Posted: 04/29/2010 at 1:08pm | IP Logged

ANAHEIM, CA (ANS) -- In the midst of the counterculture revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States, the "Jesus People Movement" changed the course of lives and history. It was a time when everything was questioned, but through this exciting period, the impact of God's Word gave a generation solid truth to rely on.

Ad for exciting celebration in Anaheim

The father of that movement was Chuck Smith, a Southern California pastor.

This extraordinary revival stands as a watershed of evangelical history when, under Chuck Smith's guidance, a generation of hippies were brought to Christ. Thousands would gather nightly in "The Big Tent" erected on the corner of Fairview and Sunflower where the cities of Santa Ana and Costa Mesa overlap to hear the Gospel preached by this gentle man.

But besides the many hippie converts, it also saw the birth of modern-day worship and praise music.

During an interview I did with Chuck Smith some time back for my "Front Page Radio" program on KWVE 107.9 (www.kwve.com) in Southern California, I told Pastor Chuck that a lot of younger people today would not be aware of how modern-day worship music, sprang out of those exciting days.

Hippies give the 'one way' sign in the Big Tent

Smith explained how that many of the hippies who had recently made a commitment to Christ in "The Big Tent," would come back later and ask if they could sing their songs and he would "audition" them before the service.

"This began at the Monday night service and there were many talented young people that were coming in and I remember these fellows came by and introduced themselves." He said. "They said that they were musicians and had a rock group and that they'd accepted the Lord a couple of weeks prior on a Monday night study and they told me that the Lord had been 'giving them some Christian songs' and they'd like to 'share them.'

"And so I asked them if they would 'play one for me.' So they went out to their van and got their guitars and all and they came in and they began to play. It was the song 'Welcome Back.' It was so anointed that I just started weeping and I said, 'How about sharing tonight. The kids will love it.' That was Love Song.

"They were so good and so anointed that they inspired other young people to get together and form bands and at one time we had over ten different bands that had formed all doing their own original music. People would come and say, 'The Lord's given me a new chorus this afternoon when I was in school and I'd like to share it tonight.' So we were learning the new worship choruses and it became a whole new style of music that was born there in that move of the Spirit."
 

A baptism at Pirate's Cove

Another unique part of the revival was the huge mass baptisms that took place at Pirate's Cove in nearby Corona del Mar where hundreds of the newly-converted hippies would gather to be baptized by Pastor Chuck and his ministry team. [They still continue today - in the summer months -- and both of my sons, Andrew and Peter - were baptized there.]

Now, comes the great news that in celebration of what the Lord has done through Calvary Chapel during such turbulent times, and in thanks to its founder Pastor Chuck Smith, KWVE Radio is to present "A Calvary Celebration."

Skip Heitzig, senior pastor at Calvary of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will host the event on Sunday, May 23, 2010, at 6 PM at the Anaheim Convention Center. He will be joined by some of the men who lead large Calvary Chapel churches including Raul Ries, Mike MacIntosh and Greg Laurie (from Israel).
 

Love Song in those early days

The free event is open to the public, and will feature music guests, Phil Wickham and band, a reunion of Love Song, Richie Furay, Paul Clark, Crystal Lewis, and more!

An exciting part of the event will be a preview of the new documentary "Riptide" which reviews what transpired through the "Jesus Movement" and then surveys its worldwide impact. "Riptide" also looks forward to the challenges and opportunities facing the Church to remain relevant without any compromise to mission or doctrine.

In addition to core interviews with Pastor Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie, the documentary also features conversations with Tim LaHaye, Franklin Graham, Lee Strobel, Jon Foreman, Melody Green (wife of the late Keith Green) and over three dozen interviews with well known Christian.

To find out more about this great commemoration, you can find updates at: www.calvarycelebration.com.

More information can also be obtained from Tricia Walker at 505-344-9146

Source: (ANS) www.assistnews.net