About Calvary Chapel
Welcome to Calvary Chapel
…… not just a church, a family!
Thank you for visiting our website. Please take a moment to look around and get to know us. You will find information about our various ministries, as well as recordings of our recent services and much more. We would love to have you join us in one of our in-person services. Wherever you are in your journey of faith, you are welcome at Calvary Chapel!
At Calvary Chapel we believe in changed lives. Church isn’t just another box to check off on your to-do list; it’s a place of life, renewal and hope. We aim to be the kind of church described in the Bible - with practical teaching, heartfelt worship, authentic friendships, meaningful prayer, and genuine care for those in need.
At Calvary Chapel you will find people from all walks of life who experience the same highs and lows as you do. We are committed to making the Word of God come alive in our homes, lives, relationships, work and thinking!
It is our prayer that your experience - whether online or in person - leaves you feeling like part of the family!
Jonathan and Melanie Downs
Pastor
Pastor Jonathan Downs and Bishop John Downs
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Jonathan & Melanie Downs
Pastor Jonathan Downs currently serves as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel. Calvary Chapel has been “home” for Jonathan and Melanie since they were young children, and has been the place where they have devoted much of their life to serving the Lord. Together they have served across the many ministry facets of Calvary Chapel.
In December 2012, Pastor Jonathan began serving as the pastor of Calvary Chapel, and his leadership and vision have been instrumental in the church's growth and success. In addition, he serves on the Executive Board of the United Pentecostal Church of Australia as the Director of Overseas Missions, where he passionately serves to see the gospel of Jesus Christ spread far and wide.
Jonathan and Melanie have three boys; Lachlan, Lucas and Thomas. As a family, they are busy about the work of the Lord, impacting people’s lives with the life changing power of Jesus Christ. Together they have travelled extensively both nationally and internationally ministering to the body of Christ and evangelising the lost.
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John & Sue Downs
Bishop John and Sue Downs pastored Calvary Chapel for over 28 years. Their steadfast leadership and vision saw Calvary Chapel experience steady growth during their tenure, and they oversaw several notable projects that have left a lasting impact.
In addition to their work at Calvary Chapel, Bishop Downs played a significant role as a leader in the United Pentecostal Church of Australia. He served for over 40 years as a member of the Executive Board, holding positions such as Home Missions Director and Presbyter and also serving as General Superintendent from 2000 until 2022. Bishop and Sister Downs continue to travel extensively around Australia and the world ministering.
We are grateful that Bishop and Sister Downs continue to call Calvary Chapel their home. They are a constant source of inspiration and blessing to the church, and their impact continues to be felt.
Our vision
Vision: To be a 21st century apostolic church in principle, practice and power.
Simply put, we want to be like the early church in the book of Acts. If an action, attitude, or movement defined the early church, we want that same action, attitude, and movement to be a part of our church. A new generation committed to a timeless faith!
We seek to become the kind of church described in the Bible - a church with relevant teaching, heart-felt worship, honest friendships, constant prayer, and compassionate care for those in need.
Ten core values
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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…(Acts 2:42a)
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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship (Acts 2:42b)
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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread… (Acts 2:42)
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They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
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Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. (Acts 2:43)
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All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. (Acts 2:44-45)
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Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. (Acts 2:46)
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They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts… (Acts 2:46)
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Praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people… (Acts 2:47)
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And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
Foundational Truths
Bible: Inspired Word of God
The Bible is the inspired truth without error, even to the very words, and therefore is the inspired word of God.
Salvation
God created mankind to have fellowship with Him, but they defied God by sinfully living life their own way. To rectify this, we need God’s saving grace to end our separation from Him. As the Bible teaches, salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works. Faith in Jesus is the means by which a person is justified. At the same time, a sinner must believe the gospel; he is commanded to repent of his sinful life, to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ, and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:38; 4:12; 8:12-17; 10:43-48; 19:1-6). Thus the various aspects of faith and obedience work together in God’s grace to reconcile us to God.
Oneness of God
There is one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah and in the New Testament revealed himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ was and is God. In other words, Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9). While fully God, Jesus was also fully man, possessing a full and true humanity. He was both God and man. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is God with us and in us. Thus God is manifested as Father in creation and as the Father of the Son, in the Son for our redemption, and as the Holy Spirit in our regeneration.
Living a Holy Life
God is holy and calls each of us into relationship with Him. This relationship with Him manifests itself in every aspect of the way we live, including our families. As such, Calvary Chapel stresses and supports the family unit as God’s primary institution. With the knowledge of His plan for salvation, the revelation of who He is, and the blessing of the life He equips us to lead, we anticipate the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.