Calvary Conversations: Recent Episodes
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During the recent Super Bowl, an ad entitled “He gets us”—an obvious Christian message—was aired. It got a variety of responses, both positive and negative. Were these ads effective? Were they appropriate presentations of Jesus and the gospel? Were they trying to correct misconceptions about Jesus, the Church, Christians? Were they seeking to encourage Christians to communicate Jesus and the Gospel more correctly?
Calvary University’s “Calvary Conversations” team—Dr. Mike Dodds, Dr. Tim Hange, Prof. Shaun LePage and Dr. Joshua Paxton—explore this subject together, looking for the positive and less-positive aspects of the “He Gets Us” campaign as well as the larger discussion of how to engage a post-Christian culture with the gospel message.
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Worship and music are such an important aspect to the life and community of a local church. And there have been diverse answers to the questions surrounding the kinds of music and the depth of the lyrics.
Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds invited Dr. Ian Guthrie, Assistant Professor of Music at Calvary University, to discuss music and its relationship to faithful and meaningful worship.
RESOURCES MENTIONED BY DR. GUTHRIE:
Westermeyer, Paul. Te Deum: The Church and Music. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1988.
Dawn, Mava J. Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995.
MacArthur, John. Charismatic Chaos. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993.
PERSONAL LINK: ianguthriecomposer.com
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“I love the drums in church!” “I hate drums in church!” “I love the contemporary worship songs!” “I love the old hymns!” We call this the “worship wars” in churches—so much debate surrounds the music in our worship services. Why? When is criticism good and when is it not so good?
Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds invited Dr. Ian Guthrie, Assistant Professor of Music at Calvary University, to explore this important subject of music and worship in our churches.
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Persecution of Christians has been a part of the history of the Church since its inception, but it appears to be getting worse. While we in America have been free from serious persecution for our faith, some say that it is coming even for us and maybe soon. How do we prepare for it? If it were to happen to us, how should we respond?
Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds invited Pastor Reed Waggoner, author of Preparing for Persecution, to have a conversation about this important topic.
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Open Doors Watch List 2023
Churches Burned in India
Reed’s Book in Amazon
October 7, 2023: Hamas invaded Israel. Why? What did Hamas hope to gain? What are the causes of the conflict between not just Hamas and Israel but much of the Arab world and Israel?
Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds—and the Calvary Conversations team—invited Dr. Teddy Bitner, who has 26 years’ experience in the United States Army including as a Colonel commanding a battalion during Operation Desert Storm, to discuss the historical background issues which have led up to this current conflict and some of the biblical and theological issues related to this current conflict in the Middle East. Dr. Bitner is currently Calvary University’s Chief Academic Officer and History Professor.
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An “evangelical” is a “good news proclaimer”! It’s a perfectly good word to describe those who take the Bible seriously and desire to “proclaim the good news” of Jesus Christ. But, in recent times, it has become politicized—evangelicals are now thought of by many as a voting bloc. So, many who would have at one time embraced the label “evangelical” now consider it an outdated word that has obscured the true mission and message of God's people. What do you think?
In this Calvary Conversation, Calvary’s Shaun LePage, will lead the Calvary Conversations team—Drs. Tim Hange, Josh Paxton and Mike Dodds—to explore the question of whether evangelicals should give up their “activism” and mind their own business.
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Does everyone need to be converted to Christianity? Evangelicals say yes. It’s called “Conversionism”: the belief that lives need to be transformed thorough a “born-again” experience through faith in Jesus Christ. But not everyone is excited about this belief. It assumes everyone is a sinner—we’re not okay the way we are.
Dr. Joshua Paxton leads the Calvary Conversations team—Dr. Mike Dodds, Dr. Timothy Hange and Shaun LePage—in a conversation about this distinctive of Evangelicals listed by historian David Bebbington. How shall Christians be “evangelical” in a world that can easily be offended by conversionism?
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How do we know what is true? The National Association of Evangelicals claims that most evangelicals believe in “biblicism.” They have a high regard for and obedience to the Bible as the ultimate authority. Where do Christians get this idea? Are they anti-intellectual?
Calvary’s Dr. Mike Dodds had a conversation with the Calvary Conversations team—Dr. Tim Hange, Dr. Joshua Paxton and Shaun LePage—about this important distinctive and why it is such a fundamental part of the definition of “evangelical.”
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The cross is an unusual choice for the symbol of a religion. It shows that the death of Jesus is one of the key beliefs of Christians—evangelicals in particular. But many today are asking whether we got it right—was Jesus our substitute? Was His death an atonement which satisfied the wrath of God? Some say this is akin to “cosmic child abuse.”
Dr. Tim Hange led a conversation with the Calvary Conversations Team—Dr. Mike Dodds, Dr. Joshua Paxton and Prof. Shaun LePage—about what is technically labeled as “crucicentrism.” Is the cross truly central to the Christian faith? Join us as we explore this important question, and we invite you to participate in the conversation using the links below.
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The term “evangelical” has a rich heritage in Church History, going all the way back to the Greek word behind “preaching” or “proclamation” in the Bible, up through the Reformation. But in modern U.S. culture, it has been linked to politics and is often used for people and movements that are unbiblical in their beliefs.
The Calvary Conversations team is asking the question, “Should we continue to call ourselves ‘evangelical’?” But the first important step is to ask, “What exactly is an ‘evangelical’?” Join us as we explore these important questions about the identity of God’s people in our culture.
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People all around us need help. They need encouragement, help and answers. Should ordinary, average Christians wade into the waters of “counseling” or should we leave that to the professionals?
Calvary’s Dr. Tim Hange, along with Dr. Joshua Paxton and Shaun LePage, invited Dr. Luther Smith—Chairman of Calvary University’s Biblical Counseling Department—to explore this issue.
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Is the Old Testament for us today? Is everything in it for Christians living in the 21st Century? If we fail to study the Old Testament, what might we be missing? What might we be getting wrong?
Calvary’s Dr. Mike Dodds invited Joel Williamson, professor of Hebrew and Old Testament studies at Calvary University, for a conversation about the importance of studying the Old Testament today.
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For 50 years, most missionaries have been focused on reaching unreached people groups—prioritizing people who have the least access to the gospel. Today, this focus is falling out of favor by critics of the Western missionary enterprise because they feel it reflects “Western” or Enlightenment thinking.
Calvary’s Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Dr. Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, to discuss this development and how it impacts global missions as well as individual believers.
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Times have changed.
At one time, the Church in America lived in a positive world—a culture that was positive toward the Bible, respected clergy, and considered the Church to be a force for good in the world. But times have changed.
We now live in a world that considers the Christian faith to be bigoted, misogynistic, even hateful.
So, how can Christians and churches be faithful to Christ in this negative world? Join Shaun LePage as he leads the Calvary Conversations team—Drs. Joshua Paxton, Tim Hange and Mike Dodds—in the second part of a discussion about the so-called negative world and how Christians and churches need to think, speak and act in order to thrive.
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"The Three Worlds of Evangelicalism" by Aaron Renn
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Do you have questions about God, the Bible or Christianity? Shea Houdmann, as a new graduate of Calvary Seminary in 2001, decided to pose that question to the world. He created gotquestions.org and offered to provide answers from the Bible to any and all questions. As it turns out, lots of people “got questions”! Houdmann recruited a team that has now responded to more than 741,000 questions. The site receives millions of visitors every month—either to ask questions or read the answers to the questions others have already asked.
Calvary University’s Shaun LePage invited Houdmann, Founder, President, and CEO of Got Questions Ministries, who is also the keynote speaker for the 2023 CU President's Dinner on September 28, to discuss not only gotquestions.org, but also to help Christians understand the importance of providing biblical answers to the curious.
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“And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end . . . And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold.” (Matthew 24:6, 12, NASV). To what extent should we expect to see these end times prophetic events to occur in our day?
Join Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds as he and Dr. Richard Schmidt of Prophecy Focus Ministries discuss his recent book, Globalism, and end time prophecies.
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Can we really know what is true? How do we know what we think we know? In other words, what is the worldview of Postmodernism and on what is it based?
Calvary’s Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Calvary University graduate student, Joshua Barr, to discuss his recent paper exploring this issue of Postmodern Epistemology.
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Anyone following the news about concerns over school curriculum, traumatic events at schools, adult agendas being pushed on children and youth in schools and in the community, and the documented mental health crisis being experienced by children and youth know that young people need help today!
Dr. Mike Dodds invited Hanna Sims, the founder of NETWorkersTEC, to have a conversation about how to best minister to children and youth in these confusing and troubled times.
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Here is a link to the website of our guest: NETWorkersTEC
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At one time, the Church in America lived in a positive world—a culture that was positive toward the Bible, respected clergy, and considered the Church to be a force for good in the world. But times have changed. We now live in a world that considers the Christian faith to be bigoted, misogynistic, even hateful. So, how can Christians and churches be faithful to Christ in this negative world?
Join Shaun LePage as he leads the Calvary Conversations team—Drs. Joshua Paxton, Tim Hange and Mike Dodds, in a discussion about this world-changing shift and how Christians and churches need to think, speak and act in order to thrive.
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"The Three Worlds of Evangelicalism" by Aaron Renn
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Since the 1960’s, Americans have seen numerous social norms change or disappear. What is the impact of this? Does it mean freedom from outdated ideas or does it create new problems? Surely some norms need to change, but aren’t some good? And how do we figure out which social norms should not be changed?
Join Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds as he leads the Calvary Conversations team in a discussion about the pros and cons of changing societal norms.
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Throughout history, people have played games. But today’s “gaming” options are more abundant than any other time in history. This raises questions for many: Are there pitfalls to some games, but not others? Are there “fake” pitfalls to gaming? What about balance of time, community and cost? Should Christians participate in role-playing games?
Join the two coolest Calvary Conversations’ hosts, Drs. Timothy Hange and Joshua Paxton, as they explore and wrestle with these difficult, but very relevant, questions.
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For a Christian young person graduating from high school, should a Christian college be the obvious next step? Should Christians go to non-Christian universities—is that ever a good idea? How does the rising cost of college factor into this question?
Join Calvary’s Timothy Hange and the Calvary Conversation’s team for a conversation on this important and practical question.
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What are the most seductive ideas being embraced by Americans? This question was recently explored by the Arizona Christian University’s Christian Research Center. They then released The American Worldview Inventory 2023: A National Survey of Biblical and Competing Worldviews and The Top 10 Most Prevalent Seductive Unbiblical Ideas That Are Embraced by Americans Today. Some of these ideas may seem obviously unbiblical, but the reality is that Christians are tempted by these ideas too. Some of them sound good at first, and how they contradict the Bible is not immediately clear to all.
Join Calvary University’s Dr. Mike Dodds as he leads the Calvary Conversations team in exploring how we should respond to people who hold these unbiblical ideas, and how Christians can help each other to avoid being “seduced.”
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According to the recent Ligonier “State of Theology” study 10% of those who self-identify as “evangelical” disagree with the statement: “Biblical accounts of the physical (bodily) resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. This event actually occurred.”
Does it matter whether the resurrection was literal and physical? And, if it really happened, why does it matter? In other words, would it matter to the Christian faith if archeologists found the remains of Jesus? Join the Calvary Conversations team as they explore the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Why would the Chairmen of two Christian university departments waste their time on gaming? Shouldn’t they be studying, writing and lecturing? Shouldn’t they be discouraging their students from participating in pointless activities? Or, is it possible there are actually some benefits to gaming? Is it possible that games could conceivably be a tool for something good?
Join Calvary University’s Dr. Joshua Paxton and Tim Hange for a discussion about their own experiences in seeing gaming through the lens of the biblical worldview.
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Is there really a God? Is the Bible really His perfect revelation? How can God be good when He allows people to suffer? Especially when we are going through difficult things, it is common to experience doubt. Is that wrong? Is “a double-minded man unstable in all his ways”? Or is it part of a natural progression to a mature faith?
Join Calvary’s Tim Hange as he leads a discussion with the Calvary Conversations team about this important and common struggle. Click on the links below to join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts about doubt.
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How can a loving God allow evil and suffering in the world? This is a sticking point for many who choose not to believe. Christians, however, choose to believe that God has a purpose in what he plans and in what he allows. There is, however, still tension in our belief and our experience, and it is acutely felt when we encounter difficult pain, or witness the abused or suffering innocent. We ask “why is God distant?”
As Christians, we often talk about how God is near and present. One needs to look no further than the psalms to hear about how God is an ever-present help in times of trouble. The Psalms, however, also mourn about times when God seems absent in our times of suffering (Psalm 88). Even in the New Testament, we feel this tension: Christ telling us that He is leaving to go to the Father, while also promising to be with us until the end.
Join the Calvary Conversations team as they explore a proper understanding of both the nearness and the distance of God?
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Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, has recently been in the news for an on-campus revival. Thousands of people are headed to Wilmore in hopes of seeing a move of God with their own eyes. Dr. Mike Dodds, Dean of the Calvary University Seminary, and a distinguished member of the Calvary Conversations team, was a student at Asbury when a similar event took place in the 1970’s.
How should Christians respond to the news of a revival? Should we hop in our cars and go? Should we be skeptical? Join the Calvary Conversations team as they discuss the important and exciting issue of revival.
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What do most people believe the Bible says? What do “evangelical” Christians believe the Bible says? And why are more and more Christians believing things the Bible does not really say—things contrary to the Bible and to what Christians have asserted to be the truth down through the centuries?
Join the Calvary Conversations team as they discuss “The State of Theology” survey findings and the implications for how we evangelize and teach biblical Christianity to others.
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Survey, Full Report: https://research.lifeway.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Ligonier-State-of-Theology-2022-Full-Report.pdf
Survey Conclusions, Ligonier Ministries: https://thestateoftheology.com/
Survey Conclusions, LifeWay: https://research.lifeway.com/stateoftheology/
Survey Conclusions, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/state-theology-2022/
Is time a blessing or a burden? Why has God placed us under a system marked by seasons and years? What does it mean to be good stewards of time?
Calvary University’s Shaun LePage, led the Calvary Conversations team in a conversation about this important subject that impacts every human on the planet. The focus is on having a biblical worldview of time so that we can think rightly about it and use it well.
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It’s one of the most frequently asked questions: Why does God allow suffering? Why does He allow cancer, hurricanes, pandemics, heart-break, war, etc.? Why doesn’t He fix His world?
The Calvary Conversations team explores these questions and more through the lens of the biblical worldview. What does the Bible teach about suffering? Has God already done something about it? What about the future? Whether you are new to Christianity or going through some challenges, we invite you to join us for this important conversation.
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What is it like to grow up as a missionary kid (MK)? How does it shape the way kids see the world? How does it impact their faith?
James Gleaves has some stories to share. Calvary University’s Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Gleaves—a mobilizer with Ethnos 360, a former missionary, and a former MK—to have a conversation about his experience as an MK, and some of the lessons learned that can benefit every believer, including non-MKs. Join us for this fun, yet inspirational conversation.
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The benefits of partnering with indigenous leadership for global missions are enormous. But those benefits can be eclipsed by several and various problems.
Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Shawn Haynie, Director of Adelphos USA, to discuss some key questions about partnerships: What are the benefits and potential dangers of partnering with national missionaries? How can we partner with nationals in a way that does not create dependency or paternalism? Is there a process for helping the national missionary to become supported by the local national church?
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With all the great needs around the world, why should anyone consider serving in North America? This is the question posed by Dr. Joshua Paxton to three leaders of North American mission agencies—Jon Hansen, Doug Clark and Dr. Henry Vosburgh.
Their conversation not only explores the reasons why North American missions is so necessary, but also the question of need—what are the greatest obstacles faced by North American missions agencies? The answer from all three leaders may surprise you.
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Christmas – “the most wonderful time of the year!” And yet it’s become loaded with a lot of unbiblical traditions and expectations. How should Christians respond? Which should we clearly avoid? Which should we engage with caution? And which should we employ with a clear conscience?
Join Dr. Mike Dodds as he leads a discussion with the Calvary Conversations team—Tim Hange, Dr. Joshua Paxton and Shaun LePage—as they seek to bring some biblical sanity to the season and its celebrations.
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How do you know when you’re out of balance—overemphasizing some things while neglecting others? What are the dangers of forcing our priorities on other people? What does it mean to actually be “biblical”?
Dr. Joshua Paxton led a conversation with the Calvary Conversations hosts—Dr. Mike Dodds, Tim Hange and Shaun LePage—about this important subject and the importance of finding balance, setting priorities and living with tension between differing viewpoints.
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“How could I ever help anyone with a personal problem? I wouldn’t know what to say or where to turn for finding good advice to share! And if it’s a conflict situation, for sure I would be at a loss!” Every Christian knows this dilemma but also needs to have wisdom for how to help others – we ALL need to know how to do Biblical Counseling and to how to deal with conflict.
That’s why Dr. James Clark has written two books on the subjects, and he has written them to help the maturing Christian, not just for the professional counselor. Join Dr. Mike Dodds as he welcomes Dr. James Clark, President Emeritus of Calvary University, for a conversation about his most recent book, Dealing with Conflict Biblically.
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Calvary’s Shaun LePage visits with two former addicts who say that if a person has an “addict mentality” then their behaviors will be like an addict. But how can a person escape the “addict mentality”? How can a person with an addiction begin to see themselves as something greater than an addict?
Join Calvary alum Tim Chally, and students Kelly Bowlin and Richard Barham—all of whom have been in the trenches, helping people deal with addiction from the biblical worldview—as they discuss the important identity issues related to addiction recovery.
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Is addiction a disease or sin or both? Is someone dealing with addiction always an addict—does it become part of their identity? The way we answer these questions will have a huge impact on how we think about and deal with addiction.
Calvary University’s Shaun LePage invited two Calvary University students—Kelly Bowlin and Richard Barham, who have personally dealt with the devastating power of addiction—to have a conversation with CU alum and pastor, Tim Chally, who has worked in addiction recovery, about this critical issue from the biblical worldview.
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What is the most important aspect of our identity? Is it our gender? Our physiology? Is it something less tangible—the way we think or feel or believe? We can all agree that human identity is a critical issue—gaining clarity is at the heart of our mental, emotional and spiritual health.
Join the Calvary Conversations team as they discuss this important subject from the biblical worldview. Has God spoken about human identity? Does the Bible teach that our identity is personal and fluid, or is our identity God-given?
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Does God exist? Everyone has to answer this question, not just Christians. Of course, there are numerous answers people give to that question, but your answer shapes your worldview more than any other idea or belief.
Dr. Mike Dodds invited Ian Bacon of Calvary University’s Bible & Theology Department, to join fellow Calvary Conversations hosts Tim Hange and Shaun LePage to discuss this primary subject along with ideas for how to help non-Christians embrace the true and living God.
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Our value system should be impacted by the biblical belief that we are created in God’s image. But how? How should it distinguish us from people who don’t believe this? And how should it impact how we treat other people? Speak to other people?
Join the Calvary Conversations team—Dr. Joshua Paxton, Dr. Mike Dodds, Tim Hange and Shaun LePage—as they explore this important aspect of the biblical worldview.
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Who are we? What are we? Are humans a highly evolved type of animal, or are we—as the Bible teaches—made in “the image of God”? If we are image-bearers, what does that mean and how does it relate to our individual identities?
Join the Calvary Conversations hosts— Dr. Joshua Paxton, Shaun LePage, Tim Hange, and Dr. Mike Dodds—as they explore this important subject from the biblical worldview and how it relates to our everyday lives.
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It’s common for us—both Christians and non-Christians—to see some things as “sacred” (i.e., holy, religious) and other things as “secular” (i.e., worldly, having nothing to do with spirituality and God). But, what is truly sacred? And what is truly secular? And does the biblical worldview divide them up neatly into black and white categories?
Join the Calvary Conversations hosts for this conversation about how Christians can navigate these questions and live “sacred” lives of worship and wisdom in an increasingly “secular” world.
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The church in Western civilization is facing an opportunity it has never faced on such a large scale: migrant populations coming in large numbers. How are we to view them? Their religion? Their culture? Also, what are ways we can and should share our faith with them? What is the best way to present the gospel? What stories will help us connect with them? How can we maintain faithfulness to the gospel?
Calvary's Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Mike Urton, Director of Immigrant Mission for the All People Initiative of the Evangelical Free Church of America, to have a discussion about the unreached people groups who are right here in our own backyards.
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One of the significant discussions by Christian mission boards, by church mission committees, and by individual missionaries is: What is the most effective way to reach people for the Gospel of Christ in other cultures – especially those in places “closed” to Western missionaries?
Dr. Mike Dodds, Mentor for the Master of Divinity degree at Calvary University, invited Dr. Paul Holritz, the Academic Vice President of the National Theological College and Graduate School (NTCGS), to discuss how NTCGS is reaching people in “closed” places.
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How can the Christian businessperson prepare for and thrive in a post-Christian culture in the workplace?
Join our Calvary Conversation hosts, Dr. Mike Dodds and Tim Hange, as they welcome Mr. Kevin Holman, Director of Positive Influence at Chick-fil-A, Lee's Summit, Missouri, and Dr. Germain Washington, Dean of the Calvary University Graduate School and Department Chair of Business Administration, about this critical topic.
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Our mission is encouraging conversations about life from the biblical worldview. This begs the question: What exactly is the biblical worldview?
Join the four hosts of Calvary Conversations as we discuss the idea of "worldview" in general and the biblical worldview specifically.
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The people have spoken! We asked for your input about the Calvary Conversations mission statement, and you responded.
Join the Calvary Conversations hosts in this episode as we reveal the results—unveil our new mission statement—and respond to some of the comments and suggestions YOU (our listeners) made.
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Most of us have had wonderful adventures in the forest, on the beach or stargazing on a clear night. Others point to trekking, rafting and rock climbing as some of the best experiences of their lives. What is it about being outdoors, coming face-to-face with creation, that has such a memorable impact on our hearts and minds?
Tressa Barnes, Assistant Professor of Calvary University's Outdoor Adventure Leadership (OAL) track, joins Calvary's Shaun LePage for a conversation about the value of outdoor adventures, the uniqueness of Calvary's OAL program, and several practical ideas for how you can make the most of your own time with family, church groups and others in the great outdoors.
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Why would someone already engaged in a successful career complicate life by enrolling in graduate school? Why would a person who has completed a successful career go back to school? Or what if you or a friend are involved in ministry as a lay person, why would you or they need seminary training? Is getting a degree online worth the hassle of the extra time and effort added to an already busy and fruitful life and ministry?
Join Dr. Mike Dodds, Mentor for the Master of Divinity degree at Calvary University, as he talks with Ric Joyner, founder of "Bible Study Company" (biblestudycompany.com), about why he is pursuing a graduate degree at CU, and how learning to study the Bible has changed his life and marriage.
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Also, we still want to get your vote on the mission statement for Calvary Conversations. It would mean so much to us for you to click on this link, which will take you to a form where you can click on your favorite version of our mission statement. We will NOT collect any data about you except your opinion on this question: Which version of our mission statement do you prefer?
- Encouraging conversation about life from the biblical worldview.
- Engaging conversations about how the biblical worldview informs Christian life and leadership.
- Encouraging conversations about anything and everything from the biblical worldview.
- Conversations about how the biblical worldview informs our lives and leadership.
Thank you so much for listening and for casting your vote!
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"There are so many unsaved people here in the United States. Why should we send missionaries to other countries?" As American becomes increasingly post-Christian, this view seems more reasonable.
Calvary’s Dr. Joshua Paxton invited Matthew Ellison, President of Sixteen:Fifteen, to discuss this important question. Ellison has a different perspective. Ellison said, “Why are we going ‘there’? It’s because there are people without access to the gospel. Be the church where you’re at, but we need to raise up those who will take the church where it isn’t.”
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Also, we still want to get your vote on the mission statement for Calvary Conversations. It would mean so much to us for you to click on this link, which will take you to a form where you can click on your favorite version of our mission statement. We will NOT collect any data about you except your opinion on this question: Which version of our mission statement do you prefer?
- Encouraging conversation about life from the biblical worldview.
- Engaging conversations about how the biblical worldview informs Christian life and leadership.
- Encouraging conversations about anything and everything from the biblical worldview.
- Conversations about how the biblical worldview informs our lives and leadership.
Thank you so much for listening and for casting your vote!
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This week's podcast is a little different: we’re asking YOU to vote!
Calvary Conversations started almost on a whim during the COVID-19 shutdown, so we didn’t clarify our mission as much as we should have. So, as we reached the one-year point we started having discussions to do just that: clarify our mission.
AND… we want to get your vote on our mission statement. It would mean so much to us for you to click on this link, which will take you to a form where you can click on your favorite version of our mission statement. We will NOT collect any data about you except your opinion on this question: Which version of our mission statement do you prefer?
- Encouraging conversation about life from the biblical worldview.
- Engaging conversations about how the biblical worldview informs Christian life and leadership.
- Encouraging conversations about anything and everything from the biblical worldview.
- Conversations about how the biblical worldview informs our lives and leadership.
Thank you so much for listening and for casting your vote!
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Some believe Christians should stay off social media entirely. Others see it as a very useful tool for communicating truth, especially the gospel.
In this episode, Tim Hange leads the Calvary Conversations hosts in Part 2 of a conversation about Christians and social media. Join us as we explore the good, the bad and the ugly of social media. If we're going to use it, how should we do that? Why does it matter who we're interacting with? What are some best practices for communicating well?
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Some believe Christians should stay off social media entirely. Others see it as a very useful tool for communicating truth, especially the gospel.
In this episode, Tim Hange leads the Calvary Conversations hosts in a conversation about Christians and social media. Join us as we explore the good, the bad and the ugly of social media. If we're going to use it, how should we do that? Why does it matter who we're interacting with? What are some best practices for communicating well?
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Are you “prepared” for ministry? Calvary University’s mission is to “prepare Christians to live and serve in the church and the world according to the biblical worldview.” Shaun LePage, Chairman of the Ministry Studies Department at CU, explains in this conversation with Dr. Joshua Paxton, that the Ministry Studies Department is at the heart of Calvary’s mission.
Preparation for ministry requires more than knowledge of the Bible and theology. It also requires strong character and ministry skills. And CU’s Ministry Studies Department is also focused on equipping every student with a thorough knowledge of biblical principles for ministry so they will be prepared to serve in any culture at any time.
Intercultural Education is more necessary than ever before. According to this week’s guest, Dr. Joshua Paxton, the need for Christians to understand how to communicate and relate with people of other cultures is only going to increase.
Paxton, Director of the Calvary University Burnham Center for Global Engagement and Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies, recently completed a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Intercultural Education. He was invited to join Calvary’s Shaun LePage for a conversation to clarify what exactly is Intercultural Education, why relating to and teaching cross-culturally is different from teaching someone of the same culture and some of the things a person needs to know in order to communicate and teach cross-culturally.
But this is not just for Christians in higher education. The “average” Christian or local church leader should also care about and give our attention to our own Intercultural Education because of the cross-cultural times in which we live.
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Camy Crank was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Her cancer went into remission after several months of aggressive treatment including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and hormonal therapy. In January 2020, after finally feeling pre-cancer normal once again, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, stage 4 terminal.
Camy says she fell in love with books while reading to her children, then become a writer when this book formed in her heart. In this book, Camy shares how she found hope in her suffering. Join Dr. Mike Dodds as he welcomes Camy for a conversation about her book and her journey with cancer.
Book Title: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: What I Lost and Gained Through Breast Cancer
Link in Amazon Books:https://www.amazon.com/Hair-Today-Gone-Tomorrow-Through/dp/0998626473
Caring Bridge Link: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/camycrank
Calvary University: Biblical Equipping for Excellence in Life and Service
Randy Grimm has been on staff at Calvary University for 21 years and has seen God’s faithfulness to Calvary over and over. He is currently serving as Chief Financial Officer but will be retiring at the end of this fiscal year.
Join Dr. Mike Dodds as he welcomes Randy for a discussion about Calvary, ministry to college students and plans for the future.
It is known as "The Dropout Problem."
According to recent studies, there has been an increase in the rate of dropouts--those walking away from the Church. In 2011, the rate was 59%. In 2019, that rate had increased to 64%.
Join us as we discuss why is it happening? What can church and ministry leaders do about it? What can the local church do about it? What might Christian higher education's role be in helping to solve it?
Acts 2:42 describes the DNA of the first-century Church: "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, NASB95)
They were "devoted" to two main things: "the apostles' teaching and to fellowship." "Breaking of bread and prayer" were part of that fellowship. Today, we might describe this as biblical literacy and community. We know this is the "DNA of the first-century Church" because these two "devotions" pop up throughout the rest of the New Testament.
But, today, there are cultural forces that have led many churches to de-emphasize these two important priorities. The Calvary Conversations team continues a discussion about this development as well as solutions for bringing them back to the forefront of our church activities.
Acts 2:42 describes the DNA of the first-century Church: "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, NASB95)
They were "devoted" to two main things: "the apostles' teaching and to fellowship." "Breaking of bread and prayer" were part of that fellowship. Today, we might describe this as biblical literacy and community. We know this is the "DNA of the first-century Church" because these two "devotions" pop up throughout the rest of the New Testament.
But, today, there are cultural forces that have led many churches to de-emphasize these two important priorities. The Calvary Conversations team discusses this development as well as solutions for bringing them back to the forefront of our church activities.
"It's not just a job, it's an adventure," the Navy assured us in the 1980s. We certainly believe them, but many people feel the same way about their non-maritime career: It's not just a job. It's a sometimes-crazy, sometimes-frustrating, sometimes-amazing adventure.
As educators, we approach our work as an adventure. Some days it's a job. Most of the time we face and embrace the challenges of helping young people learn. We want to see them grow and think and get worked-up about the most important things in life.
In this conversation, the CC hosts explore their own passions as teachers and discuss the ways we believe it can help you understand the work we're doing in and through Calvary University as well as to approach your work with similar passion.
All generations face struggles as they transition from childhood to adulthood. However, Generation Z (9-24-year-olds) are struggling with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts at rates significantly higher than previous generations.
Calvary Conversations host Shaun LePage invited Dr. Luther Smith, Calvary University Chair and Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling, to discuss this disturbing trend and how those who love Generation Z can help.
Watch the video here.
All generations face struggles as they transition from childhood to adulthood. However, Generation Z (9-24-year-olds) are struggling with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts at rates significantly higher than previous generations.
Calvary Conversations host Shaun LePage invited Dr. Luther Smith, Calvary University Chair and Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling, to discuss this disturbing trend and how those who love Generation Z can help.
Watch the video here.
How do you feel when someone shares their faith with you? How do you feel when you share your faith with someone else? What makes it a positive experience vs. a negative experience? How does Generation Z (ages 13-18) answer these questions?
The Calvary Conversations hosts—Joshua Paxton, Tim Hange and Shaun LePage—discuss a 2021 Barna Group study with Dean of Students, Joshua Johnson, that “offers research on how (GenZ) defines evangelism and feels while sharing their faith, offering necessary context for church leaders who are pondering how to activate this next generation in their faith-sharing endeavors.”
Read the Barna article here.
How do you feel when someone shares their faith with you? How do you feel when you share your faith with someone else? What makes it a positive experience vs. a negative experience? How does Generation Z (ages 13-18) answer these questions?
The Calvary Conversations hosts—Joshua Paxton, Mike Dodds, Tim Hange and Shaun LePage—discuss a 2021 Barna Group study that “offers research on how (GenZ) defines evangelism and feels while sharing their faith, offering necessary context for church leaders who are pondering how to activate this next generation in their faith-sharing endeavors.”
Watch here
In a recent survey, the Barna Group reported, “Largely, among both practicing Christians and churchgoing U.S. adults, data show that attending church prompts positive feelings. Over four in five practicing Christians (82%) and roughly two-thirds of churchgoers (67%)—U.S. adults who have been to church in the past six months—say they leave worship services feeling encouraged at least ‘most of the time.’”
But on what are these feelings based? How might church leaders respond to these findings? Join the Calvary Conversations team for a discussion about how churchgoers feel after church services.
In 2021, "the American Bible Society collected and analyzed the State of the Bible data, collaborating with Barna to highlight the connections between the Bible and the broader story of faith in America." In May of 2021, they released their findings, highlighting five key findings.
Join your Calvary Conversations hosts for a discussion of this article, of the various trends in Americans' Bible engagement, and for insight into how to it translates into real life ministry.
Barriers, conflicts and even crises are common in ministry. The church is people, and people are sinful. So, where do pastors and ministry leaders turn when a problem arises and threatens the health of the church?
Dr. Mike Dodds invited Dr. Dave Deets of The Institute of Biblical Leadership (IBL) to have a conversation about the work IBL has been doing for many years—assisting leaders who desire to become the men, women, leaders, and ministry teams that God desires.
According to a 2021 Barna poll, almost 4 out of every 10 pastors are thinking about quitting!
This Calvary Conversation with four veteran ministers is about common reasons for discouragement in ministry, as well as practical solutions for facing the normal and natural challenges of serving the One who was “despised and rejected.”
How does the Incarnation of Christ provide encouragement and hope to every generation of believers who seek to be faithful to Christ?
How does the Incarnation impact the direction of our lives today, and how can we truly put Christ at the center of our Christmas celebrations?
Join us for this conversation with the four hosts of Calvary Conversations.
How can a pro-lifer have a productive conversation with a pro-choicer?
It won't always be easy, but it may not be as impossible as you may think. It's a matter of perspective. How do you view the other person? As a pro-life advocate, it can be easy to think only of the issue -- and it's a very important issue. But, we should also think of the person who holds the view as a person created in God's image with the potential of becoming another advocate for life.
Calvary's Shaun LePage invited Kathy Edwards, CEO of Resource Health Services in Kansas City, to have a discussion about how to have productive conversations with those who are not yet pro-life.
Change. Most people don’t like it – but everyone faces it.
Some changes are necessary for a church or organization to survive – but some are very superficial. So how can ministry leaders determine what and why and when and how to make appropriate changes?
Join today’s conversation between Dr. Mike Dodds, a Calvary University Ministry Studies Professor, and Dr. Richard Bargas, Executive Director of IFCA International, about this significant topic of ministry leadership and navigating change in ministry.
Something you already know: Christian leaders face many challenges.
In this second conversation, Calvary's Timothy Hange and Dr. Scott Edgar discuss how Christian leaders and professionals can discover and pursue their unique pathway to professional and personal success.
For over twenty-five years, Dr. Edgar, founder of Pathways to Success Executive Coaching, has served in pastoral ministry, international missions, non-profit organizations, and Christian higher education. From this deep bench of experience he has focused on developing training leaders for a wide-range of ministries.
When we engage in summer short-term missions trips we often have the best of intentions. However, sometimes the things we don't know that we don't know can get in the way. Join Joshua Paxton and Dr. Mark Hedinger for a discussion on cultural preparation for summer missions trips.
Learn more about Calvary University at calvary.edu, and the Burnham Center for Global Engagement on the campus of Calvary University at calvary.edu/burnham-center-for-global-engagement.
Learn more about Culture Bound at culturebound.org.
How can we have productive conversations with people who struggle with gender dysphoria? Do we debate? Try to convince them we’re right and they’re wrong? Do we just ignore them?
Calvary University’s Shaun LePage invited Pamela Cubas of Calvary’s Biblical Counseling Department to discuss a more biblical approach: Conversation. Relationship. Love.
What if thousands—or even millions—of Christians in a city or region could work together? Pray together? Share God's word together?
This is the dream of The Sending Project. Calvary’s Joshua Paxton invited Karen Blankenship, Program Director of The Sending Project, to discuss the lofty goal of “building citywide awareness, community, and collaboration among the Church for the purpose of mission—for the purpose of getting the good news of Jesus and the demonstrated love of Jesus to Kansas City and beyond, even to the ends of the earth.”
Gender Dysphoria is a much-discussed issue. What is less common is to explore the biblical roots of it.
Calvary's Shaun LePage invited Pamela Cubas, adjunct professor in Calvary's Biblical Counseling Department, to discuss gender identity issues in this edition of Calvary Conversations. Cubas has dedicated much of her study and work to counseling youth going through issues such as grief, depression, loneliness, and gender identity confusion.
In Part 1 of this 2-part conversation, they explore how we have come to the place where gender identity issues such as transgenderism, multiple genders and gender reassignment surgery have become normal and accepted in today's culture.
Is God sovereign over language?
Several years ago, Calvary University expanded its course offerings from the basic Composition courses in the General Education Department to include literature courses, then creative writing courses, and now a Warrior’s Choice Interdisciplinary degree in English Literature & Creative writing. Why?
Dr. Mike Dodds invited Calvary's Thomas Crank, English Department Chairman and Professor, to have a conversation about how Calvary is equipping Christ’s servants who feel called to engage the world through writing and literature written from the biblical worldview.
Something you already know: Christian leaders face many challenges.
Calvary's Timothy Hange invited Dr. Scott Edgar, founder of Pathways to Success Executive Coaching, to discuss how Christian leaders and professionals can discover and pursue their unique pathway to professional and personal success.
For over twenty-five years, Dr. Edgar has served in pastoral ministry, international missions, non-profit organizations, and Christian higher education. From this deep bench of experience he has focused on developing training leaders for a wide-range of ministries.
How should local churches be involved in missions?
Calvary's Joshua Paxton invited Dr. David Wilson, Director of Church Relations for Avant Ministries, to discuss the critical ideas of "sending churches" and specific things churches can be doing to mobilize their people and send them out. But not everyone is called to go, so another critical idea is how churches can do more than just care "about" their missionaries -- but how they can care "for" their missionaries.
How to get good at having conversations about God? Learn the art of asking good questions. No one is better at it than Pastor Neil Tomba. In this clip from his conversation with Calvary's Shaun LePage, Pastor Tomba shares one of the secrets to asking good questions.
Click here to listen to the full conversation between Shaun and Neil:
https://anchor.fm/calvary-conversations/episodes/Shaun-LePage-with-Neil-Tomba-e171tn4
Christians believe the Bible is without error. It is our authority for understanding reality.
Chris Basel, Calvary University STEM Department Chair, points out that many people see science in the same way. "People look at science as the ultimate authority, and science has done a lot of good things" listing the polio vaccine, airplanes, computers and so forth. "God has given us this ability to understand and study our world, and to create. We're made in His image. But if you dig down, science is not perfect."
In this week's Calvary Conversation with Calvary's Dr. Mike Dodds, Basel discusses the importance of doing science within a Biblical worldview, and shares his own transformation as a scientist from a materialistic to a Biblical approach to science.
In a highly politicized and polarized culture, listening well may be one of the most important skills Christians can develop. Calvary's Shaun LePage invited Pastor Neil Tomba, author of The Listening Road: One Man's Ride Across America to Start Conversations about God, to discuss the fine (and perhaps dying) art of listening well.
Tomba, the Senior Pastor of Northwest Bible Church in Dallas, Texas, noticed that the people in his church were finding it increasingly difficult to speak about God to those outside the church. So, in 2019 he decided to set an example for his congregation and bike across the United States (yes, the entire United States) and just listen to strangers from all walks of life. In the process, Tomba shows us how to turn our curiosity about and love for people into real and substantive conversations.
One third of all humanity is still in the dark with no chance to hear the name of Jesus any time soon. What if we could unite churches, organizations and individuals around the world for the purpose of reaching every unreached people group on earth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The Alliance for the Unreached is attempting to do exactly that.
Calvary's Joshua Paxton welcomes Dr. Marvin Newell, the Executive Director of the Alliance, for a continuation of their discussion about world missions. This second part of their conversation focuses on the vision and mission of The Alliance for the Unreached (alliancefortheunreached.org), and the various ways you can get involved.
"Strangers in the Land of the Hippo" only begins to tell the story.
Calvary University Press will soon be releasing this book by Norm Baker, detailing his family's sixteen years as missionaries in Mali, West Africa, learning the culture and language and navigating the challenges and disappointments of ministry.
Baker also served for many years as a professor at Calvary University, gaining the love and respect of the entire Calvary community. He agreed to visit with Calvary's Tim Hange to share some of the experiences and wisdom gained from those 16 years in Mali which are helpful to anyone who seeks to minister in a multi-cultural environment.
Throughout the history of missions, many single women have gone to the mission field despite the challenges and sometimes a lack of support.
Calvary's Valerie Piercey, Director of the Clark Academic Center, PDS Program Director, and Assistant Professor of English, Education and Counseling, spent significant time on the mission field as a single woman helping people other languages, and has important advice for unmarried women feeling led to the mission field.
What does it mean to “love the Lord your God with all your mind”?
Calvary’s Timothy Hange welcomes Dr. Philip Dow, the author of Virtual Minds: Intellectual Character Development, to continue their conversation about intellectual virtues.
“We all have habits of thinking,” Dr. Dow points out. “Some of us have habits that are negative. Some of us have habits that are positive. Intellectual virtue is the pursuit of intellectual thinking habits that are virtuous. And it yields all kinds of other positives in our lives.”
Partnerships are critical! The Calvary University Ministry Studies Department is working hard to build "synergy" between local churches, mission agencies, parachurch organizations and the Christian university. Calvary's Shaun LePage visits with Joshua Paxton, the Director of the CU Burnham Center for Global Engagement and Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies, about the system he has developed and aptly named "Synergy."
Christians are asking more often these days, “Where are we on God’s prophetic time-line? Are the events we’re watching on the news indications that the Lord’s coming might be very soon?”
Calvary’s Dr. Mike Dodds welcomes Dr. Thomas Ice, the Executive Director of the Pre-Trib Research Center (pre-trib.org), for part 2 of a conversation about eschatology—the study of what the Bible teaches about the end times. Dr. Ice’s breadth of study and associations have equipped him with a solidly biblical understanding of God’s prophetic themes.
The Pre-Trib Research Center is committed to the study, proclamation, teaching, and defense of the pre-tribulation rapture and related end-time prophecy, and it desires to impact pastors, leaders, and individual Christians with the central role and importance that Bible prophecy should play in the life of the church.
Christians are asking more often these days, “Where are we on God’s prophetic time-line? Are the events we’re watching on the news indications that the Lord’s coming might be very soon?”
Calvary’s Dr. Mike Dodds welcomes Dr. Thomas Ice, the Executive Director of the Pre-Trib Research Center (pre-trib.org), for a conversation about eschatology—the study of what the Bible teaches about the end times. Dr. Ice’s breadth of study and associations have equipped him with a solidly biblical understanding of God’s prophetic themes.
The Pre-Trib Research Center is committed to the study, proclamation, teaching, and defense of the pre-tribulation rapture and related end-time prophecy, and it desires to impact pastors, leaders, and individual Christians with the central role and importance that Bible prophecy should play in the life of the church.
Missions has changed a lot over the years, from the traditional picture of the lone missionary taking the gospel to a jungle tribe to today's business professionals engaging the unreached in the coffee shops of the world. Join us as Calvary's Joshua Paxton welcomes Dr. Marv Newell for a discussion of 10 major shifts in missions over the past 47 years.
Does the American culture seem more and more confusing to you? Does evangelism seem more complex than ever? Calvary's Shaun LePage invited Nate Morsches, an elder of CityChurch Lawrence, in Lawrence, Kansas, to have a conversation about "complex evangelism." Sharing the gospel in post-modern, multi-cultural America is complex and requires a missional approach.
Do you ever feel as though the world is changing as often as the ocean tides? How can Christians stand firm when every day brings new challenges? Calvary's Joshua Paxton welcomes Pastor Greg Washington of Abiding Faith Baptist Church in Raytown, Missouri, to discuss standing firm in shifting cultural tides.
Small churches are dying, right? Especially small, rural churches. Besides, people can now “do church” online,” so why do small, rural churches need to struggle to stay open? Mr. Jon Hansen, Assistant Director of Village Missions, argues that more than ever people need to connect with other people in church, even in a small rural church. Therefore, more than ever small rural churches need pastors who will respond to the call to minister in unique and very important settings to share the gospel with unbelievers and to encourage the faith of believers: to Preach the Word and Love the People!
Contact information: villagemissions.org / jhansen@villagemissions.org
What does it mean to "love the Lord your God with all your...mind"? Calvary's Tim Hange welcomes author Dr. Philip Dow for a conversation about "intellectual virtues." According to Dr. Dow, "Intellectual virtues are the traits of a thinker who is pursuing the truth. If I really want to get to the truth, what are the habits that would naturally lead me to truth?" Does that sound academic? Abstract? Dr. Dow says, "That couldn't be further from the truth! Intellectual virtue is, I think, the most practical thing you can aspire to." Dr. Dow's book is entitled Virtuous Minds: Intellectual Character Development, which won the Templeton Foundation Character Project’s Character Essay and and Book Prize award.
Does the Bible say anything about business? Dr. Dodds welcomes two Calvary University faculty members — the Department Chair of Business Administration, Dr. Germaine Washington, and Assistant Professor of Business, Dr. Tracy Haney — who are passionate about preparing students to serve God through business.
In multi-cultural America, there are numerous worldviews and cultures all around us. This presents many challenges for Christians who genuinely want to reach their neighbors and co-workers for Christ. How can local churches reach "the nations" right next door? Calvary's Joshua Paxton explores this issue with Dr. Mark Hedinger, Executive Director of CultureBound, which exists to train Christians for life and work in an unfamiliar culture, and how to view your neighbors in a different and positive way.
What if a right understanding of the distinctions within humanity is found in looking closely at the nature of God — specifically, the fact that He has revealed Himself as "triune" (three in one). "One of the arguments leveled against Dispensationalism is that it divides the people of God, which we cannot do because there is one God, one salvation, one Savior. But then if we recognize that there's distinctions in the one God, why can't there be distinctions in the one humanity?" said Adrian Isaacs, Professor of Dispensational Theology at Canada Christian College in Toronto, in this week's Calvary Conversation with Calvary's Dr. Mike Dodds.
America is divided on many issues including the “refugee crisis.” The real question is: How should we as Christians respond to this global crisis when it comes into our own cities, towns and villages? Shaun LePage discusses the issue with Rich Casebolt, founder of RefugeKC which "exists to welcome refugees as our new-American neighbors with Gospel-focused ministries of mercy so they might know, love and follow Jesus into His Kingdom."
All who seek to serve Christ will need to serve people from a different culture at various times and in various ways which presents many challenges. Tim Hange draws on many years of cross-cultural leadership to provide illustrations and advice for all who seek to lead and serve well.
How can Christians creatively and positively respond to the refugees in our midst? Celeste Williams explains that Global FC was formed during a time of protesting around the resettlement of refugees in the US, using soccer to connect with kids and make a positive impact on their lives and their families.
Part 2 of Shaun LePage's conversation with Calvary University's new President, Dr. Alexander Granados. This second conversation is about the connection between social justice and liberation theology. What is that connection and why is it important for Christians who desire to lead and serve well?
Calvary’s Dr. Mike Dodds, Director of CU Press and Professor of Ministry Studies, has a conversation with Dr. Gary Gilley, Senior Pastor of Southern View Chapel in Springfield, IL, on the issue of Critical Race Theory (CRT). What is it? and How should Christians respond to it?
Calvary’s Shaun LePage has a conversation with Calvary's new President, Dr. Alexander Granados in part one of a two-part series. This is your opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Granados about how and why he has come to CU, and his vision for meeting the challenges and opportunities CU faces in 2021.
Your host, Joshua Paxton, had a conversation with Adrion Roberson about urban leadership challenges and racial and cultural issues. Adrion is Calvary alumnus and is on the core leadership team of the Kansas Leadership Center, pastor of the Berean Fellowship Church in Kansas City and founder of KC United! Youth Sports & Education Initiative in the urban metro KC area.
First ever Calvary Conversations. Meet the hosts and hear about the purpose of this podcast. Calvary Conversations is a ministry of Calvary University, 15800 Calvary Road, Kansas City, MO, 64147, calvary.edu.