OUR HISTORY
In 2019, our Senior Pastor Kyle Seeger led CC|FAY in a church replant work. In adopting a new church constitution and by-laws, initiating outreach efforts, restructuring our global missions, implementing building renovations, and appointing elders and staff CC|FAY began to see God moving through us to minister the Gospel in our city, reach the nations, and begin a new work at CC|FAY. All with a vision to fulfill the great commission in and through the local church.
In 2020-2022, CC|FAY continued to see God work in and through his bride, the Church, in exciting ways. CC|FAY, by God’s grace, made it through the novel COVID-19 pandemic unscathed. CC|FAY launched a second Sunday morning service and has partnered with three globally planted churches keeping on track with our strategic missions model. CC|FAY also hosted first ever conferences, outreach events, as well as hiring additional team members for the church's staff. CC|FAY is thankful for the many ways the Lord is growing us and we are excited to see the Lord do exceedingly and abundantly more through us in the years to come.
In 2019, our Senior Pastor Kyle Seeger led CC|FAY in a church replant work. In adopting a new church constitution and by-laws, initiating outreach efforts, restructuring our global missions, implementing building renovations, and appointing elders and staff CC|FAY began to see God moving through us to minister the Gospel in our city, reach the nations, and begin a new work at CC|FAY. All with a vision to fulfill the great commission in and through the local church.
In 2020-2022, CC|FAY continued to see God work in and through his bride, the Church, in exciting ways. CC|FAY, by God’s grace, made it through the novel global COVID-19 pandemic unscathed. CC|FAY launched a second Sunday morning service and has partnered with three globally planted churches keeping on track with our strategic missions model. CC|FAY also hosted first ever conferences, outreach events, as well as hiring additional team members for the church's staff. CC|FAY is thankful for the many ways the Lord is growing us and we are excited to see the Lord do exceedingly and abundantly more through us in the years to come.
The Calvary Movement
1960’s
Calvary Chapel (web-site) is a non-denominational Christian church which began in 1965 in Costa Mesa, California. Calvary Chapel’s pastor, Chuck Smith became a leading figure in what has become known as the “Jesus Movement.”
Calvary Chapel (web-site) is a non-denominational Christian church which began in 1965 in Costa Mesa, California. Calvary Chapel’s pastor, Chuck Smith became a leading figure in what has become known as the “Jesus Movement.”
1970’s
It has been estimated that in a two-year period in the mid ’70s, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa had performed well over eight thousand baptisms. During that same period, we were instrumental in 20,000 conversions to the Christian faith. Our decadal growth rate had been calculated by church growth experts to be near the ten thousand percent level.
A remarkable pattern kept repeating itself. As soon as we moved into a new building, our fellowship would already be too big for the facilities. In two years we moved from our original building (one of the first church buildings in Costa Mesa) to a rented Lutheran church overlooking the Pacific. Soon thereafter we decided to do something unprecedented at the time and move the church to a school that we had bought. The building did not match up to code so we tore it down and built another. But by the time the sanctuary of 330 seats was completed in 1969, we were already forced to go to two services, and eventually had to use the outside courtyard for 500 more seats. This was all fine in good weather.
But by 1971 the large crowds and the winter rains forced us to move again. We bought a ten-acre tract of land on the Costa Mesa/Santa Ana border. Orange County was quickly changing and the once-famous orange orchards were making way for the exploding population of Los Angeles. Soon after buying the land, we again did the unprecedented and erected a giant circus tent that could seat 1,600 at a stretch. This was soon enlarged to hold 2,000 seats. Meanwhile we began building an enormous sanctuary adjacent to this site.
By the time Calvary Chapel fellowship had celebrated opening day in 1973 moving into the vast new sanctuary of 2,200 seats, the building was already too small to contain the numbers turning out. We held three Sunday morning services and had more than 4,000 people at each one. Many had to sit on the carpeted floor. A large portion of floor space was left without pews so as to provide that option.
It has been estimated that in a two-year period in the mid ’70s, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa had performed well over eight thousand baptisms. During that same period, we were instrumental in 20,000 conversions to the Christian faith. Our decadal growth rate had been calculated by church growth experts to be near the ten thousand percent level.
A remarkable pattern kept repeating itself. As soon as we moved into a new building, our fellowship would already be too big for the facilities. In two years we moved from our original building (one of the first church buildings in Costa Mesa) to a rented Lutheran church overlooking the Pacific. Soon thereafter we decided to do something unprecedented at the time and move the church to a school that we had bought. The building did not match up to code so we tore it down and built another. But by the time the sanctuary of 330 seats was completed in 1969, we were already forced to go to two services, and eventually had to use the outside courtyard for 500 more seats. This was all fine in good weather.
But by 1971 the large crowds and the winter rains forced us to move again. We bought a ten-acre tract of land on the Costa Mesa/Santa Ana border. Orange County was quickly changing and the once-famous orange orchards were making way for the exploding population of Los Angeles. Soon after buying the land, we again did the unprecedented and erected a giant circus tent that could seat 1,600 at a stretch. This was soon enlarged to hold 2,000 seats. Meanwhile we began building an enormous sanctuary adjacent to this site.
By the time Calvary Chapel fellowship had celebrated opening day in 1973 moving into the vast new sanctuary of 2,200 seats, the building was already too small to contain the numbers turning out. We held three Sunday morning services and had more than 4,000 people at each one. Many had to sit on the carpeted floor. A large portion of floor space was left without pews so as to provide that option.
1980’s
Calvary Chapel also ministers over the airwaves, and this must account for many of those who travel long distances to fellowship here. A Nielsen survey indicated that our Sunday morning Calvary Chapel service is the most listened-to program in the area during the entire week. As of 1987, Calvary’s outreach has included numerous radio programs, television broadcasts, and the production and distribution of tapes and records. The missions outreach is considerable. Calvary Chapel not only supports Wycliffe Bible Translators, Campus Crusade, Missionary Aviation Fellowship, and other groups, but we donate to Third World needs. We then built a radio station in San Salvador and gave it to the local pastors there. We also gave money to Open Doors to purchase the ship that, in tandem with a barge, delivered one million Bibles to mainland China. Our financial commitment to missions exceeds the local expense budget by over 50%.
Calvary Chapel also ministers over the airwaves, and this must account for many of those who travel long distances to fellowship here. A Nielsen survey indicated that our Sunday morning Calvary Chapel service is the most listened-to program in the area during the entire week. As of 1987, Calvary’s outreach has included numerous radio programs, television broadcasts, and the production and distribution of tapes and records. The missions outreach is considerable. Calvary Chapel not only supports Wycliffe Bible Translators, Campus Crusade, Missionary Aviation Fellowship, and other groups, but we donate to Third World needs. We then built a radio station in San Salvador and gave it to the local pastors there. We also gave money to Open Doors to purchase the ship that, in tandem with a barge, delivered one million Bibles to mainland China. Our financial commitment to missions exceeds the local expense budget by over 50%.
PRESENT
Today, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, the church which only had twenty-five members, has grown to a fellowship of approximately 1400 churches worldwide and has been listed as one of the ten largest Protestant churches in the United States.
Today, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, the church which only had twenty-five members, has grown to a fellowship of approximately 1400 churches worldwide and has been listed as one of the ten largest Protestant churches in the United States.