Without Prejudice

Some fifty years ago there was a pastor named Charles, known by his friends as Chuck, who felt God had called him to teach the Bible in an understandable way. He became the pastor of a small church in Orange County, California, known as Calvary Chapel.

The counterculture revolution was in full swing, and kids were collectively losing their minds. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll was the mantra of the day. Parents thought an entire generation was lost.

Chuck looked at these hippies and, for the most part, didn’t want that much to do with them. But his wife, Kay, one of the unsung heroes of the Jesus Movement, had a real heart for these kids, and she prayed for them.

Then one day their daughter brought home a living, breathing hippie. It turns out this hippie was a Christian, and he talked about how his friends were coming to faith in Christ. Chuck and Kay wanted to open up Calvary Chapel to these hippies, and Chuck shared this with his board of elders.

The elders, however, didn’t want hippies in the church because their bare feet would soil the new carpet. So the next Sunday morning, Chuck was at the front door with a basin of water and a rag, ready to wash the hippies’ feet so they could come to church.

Chuck won that battle. The hippies started coming in, and this became part of a modern revival known as the Jesus Movement, the impact of which continues to this day. Chuck Smith was willing to overcome personal prejudice and say, “Yes, Lord.”

Is there someone in your life who is different from you, someone you don’t necessarily want to reach out to? Are you willing to overcome personal prejudice? Are you willing to say, “Yes, Lord”?