quite fruitful in the area of education and the beginnings of religious reform. And it is to the topic of reform we turn to next, looking at what led up to the ‘Morning Star of the Reformation’. Until then, grace and peace be with you. Brian Nixon
Pope Gregory X
Scotus, in particular, had a significant influence on medieval thought. The doctrines for which he is best known were in the area of existence: that existence is the most intangible concept humans have, relevant to everything that
Brian C Nixon is a writer, educator, musician, broadcaster and pastor. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he has co-hosted an internationally syndicated Q/A radio programme Pastor’s Perspective with Brian Brodersen and hosted His Channel Live TV. Brian can be contacted through www.briannixon.com
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NNEWS EWUPDATE S DDIARY IARY NEWS
LAYING NEW F creation fest mov n a move that reflected this year’s theme Creation Fest laid new foundations in August as it relocated further south to the Royal Cornwall Showground for the first time in its seven-year history. Though sad to see the festival leave Devon, Ilfracombe hosted its own mega roadshow. The new Creation Fest venue offered room to expand as well as purpose-built facilities, on-site camping and tarmac roads, making it a less muddy event. The move also enabled the event to extend to a full week of activity from 7th-13th August. Despite a dark and cloudy start, visitor numbers were up on the first weekend. And apart from a dip after the weekend, attendance grew during the week as more people heard about the festival and the sunshine broke through.
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jammed the airwaves. Pastors Brian Brodersen and Bob Caldwell led the main sessions inside ‘The Big Shed’. Pro skater Zac Archuleta kept the teens inspired as they biked and skateboarded. The Bear Hug Band led children’s worship along with hysterical high energy musical skits that left the adults chuckling and the kids captivated. Highlights included Cyber-X Ed Freites’ spectacular drum extravaganza, and for the team, the recurring “thank you” that came from locals as they recounted how no one came to their forgotten corner of Britain.
As in previous years the Fest offered something for everyone: from full-on rock music to acoustic solo artist performances; from skate-boarding to late night cafes, exhibitions, films, seminars and workshops; to a jampacked children’s programme and indepth Bible studies. The usual suspects, including Scott Cunningham, LZ7, Four Kornerz, Philippa Hanna, Dweeb and more,
c
FOUNDATIONS oves to Cornwall The Royal Cornwall Showground has been booked to host Creation Fest for the next seven years with next year’s date penned in as 7th-13th August 2010. To find out how you can get involved and to watch how Creation Fest develops this year visit the website below.
creationfest.org.uk
THANK YOU ... to all those who have contributed to the ministry through prayer, financial and other support over the past year. To make things easier for those who would like to give regularly and directly to the ministry of Calvary Chapel Radio you may now do so by visiting our web shop at www.calvarychapelradio.co.uk and using our PayPal facility. For those who would prefer to give regularly through their bank, please complete the form below and forward it to Calvary Chapel Radio. Alternatively, you may make a one off gift by writing a cheque or sending a postal order payable to Calvary Chapel Radio and sending it to: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NEW ‘STY-LEE’ CHURCH IN JAMAICA CC South London plants CC Cousins Cove Jamaica
This past August saw a much prayed for dream unfold as a team of forty-seven from CC South London hit the shores of Jamaica to prepare the ground to plant CC Cousins Cove. From clinics to football matches, crafts to cinema shows, the team’s diverse set of skills were fully utilised, as each member was able to serve and contribute to the needs of those they met. The work the Lord did was as evident in the lives of those who went to give as much as those who received. And the team’s joy was complete when the dream became reality as ten local adults and nineteen children descended on the little school hall to hear Pastor Robert teach from Acts 9 for the first church service of CC Cousins Cove. This new style of church service concentrating on the Word with love was unfamilar to the Jamaicans who dubbed it ‘new sty-lee’ church. The joy though was intermingled with pain as news broke that team member Michael Grant, who had traveled to Jamaica with his family, had passed away the day before the team was to travel home. Requesting prayer for Michael’s family, after acknowledging the sadness of loss felt by all, Pastor Robert Prendergast paid tribute to Michael’s dedication to share the gospel of love wherever he went and gave thanks that he was with his heavenly Father away from all pain and suffering.
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THE INDESTRUCTIBLE JEWS Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum shares at CC Hastings
by Tommy Fretwell
Calvary Chapel Hastings drew a crowd last September when it hosted one of the leading authorities on the nation of Israel. Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum, founder of Ariel Ministries, spoke on the uniqueness of the Bible to an attentive audience. Summarizing his opening talk Dr Fruchtenbaum quoted the words of Lewis Sperry Chafer, that “the Bible is not a book a man could write if he would, nor a book man would write if he could”. The opportunity to fellowship was followed by his closing talk, provocatively entitled “How to destroy the Jews”. Giving an overview of the satanically inspired attempts to eradicate the Jewish people, Dr Fruchtenbaum highlighted the futility of such attempts before sharing about how this could be achieved—by simply removing the ordinances of the moon and stars from the sky (Jer 31:35-36)!
Ariel Ministries mission is to reach the Jewish people for Christ and is known for its emphasis on Bible theology and doctrine.
EVENTS DIARY 2010 APRIL 24th TEACH THE WORD - OXFORD - 01865 864498 www.calvarychapeloxford.org.uk
AUGUST TBC FAMILY CAMP - NORFOLK - 01603 259309 www.calvarychapelnorwich.com 7th-13th CREATION FEST - CORNWALL - 0844 8794 70 www.creationfest.co.uk 29th-30th GOD CORNER @ NOTTING HILL - LONDON www.calvarychapelsouthlondon.org
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
C ALVARY
C H A P E L
TEACH THE WORD CO NFER E N C E
APRIL 24th 2010
OPEN TO ALL
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED A day of teaching, worship and fellowship. Full children’s programme with Next Generation Ministries Mothers, babies and toddlers audio & visual overflow cafe (Refreshments provided) For tickets & information:
www.calvarychapeloxford.org.uk Call Hannah on
01865 864498
TOTAL DEVOTION
DIVINE APPOINTMENTS “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ”. Luke 2:25-26
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n the beginning days of Jesus’ life we are given amazing examples of how God ordains divine appointments to bring about His will. These divine appointments continue to the present day as God uses the natural circumstances and events in our lives to draw us into supernatural encounters with Him. Here in Luke 2 we read of such an encounter in the life of a godly man named Simeon. He is not referred to as a priest or prophet but he was a man who was very close to God. He had no idea how it would happen but he was fully convinced that he would see the Messiah before he died. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, he went to the Temple. There’s no indication he was told why; he just went as he felt led. But as he walked into the Temple, he crossed paths with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. As he sets eyes on them he knows immediately that Jesus is the Messiah. The promise is fulfilled: he has seen the Lord’s Christ, the One he
had been waiting for all his life. The many years of searching the Scriptures and praying had paid off as God gave Simeon a gift greater than anything any man could give.
... God weaves divine appointments into our lives simply to fulfil our hearts’ cry. Then there is the divine appointment weaved into the life of a prophetess named Anna, recorded in Luke 2:36-38. A woman would have gone unnoticed by most but she was greatly honoured by God. After a brief marriage, she had given decades of her life to fasting and praying in the Temple. It had become her home. God had become her husband. Like Simeon, God gave Anna her own divine appointment with Jesus. She just ‘happened’ to walk in and hear Simeon’s proclamation. This was a gift
from God to a precious woman God honoured. For her this was of much greater value than anything this world could offer. God knows our hearts’ greatest desires and every step we will make. In His sovereignty He weaves divine appointments into our lives to fulfil our hearts’ cry and God’s desire to bring us into what He is doing in the world. It is God who will bring this
fulfilment into our lives but it is for us to develop a heart like Simeon’s and Anna’s. When our hearts pursue God in love and humility, He is sure to position us for our own divine appointments through our sojourn on Earth. Appointments with God make life lived for Him the greatest reward of all.
BOB CALDWELL Bob Caldwell started Calvary Chapel Boise twenty-eight years ago with eight others Christians. Together they have seen the church expand to include both a local and international outreach. He also teaches on Word of Life Radio and through television broadcasts. Bob has been married to Cathy for thirty-eight years. They have four children and eight grandchildren
Though there was no room in the inn for Jesus, there is shelter today in His presence. Drawing us into His presence, Daniel Bentley’s sensational debut album reassures us that no matter what’s going on we can have confidence in God, our strength and our shelter. TO RECEIVE YOUR PERSONAL COPY OF “SHELTER” BE IN THE FIRST TEN PEOPLE TO WRITE IN. Please send your request to: Calvary Chapel Radio, PO Box 647, BROMLEY, Kent BR1 4WQ and remember to include your name and address.
RESOURCES
shelter daniel bentley
CHANGELESS TRUTH Making GOD in Man’s Image
Attributes of God Part III
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n recent decades, considerable attention tt ti h has bbeen di directed t d towards developing a clearer understanding of the nature of God and His relationship to the temporal world. Certainly, discussions on these topics have been occurring for the last 4000 years, most notably in the Bible when Job discusses his feeble condition and circumstances with his often silent and disagreeable friends. The crucial difference between the ancient and modern conclusions regarding the nature of God’s attributes, however, is that in ancient and classical theology it was unacceptable to entertain notions of God embodying human modes of being—literally. Usually, discussions of this sort ended, as it did for Job, in highlighting the deficiencies and limitations in man’s understanding and/or being. However, in modern times these discussions are being revisited with
LDEN EPH& HO JOShor educator aut
radically diff fferent conclusions. Perhaps these cconclusions are drawn due to the aadvent of modernity where secular science offers answers without appealing to the supernatural. Or perhaps they are drawn as a result of the suffering associated with the twentieth century; with the holocaust, communism and fascism alone having caused mankind to view God as absent, unloving and/or indifferent to man’s plight. As the relationship of God to man was the subject of debate for Job and his friends, so today many appear to be wondering how to reconcile a perfect God with suffering man, an eternal all-knowing deity with His temporal finite creature. There appears to be an infinite gap between these two kinds of beings. In response, some have bolstered their defence of the classical attributes of God, as discussed in previous articles (Pure actuality, immutability, impassibility, simplicity, infinity, etc) while
… today many appear to be wondering how to reconcile a perfect God with suffering man …
God’s lack of knowledge, according to OT [Open Theism], ensures that man is free to create and choose his own future, becoming in a sense a “co-labourer” with God. others have changed the very nature of God in an effort to maintain the divine-human relationship in light of modern science, suffering, and the attempt to preserve free will. This latter group has been increasingly vocal in evangelical circles through academic theological journals and popular theology, primarily through the theology of Open Theism (OT). OT has attempted to explain God in new and controversial ways, and in so doing has paid a steep theological price— namely, preserving the “God of relationship and sympathy” by creating Him in the image of man.
OPEN THEISM: THE CONTEMPORARY THREAT Under the leadership of Clark Pinnock (McMaster Divinity School) and Gregory Boyd (Bethel Seminary) OT has found fertile ground in evangelical Christianity. In their seminal work, The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God, they contend that the future remains mostly ‘open’ (undetermined) since if it were ‘closed’ (determined) man would not have free will. To support this assertion, OT must offer several radical theological proposals that depart
from classical Christianity:
GOD DOES NOT HAVE EXHAUSTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE For OT, if God knew the future it would be impossible for man to do other than what God already knows. God’s lack of knowledge, according to OT, ensures that man is free to create and choose his own future, becoming in a sense a “co-labourer” with God. As a result, God can, and has, made mistakes, takes risks, and becomes vulnerable like His creation. This is not to say that God cannot make educated guesses about what will happen in the future since He does have exhaustive knowledge of the present and past. In fact, God grows in His knowledge as events in the present tense occur. There are several reasons why classical Christians should reject this view: First, there is no sign of this belief throughout the history of the orthodox church. The only glimmer of the idea is found in pagan and heretical circles such as Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Cicero, Marcion, Celsus, Calcidius, Audians, and the mysterious desert Egyptian Anchorites. In the modern world, among others the doctrine is found in the theology of
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It appears that OT has been more influenced by the changing and growing God of “Process Theology” than by Scripture the Socinians, Gordon Olson, JR Lucas, Peter Geach, and the British philosopher of religion, Richard Swinburne. If limited divine knowledge was mainstream we would expect to see it in the orthodox theology of the church but it simply is not there!
any essential/metaphysical way any more than it sets apart one human being from another who has more knowledge.
Second, it is contrary to the Scriptures that assert full divine omniscience of the future (Ps 139:4). The fulfilment of detailed prophecy which arrives as a result of hundreds of millions of free decisions is ample proof of this.
Unfortunately, Open Theism views God as relational only if He changes and is temporal like His creation. Only then can He relate to our hurts, experiences and prayers. According to this position, classical Christianity borrowed from pagan philosophy (i.e. Plato, Aristotle, Philo, Plotinus) to form a “perfect being” theology which makes God unchangeable and timelessly eternal. However, there are several reasons why classical Christians throughout church history have not endorsed this view.
Third, God’s lack of future knowledge reduces His being to creaturely status, leaving no distinction between God and human kinds of knowledge. Both are limited and essentially ignorant of the future. To say that God is totally omniscient of the present and the past does not exonerate God from creaturely status since knowledge in both past and present remains only a question of extent and quantity. That is, the only difference is accidental, not essential since we need only ask “how much knowledge?” eliminating any difference in the essential kind of knowledge (cf. Isa 55:8-9). To say one has “more” knowledge does not set apart God from creation in
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A GOD OF CHANGE AND TEMPORALITY IS MORE RELATIONAL
First, the Scriptures, early church Fathers, and later classical theologians took great care in demonstrating that the Christian God was “totally other”, which distinguished Him from the pagan gods who were temporal, fickle, capricious and changing. It is strange logic to assume a relationship with a changing and temporal god would be superior to one with an unchanging eternal
God. The former relationship is subject to “change” (for the better or for the worse). However, if the relationship can change for the better, the relationship was lacking in some sense. If it can change for the worse, the prior relationship had no security and lacks assurance that God’s nature and will concerning morals and salvation will remain unchanged. The latter relationship associated with traditional Christianity cannot be improved upon since it would be impossible for God to make Himself any more available to man than He already is. It is impossible for God to improve on what is perfect! This is not to say we can’t grow closer to God! Second, like God’s limited knowledge, a changing and temporal God offers no mechanism whereby one can distinguish God from His creation since all of creation is temporal and changing.
as changing, growing and learning with creation. But everything that has “parts” has a composer of those parts since parts do not come together on their own. Therefore, we must ask, “What composed God?” Moreover, if God has parts, then God has the potential to fall apart. Can you imagine a God who has the potential to lose His faculties? It appears that OT has been more influenced by the changing and growing God of ‘Process Theology’ than by Scripture, resulting in Open Theism’s desire to create God in the image of man.
SUGGESTED READING 1. Millard J. Erickson, 1[What Does God Know and When Does He Know it? 2. Norman L. Geisler, Creating God in the Image of Man? 3. Bruce Ware, God’s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism 4. Thomas Weinandy, Does God Change? and Does God Suffer? (survey of patristic thought)
Therefore, we must ask Open Theists how God is any different from His creation. To answer that God is partially unchanging and a partially changing introduces the notion of “parts” in God, which is the hallmark of Process Theology which sees God
Joseph Holden is Director of Apologetics at Calvary Chapel Bible College and the President of Veritas Evangelical Seminary in Southern California. His mission and heart is to equip the church to defend their faith and reach others outside for Christ.
CHURCHES IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CALVARY CHAPEL
“... I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it”. Matt 16:18b
CALVARY CHAPEL BIBLE COLLEGES CARDIFF, Wales 02920 371327 www.calvarycardiff.com
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YORK, England 01904 638777 www.calvaryyork.com
ENGLAND Anthony Forsyth
Calvary Chapel Hastings Doug Keen
07986 510806 www.gracefellowship.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
01424 422770 www.calvarychapelhastings.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30am & 6.30pm
Calvary Chapel Birmingham
Reality London
Rich Bustraan
07838 119297 • 0121 778 1353 www.findlife.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am Church on the Way, Bradford Jim King
01274 617737 www.cotw.org.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am & 7.00 pm Calvary Chapel by the Sea, Bridlington Loren Combs
01262 678328 www.calvarybythesea.org.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am Calvary Chapel Cambridge Joey Rozek
07766 540241 www.calvarychapelcambridge.com Sunday Service 10.30 am Deal Christian Fellowship Bob Forder
01304 365226 www.calvarychapeldeal.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am Calvary Chapel Exeter Damian Velarde
07765 076592 www.calvaryexeter.co.uk Sunday Morning 11.00 am
www.realitylondon.co.uk Sunday 10.30am Calvary Chapel Docklands Marshall Alnutt
07903 311650 www.calvarychapeldocklands.co.uk Sunday Service 12.30 pm Calvary Chapel Leatherhead Matt Kottman
01372 200570 www.ccleatherhead.com Sunday Service 10.00 am Calvary Chapel Norbury Ilyas Mughal
07787 113067 www.calvarychapelnorbury.org.uk Sunday Service 3.00 pm (in Urdu & Punjabi) Calvary Chapel South London Patrick Pierre-Powell
07904 039864 www.calvarychapelsouthlondon.org Sunday Service 11.00 am Calvary Chapel Twickenham Rob Dingman
020 8979 6260 www.calvarychapeltwickenham.com Sunday Service 10.30 am Calvary Chapel Westminster
Calvary Chapel Harrogate
Alwyn Wall
Michael Howard
020 7828 5520 www.calvarylondon.co.uk Sunday Services 9.00, 11.00 am
01423 889 638 www.calvarychapelharrogate.com Sunday Service 10.30 am
LONDON
Grace Fellowship Ashford
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Calvary Chapel Spring Valley, Kendal
Calvary Chapel Southampton
Jeff Cuozzo
Simon Lawrenson
01539 821397 www.ccspringvalley.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
023 8057 1219 • 07787 516928 www.calvarychapelsouthampton.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
Calvary Chapel King’s Lynn
Calvary Chapel Stockport
Vincent Proffit
07533 704315 Sunday & Thursday Services 7.00 pm Cornerstone Calvary Chapel Stan Smith
Kirk Crager
0161 286 8258 www.calvarystockport.co.uk Sunday Services 10.30 am & 6.30 pm Calvary Chapel Torbay
0161 736 1761 www.cornerstonecalvarychapel.co.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
Laurie Brown
Calvary Chapel Mansfield
Calvary Chapel Warrington
Bryce Heard
01803 389365 • 07780 692146 www.calvarychapeltorbay.com Sunday Service 10.30 am
01623 652297 www.calvarychapelmansfield.org.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
Mike Hoile
Calvary Chapel Newcastle
Calvary Chapel Woolacombe
Drew Davis
01925 456461 www.calvarychapelwarrington.org Sunday Service 10.30 am
0191 241 2662 www.calvarychapelnewcastle.com Sunday Service 2.00 pm
Olly Young
Servants Church Norwich
Calvary Chapel York
John Brown
01603 259309 www.servantschurch.org.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am
01271 871027 www.calvarywoolacombe.com Sunday Service 10.30 am Dave Sylvester
01904 638777 www.calvaryyork.com Sunday Services 10.30 am & 7.00 pm
Calvary Chapel Fellowship Otley Peter Aspinall
01943 850092 www3.calvarychapel/otley Sunday Service 10.00 am Calvary Chapel Oxford Phil Vickery
01865 864498 www.calvarychapeloxford.org.uk Sunday Service 10.30 am Calvary Chapel Portsmouth Ron Matsen
0239 226 2406 • 07860 10070 www.calvaryportsmouth.co.uk Sunday Services 10.30 am & 6.30 pm
WALES Calvary Chapel Cardiff John Vickery
02920 371327 www.calvarycardiff.com Sunday Service 11.00 am Calvary Chapel Swansea Clint Pickens
01792 641601 www.calvarychapelswansea.co.uk Sunday Services 11.00 am
NORTHERN IRELAND
Calvary Chapel Dunfermline
Harvest, Ballymena
01383 738419 www.calvarydunfermline.org Sunday Services 6.30 pm
William Olphert
028 2568313 www.harvestni.co.uk Sunday Service 11.00 am
Ken Scott
Calvary Chapel Edinburgh Dan Starling
IRELAND
0131 660 4535 www.calvarychapeledinburgh.com Sunday Service 11.15 am
Calvary Chapel Cork
Calvary Chapel Glasgow
Mike Neglia
Matt McGoldrick
085144 3595 www.calvarycork.org Sunday Service 11.15 am
0141 337 1716 www.calvaryglasgow.com Sunday Service 11.00 am
Crosspoint, Dublin
Inverness Bible Fellowship
Kevin Fitzgerald
Leo Rose
01497 0374 • 08777 68150 www.crosspoint.ie Sunday Service 10.00 am & 11.45 am
01463 798151 www.biblefellowship.co.uk Sunday Service 11.00 am
Calvary Gailimh Galway
Calvary Chapel Kilmarnock
Ray Clancy
Tony Kordakis
087970 5855 www.calvarygalway.com Sunday Service 11.30 am
01563 539813 www.calvarykilmarnock.org Sunday Service 10.30 am Calvary Christian Fellowship Motherwell
SCOTLAND Calvary Chapel Ayr Alex Henderson
01292 280034 www.calvaryayr.org.uk Sunday Service 10.00 am Calvary Christian Fellowship Carluke Jim Tatton
Dave Simpson
01698 254 848 www.calvarymotherwell.org Sunday Services 11.00 am & 6.30 pm Calvary Chapel Stirling Stuart Gillespie
0787 6565190 www.calvarystirling.co.uk Sunday Service 6.30 pm
01555 772893 www.calvarycarluke.com Sunday Services 11.00 am & 6.30 pm* (*every 3rd Sunday in month)
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:46-47
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PROGRAMME GUIDE MONDAY - FRIDAY 00.00 Walk in the Light with Bil Gallatin 00.30 Searchlight with Jon Courson 01.00 Pastor’s Perspective 02.00 Praise & Worship 05.00 Answers in Genesis with Ken Ham 05.03 Daily Devotional with Dorothy Bennett 05.15 Words of Life with Bob Caldwell 05.30 Line upon Line with Rob Dingman 06.00 Maranatha Radio with Ray Bentley 06.30 The Word for Today with Chuck Smith 07.00 Back to Basics with Brian Brodersen 07.30 Reality with Britt Merrick 08.00 Walk in the Light with Bil Gallatin 08.30 Living By His Word with Mike Rodriguez 09.00 Calvary Chapel Oxford with Phil Vickery 09.30 Anchored Deep with Matt Kottman 10.00 Words of Life with Bob Caldwell 10.15 Answers in Genesis with Ken Ham 10.18 Daily Devotional with Dorothy Bennett 10.30 Maranatha Radio with Ray Bentley 11.00 Back to Basics with Brian Brodersen
12.00 Praise & Worship 12.30 Reality with Britt Merrick 13.00 The Word for Today with Chuck Smith 13.30 Line upon Line with Rob Dingman 14.00 Living By His Word with Mike Rodriguez 14.30 Riches of Grace with John Vickery 15.00 Praise & Worship 17.00 Anchored Deep with Matt Kottman 17.30 Answers in Genesis with Ken Ham 17.33 Daily Devotional with Dorothy Bennett 17.45 Words of Life with Bob Caldwell 18.00 Searchlight with Jon Courson 18.30 Line upon Line with Rob Dingman 19.00 The Word for Today with Chuck Smith 19.34 Walk in the Light with Bil Gallatin 20.00 Pastor’s Perspective 21.00 Reality with Britt Merrick 21.30 Maranatha Radio with Ray Bentley 22.00 Back to Basics with Brian Brodersen 22.30 Living By His Word with Mike Rodriguez 23.00 Riches of Grace with John Vickery 23.30 Calvary Chapel Oxford with Phil Vickery
11.30 Searchlight with Jon Courson
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
00.00 Praise & Worship
00.00 Praise & Worship
09.00 Urban Mission Radio
08.00 The Word for Today with Chuck Smith
11.00 Front Page Radio with Dan Wooding
11.00 Back to Basics with Brian Brodersen
11.30 Road 2 Reality with KP Yohannan
13.00 Praise & Worship
12.00 Gracious Words with Cheryl Brodersen
16.00 Calvary Chapel South London Various
12.30 The Word for Today with Churck Smith
17.00 Line upon Line with Rob Dingman
13.00 Praise & Worship
18.00 Living Grace with Martyn Lloyd-Jones
16.00 Best of Pastor’s Perspective
19.00 Back to Basics with Brian Brodersen
19.00 Road 2 Reality with KP Yohannan
21.00 Searchlight with Jon Courson
19.30 The Word for Today with Churck Smith 20.00 Gracious Words with Cheryl Brodersen 20.30 Front Page Radio with Dan Wooding 21.00 Urban Mission Radio 23.00 Praise & Worship
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PASTORS AIR PASTORS ONONAIR Ray Bentley Maranatha Radio www.maranathachapel.org Brian Brodersen Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa www.backtobasicsradio.com Bob Caldwell Calvary Chapel Boise www.ccboise.org Jon Courson Searchlight Ministry www.joncourson.com Rob Dingman Calvary Chapel Twickenham www.calvarychapeltwickenham.com Bil Gallatin Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes www.ccfingerlakes.org Ken Ham Answers in Genesis www.answersradio.com Martyn Lloyd-Jones MLJ Recording Trust www.mlj.org.uk Matt Kottman Calvary Chapel Leatherhead www.calvarychapelleatherhead.com Britt Merrick Reality Carpinteria www.jesusisreality.com
Mike Rodriguez Calvary Chapel Corona www.calvarycorona.org Chuck Smith Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa www.thewordfortoday.org John Vickery Calvary Chapel Cardiff www.calvarycardiff.com Phil Vickery Calvary Chapel Oxford www.calvarychapeloxford.com Dan Wooding Front Page Radio www.assistnews.net KP Yohannan Road 2 Reality www.road2reality.org.uk
Patrick Pierre-Powell
Robert Prendergast
Efrem Buckle
Calvary Chapel South London www.calvarychapelsouthlondon.org
Women's Ministry Dorothy Bennett Daily Devotional
Cheryl Brodersen Gracious Words
c TO ALL OUR LISTENERS: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THROUGH THIS YEAR.
WISHING YOU
A VERY BLESSED
Christmas AND
SPECIAL