The Jesus Movement

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• Late 1960s: The Jesus People Movement begins in the United States as a Christian counterculture movement. Many young people, disillusioned with mainstream society and seeking spiritual fulfilment, turn to Christianity as a way to find meaning and purpose in their lives.

• 1967: The Summer of Love in San Francisco attracts many young people, including hippies and other counterculture types. Some of these individuals begin to attend Christian churches and Bible studies, and a small group of them form a Christian commune in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco.

• Key people: Lonnie Frisbee, a hippie and former drug user who became a prominent evangelist in the Jesus People Movement; Chuck Smith, a pastor who founded Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, which became a hub for the Jesus People Movement.

• 1968: The Jesus Movement gains momentum as more and more young people begin to convert to Christianity. Many of these new converts reject traditional forms of church and instead form their own communities, often living together in communes and sharing their possessions.

• Key people: David Wilkerson, a Pentecostal pastor who founded Teen Challenge, a Christian ministry that helped many young people struggling with addiction; John and Elizabeth Sherrill, Christian writers who chronicled the Jesus People Movement in their book "The Cross and the Switchblade."

• 1969: The first Jesus People commune is established in San Francisco, and others soon follow in other parts of the country. These communes become centres of Christian activity, with members engaging in evangelism, Bible study, and social activism.

• Key people: Duane Pederson, a former drug addict who founded the House of Acts commune in San Francisco; Arthur Blessitt, a Christian evangelist who carried a large wooden cross across the United States and around the world, spreading the message of the Jesus People Movement.

• 1970: The Jesus People Movement spreads to other parts of the United States, including Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. Many of these new communities are centered around Christian coffeehouses, which serve as gathering places for young people interested in Christianity.

• Key people: Larry Norman, a Christian musician who helped popularize the Jesus People's musical style and message; Keith Green, a Christian musician and evangelist who became a prominent figure in the Jesus People Movement.

• 1971: The Jesus People Movement gains international attention as a group of Jesus People attend the Explo '72 Christian conference in Dallas, Texas. The conference attracts over 80,000 attendees and features prominent Christian speakers such as Billy Graham and Bill Bright.

• Key people: Billy Graham, a prominent Christian evangelist who spoke at Explo '72 and helped legitimize the Jesus People Movement in the eyes of many mainstream Christians; Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, who also spoke at Explo '72 and helped popularize the Jesus People's message of personal conversion and social activism.

• 1972: The Jesus People Movement begins to decline as many members return to mainstream society or join established churches. Some of the communes disband due to internal conflicts or financial difficulties. However, the movement's influence can still be seen in contemporary Christian music, which was heavily influenced by the Jesus People's musical style and message.

• Key people: Andraé Crouch, a Christian musician who helped popularize the Jesus People's musical style and message; Marsha Stevens, a Christian musician who wrote the song "For Those Tears I Died," which became an anthem of the Jesus People Movement.

• 1975: The Jesus People Movement officially ends, but its impact on American Christianity is still felt today. Many of the movement's leaders went on to become prominent figures in evangelical Christianity, and the movement's emphasis on personal conversion and social activism continues to shape the beliefs and practices of many Christians.

• Key people: Greg Laurie, a Christian pastor who became a prominent figure in the Calvary Chapel movement and continues to lead a large church in Southern California; Chuck Girard, a Christian musician who helped popularize the Jesus People's musical style and message and continues to perform and record music today.