Follow the Money

A Guide to Calvary Chapel Finances

Calvary has grown from a small church of 25 people in 1965 into a multi-million dollar enterprise. At the top of this enterprise is Chuck Smith. Chuck Smith has placed family members in key positions of power and control in the Calvary Chapel empire.

 

 

The empire includes ordinary sources like giving, money making enterprises like bookstores and cafe's. Other sources of big money are the Calvary Satellite Network and The Word for Today.

 

No accountability

Calvary Chapel has very little financial accountability. It is hard to follow the money trail since non-profits do not have to report their income on 990's. Guidestar does have 990s for the part of CC that is not non-profit. There you can find the loss, for instance, from Lenya Heitzig's 9-11 bracelet project.

 

Now that's big money

Calvary Chapel in Ft. Lauderdale has received pledges totaling $103 million. This was from a capital company, RSI. Can anyone say, "worldly fund raising techniques"?

 

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