The History & Value Of The Calvary Chapel Church Planting Manual

And I just remember as a young man going through Bible college and then going into pastoral ministry, wanting to be a pastor and then going into pastoral ministry.

there was almost kind of like a negative kind of pushback for anything other than just, just pray, trust in the Holy Spirit, where God guides, God provides, God be with you, good luck, you know? Yeah.

So it's interesting that I'm saying that because it's interesting to hear that it was the founder of Calvary Chapel, Chuck Smith, who was the one that was eager for you to get this resource into people's hands.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think it's a false dichotomy when we say that Chuck was reliant on the Spirit and therefore he didn't have intentional strategic means.

I mean, when he started the Bible College at Twin Peaks, it was because he was getting requests for church plants back in the tent days.

And he didn't have the ability to train people as quickly as the need arose.

And that's what really started Calvary Chapel of Twin Peaks and then later the School of Ministry.

To support church planting.

So I would say that Chuck was far more intentional as well as spirit-led.

And it's a false dichotomy to say of one the other.

I have spoken now at probably over 100 conferences on church planting.

And I typically ask people, like, how many of you learn to swim by having somebody throw you into the pool? And if there's...

Let's say a hundred prospective church planters, maybe seven of them raise their hand.

And I say, how many of you taught your kids to swim that way? And all of them put their hands down.

In other words, it was traumatic.

Learning how to swim without someone teaching you how to swim is not the best way to say, yeah, if you're anointed, you'll be successful.

Yeah, I agree that without the anointing, being trained by someone to church plant or reading a manual isn't going to help you.

But if you've been anointed, having that manual or any other suitable resource.

And because it's entirely biblical and it's consistent with the Calvary Chapel philosophy and ministry and systematic theology, it's just a tool.

In other words, it's like having one of those big Swiss Army knives in your desk drawer.

If there's a need that arises, you can go back and use it, but you don't have to use that tool.

It's there like a bridge to help you.

Yeah.

I love that analogy of swimming because, you know, of course, we remember getting thrown in and, you know, it's like you feel like you're drowning and you got to be saved over and over again.