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A God-Inspired Musical Revolution Story by Debra Smith Photos Courtesy of CC Costa Mesa

Maranatha! Music Music Maranatha! A God-Inspired Musical Revolution Story by Debra Smith Photos courtesy of CC Costa Mesa

Pastor of CC Costa Mesa, CA, welcomed Christ-focused rock bands that transformed praise music.

Chuck and his wife Kay’s openness to the and their music led to an influx of young people drawn by his Bible teaching.

Pastor Chuck Smith, 42, sat on the platform the Lord was so inspiring,” Chuck remarked. bust. But he was due to be released at 6 p.m., steps in a mostly empty sanctuary and began “That ‘first love’ shone through, and I was so we pulled it off.” weeping as he listened. “I was so touched; touched by its beauty and freshness.” their music moved my heart,” remembered Within a short period of time, CCCM atten- Chuck of the 1969 Monday afternoon at The band called themselves Love Song. “We dance rose from about 200 to around 2,000. the small California he led, Calvary were about three weeks old in the Lord,” News was racing through the com- Chapel Costa Mesa (CCCM). Accompanied reflected the group’s co-founder, Chuck munity that young people following a newly by guitars, the lyrics “Welcome back to Girard. “As we finished the song, Chuck popular carefree lifestyle were welcomed at what you knew was right from the start … Smith’s first words were, CCCM—and according to Smith and Girard, Welcome back to ” flowed in a gentle, ‘Can you play tonight?’” con- acceptance was not what hippies were melodious style from the young men he’d tinued Girard. “We asked accustomed to in the era’s churches. Girard met moments prior. Mostly long-haired and what time—7, he answered— recalled: “We were seeking the key to the spir- tattered-looking, they had dropped in ask- and we said we could proba- itual universe in Eastern religions and mind- ing to play at CCCM because several of them bly make it by then. Our lead altering drugs. But then there was a sudden had recently come to know Jesus as Savior guitarist was spending week- Chuck paradigm shift. Previously, when we picked While a new building was being constructed in the early 1970s to accommodate Love Song was one of the early bands. and Lord there. “Their brand-new love for ends in jail for a marijuana Girard up other hippies hitchhiking, they wanted a the phenomenal growth, CC Costa Mesa met in a huge circus tent for 2½ years.

6 7 free joint. Now, they began asking if we knew CCCM’s Monday night youth Bible studies. majority of the band members were trans- everyone is basically the same. And in the Jesus. They’d say things like, ‘I found God at Prior to that, Chuck said, he was disgusted formed from those who fight against God world in general, people get stuck in their this cool church where the pastor embraced by the hippie movement. “I have to attri- into those who enjoy His : little circles of people just like them. But us. Lots of people like us are getting to know bute reaching out to them to my wife, Kay,” this group was diverse. And I could tell God through Jesus.’ Personally, I went alone he stated. “They’d roam the streets, stoned For if when we were enemies we they genuinely loved each other, which you to check it out, and I met God in a back out of their minds, and I’d call them dirty were reconciled to God through don’t see often. Then when they sang—I Music Maranatha! pew that night. That was 42 years ago, and I hippies. But she would cry and say, ‘Honey, mean, I was a non-Christian who had never haven’t looked back since—knowing Jesus is they need Jesus.’” The revival that began as the death of His Son, much more, read the Bible. Yet I knew that God was in what I’d been looking for.” Girard’s surren- the Smiths welcomed the radical youngsters having been reconciled, we shall the room—and these people knew who He der to Christ occurred on the front edge of to church, Chuck continued, “hit me as a be saved by His life. Romans 5:10 was.” Often, Tommy added, “People separate the , a revival among young total surprise. It was exceedingly abundantly evangelism from worship, but I think that’s people that simultaneously catapulted Love above all we could ask or think, and being On Love Song’s first visit to CCCM, “What completely wrong. When believers worship, Song to fame. a part of it was a total thrill.” As for his role touched me was the diversity of people,” a byproduct can be that non-Christians real- Love Song plays as Chuck, in white shirt, leads a baptismal service in the youth movement, “I think that God Tommy recalled. “In the drug culture, ize God is moving.” After the service, the on the beach in Corona del Mar, CA, in 1970. Soon, unable to cram into their little chapel, had a real sense of humor, choosing me,” CCCM was meeting nearly every evening in he laughed. “I’m very traditional. Yet God a huge circus-style tent. The hippies’ music worked in my heart regarding accepting was unconventional in a day when guitars them. He taught me not to try to change and drums were almost unseen in churches; them—but to let the Lord do the changing.” only pianos and organs were common. Yet the bands playing their new blend of wor- Love Song’s initial involve- ship, pop, folk, and rock music proliferated. ment with CCCM, testi- Pastor Chuck remembered: “Before long, it fied the band’s co-founder became typical for kids to come say, ‘The Tommy Coomes, had been Lord gave me this song when I was sitting largely motivated by an in school this afternoon, and I wonder if argument. “Our lead gui- Tommy I could share it tonight.’ We’d check it first tarist, Fred Field, got saved for lyric content, and time and again I was Coomes after reading a tract and touched and amazed. Eventually, we had researching whether Jesus’ more than a dozen groups and individual claims about Himself were true,” Tommy musicians exercising their gifts and bless- explained. “Soon he and our bass player, ing the church. There were Children of the Jay Truax, were arguing whether the charis- Day, The Way, Mustard Seed Faith, Debby matic spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12-14 Kerner, Daniel Amos, and others. Their were for today. Chuck Girard and I were music sounds so soft and easy now, but it watching it, saying, ‘You guys don’t know was radical then. Soon we began sending what you’re talking about!’” Having heard them out to share in different venues along of a Christian run by Calvary the coast. Eventually, many of them ended Chapel, the group figured the residents up developing new churches in various cit- must be experts on anything God-related ies where they gave concerts. That’s how and could arbitrate. “So we headed over Calvary Chapel began to expand from one there mainly to get them to stop fighting,” fellowship into an entire movement—it was Tommy declared. The plan worked—in mul- as much through the music as the actual pas- tiple ways. The believers invited the young tors going out to plant churches.” men to stay for dinner and accompany them to church. After a few such encounters, the Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

God Moves in Mysterious Ways Smith had been prepared mentally for Love Song’s style of music by Children of the Day, a band of high school students who some- Pastor Chuck, center, hugs a young Love Song plays on a beach in 1971. No one deserves any credit, several Maranatha! musicians and Chuck have agreed, for the era’s revival among times played their own newfangled music at couple before their . young people—“It was entirely the Lord’s work. We simply caught the big wave!” Chuck recently expressed.

8 9 Reflections from Today’s Musicians “One of the first Christian albums I had as a kid was Love Song. My brother and I ‘wore it out!’” exclaimed Steven Curtis Chapman, refer- ring to a Maranatha! Music record. “I couldn’t believe there was

music this cool that had a message about the newfound love of Maranatha! my family and I were just beginning to experience together. ... There’s Steven no way to estimate the power these songs had on my young faith, not Curtis to mention the seeds of creativity that I’m certain were planted in my Chapman own yet-to-be-discovered artist’s heart.”

Contemporary Christian music artist Michael W. Smith recalled, “Love Song was one of the very first Christian bands I was introduced to. I’ll never forget the day I discovered my first Love Song album. (Yes—album!) Long hair—electric guitars—I couldn’t believe it! I think it was the first time I realized there might be room for a guy like me in Christian music. These guys were a great influence on me Michael W. and paved the way for so many of us.” Smith

The lyrics of Maranatha! Music filled the air as young Sarah and her family cleaned their Texas home. Sarah’s father, a Southern Baptist pastor, liked to bring the songs into the family’s daily lives via cas- sette. Sarah is today, ironically, Sarah MacIntosh—having married Jonathan, a son of Mike MacIntosh, pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, CA. Mike was one of Maranatha!’s earliest Sarah employees. As a child, Sarah recalled, “We loved hearing that music MacIntosh during chores. It uplifted us. I think that’s one of the biggest things that changed during that era: Worship music became something one could play anytime, anywhere. People often think of worship as something done on a Sunday morning. But with recordings, praise songs could come home with you. Now we can even use these songs to help us worship the Lord in our cars and at work. That’s phenomenal.”

Friends gathered for frequent fellowship. This backyard potluck included musicians from the bands Love Song, Mustard Seed Faith, and Country Faith. Photo by Scott Lockwood Horizon Christian Fellowship’s worship leader is now Evan Wickham, son of John and Lisa Wickham of the 1970s Christian band Parable. This couple was heavily involved in Maranatha!, often leading wor- band members approached Pastor Chuck. job,” Tommy described. “I was blown away been freed from the drug scene. That was who’d gotten saved would buy five and give ship at CC Costa Mesa and Horizon. “Though I wasn’t there for the “We had some legal problems,” Tommy stated. because I’d had no idea Jesus was so full of exciting, to see schools allow them to sing them to their friends like tracts. Chuck Jesus Movement,” Evan said, “God’s Spirit was—and that same Spirit “A couple of us were going to court the next compassion and healing. I was so amazed by about Jesus and share their testimonies.” wasn’t trying to create a spiritual movement; inspired me in 2001 to ‘sing a new song to the Lord’ with my life. I morning for a drug bust, to find out whether Jesus that I started witnessing to others in the that was already happening. He was just fol- want to sing a new song every day, whether that means writing songs Evan Wickham we would go to jail or just pay a fine. We factory—though I’d still never heard of being He has put a new song in my lowing along with what God was doing.” Like that are literally new or singing old songs in recognition that God’s told Chuck our dilemma, and he simply said, ‘’! It was all new to me.” Once mouth—praise to our God; many humanity in general, Tommy added, “We Spirit is present and ready to do a fresh work among His people.” ‘Let’s pray.’ He didn’t counsel us or ask us 50 Tommy was reunited, a month later, with his have smart minds—and we like to invent questions. I love that about Chuck: He wants bandmates in Newport Beach, CA, he played will see it and fear, and will trust things. But that’s not the way this happened; you to see God’s goodness for yourself. He with them at an anti-drug rally. “The guys in the Lord. Psalm 40:3 you couldn’t invent this!” The dove symbol wants to help people develop their own rela- started telling me about what had been going that became an emblem of both Maranatha! tionship with Christ. That’s where the won- on in their lives while I was gone, and I sat By ’71, Tommy said, “We were playing two and Calvary Chapel, Tommy continued, was Plymouth. With his friend Vladimir, he’d One thing I have desired of the der, awe, and beauty are—in knowing God down on an amplifier and started crying,” he or three times a day, in coffee shops and all designed on a napkin by Barry Malone and drive around to Christian bookstores ask- Lord, that will I seek: that I may personally. So he just prayed for us, turned remembered. “The convicted me kinds of places. After driving several hours to Kernie Erickson. “They sketched it one night ing them to carry our albums. Many said no, dwell in the house of the Lord all off the lights, and went home. The next day that I was trying to do the right thing—but play, we were frequently given nothing finan- after a concert somewhere,” he explained. but Mike is persuasive. Frequently, they’d when I went to court, even though I wasn’t a He wanted me to give Him my heart so He cially. Before long, Pastor Chuck noticed and take like five, for cash. And people were the days of my life, to behold the Christian yet, I still keenly sensed that God could enact His plans through me.” said, ‘These kids need gas money.’ So he took Maranatha! shortly incorporated as a so enthusiastic that they’d sell out quickly. beauty of the Lord, and to inquire was in control of everything.” almost $4,000 from his family’s personal sav- music label, “And each time enough Then the stores wanted more.” Through in His temple. Psalm 27:4 A Musical Movement ings account, booked a 4-track recording stu- money came in, we’d send someone into it all, Tommy continued, “We learned the The financial duress resulting from the Gains Momentum dio, called us and others, and said, ‘Go to the the studio to record,” Tommy recounted. importance of making music that commu- fine Tommy was charged forced him to In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Pastor studio.’ That’s how Maranatha! Music began— Mike MacIntosh, now pastor of Horizon nicates in the people’s common language. Maranatha! also fulfilled Chuck Smith’s move back in with his parents in Lakewood, Chuck recounted, “The schools were hav- with all the bands and musicians recording Christian Fellowship in San Diego, CA, and Does our music touch the brokenhearted? vision of funding: “From the sale of their CA, which prevented him from attending ing a tremendous problem with kids on one praise song each.” What happened next, then a young disciple of Jesus freshly off Does it speak to people about God’s pres- albums, the groups could move forward in CCCM. “But I read my Bible every waking drugs. So schools actually opened up and Tommy said, shocked them all: “That album drugs, soon became Maranatha!’s director. ence? It is important that it translates into ministry,” Chuck explained. “The bands moment that I wasn’t working my factory welcomed our musicians in, since they’d sold 160,000 copies with no marketing. Kids Tommy remembered, “Mike had a beat-up everyday language and life.” would take off with a box of albums in their

10 11 Raul Ries

Jeff Johnson baptizing at the beach

Malcolm Wild and Alwyn Wall Mike MacIntosh

Greg Laurie preaching

trunk, sell them at concerts, and get enough “I knew there was something what was birthed there, which we call CCM money to make it to the next place.” However, missing in my life,” Terry [Contemporary Christian Music] now, has Chuck clarified, the goal was not to make confessed. “About 2 a.m. one since affected people all around the world.” money, but to serve God’s people and those night I knelt down and said, still needing Christ. “These kids were so in ‘Jesus, if You’re real, please Unbeknownst to those in Southern love with Jesus that they didn’t care if they Terry forgive me of my sin.’ I went California, similar musical developments got paid or not,” Chuck remarked. “But this Reynolds to bed, got up the next morn- were happening around the nation in a few way, they had gas money.” One of the most ing, and knew something other churches. Then by the late 1970s, the compelling aspects of the music, Chuck con- had changed. About two hippie movement was winding down and tinued, was the musicians’ incorporation of months later, I heard about a little country Maranatha!’s albums no longer seemed Scripture into their songs. “They used a lot church named Calvary Chapel. On my first radical to average believers. Simple praise of lyrics from Isaiah, other prophets, and the visit, Chuck was announcing the upcoming choruses had prevailed over the view that Psalms,” he remembered. “You’re certain of move into the tent. Soon, my friends and I Sunday’s music had to be stylistically differ- content and quality when you’re just singing were spending almost every night there.” ent than the other six days’ worth, and the the Bible!” hippies’ musical experimentation with praise In his ’61 Volkswagen van, Terry said, “We music had morphed into pop Christian Migrating into the Modern Era would drive around town, packing it with music in a variety of styles. “The youth of The musical aspects of the Jesus Movement people, and show up at CCCM a few hours that day wanted peace but didn’t know the overflowed and impacted even non-musical early. Everyone was excited to see each other, Prince of Peace,” Chuck summarized. “The teens such as Terry Reynolds, then a high and we’d sit on the grass having a great time. music was a draw for them to come and hear school junior and now a pastor at CCCM. Groups would have Bibles open, and then how much God loved them. Once they got At the time, “I was disenchanted with soci- someone would start playing a guitar, and to know Jesus, their lives were changed for ety,” Terry recalled. “So, like most my age, I we’d all join in singing. So we’d start the con- eternity. It was a sovereign work of God; hung out and complained about Vietnam cert before the concert! The music would there’s no other way to explain it.” constantly. We didn’t know we were hip- eventually start, and then we’d listen to pies; partying and drugs were just our life- Chuck teach through 5 or 10 chapters of the style.” When Terry’s younger sister became Bible. We had no background in God’s Word, a Christian and began passionately sharing so we needed that overview. On weekends CC Costa Mesa, CA the Gospel with him, he ridiculed her. Then we’d head out afterward and share a plate www.calvarychapelcostamesa.com when one of his best friends got saved, “I dis- of fries until late in the night. We were all [email protected] missed him as a loser and felt I’d lost a good growing spiritually and were excited to share 714-979-4422 friend,” Terry said. Yet unrest plagued him. what God was teaching us. It’s exciting that

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