Point Loma Calvary Chapel
Website: http://www.calvarychapel.com/pointloma/
Church Review
Scriptural View: 3/5
Missional View: 3/5
Community: 3/5
Website Review
Site Usabilility: 4/5
Site Design: 2/5
Site Content: 2/5
Summary: Point Loma Calvary Chapel is a smaller Calvary church in the San Diego area. The good news is that the church preaches expositionally, or verse-by-verse through the Bible. This is highly commendable. The downside was the service I attended offered very little in the way of actual explanation or insight into the text. The sermon was filled with stories and cliche’s that offered little relevance to the actual sermon. I have attended other Calvary’s and been impressed with the teaching but Point Loma Calvary was not one of them.
A Calvary church that didn’t dive into the meat of the text.
September 3rd, 2005 at 8:44 pm
First of all I accidently stumbled (And was stumbled) accross this review from some unknown comic!But be what it may,we believe God uses also the foolishness of mens reviews for his glory,,thats the great thing about Calvarys at large,theres a Biblical maturity that what was meant for evil God uses for Good.So,let the good begin:)
Let me say that my wife and I grew up at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.We”ve heard great loving teaching from many wondeful servants of Christ at Costa Mesa,along with visiting other Calvarys.Basically,we have a good handle on solid teaching and expostional use of Gods word.What can we say?We were spoiled.
So,when we moved to San Diego and visited every Calvary, pracitically, looking for a home church it was at Calvary Chapel Point Loma that we found the closest style and manner of teaching to what we were use to.Verse by verse-chapter by chapter,book by book!Pastor Jeff provided fresh insight and quotes that were always consistent with the heart of the text and never once have we found him to stray.We”ve sat there for quite awhile and were now spoiled in San Diego with CCPL.
Simply,we havnt missed our home church in Costa Mesa due to the work God is doing through Pastor Jeff,the leadership is phenomenal,worship pure, and the love at point Loma exceptional-Were staying put till Christ returns.
By the way,Sunday am services have studys that are textually faithful and put into the skins (Parables like Jesus) so common people can relate.Sunday nights and mid week studys have more meat and bones that you can gnaw on.
So,just have to set the record straight from a family that has throughly enjoyed and sat through hundred of messages and not just one token appearance,,,,I”m sure your motives are good,just not balanced,,,But,were glad you have a church that has kept you in its walls:)God is good! Benji and Michelle
September 4th, 2005 at 4:06 pm
I am a long-time Calvery Chapel member. I have visited Calvary Chapel POint Loma, and I agree that the level of teaching seemed to lack the “life application” lesson that the scripture called for. The worship is contemporary, but still seemed “stiff” and uninspiring.
I find this confusing each time I visit, for the people are extremely warm and the fellowship among them seems very solid and sincere. If the community is extremely important to you, Point Loma might be a good fit . . . but I think the other Calvery Chapels in San Diego (Horizon, Maranatha, Mission Valley) have superior teaching and worship experiences.
September 24th, 2005 at 9:25 pm
We love Calvary for that very reason.We dont like someone having to make the application,but rather let the Holy Spirit bring conviction and application.The teaching and worship is there if your heart is right.But,if you need entertainnment non stop then the sacrifice is maturity.Thats why we love Calvary here and something you alluded too,the people are healthy-alert-mature and settled down.Solid solid teaching and worship with the right skins and not looking for light.Geeze we remember things taught 2 months ago here-need to say anything else???Smiling!
As far as comparing churches and speaking of being a longtime Calvary person then surely you must know that God makes specific churches for certain people:)Worship ranges dramatically from one Calvary to another,,Ever been to Costa mesa on a sunday am?????They sing hymns.
Going back to my roots as a long time Calvary attendee the argument could easilly be given that Horizon and certainly Mission Valley(Removed from being a calvary)are not the models a Calvary chapel person would say are the litmus test.
But,if you want closeness and love and a place to worship Christ and grow in grace, without distractions we love it!!!Hollywood is another subject though!
September 25th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
Funny thing happened to me on my way to criticize another church.After reading a review about a local church in my area Calvary Chapel Point Loma my curiousity got the better of me and now im a new man!
The worship was new for me but very heart felt.The people simply free and loving as I would picture Jesus to be in my limited understanding.The message is what was the nail in the coffin when i decided to accept Christ as my saviour.
The pastor shared about the Parable of the sower.I saw myself as the hard hearted too busy one Jesus said could not recieve spiritual things.Talk about being spoken to personally its as if someone called the pastor about my coming this sunday am.His message was logical,very intellectual,fun to follow and drama going through my heart as I could feel God dealing with me through the Bible.
Never having the Bible taught to me i deeply appreciated the lack of cheerleading and yelling i had seen in previous churches-talk about real-what a surprise and blessing-im new-how cool huh?
Thought id share my new love for God and a new family here-pray for me!!!!!!! Stephen
September 28th, 2005 at 4:59 pm
Sad that peoples experience in the church today is one of being entertainned to death!!!!!Our family enjoys the worship of Christ in this church and not the worship of worship.Meaning that we are grateful the worship team doesnt resmble the flashy drama of some of the previous churches mentioned.Worship is about coming to Jesus with hearts that did not need to be cheerleaded there.Kinda of makes me wonder how stiff worship must of been when Jesus sang without the drama of some of these ministrys.
The same is true with the teaching of Gods word.If you need to be fed with exhortative and entertainning messages then Calvary wont be a good fit.But,on the other hand theres a time to grow up-if thats the desire and your willing to get settled Calvary is all time!I kept coming back until finally it hit me,I needed to grow up and get off the milk i was on:)
Finally,let there be a great love for the variety of churches God makes.Lets not say”im of Paul,or Apollos,Or Peter,Or Pastor Mike,Or Pastor Jeff,Of Pastor Raul”,,,,Thats carnality!!!!Comparing churches and then judging them is one of the singular signs a person is a carnal believer.Were all Gods men!
November 22nd, 2005 at 6:45 pm
Judging a church on one visit is like opening the Bible and saying, “Well, God didn’t speak to me, I guess this isn’t real.” The person saying that already has the wrong attitude in his or her heart. On the other hand, the person who shows up ready to do their part in the Kingdom of God and prays for the worship, the message, the Pastor, and God’s blessing, and for the right heart to RECEIVE what God has for him or her, will leave filled, and with an answer or comfort from the Holy Spirit.
I agree with the messages above: Different churches serve the needs of different congregations.
P.S.: My husband is the worship leader, and I can attest that the worship even ministers to me in my home when he’s practicing it by himself, without other singers or fancy instruments. It’s blessed! Not some polished movie-star-type singers I’ve witnessed at another local church the other year (who shall remain nameless. I’ve your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, as the Word of God puts it. Start praying and stop looking for flaws. The entire world is flawed and you will never be satisfied until you WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
November 28th, 2005 at 10:31 pm
I also am so happy to not be in a success driven quanity church,,,I love this fellowship and purity.It all flows from the top down!Were washed every week,,Great insight into the scriptures-you can pray during the worship service-and politics are not pushed-Were Loved and even reproved when the text goes there,,,If your hungry and have an open heart and not looking for “Hollywood” services this is the place to mature!My need is met here and thats i want to grow up,,,My husband has been so ministered to here that ive been changed through his change-God is doing great things here,,,Scarey to be a part of “The accuser of the brethren”,,,You need to grow up in Christ for those that do!
December 3rd, 2005 at 9:49 pm
I also whole heartedly agree with the majority here,,My kids,wife and neighbors love this place,,Scripturally solid,pure and lots of love,,You need to change your recommendation to at least Recommend!!!Your doing diservice to a great church and the Lords work,,Especially when you recommend several other ministry that are questionable,,So,my recommendation to you is change to recommend–thanks,,,,Davey
April 12th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Just because someone thinks that Jeff goes on rants that have nothing to do with the message and that there could be more time spent in the word, doesn’t make them an “accuser of the brethren” or make them immature either. You people above were quick to turn the flame thrower of selfrighteousness on somebody that dared to question his preaching. For crying out loud, you sound like you have already damned him to hell. I have listened to at least two dozen of Jeff’s online messages to get a well rounded idea of what he is actually about, and honestly he does go off on tangents. And I have heard him insinuate within the text of one of his messages that those that question Calvary Chapel Point Loma’s style are let’s say perhaps, less than saved, or at the least probably not walking with the Lord. So it makes sense that you all would be shooting out the same indignation. Also, a healthy church does grow, it multiplies. CCPL has been around for over a decade and when I visited over the course of four weeks, there were less than 40 at any given service. Hmmm.
April 14th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
I have a very real problem with the attacks that the people from CCPL are making on other churches here in San Diego (Horizon, Maranatha, Mission Valley), calling them Hollywood churces. I noticed that the wording is very similar in all of the cases, almost as though you were coached on what to say.
First of all, your pastor, Jeff Mitchum, came from one of these Hollywood churces, Maranatha, and has had their pastor, Ray Bentley, as guest speaker at a marriage retreat. So has Ray suddenly fallen off the list of approved church pastors? Or are you not thinking this through?
Second, Horizon Christian Fellowship is still very much a Calvary Church, take at least a minute to research the main Calvary Homepage before you start telling lies about a wonderful ministry breaking off from Calvary. Pastor Mike actually refers to Chuck Smith as his pastor.
So now that you have taken off and singled out these large churches as Hollywood churches that are there just for entertainment value, let’s actually open up scripture, ok? Turn to Acts 2:40-47, there were some magnificnet actions taking place with the Holy Spirit moving, with thousands being added daily. Now we may not be having thousands added daily, but it certainly has the conotation that growth is supposed to be taking place.
Here is another example of that Hollywood style that you apparently find so detestable. 1 Chronicles 15:27-29 “David was clothed with a robe of fine linen as were all the Levites who the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the horn, with trumpets and cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps. And it happened, as the ark of the convenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music: and she despised him in her heart.”
You seem to have taken on the heart of Michal with regards to the type of worship being too Hollywood. How in the world can you judge yourselves to be better than these so called Hollywood worship teams? You do not know their heart and have placed yourself in God’s seat and judged them.
Additionally, you chastise people for judging a church in one paragraph, then in your own statements go on to criticize Horizon and these other churches without realizing the hypocrisy of your own statements. What difference does it make if you use cruddy instruments or polished instruments?
Now let’s look at the truth of the matters you have brought up. A quick look over at the Sheep and the Goats Church review at http://www.sdreader.com/published/2005-05-19/sheep.html says that you have reported your congregation is at 500 in number. Yet at any given service (with the exception of maybe Easter and Christmas) there is no more than 50 or so people.
Now, the worship leader, Anthony Da Luz, for the last 12 years? Are you sure about that? I seem to remember people named Kenny, Frank and his sister, Rachel and her husband. The way I count it, Anthony didn’t take over till about four years. We really should be making sure that there are no holes in your wall before before you start attacking people and churches.
The shamefull example you have provided to these people that questioned your particular style of worship or teaching shows no love. You have talked of being mature and not on milk and walking in the Spirit, yet you didn’t have the maturity to step back and treat these brothers with love, so any ministry that could have been given these folks, you know love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, longsuffering and self control, have been conveniently set aside for a few defensive jabs and personal attacks, and shown devisiveness towards other churces. Where is your unity of Spirit? You said not to be I am of Saul etc etc, yet you have placed CCPL as the where with all.
One last thing, has anybody bothered to ask how much money is in that promised building fund???? The financial books have been hidden for years, have they made a miraculous appearance yet? Somehow I think not. I pray your rose colored glasses come off sooner rather than later.
May 16th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
What a life!What a blessing to see the variety of ministrys devoted to certain people.God works despite the differences.We”ve been at all of the above churches and loved them all.Our home is now here at Calvary Point Loma for quite some time and absolutely dig it!The vibe is love!As mentioned in one of the above comments we too are “Spoiled”.Saved at calvary Costa mesa,raised here at ccpl.Peace out:)