How should Christians think about “the worship wars”?

“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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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.

Should American Christians prepare for persecution?

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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Should Evangelicals Stay Out of Politics?

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 So, many who would have at one time embraced the label “evangelical” now consider it an outdated word that has obscured the true mission and message of God’s people.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.

Should evangelicals stop converting people?

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? 

Why do evangelicals believe the Bible is true?

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.”