As the Calvary Chapel movement and Jesus Revolution grew, many who came to Christ expressed their faith through music, just one expression of how God worked differently through men and women to expand the ministry. Read more of our continuing series remembering the passing of CC founder Pastor Chuck Smith in this installment, reprinted from Issue 96 (Summer 2023) of the print magazine.

From Death to Life

At a Jesus People Reunion in 1999, Pastor Chuck Smith recounted, “As the Lord was working there in such a wonderful way in Santa Ana, CA, Satan was working down in Laguna Beach, CA. ‘The Brotherhood [of Eternal Love]’ were manufacturing LSD and had their evangelists out in the streets trying to introduce kids to LSD. One young man that began to follow The Brotherhood was Oden Fong.”

Leaving behind the lavish Hollywood lifestyle of his actor parents, Oden Fong turned to mysticism and psychedelic drugs. Intentionally overdosing in 1970 at the Joshua Tree Monument to reach a higher form of consciousness, Oden’s heart stopped beating.

Oden recalled: “I remember my heart flying and then ceasing. I peacefully nodded off into death. Then everything started to get dark. … I looked for the light because that’s what the mediums and psychics had told me. I called on every god I could think of. When I still could see no light, in desperation I cried out, ‘Jesus, if You’re real, save me.’ Then something extraordinary happened. In that darkness, there was a light that became brighter and brighter. I woke up and saw the figure of a man in front of me. He was so bright I couldn’t bear to look at Him. Even the sun shining behind Him looked dim by comparison.” Feeling afraid, Oden tried to turn away. “I heard His voice saying, ‘I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.’ At that moment, I came back into this world.” Soon after, some friends invited Oden to Calvary Chapel.

At the 1999 Reunion, Pastor Chuck rejoiced over Oden’s salvation: “Satan was after him, but the Lord was after him too—and the Lord won. What a thrill and joy it has been as Oden and other musicians formed the group Mustard Seed Faith. What a blessing their music has been over the years.” Oden, Pedro Buford, and Lewis McVay were key band members.

When Pastor Chuck was invited to speak in the community or at new Calvary fellowships, Oden would travel with him to do music. Recalling conversations on the road, Oden reflected, “Chuck and (his wife) Kay had such an excitement that God was expanding the ministry—especially evangelism and discipleship. Chuck and Kay genuinely knew that it was a work of God, and not something they were causing to happen.” Oden has been serving the Lord in various ways over the years and now pastors Poiema Christian Fellowship in Costa Mesa, CA.

A Movement of the Spirit

Pastor Chuck would go to college campuses and share the Gospel as well as biblical prophecies that were coming to pass in the newspaper headlines. Paul Sansevieri noted, “We believed that we were in the Last Days. There was an expectation that the Lord would return, an excitement. We came to church with an anticipation of what the Lord would do, what He would teach us.” Calvary Chapel believers would carry their Bibles everywhere they went, ready to talk about Scripture or share the Gospel.

“The Jesus Movement didn’t happen because of just one person. It was an undeniable outpouring of the Holy Spirit working through all of them,” reflected Paul. “God used Lonnie Frisbee’s gift of speaking to the hippies, Greg Laurie’s tracts and gift of evangelism, Chuck’s faithfulness and Bible teaching, Chuck’s Assistant Pastor Romaine’s wisdom, Steve Carr’s discipleship, the music of Love Song and the other bands—so many men and women were used by God at that time. It was just a work of the Lord.”

Speaking of the Jesus Movement, Pastor Chuck would often cite: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6b).

At the Jesus People Reunion, Pastor Chuck urged the crowd, “The [music] just brings back memories of the wonderful days when we saw God work in such a powerful way. If you have lost your first love for the Lord, Jesus said in Revelation 2:5b to remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works. If you have grown cold, it’s time to repent and ask the Lord’s forgiveness. He’s calling you to come back home—back to that relationship that you once knew with Jesus Christ. As the song says, ‘Welcome back to what you [once] knew.’ Let the Holy Spirit draw you today. We have one life; it will soon be past, and only what we do for our Lord Jesus Christ is going to last.”

Look for our next installment, where we share the stories of how well-known Calvary Chapel pastors came to faith in Jesus and began their individual ministries. Read Parts 1, 2, 3 here.

© 2023 Calvary Chapel Magazine (CCM). All rights reserved. Articles or photographs may not be reproduced without the written permission of CCM. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.® Used by permission.