Tag: Greg Laurie

Why You Should Watch “Jesus Revolution”

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The Jesus Revolution movie premiers today, and you should definitely go see it!

On Wednesday, our church rented out our local theater for a private showing of the movie before its public release. Tickets sold out fast, and the theater was full of people of all ages.

The movie chronicles the early days of the Jesus Movement, through the eyes of Greg Laurie. At the forefront of the Jesus Movement was Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel, and their stories are told in this film, along with that of hippie evangelist and preacher, Lonnie Frisbee.

The stories told in the movie are stories that I heard from my pastor, Tom Stipe, over the years: Chuck Smith telling his board members, who were concerned about shoeless hippies ruining the new carpet in the church, that he would rather rip out the carpet than send the hippies away, or make them feel unwelcome; baptizing thousands at Pirate’s Cove in Corona del Mar, the concerts in the tent, and more.

Tom, who passed away in 2020, was good friends with Greg Laurie. When Tom passed away, I had the honor of speaking at his memorial, along with Greg. Unfortunately, Tom wasn’t mentioned in the film, although he was right there in the thick of the events that the movie chronicles.

When I, as a teenager, gave my life to the Lord and started attending church at Crossroads – the Calvary Chapel church which Tom pastored in Arvada, Colorado – my dad told me: “You know, back when I was in high school, I remember there were all these hippies playing ‘Jesus music’ on their guitars.” It was only later on, when I got to know Pastor Tom, that I realized the significance of the experience my dad was sharing with me.

Several times during the movie, I found myself moved to tears. There is something incredibly powerful about the hope of the gospel and the message of redemption.

I was so happy to have my kids be able to see this movie and connect the dots with some of the things we’ve shared with them about the history of our movement. Furthermore, I was proud to have the members of our church who were less-familiar with Calvary Chapel see this depiction of the Jesus Movement, and understand the roots and the values of the movement to which our church belongs.

Something I really appreciated about the movie was how they portrayed the nuances of the relationship between Chuck and Lonnie, and the reasons why they parted ways. The film portrayed that tension in a palpable way.

Tom Stipe used to tell me that what God did through Calvary Chapel and the Jesus Movement in the 1970’s was a story that needed to be shared and never forgotten. This movie tells the story of this important part of American history, which has spilled over and changed the world.

I encourage you to go out, watch the movie, and invite a friend or two. I hope many people will see the movie, and that God will use it to spark a Jesus revolution in our generation as well.

Remembering Tom Stipe

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Tom Stipe was my pastor and mentor. He was the pastor of Crossroads Church of Denver, and in 1999, at 16 years old, I walked through the doors of that church for the first time on a Wednesday night. Little did I know that would be one of the best decisions I ever made, and it would shape the course of my life.

I went to Crossroads at the recommendation of my friends from school – friends who were not Christians! This is a testimony to the fact that Tom and Crossroads had an incredible reputation in the community. He was well-known and respected, even by people who didn’t follow Jesus or go to church. My friends told me that Crossroads had good music and they just teach the Bible.

I started going to Crossroads whenever the doors were open and I grew under Tom’s Bible teaching. I made other friends there and mentors with whom I have had lifelong friendships.

In January 2002, Tom sent me out as a missionary to Hungary. He ordained me, and for years he supported, encouraged and visited me and my wife while I was there. He really liked my wife Rosemary, probably even a little more than he liked me 😄.

Upon returning to Colorado, Tom was a source of encouragement. I will miss hearing his stories of all the great things God did through the Jesus Movement and over the years through Crossroads, but with the hope of the resurrection, I look forward to seeing him again.

A celebration of life was held for Pastor Tom at Harvest Church in Irvine, California, and was led by Greg Laurie, a friend of Tom’s. Harvest did a great job creating a video of the event for those who couldn’t join in person. That video is embedded below, or can be found here.

I was honored to get to say a few words at the memorial as well: my eulogy starts at 51:54.

Tom will be sorely missed. The God of Tom Stipe and the Spirit which he trusted in and relied on is here with us still, to do great things in the next generation.

Maranatha!

Everyone is Fighting a Hard Battle

Published on by nickcady8 Comments

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

This quote is often attributed to Plato, but whoever first said it doesn’t matter as much as the fact that it is true.

September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and this week is National Suicide Prevention Week.

A number of lives close to me personally and to those in my church community have been affected by suicide and attempted suicide recently. In these cases, you are always left with the feeling that you wish you would have known, or that they would have reached out, so you could have helped them work through what they were facing, and told them how much you love and value them, and that their situation is not hopeless.

I was saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Pastor Jarrid Wilson of Harvest Christian Fellowship in California.

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Jarrid was not only a pastor, he was also a mental health advocate and the co-founder of Anthem of Hope, a Christian non-profit organization “dedicated to amplifying hope for those battling brokenness, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addiction and suicide.”

Jarrid was open about his own struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, and was actively trying to help others who struggle with the same things.

Here is the statement from Pastor Greg Laurie, lead pastor of the church where Jarrid served:

It is with the deepest sadness and shock that I have to report that Jarrid Wilson went to be with the Lord last night.

At a time like this, there are just no words.

The Bible says, “There is a time to mourn.” This is certainly that time.

Jarrid is survived by his wife, Juli, his two sons, Finch and Denham, his mother, father, and siblings.

Jarrid loved the Lord and had a servant’s heart.

He was vibrant, positive, and was always serving and helping others.

Jarrid also repeatedly dealt with depression and was very open about his ongoing struggles.

He wanted to especially help those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Tragically, Jarrid took his own life.

Jarrid joined us as an associate pastor at Harvest 18 months ago and had spoken out many times on this very issue of mental health.

Jarrid and his wife, Juli, founded an outreach to help people dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts called “Anthem of Hope.”

Sometimes people may think that as pastors or spiritual leaders we are somehow above the pain and struggles of everyday people. We are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers. But we do not.

At the end of the day, pastors are just people who need to reach out to God for His help and strength, each and every day.

Over the years, I have found that people speak out about what they struggle with the most.

One dark moment in a Christian’s life cannot undo what Christ did for us on the cross.

Romans reminds us that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39).

At times like this, we must remember that as Christians, we do not live on explanations but on promises. We fall back on what we do know, not on what we don’t know. We do know that Jarrid put his faith in Jesus Christ and we also know that he is in Heaven now.

We stand on the promise of Revelation 21:4 that reminds us that in Heaven there is no more sorrow, suffering, or death.

Please keep Juli and Jarrid’s family in prayer.

The Harvest family has lost a bright light.

Pray for us as we grieve together

I didn’t know Jarrid personally, but several of my friends did. I grieve with them, and for Jarrid’s wife and his children who will grow up without their father. As Jarrid was the sole income-earner in his family, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to ease the financial burden on his family in the wake of their loss.

Suicide doesn’t fix any problems or ease any pain. It only creates more pain and heartache for those who are left behind.

Thoughts like, “Everyone would be better off if I were gone” or “No one would notice or miss me if I died” are never true, and are lies from Satan, the “Father of Lies” and the enemy of our souls. We must respond to these lies with the truth, which God has revealed in His Word: that you are loved, you are valuable, your life matters, and God has a purpose for you.

There is hope, and your life matters! That’s the truth, regardless of how you might feel in any given moment.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, Anthem of Hope has an anonymous live chat, where you can talk to someone and tell them how you are feeling: http://anthemofhope.org/hopeline.

For those in the United States, you can also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK [8255]

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”