Ralph K. Hawkins is an independent scholar in New Market, Alabama.

Those who have grown up in Churches of Christ are distinctively passionate about their heritage. Ralph Hawkins is driven by an unswerving commitment to the heritage, one of the three principle streams of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Yet, he recognizes that many cultural and theological shifts in recent decades require leaders and members in the over 12,000 Churches of Christ congregations to face the need to reexamine their stances on key issues like the Holy Spirit, hermeneutics, instrumental music, worship, women, elders, church structure, and more. This brief volume sets the agenda for reestablishing the vitality of Churches in Christ for the next era of people committed to its ideals. -- William R. Baker, Professor of New Testament Studies, Cincinnati Christian University; Editor Stone-Campbell Journal

• Chapter 1 Dedication; Acknowledgements; IntroductionChapter 2 The Identity Crisis Facing Churches of ChristChapter 3 The Generation Gap in the Church of ChristChapter 4 Where We are in the Discussion or "Desecularizing the Church of Christ in the 21st Century"Chapter 5 The Holy Spirit and Christian UnionChapter 6 Baptism and Our View of Other DenominationsChapter 7 HermeneuticsChapter 8 Instrumental MusicChapter 9 Purpose and Style in WorshipChapter 10 Women's RolesChapter 11 The Qualification and Selection of EldersChapter 12 Missionary Societies and Denominational StructuresChapter 13 Theological Trends From 1960 to the PresentChapter 14 Afterward; Bibliography; Index

Ralph K. Hawkins is an independent scholar in New Market, Alabama.

Those who have grown up in Churches of Christ are distinctively passionate about their heritage. Ralph Hawkins is driven by an unswerving commitment to the heritage, one of the three principle streams of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Yet, he recognizes that many cultural and theological shifts in recent decades require leaders and members in the over 12,000 Churches of Christ congregations to face the need to reexamine their stances on key issues like the Holy Spirit, hermeneutics, instrumental music, worship, women, elders, church structure, and more. This brief volume sets the agenda for reestablishing the vitality of Churches in Christ for the next era of people committed to its ideals. -- William R. Baker, Professor of New Testament Studies, Cincinnati Christian University; Editor Stone-Campbell Journal

• Chapter 1 Dedication; Acknowledgements; IntroductionChapter 2 The Identity Crisis Facing Churches of ChristChapter 3 The Generation Gap in the Church of ChristChapter 4 Where We are in the Discussion or "Desecularizing the Church of Christ in the 21st Century"Chapter 5 The Holy Spirit and Christian UnionChapter 6 Baptism and Our View of Other DenominationsChapter 7 HermeneuticsChapter 8 Instrumental MusicChapter 9 Purpose and Style in WorshipChapter 10 Women's RolesChapter 11 The Qualification and Selection of EldersChapter 12 Missionary Societies and Denominational StructuresChapter 13 Theological Trends From 1960 to the PresentChapter 14 Afterward; Bibliography; Index

Ralph K. Hawkins is an independent scholar in New Market, Alabama.

Those who have grown up in Churches of Christ are distinctively passionate about their heritage. Ralph Hawkins is driven by an unswerving commitment to the heritage, one of the three principle streams of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Yet, he recognizes that many cultural and theological shifts in recent decades require leaders and members in the over 12,000 Churches of Christ congregations to face the need to reexamine their stances on key issues like the Holy Spirit, hermeneutics, instrumental music, worship, women, elders, church structure, and more. This brief volume sets the agenda for reestablishing the vitality of Churches in Christ for the next era of people committed to its ideals. -- William R. Baker, Professor of New Testament Studies, Cincinnati Christian University; Editor Stone-Campbell Journal

• Chapter 1 Dedication; Acknowledgements; IntroductionChapter 2 The Identity Crisis Facing Churches of ChristChapter 3 The Generation Gap in the Church of ChristChapter 4 Where We are in the Discussion or "Desecularizing the Church of Christ in the 21st Century"Chapter 5 The Holy Spirit and Christian UnionChapter 6 Baptism and Our View of Other DenominationsChapter 7 HermeneuticsChapter 8 Instrumental MusicChapter 9 Purpose and Style in WorshipChapter 10 Women's RolesChapter 11 The Qualification and Selection of EldersChapter 12 Missionary Societies and Denominational StructuresChapter 13 Theological Trends From 1960 to the PresentChapter 14 Afterward; Bibliography; Index