ORLANDO — Jack Hibbs has outlined how Christians can discern if a church is abandoning biblical principles and succumbing to “woke” ideology as many abandon scriptural truths to appease an increasingly secularized culture.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, California, expressed concern about the current state of the Church in America.

“I see the Church today, predominantly the Church in America, on its heels, it's on its back, it's against the ropes because the Church doesn't seem to know its Scriptures or its place,” the pastor said during a sit-down interview at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention.

“It's as though it's a ship at sea without an anchor. Pastors today don’t know what they should say, ‘Can I get away with this?’ rather than just speaking the truth in love,” he said.

To combat this, Hibbs encouraged believers to immerse themselves in the Scriptures, whether by reading or listening to the audio version. The Bible, he said, provides discernment and enables people to identify falsehoods, such as the subtle nuances of woke culture.

“‘Woke’ now is kind of trying to refine itself; it's more subtle than it was when it first came out,” he said. “How am I going to know about these nuances in this ‘woke-ism’ world we're in? The Bible. The Bible calls for discernment, and God gives that. We don't have it. God, the Holy Spirit will give us discernment from the Bible to tell us when something’s off.”

Jack Hibbs challenges pastors to stand firm on biblical truth.

“Ask God, ‘Lord, show me what's what here. Is there something goofy that I need to know about?’ And He's always faithful.”

While not all churches are the same and may adhere to different theologies regarding secondary issues like the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a true, biblically sound church will not waver on the authority of Scripture, the deity of Jesus and other major tenants, he said.

“God will lead you to a church that is a biblical worldview church,” he said. “When it's a biblical worldview church based upon biblical truth, then, Jesus said, ‘Be salt and light.’ Go into the world around you. And that's where you engage the culture.”

Hibbs recently unveiled the Real Life Network, a new platform designed to provide a space for truth and Christian content without the fear of censorship or cancellation. The network, which launched on May 28, offers a subscription-based model similar to popular streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The pastor explained that the Real Life Network was created in response to the current atmosphere where speaking up for truth often leads to backlash and cancellation. He noted that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his ministry faced the risk of being silenced.

Hibbs is no stranger to wading into hot-button issues, addressing topics including COVID-19 and the Antichrist from the pulpit. In November 2022, he made headlines after urging his congregation to oppose a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in California’s Constitution.

“I think the Church today needs to stand firm, preach what it believes, and if it doesn't believe it, the pastor needs to go on a cruise, figure himself out, or get a new job,” he said.

And to pastors who are hesitant to speak the truth on controversial topics, Hibbs reminded them of their biblical command to please an audience of One.

“If you're called, then you can take any heat,” he said. “You can take any criticism because when you lay your head down at night, you're free. You get your assessment every day when you shut down, as it were, with Jesus: ‘Lord, tell me how I might have misrepresented You today,’ or, ‘Tell me what things, God, you want to build upon today.’ I'm telling you, I wouldn't know how to live if that weren't true.”

A seasoned pastor, Hibbs acknowledged the reality of pastor burnout. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing family time, self-care and true accountability.

“I think accountability best works when it's done out of love,” he said. “If we love each other, we're going to tell each other about what's wrong and what's right … men don't have to be enslaved anymore to Satan's tricks. The Gospel is more powerful than that.”

Addressing those who have experienced church hurt or abuse, Hibbs lamented the reality that people, even with good intentions, can let others down. He emphasized that regardless of what people do, Jesus remains constant and should be the ultimate focus.

“Please hear this everybody: Get your eyes on Jesus,” he said. “I want to ask you this question: What did He ever do to you? The world has done evil to us, people have let us down, and even in the name of Christianity, we've been offended. But when I look and read what He has said and what He's done in the Bible, now my perspective is right. And my eyes are on Him.”

“It would take a lot for somebody to disappoint me because I'm not expecting anything from them,” he added. “I expect it to come from the Lord.”