Calvary Conversations

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 th...

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 add...

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...

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...

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 worl...

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 ho...

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 conversat...

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 gos...

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 Ac...

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 Administ...

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. ____________________________ Join the conversation Calvary University Watch on YouTube

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. ____________________________  Join the conversation   Calvary University

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 Advent...

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 f...

"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’?...

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 y...

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 do...

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 i...

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...

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 Edu...

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 chil...

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...

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 literac...

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 literac...