About Us
Our History
In the late 1970's, the Lord led pastor Bob Grenier, (at that time, Pastoring a Calvary Chapel Church in Eugene Oregon ) to move to California's heartland and plant a new work. Started in 1978 with two home fellowships, and a Sunday Afternoon service at a local community room, the fellowship began to grow, and soon, moved into the larger facilities of the Visalia YMCA building. While at the YMCA, the church continued to flourish as a result of the Lord's blessings. Around the late 80's the Lord provided us with 12.7 acres, on which we built our church offices.
Calvary Chapel StoryThe fellowship of believers now known as "Calvary Chapel" began in the late 1960's in one small, non-denominational church. Pastor Chuck Smith, who'd spent 17 years pastoring various churches throughout California and Arizona, became the pastor of a church in Costa Mesa, California which called itself "Calvary Chapel." Through his many years of pastoring, Pastor Chuck became convinced that a new approach to ministry was needed. Rather than preaching an evangelistic message every Sunday, he began to teach line-by-line through the Word of God, starting at Genesis and working his way through to Revelation. What We BelieveAbout The Bible About God About Jesus Christ Statement Of FaithWe believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8 and 48:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3). We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired without error and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which this church operates and is the basis for which this church is governed. We believe that the Word of God supersedes any earthly law that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures. We believe that the King James Version of the Bible is the most accurate translation from the original ancient text. It is from this translation that we establish our doctrine and Statement of Faith. (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3-4 and 1:21).
Philosophy of MinistryCalvary Chapel of Visalia has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and to be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. We believe that the only true basis of Christian fellowship is His (agape) love, which is greater than any differences we possess and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians. What we TeachThe inerrancy of Scripture. The present day continuation of the spiritual gifts that Paul wrote of in I Corinthians 12-14. Simplicity in church government, rather than a complex bureaucracy. |
|
|