Just days after Chuck Smith told Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa he is battling lung cancer, the church offered dates for the memorial service of pastor and Calvary Chapel Bible College teacher Bob Hoekstra. Hoekstra, 71, who died on Dec. 20. He had been ill for two years.
In addition to teaching classes at Calvary Chapel Bible College, Hoekstra was the founder of Living Christ Ministries. He also served 11 years as pastor of Calvary Chapel of Irvine.
“Bob’s unwavering faith and ministering heart were used by the Lord to bear much fruit to the very end of his life here on earth. We rejoice that he is now continuing his ministry with the Lord in heaven, while we will continue his ministry here on earth through Living in Christ and International Prison Ministries. To God be the glory—great things He has done!” the family said in a statement on Living Christ Ministries’ website.
Hoekstra got involved with the Calvary Chapels in 1971 after he and his wife, Dini, visited Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. As his bio states, the couple was deeply touched by the life-giving teaching of the Word of God, the simple worship “in Spirit and in truth,” and the profound expressions of the love of the Lord among the saints. Upon returning to Dallas, they regularly obtained Smith’s teaching tapes and eventually became daily listeners of the Word for Today on the radio.
“It was amazing to see how many of my Facebook friends mentioned his death and more importantly the impact his life had had on them,” Josh Turanksy, one of Hoekstra’s former students, wrote in a blog post. “One testimony after another came rolling in. There was no question that Bob influenced thousands of Bible College students.”
The memorial service is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 6. at 2 p.m. It is not clear if Smith will lead the service. Hoekstra is survived by his wife, three adult children and 11 grandchildren.
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