Chuck Smith Has Passed Away
Memorial site for Chuck Smith…
From Chuck Smith Jr on Facebook...
“I am no good at organizing my time. I overbook, miss appointments, and one time was late for a wedding I was to perform–by a whole day. So I cannot always say how I came to be in a certain place at a specific time.
Of course, there are those moments we could never plan or arrange–life’s unpredictable appointments that have God’s providence written all over them.
So it was that last night I slept in my parents’ room between their closets. I wanted to be close enough to hear Dad’s breathing over the sound of his oxygen machine. Several times I got up to check on him and all seemed well. Then, around 2:30 Mom’s voice woke me. She was calling across the room in the dark to her husband. It was something about his breathing that disturbed her. I let her know I was there (she was asleep when I arrived) and told her I would check on Dad.
Skipping over a few details, the two nurses who were there (one who lives with my parents and another who, with her husband, kindly volunteered to stay a few nights, came into the room to help me. In fact, they took over. We tended to Dad’s needs for twenty minutes or so, jostling him this way and that, finally settling him into a position we figured would be comfortable. Dad slept through all of it.
I called my oldest sister and sent text messages to my brother and youngest sister to let them know Dad was slipping into a coma. Then I returned to his room. But rather than lie down, I thought I would sit next to him for awhile. Can’t say why. Just wanted to enjoy a space of quiet with him in the dark.
What do you pray? I just sat in God’s presence next to Dad, surrendering everything to God’s infinite love and wisdom.
Dad’s oxygen level and heart rate monitor shut off. I fiddled with it to see if it would come back on. The live-in nurse, who had come over and stationed herself on the opposite of the bed took the monitor and placed it on his other hand. It soon shut off again.
Dad’s breathing gradually became more shallow and less strained. In fact, his breathing was very gentle. Softer. Softer. Softer. And then–the last breath.
Around 3:20 this morning, Chuck Smith (“Papa Chuck” to many, although I have never liked that title, but my thousands of adopted siblings have left me no choice but to accept it), took up permanent residence in his eternal home, “not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Dad has been very grateful for all the prayers made on his behalf from friends all over the world. These last two weeks, in spite of the cancer spreading in his lungs and that had metastasized and was working its way through his bones, has had no pain. Even these last few days, no pain meds or morphine.
Other than perhaps being “raptured,” Dad preached three services on Sunday and answered questions Monday on his radio program, then made his exit peacefully in his sleep early Wednesday morning. He could not be happier with his transition through the threshold and into Splendor.”
May his family, friends, and followers find the comfort God promises in times of loss.
May his foes exercise maturity, tact, and grace as well.
And, to balance out the Chuck worship (though I really like Smith Jr’s comments as well as Smith Jr. the man):
http://calvarychapelabuse.com/wordpress/pastor-chuck-smith-of-calvary-chapel-dead-at-86-daughter-reports-the-calvary-chapel-costa-mesa-pastor-and-leader-of-the-calvary-chapel-non-denomination-has-passed-as-a-result-of-his-battle-with-lung/#comment-134917
Lord, please bring merciful comfort to Pastor Chuck’s family and to all who will be touched by his homegoing.
Chuck Jr., thank you, that was beautiful.
I was with my dad when he slipped away and I know that it is difficult to describe. It seemed to me as a holy moment, to be with a loved one, as they move from our hands into His. I’m praying for you and all your family.
Personally- and this may not be realistic- I would love to see a day here on the PhxP where people refrain from critical remarks about Pastor Chuck? Maybe save it for another day?
Xenia, Your #5 is spot on.
Praying for all those who are grieving … & praying also for God’s guidance for the CC leaders/pastors during this time of transition …
I hope and pray the family is allowed to just be at peace together and cherish memories and promises of their past, their present and their future together. The public always thinks they own a piece of public figures, every church loves their pastor and don’t always know how to be careful with expressing their love, so I pray a deep respite from that for the family. Lord, let them have your peace and time and space to breathe, love and remember together and look forward in hope. Thank you for being faithful.
I remember him saying, “My biggest fear after I die is they will name something around here
after me, like the “Chuck Smith memorial swimming pool”. He would have hate that.
He dedicated his life to serving God, he was used mightily by Himd. This will be big news in short time and the topic of a lot of sermons this Sunday even by non Calvary pastors.
To the Smith family:
I was raised in Chuck’s church and even was schooled there. I disagree with many, many things Chuck believed in.
We did agree, however, with John 3:16. So it is with great joy that I will one day jointly cast crowns, along with Chuck, at the feet of our Savior.
I came to Christ through the ministry of Calvary Chapel. Despite the many issues that have arisen through the years, many of us owe Chuck Smith a debt that can never be repaid. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace, and may light perpetual shine upon him.
It really sounds like God was very gracious to Chuck. I hope to discard this tent in a similar fashion.
Jim,
That was my first thought as well…
Wow… I am glad his passing was peaceful. For all the embattled times, he remained a man for God. I too, was saved through the ministry of Calvary Chapel. I am so glad Chuck Smith took up that cause and ran with it.
The Lord’s favor upon his family.
I am stll a little surprised by his passing. Glad it was peaceful and in his sleep.
I am grateful for how God used him in my life.
Being a pastor requires being a courageous person and taking risks. It also requires being mostly concerned with what God thinks rather than man.
We can all honestly point to many good things that came out of Chuck’s life. At one time, the contemporary worship music meant a lot to me. It was a breath of fresh air that balanced the hymns I loved. I appreciated his devotion to the Word, and attempting to teach it inductively through the exposition method. That wasn’t practiced much 30 years ago. I am glad he was influenced to reach out to the questioning youth of the 60’s. I appreciated the streamlined church structure, as I perceived it back in the 80’s.
There are plenty of things I take issue with, but Mr. Smith ventured out in faith, sometimes stumbling along in the darkness, sometimes doing what God actually was pleased with. Don’t we all make huge errors in judgement at times. Don’t we all get a few things right as well? This life is never going to be perfect, and it will be filled with gigantic disappointments, along with a few outstanding ecstasies before we transform into glorified bodies.
We are all students of the Word of God. Faith is a messy business. Much of it hurts. Suffering is usually unwanted but it produces trust in the only righteous One. Mr. Smith didn’t need all the slaps on his back, he didn’t need to be basked in celebrity light. he didn’t deserve to be made into an idol for some. He was an ordinary pastor who believed in an extraordinary God, and got a few things right. Did he ever disappoint you? Then you deserved to be disappointed. You hung your trust on the wrong man.
I’m saddened by these last few years. It didn’t need to end this way but I will not let anyone on this earth steal away the joy I have found in the Savior. If grace is real, and I believe it is, then Chuck Smith gave his sins to the right God. Now he can receive the reward the Lord will judge appropriate for his service. While the rest of us are alive, I pray we will be better citizens of the Kingdom, and be quick to reconcile for the honor of our risen Lord, who will judge the worth of our efforts as well.
To fall asleep peacefully and awake in the presence of the Lord.
I agree with Jim……my respects for the Smith family.
Bryan,
Your words are well spoken. Thank you!
Rest in Peace Chuck, His ministry went from person to person and touched our lives. Thank God for our Lord’s goodness and grace for using dusty instruments to do His work.
I do hope his family, friends, and church members find rest, it will be hard for them. Also I think it would really be a good time to pray for Calvary Chapel as a group of churches as well.
I for one am grateful for Chuck and His ministry over the decades. He was certainly not a perfect man (none of us are) and there can be legitimate questions regarding CC governance/accountability and even possibly some of Chuck’s teachings, but Chuck Himself clearly loved the Lord and taught the Word and our world is better for it – I know I am better for it. I know there are those with an ax to grind (some maybe even legitimately, I don’t know) but all I know is that when I look at the totality of the fruit that has come through Chuck, the vast majority looks pretty good to me (even if there are things I could nitpick about). Personally, I think this is a very sad day for the Body of Christ as a whole (but a great day for Heaven!). I will miss seeing His smile and hearing his soothing voice. And I am grateful that He went peacefully. I always felt it should be fitting He should get to go in the rapture, but as Chuck Jr. said, if it couldn’t be that, I’m glad He had a peaceful exit. I look forward to seeing Him when my race is run. Thank you Pastor Chuck for showing and sharing the love of Jesus with so many. I praise God for Chuck Smith!
I can stomach Bryan Stupar’s commentary. It’s about as balanced as it gets for a CCSP in my opinion.
..or was that Prosser?
That wasn’t me. (A different Bryan)
Chuck Jr’s words were well spoken.
Another flawed but redeemed man goes the way of all the earth.
Sown into the earth in dishonor, but raised in honor and the glory of Christ at the sound of the last trump.
God bless his family at this time. I was encouraged by Chuck many times over the years.
I got saved through the street ministry of Lonnie Frisbee and then went to the small school house on Sunflower in Costa Mesa to hear Lonnie teach. It was there that I saw this older man stand up on the platform, his first word’s that I ever heard him say were, “Kids, Jesus loves you.”
Almighty God backed up those simple words with so much power and weight that I instantly knew that this man was no ordinary man. He was someone that I needed to listen to if this was what happens when he speaks. So I have listened to him ever since. That was way back in 1967.
I can only imagine the joy upon his face as he sees Jesus Christ face to face…Wow!
Chuck Smith did the best that he could and as far as I know, never lifted his hand from the plow. Some may not like his style of teaching or his position on the scriptures but one can never come against his dedication to doing what he perceived as his ministry.
He served Jesus to the end…
Kay, Chuck Jr., Jeff and sisters, my heart is sad for your loss. And yet I know that all of you are glad that it is over and you know that one day you will see Chuck again in perfection.
May the peace of Jesus be upon all of you.
David Sloane
I am thankful to God for what He has done through the life of Chuck Smith.
Of all the people who are effected by Chuck’s death, I want to especially remember to pray for Kay Smith. Thank you Kay for praying for us so many years ago. Now it is our privilege to pray for God’s peace for you.
I want to amen what Ixtlan said…this is especially hard for Kay Smith.
My take on it all, can we agree cancer is a vile disease, if we believe in divine intervention, science, holistic, astrology or what ever, can we agree cancer is our enemy and it needs to die the death? That disease needs to takes the way of small pox, polio etc. Can we agree with that? Pastor Smith, he did what he could with what he had in the times he lived with all the variables that go on in that.
On another hand hey folks he was a big part of many of your lives, it hurts, it is confusing people tend to reminisce at the passing of a leader / “icon”. I am sorry for your loss, but can we agree this disease needs to die, we have done it before, can we agree it needs to die? Now that would be a wonderful tribute to Pastor Smith, we can pray, educate, support research.
Well he missed the rapture after all. I am sure he doesn’t mind.
BD @ 31 “Well he missed the rapture after all”
Missed it? Chuck Smith was raptured on 10/3/2013. I now await mine.
For it is appointed every man to die. To live is Christ, to die is gain.
There’s a difference between dying and being “raptured”. Jesus prepares us for the reality of dying so that we can live an abundant life, never for a mythical “rapture” away from The Kingdom work He appointed us.
This will forever be on the negative side of the ledger for those of us of The Jesus People Movement.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
@31
Since the dead in Christ rise first, he won’t miss it.
@33
Had a similar discussion with a friend last night about that. Perhaps at another time we could speak about that more.
I spoke with Pastor Chuck about 8 or 9 months ago. He was as kind as he ever was to me. I always have fond memories of him as a child. Always smiling and giving a big hug. No person is perfect. I’m sure Pastor Chuck would be the first to say he wasn’t either. However, the kindness he always bestowed upon me is something I will always remember. I’m sure this is a difficult time for his family and my thoughts and prayers are with them.
Ixtlan,
That would be a welcomed discussion.
Paul,
Joining you in those memories of kind encounters and thoughts and prayers for the family.