A Christian podcast launched last week quickly jumped to the top of both secular and religious charts, causing its host, Jack Hibbs, founder and senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, to scratch his head with amazement at God’s hand of blessing.
Discussing the extraordinary success of the podcast, Hibbs told his congregation that he and his team “honestly don’t know how this happened other than God.”
After the release of their first episode, ministry staff notified him of the incredible numbers and ranking the podcast was experiencing on apple’s charts.
“We did one podcast, interviewed Hedieh Mirahmadi, who is an attorney, and she worked in the Obama administration. A Muslim, born and raised Muslim, she came to Jesus and got radically saved,” Hibbs described. “I got notified last Tuesday—it was number 3 under the category Christianity, and then under top-rated new programs, it was number 2, and then worldwide views, it was 58. So I thought, don’t get excited, this is a mistake.”
“Then a few days later, it went to 28th in the world and then #1 in Christianity and #1 in spiritual and religion category,” he told the audience. “[It’s] remarkable. We’re pinching ourselves. We can’t believe it. It’s just absolutely crazy.”
Pastor Hibbs underscored the importance of using worldly platforms, such as those related to podcasts, to share the Gospel and other Biblical Truth: “We’ll do what Jesus said, use the things of this world for the glory of God.”
“In a world of deception, selfishness, and compromising churches, it is wonderful to see a pastor who unashamedly and boldly speaks Biblical truth being in the top charts,” Breanna Claussen, Editor In Chief of Harbingers Daily, stated. “The world needs more people who are led by the restraining power of the Holy Spirit to counter the darkness and lies replete in our culture.”
Many viewers of the Jack Hibbs Podcast similarly commended the Pastor for his work in the ministry and encouraged others to listen.
“Pastor Jack Hibbs is a talented teacher who is not afraid of sharing the truth, no matter how unpopular it may be. If you want to be taught God’s truth, you want to subscribe,” one viewer wrote.
“Jack is one who stands for truth and is bold in proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. In a world that is rampant with false teaching and anti-God world views, Jack boldly teaches the Bible in its entirety,” another added.
A Pastor based in Texas referred to Hibbs as a “pastor’s pastor,” writing: “One of the loneliest vocations in regard to close relationships is being a pastor. I’ve been a pastor for 45 years, and I confess that oftentimes I’ve been in a spiritual desert. Jack Hibbs and his ministry at Calvary Chapel goes far beyond the boundaries of Chino Hills and California. He feeds his congregation with the unadulterated Word of God, and I’m truly blessed to be one who eagerly tunes in for the feast upon the Word. His expositional preaching and speaking, his openness of spirit and abounding love for Jesus, the Word and believers is like a multi-course meal for this Pastor that also hungers for this.”
Writing on Telegram, Pastor Hibbs thanked faithful Christians for supporting the new podcast, and shared his team’s hope and prayer “that God continues to use it to reach the world with the Good News of Jesus and encourage our brothers and sisters!”
