Calvin College

Gainey Institute for the Study of Faith and Communication

Research

The Gainey Institute for Faith and Communication conducts research for and with other organizations. Sometimes the Institute brings together groups with a common stake in a research question or topic, enabling all of the organizations to benefit from research that none of them could undertake individually. Whenever possible, research results are published in scholarly or popular periodicals, reported at professional meetings, or presented privately. Also, the Institute contracts to conduct research in conjunction with other organizations and persons, including the Center for Social Research at Calvin College.

Recent and ongoing research and consultations have addressed:

• The scope and role of communication program curricula in Christian colleges and universities
• The nature of suburban church ministry, including a book, The Suburban Church: Practical Advice for Authentic Ministry
• The changing character and impact of evangelical media in North America (including a major forthcoming book, website, and blogcast.)
• Teaching public speaking in a Christian educational context (see An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue, as well as the accompanying website with audio and video clips)
• The importance of calling (or “vocation”) in faith-based communication (see Here I Am: Now What on Earth Should I Be Doing?)
• The place of drama education in Christian colleges and universities
• The fitting and excellent use of new presentational technologies in worship (see High-Tech Worship? Using Presentational Technologies Wisely) conducted in conjunction with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Plans are underway for a new edition of this widely used book.

Please subscribe to our email list (privacy protected) for occasional notes about upcoming events and special funding, scholarship, and fellowship opportunities.