The roots of Calvary Chapel can be found in Costa Mesa, California. A non-denominational Christian church, Calvary Chapel was founded by Pastor Chuck Smith in 1965.  In 1969, Calvary Chapel became a hub in what later became known as the Jesus Movement. The small church of just 25 people began to grow quickly: it has been estimated that over 8,000 baptisms were performed in a two year period at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in the mid 70’s. During that same period, Pastor Chuck Smith and his church were instrumental in bringing 20,000 conversions to the Christian faith. 

The foundational emphasis of Calvary Chapel was the clear teaching of the Word of God. This led to the establishment of a Bible college in Murrieta, California in 1975. Today, the school also has at least 50 affiliated campuses throughout the world. Similarily, the church movement has spread across the world: there are over 1700 Calvary Chapel churches extending to all continents.