Beginning with the understanding that we exist only because of the goodness and grace of God, how we got to this point is because we stand on the shoulders of giants. . .
The history of the Calvary Chapel movement is well documented. During the mid to late 1960s in Southern California, Pastor Chuck Smith and his wife Kay were obedient to God in praying for the salvation of the disenfranchised and disenchanted youth around them. God moved in mighty ways, and the time became known as the “Jesus Movement.” Pastor Chuck was faithful to preach God’s word and from those humble beginnings, Calvary Chapel has grown to approximately 1700 churches worldwide. We here at Calvary Chapel Northern Kentucky are a beneficiary of that rich heritage.
For many years in the 1980’s and 90’s, Greg and Kathy Bruns prayed for a Calvary Chapel to be planted in Northern Kentucky. They desired the simple, verse-by-verse exegesis of God’s Word as modeled both by Pastor Chuck and their pastor in Cincinnati, Ed Gaines of CC TriState (now known as CC Cincinnati). They desired the Spirit-filled, God-honoring worship and casual atmosphere that this ministry provided. Their prayers also took the form of a letter to the Calvary leadership in Costa Mesa requesting any pastors or ministry students who were interested in moving here to contact them.
Their prayers were answered when God called Randy and Debbie Warwick, a young and recently married couple to move from Southern California with their toddler in tow to start this new venture in 1993. The Warwicks began home Bible studies with the Bruns, the Johnsons, and many others, while attending CC TriState. Along the way they picked up Brian and Denise Nevins, newly converted and newly transferred into Northern Kentucky.
After much prayer and seeking the Lord’s will, the doors of Calvary Chapel Northern Kentucky were opened on December 6, 1995, in the clubhouse of the Country Place Apartments in Hebron, Kentucky. With much fanfare and many donuts, the Warwick, Bruns and Nevins families welcomed all. The kids of the neighborhood enjoyed the donuts, but the adults never came. However, through God’s grace and some human effort, word began to spread. Soon other families began to come along as Randy and Debbie led in song and Randy preached through the Word. Greg oversaw teaching the children – a blessing that he had also provided in Cincinnati.
For the next 8 years there were many iterations of ‘church in a box’, setting up and tearing down chairs, music and recording equipment, etc. From the clubhouse, the church body moved to two daycare centers, a corporate training auditorium, a grade school, and a nursing home, before finding a permanent location off Dixie Highway in Florence. During that time, we continued to build a strong home study and participate in outreach, including a skateboard ministry, teaching ministries, work with the underserved in Over-the-Rhine and the local pregnancy centers in Kentucky. God has blessed the body with many amazing, faithful people along the way.
In 2002, Pastor Randy was called to a different ministry where the Lord blesses him to this day. That left a big hole! However, unbeknownst to him, elder Brian Nevins was being prepared to fulfill his calling to take the mantle as senior pastor. He continues in that position and has subsequently been joined by an assistant pastor, Brian Hedrick.
In 2021 God called us, after 20 years, to relocate to our current location, which we have occupied since August 2023. This in itself is an incredible faith journey that is worth telling at another time.
Along the way there have been times of plenty and times of leanness, and we have seen the faithfulness of God throughout, always. Throughout our time we have desired only to honor and glorify God, to love Jesus and make Him known wherever we are. Our unofficial motto, based on Acts 2:42, 47 is “edify, unify, magnify, multiply” and our desire is to gather together to hear and heed the apostle’s doctrine, walk in unity, magnify God and ask Him to multiply disciples of Himself.
For many years in the 1980’s and 90’s, Greg and Kathy Bruns prayed for a Calvary Chapel to be planted in Northern Kentucky. They desired the simple, verse-by-verse exegesis of God’s Word as modeled both by Pastor Chuck and their pastor in Cincinnati, Ed Gaines of CC TriState (now known as CC Cincinnati). They desired the Spirit-filled, God-honoring worship and casual atmosphere that this ministry provided. Their prayers also took the form of a letter to the Calvary leadership in Costa Mesa requesting any pastors or ministry students who were interested in moving here to contact them.
Their prayers were answered when God called Randy and Debbie Warwick, a young and recently married couple to move from Southern California with their toddler in tow to start this new venture in 1993. The Warwicks began home Bible studies with the Bruns, the Johnsons, and many others, while attending CC TriState. Along the way they picked up Brian and Denise Nevins, newly converted and newly transferred into Northern Kentucky.
After much prayer and seeking the Lord’s will, the doors of Calvary Chapel Northern Kentucky were opened on December 6, 1995, in the clubhouse of the Country Place Apartments in Hebron, Kentucky. With much fanfare and many donuts, the Warwick, Bruns and Nevins families welcomed all. The kids of the neighborhood enjoyed the donuts, but the adults never came. However, through God’s grace and some human effort, word began to spread. Soon other families began to come along as Randy and Debbie led in song and Randy preached through the Word. Greg oversaw teaching the children – a blessing that he had also provided in Cincinnati.
For the next 8 years there were many iterations of ‘church in a box’, setting up and tearing down chairs, music and recording equipment, etc. From the clubhouse, the church body moved to two daycare centers, a corporate training auditorium, a grade school, and a nursing home, before finding a permanent location off Dixie Highway in Florence. During that time, we continued to build a strong home study and participate in outreach, including a skateboard ministry, teaching ministries, work with the underserved in Over-the-Rhine and the local pregnancy centers in Kentucky. God has blessed the body with many amazing, faithful people along the way.
In 2002, Pastor Randy was called to a different ministry where the Lord blesses him to this day. That left a big hole! However, unbeknownst to him, elder Brian Nevins was being prepared to fulfill his calling to take the mantle as senior pastor. He continues in that position and has subsequently been joined by an assistant pastor, Brian Hedrick.
In 2021 God called us, after 20 years, to relocate to our current location, which we have occupied since August 2023. This in itself is an incredible faith journey that is worth telling at another time.
Along the way there have been times of plenty and times of leanness, and we have seen the faithfulness of God throughout, always. Throughout our time we have desired only to honor and glorify God, to love Jesus and make Him known wherever we are. Our unofficial motto, based on Acts 2:42, 47 is “edify, unify, magnify, multiply” and our desire is to gather together to hear and heed the apostle’s doctrine, walk in unity, magnify God and ask Him to multiply disciples of Himself.
Where we are headed...
God has given us a renewed vision for evangelism and discipleship and has provided a strong ministry team to accomplish this in the power of His Spirit, and as we seek to love and follow our Lord with our hearts, minds, souls and strength. It is and always will be about Jesus.
Be a part of our story...
Join us every Sunday as we gather to worship together a 10:30 am.