A Song and a Dance?

Now that Dr Ergun Caner is no longer dean at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary you may wonder what he’ll be doing with his time. We know that he has taken a break from tweeting and perhaps he is zealously blogging away somewhere. Some have mentioned that he is not listed for classes at Liberty for the forthcoming part of the academic year. Perhaps that will change shortly. However one event that is clearly advertised is “The inaugural Refresh Worship Conference will take place September 22–24, 2010, at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia!

This national retreat has been designed to bring spiritual “refreshment” to those who are in the trenches of local church ministry, and the resources of four groups committed to the church that have partnered together to make it happen: Kingsway Worship, LifeWay Worship, Liberty University, and Thomas Road Baptist Church. The conference is billed as:

“God’s revelation, our response
This unprecedented event looks at the practical mechanics of corporate worship and beyond, to get a fresh glimpse of the transcendent glory of our God. To this end, attendees will be digging into the musical heritage of the church—loaded with theological content and poetic excellence—as well as dabbling in the future by introduction to new songs that have the potential to become the hymns of tomorrow. These new hymns will be part of a live recording to take place at the event. “

The following is a condensed transcript of a youtube invitation by Mike Harland to the Refresh Worship Conference

"Hey everybody, Mike Harland here, director of Lifeway worship. I’m sitting here looking at the Refresh Worship Conference thats gonna happen Sept 22-24 at Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist church, Lynchburg Virginia.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be part of this. I mean Ergun Caner one of the great speakers of God’s word over this generation, Charles Billingsley and all the people at Thomas Road, and the anointed worship leading that the Lord has put in his heart and those fine folks. All the students for the center for worship and the students at Liberty University. You want to go some place that is excited and electric with the gospel of Jesus Christ and worshipping him in Spirit and Truth."

“Let me tell you this. I hope I’m not over-promoting this to say it; I believe the most significant worship conference that’s going to happen anywhere to challenge a new generation of worship leader and worshipper to take another step with the Holy Spirit with what God is doing in his church. I think those 3 days in Lynchburg may be the most strategic time anywhere on the planet this year. Don’t miss it ..."

The conference has a short bio for Ergun Caner which states:
“Ergun Mehmet Caner (B.A., M.A., M.Div., Th.M., Th.D.) is president of the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School at the Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Raised as the son of a Muslim leader in Turkey, Caner became a Christian shortly before entering college. Serving under his Chancellor and President, Jerry Falwell Jr., Caner led the Seminary to triple in growth since his installation in 2005. A public speaker and apologist, Caner has debated Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and other religious leaders in thirteen countries and thirty-five states. The author of seventeen books, Caner lives in Lynchburg with his wife Jill and two sons, Braxton and Drake.”

Despite the recent investigation he is still advertised for a forthcoming event involving Liberty and Thomas Road as the dean and claims are made that he has debated extensively internationally and in the US.

Several renowned singers are present as is Miriam Webster described as “Her earliest childhood memories are of worshipping in dance late into the night as a powerful renewal impacted her home church.

So if Mike is right this could be the most important worship events on the planet this year where you get to hear "Ergun Caner one of the great speakers of God’s word over this generation." Let's hope it's not just a song and a dance and that sound biblical teaching will take place.

I have one question - would you invite someone from whatever denominational perspective you come from to a conference who had played fast and loose with their testimony?