Chuck Smith, the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, has been moved to a rehabilitation facility and is progressing in his recovery from what a spokeswoman has called a “very mild stroke.”

(Mild strokes do not usually require rehabilitation.)

Smith, 82, exhibited stroke symptoms and was taken to a hospital on Dec 27. Church spokeswoman Laura Jackson said this morning that the famed pastor was doing physical therapy.

“He’s doing well,” Jackson said. “We hope he’ll be home this week.”
An update on the church’s Web site said that Smith is in the rehabilitation stage of his recovery, but doctors still are advocating rest. Well-wishers are asked to send Smith e-mails to pastorchuck@calvarychapel.com.

Jackson said she did not know how many e-mails have been sent, but the number is more than 1,000.
“We print them out and send them to him,” Jackson said. “Our printer keeps running out of ink.”
Smith has been the pastor of the church, which is in Santa Ana on the Costa Mesa border, since 1965, the longest-active Christian leadership in Orange County. In that time, the congregation has grown to more than 25,000 people, according to the church.
Smith is known for training other prominent ministers, including Greg Laurie, the founder of the annual Harvest Crusade that fills Angel Stadium.