Calvary Chapel of the Springs sits on West Hutchison Street in San Marcos, Texas, where it gathers every Sunday morning at 10:00 for a worship service built around one consistent habit: opening the Bible and walking through it verse by verse. A smaller midweek study meets Wednesday evenings at 7:00, and the building stays busy through the rest of the week with Bible studies for men and women, a children's program, a youth group, and an outdoor discipleship program called Trail Life. The church belongs to the broader Calvary Chapel fellowship, a network that grew from Pastor Chuck Smith's 1965 ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa into more than 1,500 churches worldwide.
Verse-by-Verse Teaching, Sunday and Wednesday
The Sunday service runs in a familiar Calvary Chapel shape: a sustained time of contemporary worship led by the church's worship ministry, followed by a teaching from Lead Pastor Erich Siemens or Associate Pastor Wayne Jacobs that moves straight through a book of the Bible, one verse at a time. Archived messages on the church's YouTube channel show the series working through 2 Samuel in recent months, with sermons such as "David's Darkest Hour" (2 Samuel 15) and "A Kingdom of Kindness" (2 Samuel 9). The Wednesday service mirrors the Sunday format on a smaller scale, with worship and Bible teaching for everyone, and is currently on break for the summer months.
Services are streamed live on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person, and the church notes that communion is held regularly during the service. Prayer is offered at 9:30 each Sunday morning and again after the service ends, so anyone who wants prayer before, during, or after the gathering has a clear window.
Foundations: The Calvary Chapel Story
Calvary Chapel of the Springs traces its roots to the wider Calvary Chapel movement that Pastor Chuck Smith launched in Costa Mesa, California, in 1965. Beginning with only 25 people, Smith became known for a simple, steady style of teaching straight through the Bible, and his heart for hippies, surfers, and drug addicts helped fuel what historians call the Jesus People Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Smith later founded The Word for Today, a publishing and radio ministry heard worldwide. He passed away in 2013, but his books and broadcasts continue through www.twft.com. Calvary Chapel of the Springs carries that same verse-by-verse approach into central Texas, teaching the same text-driven style to a new generation.
Men's and Women's Ministries
Two Bible studies run on Mondays, one for men and one for women, with daytime and evening options so working schedules can fit. The men's study meets at 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. under the leadership of Associate Pastor Wayne Jacobs, and the women's study meets at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. under Women's Ministry Leader Glenda Jacobs. Both are open to all ages and take place at the church.
Children and Youth
Children's ministry runs during the Sunday 10:00 a.m. service, with childcare and a Bible lesson for children from birth through age 11. The program is led by Children's Ministry Leader Jeremiah Chapman, with Patty Cedillo caring specifically for the toddlers. Middle and high school students gather as Pulse Youth Group on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30, run by David Baumann and co-leader Elizabeth Baumann, and they meet at the same time as the adult midweek study so families can arrive together.
Trail Life: Discipleship Outdoors
One of the distinctive programs at the Springs is Trail Life, an outdoor adventure discipleship group that meets Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the church. It is open to boys ages 5 through 17 and to co-ed young adults from 18 to 25, with Trail Life Leaders Jeremiah Chapman and Roland Cedillo overseeing the program. Activities blend hiking, camping, and outdoor skills with character and faith formation.
Thursday Morning Bible Study
For those whose week opens up on Thursdays, the church hosts an all-ages Bible study at 10:00 a.m. on the church campus. It complements the Monday men's and women's studies and the Wednesday evening gathering, giving regular attenders four different doors into the same teaching style during the week.
The Veritas Cafe
The church operates the Veritas Cafe on site, a hospitality space that hosts free events such as the men's breakfast gatherings and women's prayer mornings. Daniel and Frances Eureste lead the cafe ministry, and the space offers a place to linger after services or between meetings.
Beliefs
Calvary Chapel of the Springs describes itself as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Its stated fundamentals include belief in one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who created and sustains all things; the doctrine that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory; the conviction that Jesus is God in the flesh, born of the virgin Mary and living a sinless life; salvation as a free gift received through faith in Christ's death on the cross; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life; and the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The church emphasizes welcoming all kinds of people - youth, seniors, the poor, the wealthy, the transitioning, bikers, the educated, and the uneducated - and treating the non-essentials of the faith as matters on which believers need not divide.
Leadership and Pastoral Care
Erich Siemens has served as Lead Pastor of Calvary Chapel of the Springs since January 2010, after first joining the congregation in early 2004. Teaching Pastor and board member David Ball shares pulpit responsibilities, while Wayne Jacobs serves as Associate Pastor and men's ministry leader. Joe Godina leads the worship ministry and oversees media and sound, and also functions as an elder. Joe's wife Pearl leads the cleaning ministry, and David Morganstern heads the Safety Team that supports gatherings on campus.
Giving and Getting Involved
Three ways to give are available. Gifts can be placed in the Love Offering boxes at the church, mailed to 310 W Hutchison Street, San Marcos, TX 78666, or given online through the church's giving page. Volunteering is welcomed as another form of giving; those interested are encouraged to reach out through the contact page.
Visiting Calvary Chapel of the Springs
Anyone planning a first visit can show up at 310 West Hutchison Street on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the main service or Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. for the midweek study. The church phone line at (512) 353-7759 is available for questions, and those exploring faith from scratch can find a brief explanation of the gospel on the church's "Heaven" page, which walks through the steps of receiving Christ and growing as a new believer.