The high crime rates, the governor’s long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities … California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes it’s coming back.
“I think we’ve hit bottom, and we’re coming back,” Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week.
Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trump’s evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates.
“California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation … California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things,” Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation.
However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. “Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again.”
On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state—12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels—especially the Bay Area. However, the study showed there’re still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level—38 percent lower.
“In these last two years, we’ve had nothing but growth,” Hibbs said, referring to his church. “We’ve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesn’t answer you in the day of trouble. God’s word answers you in the day of trouble. So that’s what we’re all about. And that’s why we’re seeing a response.”
Hibbs’ website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs.
By Harry Lee
