Yesterday Associate Pastor Art Dykstra announced he was leaving Calvary Chapel in a discussion with Pastor Dave Dodge. He stated he was moving to another church nearby. And this move was in the works for some time.

Art Dykstra was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest of Canada. He formed his ideas about God through a legalistic faction of a reformed church. The emphasis appeared to me to be on a stern God who was distant.

After leaving that church in his teen years, he discovered a relationship with Jesus in a wonderful Baptist church. However, it wasn’t until his college years that he discovered the fullness of the Holy Spirit in a charismatic church.

Prior to college, he ran into a few difficulties while backpacking in Asia that stemmed from living a compromising lifestyle. Read more here. The full video is here.

In our opinion – this friendly chat sounded more like a PR session or corporate damage control. Regardless we wish Pastor Art great success with his new ministry.

This house of GOD that Pastor Danny built is empty without him. Don’t forget friends – If it were not for Danny Hodges this facility would not be Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg! 😉