Update: Pastor Chuck Smith's memorial service is over. Now you can watch the entire video on http://watch.pastorchucksmith.com/
Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa is holding a memorial service today, October 27, for the church's founder Pastor Chuck Smith, who died earlier this month after a long battle with lung cancer. Smith was 86.
The service is scheduled from 5 pm -9:30 pm (PST) and will be broadcasted live on PastorChuckSmith.com. You can also go to KWVE Radio Network (www.kwve.com) to listen the service online.
The memorial service will be held at the Honda Center arena in Anaheim, California. According to ASSIST News Service, it will feature many of the early musicians and pastors who found Christ in the big circus tent that had been erected on the church's property during the revival that took place had a huge impact on Evangelical history with the birth of modern-day worship music. Maranatha! Music was formed at this time, and many of the pastors who found Christ during this period, like Greg Laurie, Jeff Johnson, Mike MacIntosh and Skip Heitzig, have gone on to lead some of America's largest churches.
Smith served as senior pastor at Calvary Chapel for more than 40 years. He is considered one of the most influential pastors in much of evangelical Christianity. He is also known for his outreach to 'hippies' and other young people others wouldn't reach. His outreach helped fuel the "Jesus movement" of the 1970s. Since 1965, the movement that began with Smith's 25 person congregation planted over 1,600 churches worldwide as part of Calvary Chapel fellowship.
Smith's son-in-law, Brian Brodersen, 55, has been chosen by the Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa board to be the new Senior Pastor of the huge Southern California church.
