Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia
ABOUT CALVARY
At our first Sunday morning service, June 20, 1982. There were 100 of us.
I look at what God has done, over 26 churches around the city, Harvest Crusades, Churches around the world, the mobile apps and websites (there are over 200,000 sermon downloads every month!), 135 countries and we have brothers and sisters around the world.
We are all so thankful for your trust. Thank you for your patience as we have grown. Cathy and I and the pastors and their wives, thank you for the wonderful journey. You trusted us when we were young. You trusted us all these years, prayed for all of us and you kept coming.
God’s Word is faithful, here we are 40 years later and still in the pages of the Bible and I think of what He has done as His seed has been sown and fallen on good soil around the world. There’s no secret to it, it’s the Bible, it’s the Word of God, it bears fruit.
Thank you,
From Joe and all of the Pastoral Staff at Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia
A Brief History of CCPhilly
First Bible Study
25 people meet at Arthur’s Catering Hall
November 1981
First Sunday Service
Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia officially begins.
June 1st, 1982
Radio Program
Straight From the Heart begins broadcasting on WZZD once a week on Saturday mornings.
June 1983
Move to Bucks County
First Sunday morning service in the new building.
December 1st, 1984
Second Sunday Morning Service
Expanded to two services on Sunday mornings.
March 31st, 1985
Third Sunday Morning Service
Expanded to three Sunday morning services.
April 1987
Women’s Ministry
Our first Women’s Retreat at Willow Valley Inn, Lancaster,PA
April 1988
Fourth Sunday Morning Service
Expand to four Sunday morning services.
January 1992
Six Weekend Services
Saturday evening service added to the four Sunday morning services, one Sunday evening service and one mid-week service.
June 1994
New Building
We can now fit everyone in two Sunday morning services.
December 1994
Third Sunday Service
Expand to three Sunday morning services.
March 1995
Adding a School
Calvary Christian Academy Elementary School opens with Pre-K thru 8th grades.
September 1995
School Expansion
Calvary Christian Academy High School opens.
September 1997
CCPhilly Hits the Internet
ccphilly.org website is launched providing access to teachings online.
2002
Estudios Bíblicos en Español
Spanish services begin.
August 2008
Pastor Joe’s Teachings in Russian
Services are now being translated into Russian.
May 2011
Mobile Apps Launched
You can now listen to Pastor Joe’s entire Bible teaching archive on your mobile device.
October 2011
Videos Added to Teaching Archive
Video of Sunday morning studies are made available on the website.
January 2012
Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia began in 1981 when Pastor Joe Focht started a small Bible study in a catering hall. With a strong emphasis on teaching God’s Word verse by verse, the church has grown to minister to approximately 12,000 people weekly with a variety of outreaches and ministries.
Pastor Joe currently teaches three Sunday morning services along with evening services on Sunday and Wednesday. His daily Bible teaching ministry, “Straight from the Heart”, is heard in Philadelphia on 560 AM WFIL – 7:30AM weekdays.
In 40 years of ministry on the East Coast, Joe and his wife Cathy have seen their family grow from children to grandchildren while their spiritual family continues to grow.
HISTORY OF CALVARY CHAPEL
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. 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. Chuck Smith has come to be known as a leading figure in what is today called “The Jesus Movement.”
Miles away from Costa Mesa, Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia was born in November, 1981. Pastor Joe Focht started a Bible study with 20 people. God has abundantly blessed the teaching of His Word as this small Bible study group multiplied into hundreds, and then into thousands.
Today, some 8,000 adults attend Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia with over 400 children enrolled in our Sunday School ministry. In the same way that Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia was born out of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, we have also been blessed to witness the birth of an additional 20 Calvary Chapel Fellowships throughout the Delaware Valley area. Home fellowships and additional Bible Study groups have also begun in our area with the potential of giving rise to their own “Calvary Chapels”.
OUR PASTORS
CCPHILLY PASTORS
Joe Focht
Senior Pastor
Senior Pastor, Church Administration, Home Fellowships
Mike Focht
Assistant Pastor
Midweek Study, Calvary Christian Academy
Ray Holmes
Assistant Pastor
Spanish Ministry
Bill Milacci
Assistant Pastor
Marriage Ministry, Maintenance Ministry
Dave Miller
Assistant Pastor
Jr. High Ministry
Jerry Paradise
Assistant Pastor
Medical Team, Community Outreach, Military Support, Prison Ministries, Church Administration, Staff, and Support Groups
Tim Patrick
Assistant Pastor
Alternatives to Addiction Ministry
Steve Reeves
Assistant Pastor
Missions Ministry
Trevor Steenbakkers
Assistant Pastor
Men’s Ministry, Web Ministry, Office Administration
Gil Trusty
Assistant Pastor
Ushers, Greeters, and Security Ministries, Singles Ministry
Tom Swope
Assistant Pastor
Over 50s Ministry, Funeral Services, Office Administration
Brian Weed
Assistant Pastor
Worship Ministry
What denomination is Calvary Chapel Philadelphia?
A non-denominational Christian church, Calvary Chapel was founded by Pastor Chuck Smith in 1965.
How many people go to Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia?
Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia began in 1981 when Pastor Joe Focht started a small Bible study in a catering hall. With a strong emphasis on teaching God's Word verse by verse, the church has grown to minister to approximately 12,000 people weekly with a variety of outreaches and ministries.
Who is Joe Focht?
Welcome to the OFFICIAL Pastor Joe Focht Twitter feed. Pastor Joe is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia.