A Generation Led to Jesus: Remembering Pastor Chuck, Part 15

As Calvary Chapels expanded around the world in the 1980s-1990s, one man heeded the call to teach God’s Word to pastors in the Philippines—and later to Russia and beyond. Read about Dan Finefrock in this story from our continuing series honoring CC founder Chuck Smith. It is reprinted from Issue 98 (Winter 2024) of the print magazine.

Dan traveled to the Philippines in the early ’80s to teach pastors how to study the Bible inductively. He was so amazed at the hunger for God’s Word that he passed the pastorship of CC Banning, CA, onto an assistant and moved his family there in 1985.

Equipping Pastors in the Philippines

While Juan Domingo was planting the first Calvary Chapel in Mexico in 1983, Dan Finfrock was teaching 150 pastors in the Philippines to study the Bible. “I had never seen anything like it,” Dan recounted. “There was this amazing hunger for the Word of God.” Pastors told him that they had never heard the Bible taught in such a way.

In 1984, Dan returned to the Philippines with his friend Roger Scalise, seeking God’s guidance. Roger later moved to Manilla to plant a Calvary Chapel, but Dan felt called to equip Filipino pastors. Appointing a new pastor over his Calvary Chapel in Banning, CA, Dan and his family moved to Dumaguete City, Philippines, in 1985. Over the next few years, Calvary Chapel pastors would come to the Philippines to assist with teaching verse by verse—some for a few weeks, some for years.

Taking the Training to Russia

When Dan moved back to the U.S. in 1991, he and several other Calvary pastors attended a meeting with Pastor Chuck Smith and Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. Bill related that God was using The Jesus Film in a powerful way in Russia; many were being saved, but there was no one to disciple the new believers. Dan recounted what Bill had told them: “Because the evangelical church in Russia was underground, the new converts were met with suspicion. Instead of welcoming them, the churches were interrogating them. No one was discipling them. There was a lot of fear that they would get arrested by the KGB.”

Pastor Gerry Brown (right) ministers in Mexico. He began U-Turn for Christ to help people seek God to overcome addictions.

Chuck listened quietly, then invited Dan to share what he had been doing in the Philippines, training pastors in Inductive Bible Study (IBS). “Dr. Bright said that was exactly what was needed in Russia,” Dan recalled. “Then Chuck looked at me and said, ‘Dan, when can you go?’ ” By December, Dan was on a plane to Russia. “The Lord miraculously opened doors for me, and I made several connections with underground churches there.”

At one meeting in a communist hall in St. Petersburg, Russia, a group of 100 pastors had gathered for IBS training. In the middle of the conference, suddenly a camera crew burst in, filming. Dan was surprised, unsure of whether this meant trouble. Later, the crew interviewed him; he explained that he was teaching the Inductive Bible Study method, and he also shared the message of Christ. “That night, several million people heard the Gospel on TV,” Dan relayed. “I’m sure the pastors were leery about the publicity, but God used it.” Russian Orthodox leaders saw the interview on TV and sent out word that their priests were not allowed to attend—yet the next day, 10 priests showed up, eager to receive the Bible training.

“They were all just really eager to learn,” said Dan. “We had pastors from Russian Orthodox churches, Baptist, Pentecostal—guys who would have nothing to do with each other normally. We broke them into groups, and by the end of the seminar, they were hugging each other. God was just moving.”

Pastor Dan Finfrock has traveled the world, teaching the Inductive Bible Study method to thousands.

A year later, Dan reported to Pastor Chuck that many in Russia were eager to learn verse-by-verse teaching. “Chuck said we needed to train Calvary Chapel pastors in IBS, and he set up meetings.” Two hundred men were trained at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Twin Peaks, CA, 75 in Seattle, and 75 in Indianapolis. “It was like God was stirring the hearts of Calvary Chapel pastors. Pastor George Markey, Sr., decided he wanted to go to the Ukraine. It was just amazing, all the places that God began to send people.”

Since then, Dan has traveled the world teaching thousands of pastors and Christian workers the IBS method through Intensive Care Ministries (ICM). His training materials have been translated into 55 languages. He has worked extensively in Third World countries, and ICM has staff in Russia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Africa, and India.

In our next installment, we'll share how Calvary Chapels and verse-by-verse teaching moved to Eastern Europe.

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