In the late 60’s and early 70’s, a revival swept across America. This revival known as the Jesus Movement brought a resurgence of biblical
Christianity amongst our nation, and especially amongst the American hippie-culture. Many people attribute much of this revival to Pastor Chuck Smith.
In 1965, God used Smith to transform a small church of only 25 people into what would become one of the largest churches in America, Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. Through his ministry at Costa Mesa, Smith demonstrated a biblically based acceptance of all people, regardless of their mode of dress, cleanliness, or length of hair. Smith and the Calvary Chapel Movement provided a church environment where the youth culture of America could come as they were and worship God.
This helped set the stage for a sovereign work of God, resulting in a remarkable growth in church attendance of some ten thousand attendance of some ten thousand percent between 1965 and 1975. God was working mightily through Smith; and Horizon Christian Fellowship was soon to become a fruit of that work.
Horizon Christian Fellowship began in 1974 as a home Bible study of twelve people. Mike MacIntosh, then director of Maranatha! Music, drove from Orange County to San Diego every week to teach and lead the group. By August 1974, the study had grown and moved to the Ocean Beach Women’s Club, where it hosted evangelistic concerts along with Bible studies. Attendance grew so fast that within three months the fellowship had to move again, this time to the House of Hospitality in Balboa Park. In February 1975, the church relocated to Linda Vista. Continued growth propelled a search for new facilities, which resulted in the purchase and renovation of the old North Park Theater in the summer of 1976. By 1985, the church building had once more become inadequate to house all the members and ministries. In September of that year, Horizon moved to the former site of Hale Junior High School in Clairemont. Horizon Christian Fellowship now serves close to 8500 adults and children. Out of this fellowship over 20 new churches have been planted throughout San Diego County while numerous works have been launched throughout the United States and internationally. Today, some 100,000 adults meet collectively on Sunday mornings at the various churches that have grown out of Horizon.
Horizon Park Chapel began with Mike MacIntosh in April 1994 as a Wednesday night outreach in Downtown San Diego. Rob Glickman, who was then
onstaff at Horizon as an associate pastor, was heading up the house band (known as the Downtown Band) on those Wednesday nights and then began overseeing the ministry and serving the people of Park Chapel in 1995. Today, Horizon Park Chapel is a growing church in the heart of the Downtown San Diego re-development program.
In 2001 Horizon Park Chapel recognized the need for a light in the beach communities of San Diego. Horizon Coast Chapel started that april as a San Diego beach church in Mission Beach and has since become Horizon Park Chapel’s first “satellite” church. Since its inception horizon coast chapel has been faithful in following Horizon’s commitment to “Win, Disciple and Send”. To this day Coast Chapel is serving and reaching out to the people of Mission Beach and the surrounding beach communities.
