KWVE in Santa Ana, Calif., run by Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, has told listeners that it has dropped Dr. James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" program from its format because the broadcasts "were not always reflecting the kind of content that fit with our primary purpose."
A statement at the station's Web site says that concerns came to a head earlier in the year with a series of Focus broadcasts on "Women and Sexuality," which included "very verbally graphic [discussions] concerning marital sex."
The statement adds: "The purpose of the station is not to promote psychology as the answer to a person's problems, but to bring people into a deeper walk with God. We love Dr. Dobson and appreciate his stand on moral issues that affect America. We love to hear some of the testimonies that are broadcast on his program, but we feel that his program is not in keeping with the general format of our station."
Paul Hetrick, Focus' vice president of media relations, said the organization had been "shocked and surprised" at KWAVE's decision to end its 17-year relationship with the broadcast. He says the program - broadcast on 2,000 U.S. stations - has not changed in the ministry's 25-year history, though some of the issues it tackles have "gotten tougher."
Hetrick added: "We do believe that there is a place for Christian psychology...there are some issues that face people in the pastorate that a pastor wouldn't feel qualified to handle - eating disorders, ADHD, bipolar situations."
