As a young Christian, by God’s providence, I ended up in a church which had been founded as a result of the “Jesus Movement” of the 1960’s and 70’s, which many people have said was the last great revival of our recent times.
My pastor, Tom Stipe, was a big part of the Jesus Movement and the famous stories of “the tent” at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA – which was the temporary sanctuary the church used while their new building was being built. During those times, Tom oversaw the Saturday night outreaches with Christian bands, and then he would share the gospel with those who had gathered to hear the bands. Tom went on to found Maranatha! Music before moving to Colorado to plant a church in Boulder, which later moved to Denver – and which I joined early in early 2000.
Recently a new documentary series came out about the music of the Jesus Movement, focused on one of the great bands from the era called LoveSong. The docuseries is out now on Amazon Prime Video and on SalemNOW. You can also find more information about it by visiting the aBandCalledLoveSong.com.
This documentary tells the story of the Jesus Movement through the eyes of the band, including their famous audition with Pastor Chuck Smith, and the birth of Contemporary Christian Music.
This docuseries reflects the essence and identity of the Calvary Chapel movement and the ongoing legacy of its ministry. I recommend that you check it out!
In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Sébastien Frappier his incredible journey from a professional acting career to planting a church in the highly secular city of Montreal, Quebec.
Sebastian shares how a moment of spiritual emptiness led him to encounter Jesus through a Gideon Bible on Guadalupe Mountain in Texas. He reflects on his 12-year journey of preparation, the unique challenges of ministry in a post-Christian culture, and how his acting background informs his preaching and evangelism.
The conversation also covers the unique cultural and spiritual aspects of Quebec, effective evangelism strategies in Montreal, and the importance of discipleship in a context where biblical knowledge is minimal.
Sebastian offers practical advice for church planters in secular urban settings and shares how listeners can support Calvary Montreal’s mission.
Key Topics:
• Sebastian’s Journey to Faith: From a successful acting career in Montreal to a transformative encounter with Jesus while reading the Sermon on the Mount in Texas.
• Ministry in Montreal: The challenges of pastoring in a highly secular, post-Christian city with less than 0.3% evangelical Christians.
• Acting and Preaching: How Sebastian’s training in method acting and the Meisner technique shapes his passionate, authentic approach to teaching the Bible.
• Cultural Context of Quebec: The impact of the Quiet Revolution, the decline of Catholicism, and the rise of humanism in Quebec’s spiritual landscape.
• Evangelism Strategies: The effectiveness of street and subway evangelism in Montreal, emphasizing authenticity and genuine relationships over large-scale events.
• Discipleship in a Secular Context: Focusing on basic biblical teachings and one-on-one discipleship due to limited biblical literacy among new believers.
• Challenges and Encouragement: Sebastian’s experience with a recent church split, the financial struggles of ministry in Quebec, and the joy of seeing individual souls saved.
• Call to Action: How listeners can pray for, support, or participate in short-term mission trips to support Calvary Montreal.
• Calvary Montreal Website:calvarymontreal.com – Find information on the church, how to get involved, and support their mission.
Ministry in French Canada: Church Planting in Montreal, Quebec – with Sebastien Frappier –
Theology for the People
In this episode, Nick Cady in joined by Sebastian Frappier, to discuss his incredible journey from a professional acting career to planting a church in the highly secular city of Montreal, Quebec. Sebastian shares how a moment of spiritual emptiness led him to encounter Jesus through a Gideon Bible on Guadalupe Mountain in Texas. He reflects on his 12-year journey of preparation, the unique challenges of ministry in a post-Christian culture, and how his acting background informs his preaching and evangelism. The conversation also covers the unique cultural and spiritual aspects of Quebec, effective evangelism strategies in Montreal, and the importance of discipleship in a context where biblical knowledge is minimal. Sebastian offers practical advice for church planters in secular urban settings and shares how listeners can support Calvary Montreal’s mission.Sebastian’s Journey to Faith: From a successful acting career in Montreal to a transformative encounter with Jesus while reading the Sermon on the Mount in Texas.Ministry in Montreal: The challenges of pastoring in a highly secular, post-Christian city with less than 0.3% evangelical Christians.Acting and Preaching: How Sebastian’s training in method acting and the Meisner technique shapes his passionate, authentic approach to teaching the Bible.Cultural Context of Quebec: The impact of the Quiet Revolution, the decline of Catholicism, and the rise of humanism in Quebec’s spiritual landscape.Evangelism Strategies: The effectiveness of street and subway evangelism in Montreal, emphasizing authenticity and genuine relationships over large-scale events.Discipleship in a Secular Context: Focusing on basic biblical teachings and one-on-one discipleship due to limited biblical literacy among new believers.Challenges and Encouragement: Sebastian’s experience with a recent church split, the financial struggles of ministry in Quebec, and the joy of seeing individual souls saved.Call to Action: How listeners can pray for, support, or participate in short-term mission trips to support Calvary Montreal.Calvary Montreal Website: calvarymontreal.com – Find information on the church, how to get involved, and support their mission.Subscribe to Theology for the People for more inspiring conversations about faith and ministry.Share this episode with friends or your church community to raise awareness about the mission in Montreal.Visit the Theology for the People website at theologyforthepeople.com
Earlier this week I came home from a 12-day trip to Ukraine and Serbia. I went with two other pastors from White Fields Church: Nate Medlong and Michael Payne, to speak at some conferences and visit pastors and ministry partners.
After I arrived home, I sat down with Nate Medlong to discuss what we did on the trip. In this video, we talk about where we went, what we did, and some important things we took away from the trip.
Here are some photos from different parts of the trip:
Pastors & Leaders Conference in Ternopil, Ukraine
Calvary Chapel Svitlovodsk: Church & Frontline Workers Conference
Continuing through the workshop that Aaron Salvato and I presented at this year’s Calvary Chapel pastors and leaders conference on the topic of Understanding Doubt and Deconstruction, here is Part 3, in which we delve into topics such as:
Recently I posted Part 1 of a workshop that Aaron Salvato and I presented at this year’s Calvary Chapel pastors and leaders conference on the topic of Understanding Doubt and Deconstruction.
The purpose of the workshop was to help equip Christian leaders to understand and engage those experiencing doubts or going through a process of deconstruction, in order to help strengthen their faith in Jesus and their trust in the Bible, so they might wholeheartedly embrace the gospel.
In Part 2 of this series, Aaron and I speak about the #deconstruction movement and different causes of deconstruction, including the influence of the Emergent Church movement in the early 2000’s.
Earlier this year, Aaron Salvato and I presented a workshop together at the Calvary Chapel pastors and leaders conference on the topic of Understanding Doubt and Deconstruction.
The purpose of the workshop was to help equip Christian leaders to understand and engage those experiencing doubts or going through a process of deconstruction, in order to help strengthen their faith in Jesus and their trust in the Bible, so they might wholeheartedly embrace the gospel.
Prior to the conference, we recorded our material and Aaron took that video, added graphics and text, and is releasing it in parts on the Calvary Chapel YouTube page.
The first part can be seen here, and I have to say that Aaron did a really good job with the graphics.
One of my favorite parts of this episode is the discussion of the philosophical origins of the Deconstruction Movement, discussing Foucault, Derrida, and others.
October 3, 2023 marks 10 years since the passing and heavenly homecoming of Pastor Chuck Smith. Pastor Chuck was the man God used to start the Calvary Chapel Movement of churches.
For this anniversary, I wrote an article for CalvaryChapel.com about how Pastor Chuck impacted my life, and the lives of many other young people – including my pastor, Tom Stipe.
Additionally, I recorded a bonus episode of the Mission & Methods Podcast, in which I spoke with Pastor Brian Brodersen about Chuck’s approach to ministry, including some questions about how Chuck pastored personally, and what were the major influences that shaped Chuck’s theology, and his preaching.
Pastor Brian is uniquely qualified to speak to these questions, as he not only served alongside Pastor Chuck and eventually succeeded him as the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa — but he also shares close family ties to Pastor Chuck, as his son in law.
How God Used Chuck Smith To Empower A New Generation Of Pastors
When I was 18 years old, I boarded a plane bound for Hungary. Despite the fact that I had only been following Jesus for two years, my pastor, the late Tom Stipe, sent me out as a missionary. Three years later, when I was 21, Tom ordained me as I was going out to plant a church.
At the time, these actions didn’t strike me as abnormal or unusual, yet now, years later, I look back on them with a sense of surprise. Why was Tom willing to take a chance on me, as young as I was? Why did he trust that I could serve the Lord in those ways without any formal training?
Later on, I came to realize that the reason was because that is what Chuck Smith had done for him when Tom was a young man: In 1976, Pastor Chuck sent Tom to Colorado to start a Calvary Chapel church here. In the movie, “Jesus Revolution,” millions of people saw the portrayal of how Chuck Smith empowered the young Greg Laurie to plant a church in Riverside, California. Still, the even more incredible reality is that Pastor Chuck did similar things with many young people over the years. Tom was doing for me what Chuck had modeled for him.
I remember sitting with Tom and listening to him tell stories of the early days of Calvary Chapel. One thing that Tom told me was that, in his opinion, the true genius of Chuck Smith was not his verse-by-verse teaching, as many people assume, and as masterful as that was. The true genius of Chuck Smith, Tom said, was that Chuck was willing, and even eager, to empower young people to serve the Lord in meaningful ways because he genuinely believed in the work of the Holy Spirit in and through people who were willing to make themselves available to God.
I finally got to meet Pastor Chuck in Austria, at the conference center that he had acquired for Calvary Chapel as a launching point for ministry in Eastern Europe. He asked about our ministry in Hungary and gave encouragement and affirmation. As I look back on that, I’m full of appreciation for him as a person who was more than just a good Bible teacher but an example of foresight and faith. Not only did Pastor Chuck want the Gospel to go forth into the whole world, but he understood that God wanted to use many other people to do that work. He was willing to support missionaries and church planters, including some of us who maybe wouldn’t have been empowered to do those things by anyone else who didn’t have the measure of faith he did!
Now, ten years after Pastor Chuck’s heavenly homecoming, I’m more inspired than ever to carry on his legacy of Bible teaching, evangelism, missions, and empowering people, especially young people, to serve the Lord.
Q&A On Chuck Smith’s Approach To Ministry – With Nick Cady And Brian Brodersen
In recent years it has become increasingly popular for people who grew up in Christianity to go through a process of “deconstruction” in which they seek to examine and question the origins of their beliefs.
Deconstruction isn’t always a bad thing, but the deconstruction movement, powered by social media, largely targets younger people and encourages them to cast off their Christiaan beliefs.
This episode of the Theology for the People podcast is the recording of a workshop which Nick Cady and Aaron Salvato co-lead at the 2023 Calvary Global Network International Conference on the Topic of Doubt and Deconstruction.
We start out by defining deconstructionism and examining its philosophical roots, then we look at the impact of this movement and some of the common themes in its claims. Finally, we discuss a Biblical response to doubt and deconstruction and give some helpful tips for addressing the questions that those who are deconstructing may have.
In recent years it has become increasingly popular for people who grew up in Christianity to go through a process of “deconstruction” in which they seek to examine and question the origins of their beliefs.
Deconstruction isn’t always a bad thing, but the deconstruction movement, powered by social media, largely targets younger people and encourages them to cast off their Christiaan beliefs.
This episode of Theology for the People is the recording of a workshop which Nick Cady and Aaron Salvato co-lead at the 2023 Calvary Global Network International Conference on the Topic of Doubt and Deconstruction.
We start out by defining deconstructionism and examining its philosophical roots, then we look at the impact of this movement and some of the common themes in its claims. Finally, we discuss a Biblical response to doubt and deconstruction and give some helpful tips for addressing the questions that those who are deconstructing may have.
Check out more from Aaron Salvato on the Good Lion Podcast.
My book, The God I Won't Believe In: Facing Nine Common Barriers to Embracing Christianity, can be found here.
Visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org
Earlier this year I traveled to Ukraine to help lead a conference for Christians who had been providing aid for people in their country since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022.
While I was there, I heard stories from many people of tragedy and loss, but I also heard stories of heroism, faith, and spiritual revival.
I also had the opportunity to record a few interviews with members of different churches, in which they got to share their experiences in the early days of the war, how things look now, and how God has been working and using them to share his love to hurting people.
These interviews are being released on the CGN Voices Podcast. There will be four episodes in this mini-series, and they will be released every Friday for the next few weeks.
The first episode came out last week, and it is one which was particularly meaningful to me. You can listen to it here, or in the embedded player below.
Ukraine: Resilience, Resolve and Refuge – A Testimony from Tanya Kotelenets –
CGN Voices
Welcome to "Voices from Ukraine", a mini-series inside look at the resilience, faith, and service of Calvary Chapel believers in Ukraine during the difficult months since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
In this special edition, we sit down with Tanya Kotelenets from a church in eastern Ukraine. Kotelenets shares her harrowing experiences from the first days of the war – the fear, uncertainty and eventual decision to flee the city with her church community. Despite difficult conditions, God's provision and grace sustained them.
Though she returned home months later, the impact of war remains. Kotelenets’s husband ministers at funerals almost daily, including that of a coworker who recently died in combat. Our listeners are reminded that all parts of the body of Christ feel the suffering of others.
Kotelenets asks for prayers for the children enduring so much change and loss, and for strength to continue living through this conflict with hope. If you'd like to support relief efforts in Ukraine, donations can be made through calvaryglobalnetwork.com/relief
Join us next time for another firsthand account of courage, sacrifice and faith continuing to burn bright within the Calvary Chapel family amidst the darkness of war.
In March of 2023, I travelled with 3 others from White Fields Community Church to go and serve at a conference for those in the Calvary Chapel family of churches in Ukraine who have been providing aid and relief since the war began in their country. (More about that here)
This video features some of the Ukrainian Calvary Chapel leaders talking about why this conference was so valuable, and how you can support the ongoing ministry in Ukraine, where our churches are meeting practical needs created by the humanitarian crisis and sharing the hope of the gospel.
Theology for the People 