Christian Convictions: Discerning the Essential, Important, and Personal Elements

A CHRISTIAN'S GUIDE TO THE MOST CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF OUR FAITH

If the Bible's teachings were a target, which teachings would be at its bullseye? And what elements of faith are non-essential matters of personal preference? Christians unable to tell the difference between essential, important, and personal elements of Christianity are risking significant errors. On the one hand, Christians who treat personal elements as essential to the faith fall into a sectarianism that misses the point of Christianity. On the other hand, Christians who treat essential elements as unimportant slide into a progressivism that will eventually rewrite the script of Christianity. Christian Convictions guides the reader into a discerning faith that majors in the majors.

Ragsdale makes a very, very important set of distinctions among essential, important, and personal elements of Christianity. Christian Convictions fills a vacuum in the literature.

-- J. P. Moreland, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology

With a shepherd's heart, a scholar's mind, and a friend's words, Dr. Chad Ragsdale guides us to effectively engage society in love and truth.

-- Caleb Kaltenbach, author of God of Tomorrow and Messy Grace

I've always loved the slogan, "In essentials, unity
in nonessentials, liberty
and in all things, love." Sometimes, however, our slogans hang on the church wall but don't happen down the church hall. Chad Ragsdale answers how we can move this wisdom from poster to practice.

-- Matt Proctor, President, Ozark Christian College

CHAD RAGSDALE (DMin, Talbot School of Theology) is Academic Dean of Ozark Christian College and has served on its faculty since 2005. He teaches Christian apologetics, philosophy, and biblical interpretation. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Preaching and a Masters of Divinity in Contemporary Theology, both from Lincoln Christian University. His Doctorate of Ministry is in Engaging Mind and Culture.