Behind the microphone...

March 7, 2006 11:50 AM

CSNhas been called the Clear Channel of the low power FM's. One of the many broadcasting arms of Calvary Chapel. It owns and operates over 400 stations. Apparently its board, consisting of two members, is about to self destruct. But the story doesn't end there. Its president is being accused of sexual harassment and is also being accused of defaulting on a million dollar loan. The loan came from Calvary Chapel founder and Pastor, Chuck Smith, who has a history with the guy. CSN's president wants the board dissolved but that could be a problem. By some accounts, next in line to head the board is one Pastor Skip Heltzig, who seems to be involved in a bit of a scandal of his own. Church defenders say the troubles are private matters, critics say the movement has a history of covering things up. (Some links are .pdf)
posted by wyldeboi (4 comments total)

What a mess ... I and most of my friends were CC members in our wayward youth, and now, atheists, agnostics, and pagans of various descriptions. We all have plenty of our own anecdotes about leadership abuses in CC, and it's difficult to refrain from gloating when this sort of thing comes to light. Yet this all seems pretty par for the course, the only difference being their failure to sweep it under the carpet.

For MeFites not familiar with Calvary Chapel, their biggest Internet claim to fame is for trying to kill a Usenet group (orignally started by a CC member) after they realized there was no way to keep out the critics ...
posted by bcveen at 12:29 PM on March 7, 2006

Calvary Chapels ( not necessarily Chuck Smith's ) also seem to have had a hand in inciting the "Satanic Panic" of the 1990's.

But, there's quite a bit more to those story than provided here.

See:


posted by troutfishing at 3:08 PM on March 7, 2006

CSN, Christian LPFM Empire threatens to Self Destruct. But don't hold your breath.
posted by troutfishing at 4:00 PM on March 7, 2006

"We the pastoral staff are deeply grieved that recent conflicts in our church have made their way in to the court of public opinion," the letter said.

I can see why....
posted by LeLiLo at 6:33 AM on March 8, 2006