Liberty, MO Pastor Rejects Costa Mesa’s Women’s Ordination Policy
A Calvary Chapel pastor in Liberty, Missouri, says his church will reserve the offices of pastor and elder for biblically qualified men, adding his voice to a growing dispute over women’s ordination at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.
“Because Calvary Chapel Liberty bears the Calvary Chapel name, we believe it is important to clearly communicate where our church stands,” Senior Pastor Scott Gurwell wrote in a statement posted on Facebook. He said Costa Mesa’s position represents “a significant departure from the biblical convictions and ministry principles that historically shaped the Calvary Chapel movement.”
Calvary Chapel Magazine endorsed Gurwell’s statement in a separate Facebook post, calling it “well said.”
Gurwell’s statement affirmed women’s work in the church while reserving the pastor and elder roles for qualified men, citing passages in 1 Timothy and Titus. Calvary Chapel Liberty says it remains aligned with the Calvary Chapel Association, according to the Christian Post.
The statements came after Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa lead pastor Char Brodersen said Nov. 1 that his church believes in ordaining both men and women to pastoral ministry. Brodersen said the church had followed the practice for nearly a decade and was clarifying its position rather than changing its current practice.
The Calvary Chapel Association’s Heartland Regional Team also opposed the practice. In a Nov. 6 statement, Pastor Josh Blevins and the team said ordaining women as elders or pastors was not biblically sound or consistent with the association’s distinctives. They affirmed women’s contributions to church ministry while saying pastoral leadership should be reserved for qualified men.
Blevins called Costa Mesa’s position a “significant departure” from convictions that shaped the Calvary Chapel family. He said concerns about the church’s direction predated the announcement, citing Brian Brodersen’s departure from the association’s leadership and the later formation of Calvary Global Network.
The regional team encouraged pastors to retain the Calvary Chapel name and continue serving their congregations. It said public statements were optional and urged pastors to respond with “conviction, accuracy, and grace.”
–Alan Goforth
