WHAT WE BELIEVE

(Our Statement of Faith)

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth. (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2; John 8:58; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2; Revelation 1:8)

THE TRINITY

We believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Hebrews 9:14).

SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY

We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which this church operates and is the basis for which this church is governed. We believe that the Word of God supercedes any earthly law that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures. We believe that the King James Version of the Bible is the most accurate translation from the original ancient text. It is from this translation that we establish our doctrine and Statement of Faith. (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:21)

GOD

We believe in the person of God the Father, an Infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:27; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3)[/vc_accordion_tab]

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, Who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ; (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 15:13,16; Hebrews 9:14)

INDWELLING

We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. (John 14:16-17, 16:8-11)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 14)

SIN

We believe that all people are sinners by nature and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God regenerates based upon faith by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. (Acts 8:15-17; Titus 3:5)

THE CHURCH

We believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head and all who are born again are members. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16)

BAPTISM AND COMMUNION

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church: (a) full immersion water baptism, and (b) the Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

LAYING OF HANDS

We believe also in the laying on of hands for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the ordination of pastors, elders, and deacons, and for the receiving of the perpetuity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:6, 8:17; 1 Timothy 4:14)

SECOND COMING

We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ which is His personal, visible return to earth and the establishment of His millennial kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless suffering of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20: 11-15)

APOSTLES’ CREED

We believe in what is termed “the apostles’ creed” as embodying the fundamental facts of the Christian faith.

HEAVEN AND HELL

We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord. (Matthew 5:3, 25:31-34; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:22, 18:9; Luke 12:5)

THE RAPTURE

We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church where all believers will meet the Lord in the air and be taken out of this world prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth. (Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 5:7-10, 7:13-14)

SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE

We believe that, according to the Word of God, marriage is exclusively the legal union of one genetic male and one genetic female evidenced by a marriage ceremony. We also believe that legitimate biblical sexual relations are exercised solely within such a marriage. Hence, sexual activities such as, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, pre-marital sex, incest, polygamy, homosexuality, bisexuality, prostitution, pedophilia and bestiality as well as conduct such as transgenderism and cross-dressing, are all inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible and the Church. Further, lascivious behavior, the creation, viewing and/or distribution of pornography, human trafficking and efforts to alter one’s physical gender or gender-related appearance are incompatible with a true biblical witness which we believe every person is called to live. (Genesis 2:24; I Corinthians 5:11; 6:9; 6:18-20; 7:1-3; 7:8-9; Romans 1:18-32

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

We believe in the biblical Genesis creation account and God as the Creator. We believe that God created man and that He created them male and female. As such He created them different so as to complement each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason we hold homosexuality, and all other “sexual preferences” or “orientations” as unnatural, sinful, and unacceptable to God (I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Timothy 1:9-11). Accordingly, this ministry will not perform any marriage ceremonies except between one truly genetically male and female; we will expressly not perform or otherwise recognize or honor any other relationship between persons of the same sex or more than two persons. We will not condone or recognize such same-sex “marriages”, civil unions, or domestic partnerships regardless of state laws that provide for recognition of such unions.

GIVING

We believe “each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The motives that God desires for our giving are to: express our love to Him, please Him, lay up treasures in heaven, and help reach the world for Jesus Christ. God promises to bless us if we have the right attitude toward giving (Luke 6:38; Proverbs 3:9-10). However, some people give with the wrong motives. They may give in an attempt to manipulate God, to relieve guilt, to increase self-worth, to achieve recognition, to obtain power, or to gain tax advantages. Tithes and Offerings are given of one’s free will and are received accordingly. The receipt and acceptance of them does not constitute a membership contract nor is it to be construed as acceptance of any lifestyle in contrast with this statement of faith according to the Holy Bible. (Proverbs 3:11:24, 25; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:24, 33, 34; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2Corinthians 8:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 12-13)

Frequently Asked Questions
About our Fellowship

“What should I expect at a Sunday morning Service?”

Our services incorporate times of joyous praise songs and reverent worship songs. We have a Scripture reading, currently from the Psalms. We offer the people an opportunity to give (very low-key), and we go over with everyone the upcoming events and the many opportunities for fellowship and ministry. Our teachings are based upon a verse-by-verse study through God’s Word. We follow the maxim simply teach the Bible simply, presenting the message in a way that is clear and applicable to our day-to-day lives. Our services typically last 90 minutes. Immediately following the service, our pastors and other church leaders are available for prayer needs or questions.

“Do you take Communion?”

We celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of the month.

“Do you acknowledge VISITORS?”

Guests are welcomed, but never called upon or pointed out in a way that might embarrass them.

“How does your congregation DRESS?”

The dress for all services is typically casual, although some people choose to dress more formally. At Calvary Chapel Honolulu, the clothes you wear to church are not an issue. We do honor the Lord with modesty in our dress.

“Do you have CHILD CARE during the services?”

We offer Nursery care from ages 0-3 years in our Preschool classrooms, located below the Cafe/Bookstore. Children’s Ministry is offered from age 4 through 6th grade at various locations. The Ushers team will help you with that when you arrive.

“Are CHILDREN allowed in the adult services?”

We believe the best way we can serve the whole family is to provide a good quality Children’s Ministry, one which teaches kids on a level they can more easily understand. At the same time, this allows for a setting the sanctuary in which the parents and other adults can worship the Lord and have a time to learn without distraction. Among other things, we believe this will help them become better equipped to raise their children. At the back of the Sanctuary, we have provided a special Mother’s Room, for moms to use during the months in which they are caring for newborns and infants, should they choose not to place them into the Nursery. It is equipped with comfortable seating, a changing table, and a television monitor (although there also are tinted picture windows), allowing for privacy while still maintaining a connection with the service.

“What if I’m VISITING & don’t want to put my child in the CHILDREN’s Ministry?”

If you are new and unfamiliar with the church we have a couple options for you: First, you are welcome to attend your child’s class with them. This will allow you to meet the teacher and see the class in action. Second, we have a large-screen television set up in a covered section of the courtyard, which will allow you to watch the service with your children.

“Do you have anything for TEENAGERS?”

Our Rise Teen Fellowship meets on Sundays at 10:45am and Wednesday evenings at 6:00pm in our Gymnasium’s Multi-Purpose Room.

“What KIND OF CHURCH is Calvary Chapel?”

Looking at the book of Acts, we see the church as God intended it to be. The model that we find in the book of Acts is a church filled with the Holy Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It was a church where the Holy Spirit was the one directing its operation and ministry. We believe that God’s model for church government is that the pastor is ruled by the Lord and aided by the Elders to discover the mind and will of Jesus Christ for His church. This in turn is implemented by the Assistant Pastors.

Calvary Chapel Honolulu is a non-denominational, independent ministry. We are an evangelical church, meaning that we believe in the sole authority and inerrancy of the Bible, in salvation only through regeneration, and in a spiritually transformed personal life. We also believe in telling others about the Good News of Jesus Christ. You can familiarize further with Calvary Chapel at calvarycca.org. If you are looking for another Calvary Chapel in the Hawaiian islands, you can visit our local Calvarys page for a complete listing.

“Do you believe in the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit?”

Absolutely! We do believe in the validity of the gifts of the Spirit, and that these gifts can be expressed today. But we don’t believe in excesses that so often accompany a freedom in the use of the gifts of the Spirit. If people want to speak in tongues, we encourage them to do so in a private devotional setting to assist in communicating their love, their praises, and their prayers to God. We look to I Corinthians 14 as our Biblical example. We don’t insist that a person speak in tongues as the primary evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe that there are other evidences that are more credible than speaking in tongues. As Paul said, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1). We don’t emphasize tongues as the primary manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but we look for love as the fruit of the Spirit.

“Do you have Church MEMBERSHIP?”

Calvary Chapel Honolulu does not have a formal church membership roll. If you attend services regularly, you will be considered part of the CCH family. There is no membership form or application to fill out. Tithe/Offering records are kept for all those who give by check or credit card, or who identify themselves when giving cash. However, the receipt and acceptance of monetary gifts does not constitute a membership contract. At the end of the year, a tax donation statement is made available to all who have given in this manner. We do have a mailing list of those who have requested to be notified about special events, etc. This is not use to solicit funds. There is a form in our Sunday church bulletin you can fill out and turn in to be added to that list.

“How can I PLUG IN?”

One of the best ways to get to know people in church our size is to attend some type of small group fellowship. We have Home Fellowships all over the island. These are groups that meet in individual homes for prayer, worship, and a Bible study. They are information, and most fellowship over a meal before or after the study. Choose one that meets near you. We also have a variety of small group meetings on campus. Check our calendar and home fellowship listings.

Frequently Asked Questions
About The Bible

The Bible: Where Do I Begin?

As Christians, we need to learn and grow in our relationship with God. This is where the Bible comes in. Jesus Himself said that we need God’s Word (the Bible) to really live: “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”‘” (Matthew 4:4). However, you might not know anything about the Bible at all and you might be confused about how to use it. This introduction has been written to give believers a basic knowledge of the Bible as a whole and the New Testament in particular. As you read this over carefully, it should help in understanding the Bible.

The Bible: What is it?

The Bible is made up of a number of different accounts, letters, and writings that we call the “books” of the Bible. There are sixty six in all, thirty nine in the Old Testament and twenty seven in the New Testament. They were written by different godly men at different times and places. However, the Bible is more than just the words of men. As these men wrote, God was working through them to get the exact words that He wanted written; so what we have is actually the truths that came from God Himself. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (II Peter 1:20-21).

The Bible: What is it’s Origin?

The Old Testament books were originally written in the Hebrew language and the New Testament books were written in the Greek language. The writing of the Bible took place over a period of fifteen hundred years. Since we do not speak ancient Hebrew or ancient Greek, educated men have translated the Bible into the different English versions so that we can read and understand God’s Word.

The Bible: How is it Arranged?

The Old Testament books are accounts of God’s first dealings with man, and how God had special dealings with a man (Abraham) and his descendants (the Jews) who were the ancestors of Jesus’ life. The New Testament books are the accounts of what happened among His followers after He rose and went back into heaven. Also, it contains letters written by his followers to explain Christ and Christian living.
The books themselves are broken into chapters (the larger numbers on the page) and the verses (the smaller numbers on the page). This was done so that we could find things easier. Special notation is used to indicate exactly where you can find things in the Bible, for example, “John 20:30,31” means “the book of John, Chapter twenty, verses thirty and thirty one.” Sometimes these books are written in short form: Matt. is the same as Matthew; Rom. is the same as Romans; I Tim. is the same as the first letter to Timothy. Lastly don’t confuse John (the gospel of John) with I John, 2 John, 3 John (letters or epistles, written by John). Make use of the table of contents in your Bible as you get familiar with the location of each book.

Tips for Using the Bible

Pray for understanding before and while you read the Bible.
Use the Table of Contents to find the various books of the Bible.
Use the markings at the top of each page to keep track of which chapter you are at as you look for a passage.
about what you read, especially the things that strike you. God uses His Word to speak to you this way.
Ask yourself questions. Is there: a promise to know, an action to take, a truth to learn, an example to follow, or something I should pray about now?
Underline special verses.
Believe, memorize and obey what God says!

The Bible: What Does it Teach?

Don’t be mislead; there are many groups who claim to have the truth but they contradict the Bible. They claim to be Christian yet they desire you to leave the Christian Church. They always error in one or more of the essentials of the Bible. Following are the basics of Christianity as found in the Bible.

The Bible teaches that it is the inspired…

…the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and inerrant in the original writings. Accept no other book as the Word of God but the Bible.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Tim 3:16). “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (II Pet 1:21).

The Bible teaches that there is one God…

…eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is called the Trinity.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deu 6:4). “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19). “I and the Father are one [Jesus speaking]” (John 10:30).

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin…

…(Matt 1:23), lived a sinless life (Heb 4:15 and 7:26), proved by many miracles (John 2:11), died a vicarious and atoning death through His blood (I Cor 15:3; Heb 2:9), was resurrected bodily (John 11:25; I Cor 15:4), ascended to heaven (Mark 16:19), and will return in power and glory (Acts 1:11).
Remember for Jesus to have accomplished, this He must be God “Thomas said to him [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).

The Bible teaches that lost and sinful man…

…must be saved and that man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Only God can save man. Man cannot save himself no matter what he does.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:8-10). “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5).

The Bible teaches that the present ministry of the Holy Spirit…

…by His indwelling, enables the Christian to live a Godly life. (Read Romans 6-8)

The Bible teaches the resurrection…

…of both the saved and the unsaved: they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are unsaved unto the resurrection of damnation.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29)

The Bible teaches that the spiritual unity…

…of believers is in our Lord Jesus Christ and not any one particular Church.
“Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father” (Rom 8:14-15). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (I Cor 12:12-13). “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26-28).

OPENING THOUGHTS

Bill Stonebraker grew up in Southern California, in and around the Redondo area. Like many children today, Bill grew up without a consistent father figure. He hardly knew his biological dad, and although he had four stepfathers, none of them were particularly close to him. This lacking had a negative affect on him from very early on. “As I got a little older, I looked at pictures of my real father, and I noticed that he would always be holding my sister, but never me,” Bill remembers. “And it always hurt. I wondered why didn’t my dad want to hold me? Why didn’t he want to pick me up?”

BILLY’S A BAD BOY

Bill got into trouble at a very young age. His mom worked, and so he lived with his grandfather and cousins for a time. Nine people lived in a two-bedroom, one-bath home. Unfortunately, grandpa did not keep a watchful eye on young Billy, and he began running wild in the neighborhood. “I had a friend who was my age, but he also had three older brothers,” Bill tells us. “They got us into a lot of bad situations. When I was very small we were lighting fields on fire. We would break into houses, brand new houses. We would take bricks and throw them through the windows and run away. We would go onto local farms and trample down corn fields and rhubarb patches.” “As a kid I used to steal from my friends, steal from stores, even my aunt’s purse. Then I would take my friends out for a hamburger and malt. Maybe it was a way of getting attention, of getting people to be my friends. One time a kid asked me, ‘Where do you get all this money, Billy?’ I didn’t know what to say to him.” One other time Bill was at a fountain shop having a hamburger and malt. Looking out the window he saw his uncle pulling up into the parking lot. He got out of the car and came over to young Bill and asked, “Where’d you get the money?” He suspected the boy was stealing from his aunt. So Bill was caught in the act, but it didn’t change him at all. Under the influence of his friend’s older brothers, Bill got into some unsavory sexual behavior. He was abused when he was very young. The older boys led Bill into perverted situations that are still in his memory. Nobody was aware of what Bill was doing; he was left to fend for himself. Some friends came one weekend to take his sister on a trip to a farm, and Bill wanted to go with them very badly. “I can still remember her friend’s father saying, ‘We’re not going to take Billy, because Billy’s a bad boy. He ruined my corn field.’ Which I had done.” In fact, young Bill got into so much trouble, that by the ripe old age of seven, his mom felt compelled to move. So they left North Redondo for Manhattan Beach, where something important happened to Bill a few years later. “Fortunately in Manhattan Beach I didn’t have the negative influences I had in Redondo.”

FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST

“One day I was at the beach and this group of Christians came down. I didn’t know anything about Christianity at the time; I didn’t know anything about Jesus. But these people came and set up a big umbrella and sang songs about being ‘fishers of men.’ They would sing the song and cast out an imaginary fishing line.” Bill sat nearby, watching. Nobody spoke to him at all, but he could hear what the Christian kids were saying. They took out a book with no words in it. The first page was black. “Your heart is black because of sin,” they explained. “You’ve done wrong things and sinned against God.” They turned to a red page. “But the blood of Jesus Christ…” they continued, turning to a white page, “cleanses you from sin, making your heart white as snow.” Then they gave those listening an opportunity to pray to receive Jesus Christ into their hearts. “As they said that prayer,” Bill recalls, “I can remember sitting off to the side, closing my eyes and repeating the prayer with this person standing 20 yards away. When I said that prayer, it was like a light went on in my life. Something happened to me. Nobody said anything to me, but something happened. And it was amazing – for the next couple years, my life really did change. As a little 10 year old, my life really started changing.” In junior high school, Bill began to get involved with surfing. Because of Christ being in his life, there developed a genuineness about him that some of the surfer guys liked. It was a Christ-like innocence. However, as Bill got deeper and deeper into the surf scene, surfing began to be his god. Eventually he moved away from anything to do with Jesus.

SURF’S UP

In high school, with the demand to be cool, Bill started to become more and more antisocial, and moved further into the surfer subculture. It meant partying, drinking (drugs were not happening in the area at this time) and ditching school to go surfing. Soon the rebellious attitude he had as a little boy reared its head again. So along with the drinking, Bill got involved once again with sexual sin and rebellion. The last three weeks of high school, the surf came up and Bill skipped school with some friends to surf all day. The Vice Principal suspected the four boys of cutting classes. Bill recalls: “He sat me in his office and asked, ‘Where were you?’ I knew how to lie, though. I looked him straight in the eye – because I knew if you looked someone in the eye, they would believe you – and I said, ‘Mr. Fisher, I was home with my sister’s kids, watching them because my sister needed me.’ And he believed me.” “Then my other friends came in – the squealers. And the Vice Principal said, ‘I know you guys are lying, but Bill’s telling the truth. I can tell. A man who looks me in the eye when he answers me, I know he’s telling the truth.” Eventually, because of Bill’s “squealer” friends, the man found out that Bill had been lying. “He took me into his office; he didn’t even want to look at me. He told me, ‘You are out of here. I don’t care if you’ve gone four years to Maricosa High, you can graduate from some other school. Get out!’” Fortunately, Bill’s mother was able to get him back into the school, and he did graduate.

SOMETHING ABOUT DANITA

Bill met his wife, Danita, back around that time. He worked in a surfboard shop, and like most boys his age, enjoyed flirting with the girls. Danita called him one day, for her friend. When Bill asked what she was doing that night, she told him that a few gals were coming to her house. So Bill grabbed some buddies and some beers and headed over. Danita was 13 years old at the time; Bill was 17. She and her friends were not into the drinking scene, but there was something about her that Bill liked. “At the time, I was consumed with being ‘cool.’ If other kids weren’t cool, they were out of it and you had nothing to do with them. [Since I’ve become a Christian, I’ve learned there’s none cool, no not one – see Romans 3:10.] But there was something about Danita. When I met her, she was sassy, she was strong, but there was also something uncorrupted about her. There was an independence and naiveté about her. She hadn’t been around the block and it attracted me to her.” Eventually Bill and Danita married, at the ripe old age of 20 and 16. They don’t recommend others marry so young, primarily because for the next seven years they almost destroyed each other. They did everything two people could possibly do to ruin a relationship. In 1967, the couple moved with their family to Hawaii, where Bill began a surfboard making business. It quickly became very prosperous. Bill’s name became known in the islands. He worked on boards for a lot of the top surfers in Hawaii. The Stonebrakers lived out on Oahu’s North Shore, along an eight-mile stretch of beach that has some of the best surfing in the world. It was Paradise for Bill. He owned a home, a business, property in the South Pacific – he had it made. If the surf was good, he would put a sign on the door of his shop that read, “Testing New Equipment,” and head out to the waves. For a surfer, things couldn’t have been much better, and yet Bill was empty inside. There was a void in his life. He began trying to fill it with drugs: LSD, peyote, hash, marijuana, etc. He began to drink all the time. “If I were not a Christian now,” he states, “I’d probably be an alcoholic, possibly dead. My father died of alcoholism, as did my grandfather. The first guy I ever took a drink with died of alcohol poisoning when he was only in his 30’s.”

BROKEN TRUST

Gradually Bill began to explore Eastern mysticism. He became a vegetarian and got involved in Hatha Yoga. All this was in an attempt to move into a higher plane, to experience god. But he found it to be supremely selfish. As he got more involved spiritually, he became more and more self-centered and less involved with his wife and kids. Eventually Bill got the point where he didn’t want his family. He felt that Danita had ruined his life. He blamed her for everything. He convinced himself that she was preventing him from being happy. He didn’t want his three children, either. He had decided that he was incapable of loving anyone. He broke the trust of his family over and over again.  One day a stranger came into his surf shop. There was a saying about God posted on the wall. It was actually put up as a joke, to mock God. But this fellow came in and, reading the sign, asked Bill, “Are you a Christian?” He sarcastically responded, “Yeah,” and then realized the guy was serious; he was a Christian. “I was so embarrassed,” remembers Bill. “I couldn’t even turn around. I just kept washing my hands. I felt so small, so convicted.”

JESUS KEEPS KNOCKING

He met another fellow surfing one day who later showed up at his door on the North Shore, asking to use his shaping room to work on a board. Usually Bill never let anyone use his room and equipment, knowing that one guy quickly becomes 100. But for some reason he decided to say yes to this fellow. “He spent all day shaping this surfboard.” Bill laughs. “It looked like a potato chip when he was finished. It was terrible. But he was real excited and wanted to know what I thought. I told him, ‘It’s a good attempt for your first time…’” “Then he asked me, ‘Can I share with you what Christ has done in my life?’ I remember thinking that word was so odd – ‘share.’ But I said, ‘Go ahead.’” The young man began telling Bill that he’d begun shooting heroin when he was only 13 years old. He was an addict for seven years. “Then Christ came into my life and He changed me. He so radically changed me. He delivered me from heroin. Now I’m surfing here in Hawaii for a while, but next I’m going to Viet Nam. I’m going to speak to some of the vets who are strung out on heroin there. I’m going to tell them about Jesus Christ.” Bill applauded the man for his intentions. Certainly that was good for him, but it wasn’t what he wanted at the time. So the fellow simply said he would pray for Bill. He respected the fact that Bill wasn’t ready to commit his life.

HE DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A CHRISTIAN

A short time later Bill was once again in Waikiki, drinking and carousing. A nice looking guy with long hair walked by, carrying a guitar. Bill’s friend leaned over and said, “That guy’s a Christian.” Bill couldn’t believe it. He didn’t look the part. Bill pictured Christians weak men with crew cuts, so pale they would melt in the sun. He thought of them as wimps. But this guy looked anything but, so Bill called him over to where he and his friends were drinking. “What are you doing down here?” Bill asked. “I’m telling people what Jesus Christ has done in my life,” came the reply. So Bill said, “Well, what’s he done?” It was a serious question. As much as Bill was trying to look “cool” on the outside, he knew he was hurting inside. He honestly wanted to know what Jesus had done for this guy. “Christ has changed me from the inside out,” the young man told him. “I invited Him into my life and He came in.” Bill realized that was what he needed: someone or something to change him from the inside out.

CHANGED FROM THE INSIDE-OUT

“I had been into so many of these other trips. I had been into Spiritism, because my mother was into it. We used to hold séances. They would call up the dead, and there were times when these so-called entities would speak. I would be a channel for them and talk to the people in the room about their departed loved ones.” “I got involved in hypnotism, biofeedback; I followed the Indian prophet Sri Aurobindo. I was into Yoga, self-realization, and body-consciousness. If you had an ounce of fat on your body, I thought it was evil. I had been trying to find fulfillment from the outside in, and it wasn’t working. I was more lonely and more lost.” So when Bill heard this man say Christ could change him from the inside out, he thought, “What have I got to lose? If his God is as powerful as he says He is, what have I got to lose?” “So I asked the guy, ‘What do I have to do?’ and he replied, ‘Why don’t you pray this prayer with me.’ And I prayed that night to receive Christ.” “I wasn’t going to be religious though,” says Bill. “If Christ was real, He was going to have to change me. So I finished my beers. And I didn’t really think much about it afterwards.” Supernatural things began to happen in Bill’s life, however. Desires began to change. God brought other believers across Bill’s path.

MAYBE I’LL GO TO CHURCH

After a particularly hectic and aggressive surf session out at Gas Chambers and Rocky Point, Bill was frustrated and angry, ready to punch somebody. He got into his van and headed out to pick up his son. His head pounding from a headache, he began thinking, “I’ve got to get around some nice people. Maybe I’ll go to church.” When he arrived to pick up Bud, the young girl there asked, “Would you like to come to church with me tomorrow?” The question blew Bill away. “I was just thinking about that,” he told her. “Yeah, okay, I’ll go.” The next day they went to a little country church, part of a traditional denomination. It was old-fashioned, with organ music and a very simple sermon. At the end the pastor asked if anyone would like to come forward to receive Christ. “This is what I was thinking,” says Bill. “This girl expects me to go down to the altar, so I’ll do it. She brought me and I don’t want to disappoint her, so I’ll do it.” But looking back on it, he realizes she was diligently praying for him. So Bill walked up the hardwood floor to the front of the church. As he went, he heard someone let out a holler and say, “All right!” Being a surfer, Bill had come to expect that if he got in a tube someone might yell out. But it seemed strange in church. The pastor seemed a little taken back by his coming forward. It was as though Bill was the only person to have come forward in the past 40 years. He couldn’t believe it!

FINALLY A CONNECTION

Bill prayed to receive Christ and then the pastor baptized him. Afterwards, Bill learned that the guys that had let out the hollers were in Hawaii making a Christian surf movie, “Tales from the Tube.” Bill never thought Christianity and surfing would mesh; he couldn’t understand how you could be both a surfer and a Christian. Talking to these guys, he began to finally connect.  As Bill got to know other believers, he began to understand that Christ is real. Over time, he made several other altar calls, but he was growing in his faith. After a while, he began reexamining his marriage. Danita and he were leading separate lives, one foot in the door toward divorce. Finally he came to her and said that, since he was now a Christian, he wanted to be a good husband and father.

A BROKEN HEART LEARNS TO LOVE

Danita’s response was immediate: “I’m not crazy about you, and I’m certainly not crazy about Jesus Christ.” She still didn’t want to have anything to do with Bill. Over time, the Lord broke Bill’s heart and gave him a love for Danita and their children that he had never had before. “I realized that if I lost them, I would have lost the most precious thing that I’d ever had. I didn’t know that before; I was blind to it. It took the Lord Jesus Christ coming into my life to give me that kind of love.” “My mom did the best she could,” says Bill. “But I didn’t have that father figure. I never had anybody to look up to; I never had that feeling of love, so I thought I didn’t have the capacity to love others. But when Christ came into my life, a change happened.” At first Danita thought it was simply another trip Bill was on. Over time, however, she saw the change that took place in Bill’s life. After a few months, she consented to remain living with him, but she told him sternly: “If you ever become a pastor, that’s when we get a divorce!” Needless to say, the Stonebrakers’ marriage is still going strong.

CALVARY CHAPEL & PASTOR CHUCK

Bill opened his house out on the North Shore for a Bible study, and the Lord began to work. They had a variety of people from all over the Christian spectrum in as guest speakers. They also had a few uninvited speakers of questionable spiritual origins. Throughout all of it, the Lord poured out His Spirit upon those who were truly seeking Him. People were packing out the house at the Bible study; they were bursting at the seams. They had continued to attend the little traditional church on Sundays, but eventually people wanted something more. Although there was love and stability, there was no life spiritually. Among his Pentecostal friends, Bill found a lot of excitement, but no stability in the Word. “I felt like I didn’t fit anywhere. I loved the Spirit but I also loved the Word. I knew everything was to be done decently and in order, and a lot of things happened at the studies that were totally bizarre. But on the other hand, the little church denied the move of the Spirit.” Then one day another surfer came to him with a teaching on cassette tape and said, “You’ve got to hear this guy. His name is Chuck Smith. There’s something happening in Southern California.” At the time, Bill didn’t have any idea who Chuck was, and he wasn’t looking for a mentor.

A TRUE BRAIN WASH

“When I started listening to Chuck and his simple teaching of the Word of God, my heart burned within me,” remembers Bill. “What God was doing there in Southern California in the Jesus Movement, He was also doing on the North Shore.” Bill began to send away for Chuck’s teaching tapes. He began listening to them as he worked in his surfboard shaping room. His mind had been so messed up by the events of his life, his thoughts were so evil and perverse, there was so much bitterness and anger, that he wanted to totally immerse himself in the teaching of God’s Word. “I definitely needed a brain wash,” he says. “I needed my mind to be cleansed. I wasn’t thinking about going into the ministry. I was listening for the sake of survival.” As he accumulated Chuck’s teaching tapes, Bill began a small lending library in his home. In this setting the Lord began to train him up for the ministry.

LEARNING ABOUT TRUST

Learning that Pastor Chuck was coming out the Hawaii, Bill contacted him and asked if he could come out to the North Shore. This meeting would be pivotal, beginning a bond of fellowship with the believers on the North Shore and those at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in California. In 1975, Bill went over the California to attend the “Shepherd’s School.” There he learned how to handle all sorts of ministry-related situations. When he returned home months later, he was invited to become ordained through Calvary Chapel ministries. The day he received his ordination certificate in the mail he thought, “They must see something in me that I don’t even see in myself. They trusted me before I trusted myself; they saw what God was doing in my life before I saw it.” Bill began pastoring the North Shore Christian Fellowship. They met on the lawn at “Backyards” at Sunset Beach for Sunday morning services. It was difficult at times to compete with the draw of the surf, as the congregation faced not only Bill, but the ocean! Eventually the service was moved to Waimea Falls Park. People began driving out to the North Shore from Honolulu to attend. In 1982, Bill turned the church in Haleiwa over to the capable hands of his associate, Mike Stangel, to begin a new work in Honolulu – Calvary Chapel of Honolulu. A handful of believers began meeting at McKinley High School, and then Punahou School. Next for a time the church rented facilities at Ruger Theater in the Diamond Head area. Finally the Lord opened doors to purchase the former Empress Theater in downtown Honolulu in 1988. The downtown location was on the outskirts of the “red light” district. In fact, the theater had been looked at by other churches when it came up for sale, but they all passed on it, fearing they would lose some of their congregation because of the rough area. Bill, however, saw the location as a place in need of the light of Jesus Christ. Over the years on Nuuanu Avenue, the Lord worked through the fellowship to mightily impact the neighborhood. In 1995, Mayor Jeremy Harris presented the church with the “Hana Maika’i” award for dedicated service to the needy. The certificate says in part: “Your generosity has illuminated the darkness surrounding the less fortunate and has given them hope and the opportunity to help themselves find a better life.”

FAITH REALIZED

After years of seeking the Lord for the means to open a Christian School, in 2000 Calvary Chapel Honolulu purchased land and developed a campus in Aiea. The facility was dedicated on May 16, 2004. Along with the Chapel and new School (grades K-10), the campus also houses a Preschool, Café/Bookstore, Gymnasium and the studios of KLHT Radio. Over the years the church has sent short and long-term missionaries to countries around the world, including Fiji, India, Nepal, Ethiopia, Mexico, Japan, Poland, Russia, Tahiti, Hungary, Uganda, Cambodia, Australia, China and Vanuatu. Since beginning the North Shore Christian Fellowship, more than two dozen Calvary Chapel affiliated churches have started up in Hawaii, many of which were directly influenced by Bill’s ministry. The church continues to own and operation KLHT Radio 1040 AM, purchased in 1986, & KLHT Radio 91.5 FM, launched in 2016. The stations plays the finest Bible teaching and praise/worship music 24 hours a day. You can listen to KLHT 24 hours a day anywhere in world over the web/mobile app at www.klight.org. The Stonebrakers have three adult children: Doreen, Naylene, and Bud; and they have multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Today Pastor Bill continues to do what he loves: teaching the Bible and ministering to the Lord’s church. To the Lord Jesus be the glory for great things He has done!