History of Calvary Chapel

Calvary Chapel is a non-denominational Christian church which began in 1965 in Costa Mesa, California. Calvary Chapel's senior pastor, Chuck Smith became a leading figure in what has become known as the "Jesus Movement."

From the beginning, Calvary Chapel has been focused on leading people to Christ and discipling them so that they can go out into the world and lead others. The Lord has blessed this commitment, and Calvary Chapel has grown to 1300 churches in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. We truly take to heart our Lord's command in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Calvary Chapel Iwakuni Japan, about 40 km southwest of Hiroshima, is a church plant out of Calvary Chapel Okinawa Japan. Sensing God's call to Iwakuni, Mike Silva, a former Captain in the USMC and his family left military life and moved to Iwakuni in September 2005. They started a bible study in the living room of their home on November 13, 2005. God, by His Grace, established a church out of that bible study.