This class has empowered me by presenting to women doing apologetics, and doing so with gentleness and compassion has been very encouraging. Mrs. Medenwaldt's background of living in a different culture than hers as well as her experience as a lawyer, impacts the way she does apologetics. The impact of it, is more in the elements of gentleness and compassion. By doing so, speaking of her experience and agreeing to disagree, she proves that apologetics can actually build bridges, opening the way to plant the seed of the Gospel more effectively.
I loved this line that Lindsay used to explain her thoughts … “look at someone as a person to be loved, not to be won”. I think that’s so important when engaging in a discussion. Objectively, we want to persuade people into our way of thinking because we believe that it’s the right way. Sometime we lose sight of why we actually need to be discussing which is because we want them to experience the grace we have only through Christ. We need to have effective conversations in order to point them to Christ, not to build up our ego.
I deeply value the emphasis Lindsey placed on surrounding apologetics in prayer. It is so incredibly important to be in prayer, both because it orients your attitude towards those that you are talking to, and of course it petitions the Lord for His power to work in the life of the man or woman.
@@danieltrimble6420 Yes, our witness should be accompanied by prayer. It also reminds us of our dependence on God as we explain our faith with courage and compassion.
Big fan of the message: to use dialogue not debate. It is so simple yet it speaks volumes of how people should approach conversation, and especially Christians. Coming from a place of love and not determination to be right and nothing else, will allow for healthy bridges to be potentially built.
I really liked her emphasis on the lost the art of how to dialogue well. At a family member’s house, a mother and her son were communicate through text message instead of asking her son to come upstairs. That BLEW ME AWAY! Later, I learned that he and his girlfriend spoke only by text and went out on their first date but couldn’t figure out how to have a conversation. Many take for granted how to have a conversation but it is skill that needs to be developed as anything other skill in ministry, business or sports. Lincoln and Bill Graham were often referred to as some of the best conversationalist because they hardly spoke. They mastered the art of questioning which was another key that Lindsey touched on. I love sitting down and talking with people but I too have been influenced by today’s culture and it takes patience to set aside my agenda, listen and ask questions not just to continue the conversation but to continue my own understanding to progress the dialogue. That information will open the door on how to share my faith especially those from other worldviews. She was also very good at not assuming someone’s beliefs based on her own knowledge. I liked that.
True. I sometimes see myself as a kind of communications consultant for Christians facing roadblocks when talking about their faith. Thanks for watching and sharing this!
Lindsey’s posture throughout the episode reflects how deeply she has immersed herself in maintaining a relational posture, holding space (specifically in the beginning of the episode) in which she acknowledges your remarks about the book’s cover, and then proceeding to answer your question. She is very present. At 12:25 she notes discusses “conversations with our neighbors that are genuine and kind and respectful and thoughtful- that begins to change the tide of misconceptions” Lindsey identifies a systemic approach that can challenge people’s (oftentimes accurate) negative perceptions of Christians, by encouraging all of us within the body of Christ to set our attention on turning towards in relationship rather than trying to prove ourselves right. It’s helpful in reminding us that we as individuals are not meant to wield control in changing peoples hearts, but rather we have the chance to participate in God’s larger plan of being agents of reconciliation in the world. I deeply admire her action-oriented approach that also includes introspection on checking our own hearts and intentions.
I think one of the hardest things to do when focusing on conversation and not making it a debate is to A) not take anything personal (critiques, etc) and B) doing your best to understand the other persons perspective. It’s incredibly easy to focus on your opinion, how right your side is, and not truly listen and care to whoever is across form you. This concept of truth and tone with love and compassion is critical. The characteristics of God are shown through how. We have these conversations, and whether or not we talk down to someone in a judgmental way or talk to them like a loving brother/sister
In real life - all the time. My best friend is a devout catholic while I'm a mainstream Protestant who left the church. We met while we were both studying to get our MA in religious science. I had studied protestant theology before and he catholic theology. That was at the University of Bamberg in Germany back in the day when there still was a catholic faculty which has since closed down. We instantly hit it off because of a common interest in horror movies 😊. We talk about theology quite often. Sometimes we both joke that we will become Eastern Orthodox 😂. But here in Germany most people you will meet in academic circles are atheist or at least almost never talk about religion. But another person I like to talk with about theology is my brother in law who's also catholic and very much interested in theology. We even listen to the same podcasts sometimes. In the past I also had a very good friend who was Muslim and we sometimes talked about theology but not that often. He wasn't all that strict about it. He also drank a beer every now and then for instance. Online discussions unfortunately is a different matter altogether. People just become mean once they sit behind a keyboard. And especially catholics are horrible online while it's quite the opposite in real life. Online I almost alway just read nonsense from catholics. Stuff like, "the Bible is a catholic book. Traditions are more important. Blablabla." I think social media, including UA-cam, aren't really the place to have a good faith discussion - I mean the comment section, not actual video discussions.
Yes, people in my family who unfortunately suffered church hurt. It is challenging at times to share aspects of Scripture they already know. My approach is always patience as a practice of creating a bridge. Many times, I encounter rejection and skepticism. However, when I just listen to their pain, I find out they are more receptive to listening the next time I share something.
I enjoyed the segment about not taking criticism personally. I think for those of us who are excited by apologetics and tend more towards the intensity, knowing to show restraint from those "gotcha" moments is important. Although winning the argument might feel good in the moment, allowing our response to criticism be an apologetic to the character of Jesus and his grace is more valuable.
Yes! We aren’t just answering questions, we’re answering people and we need to know when to press and when to give space, staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we minister to them. Thanks for sharing this!
This class has empowered me by presenting to women doing apologetics, and doing so with gentleness and compassion has been very encouraging. Mrs. Medenwaldt's background of living in a different culture than hers as well as her experience as a lawyer, impacts the way she does apologetics. The impact of it, is more in the elements of gentleness and compassion. By doing so, speaking of her experience and agreeing to disagree, she proves that apologetics can actually build bridges, opening the way to plant the seed of the Gospel more effectively.
@@magalygomez2041 Thanks for sharing this. Glad you found our conversation encouraging!
I loved this line that Lindsay used to explain her thoughts … “look at someone as a person to be loved, not to be won”. I think that’s so important when engaging in a discussion. Objectively, we want to persuade people into our way of thinking because we believe that it’s the right way. Sometime we lose sight of why we actually need to be discussing which is because we want them to experience the grace we have only through Christ. We need to have effective conversations in order to point them to Christ, not to build up our ego.
I deeply value the emphasis Lindsey placed on surrounding apologetics in prayer. It is so incredibly important to be in prayer, both because it orients your attitude towards those that you are talking to, and of course it petitions the Lord for His power to work in the life of the man or woman.
@@danieltrimble6420 Yes, our witness should be accompanied by prayer. It also reminds us of our dependence on God as we explain our faith with courage and compassion.
Big fan of the message: to use dialogue not debate. It is so simple yet it speaks volumes of how people should approach conversation, and especially Christians. Coming from a place of love and not determination to be right and nothing else, will allow for healthy bridges to be potentially built.
I really liked her emphasis on the lost the art of how to dialogue well. At a family member’s house, a mother and her son were communicate through text message instead of asking her son to come upstairs. That BLEW ME AWAY! Later, I learned that he and his girlfriend spoke only by text and went out on their first date but couldn’t figure out how to have a conversation. Many take for granted how to have a conversation but it is skill that needs to be developed as anything other skill in ministry, business or sports. Lincoln and Bill Graham were often referred to as some of the best conversationalist because they hardly spoke. They mastered the art of questioning which was another key that Lindsey touched on. I love sitting down and talking with people but I too have been influenced by today’s culture and it takes patience to set aside my agenda, listen and ask questions not just to continue the conversation but to continue my own understanding to progress the dialogue. That information will open the door on how to share my faith especially those from other worldviews. She was also very good at not assuming someone’s beliefs based on her own knowledge. I liked that.
True. I sometimes see myself as a kind of communications consultant for Christians facing roadblocks when talking about their faith. Thanks for watching and sharing this!
Lindsey’s posture throughout the episode reflects how deeply she has immersed herself in maintaining a relational posture, holding space (specifically in the beginning of the episode) in which she acknowledges your remarks about the book’s cover, and then proceeding to answer your question. She is very present. At 12:25 she notes discusses “conversations with our neighbors that are genuine and kind and respectful and thoughtful- that begins to change the tide of misconceptions” Lindsey identifies a systemic approach that can challenge people’s (oftentimes accurate) negative perceptions of Christians, by encouraging all of us within the body of Christ to set our attention on turning towards in relationship rather than trying to prove ourselves right. It’s helpful in reminding us that we as individuals are not meant to wield control in changing peoples hearts, but rather we have the chance to participate in God’s larger plan of being agents of reconciliation in the world. I deeply admire her action-oriented approach that also includes introspection on checking our own hearts and intentions.
Glad you appreciated her approach and ethos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
I think one of the hardest things to do when focusing on conversation and not making it a debate is to A) not take anything personal (critiques, etc) and B) doing your best to understand the other persons perspective. It’s incredibly easy to focus on your opinion, how right your side is, and not truly listen and care to whoever is across form you. This concept of truth and tone with love and compassion is critical. The characteristics of God are shown through how. We have these conversations, and whether or not we talk down to someone in a judgmental way or talk to them like a loving brother/sister
I agree! Thanks for sharing this, Duncan.
🤔 Question of the day: Have you ever had a positive experience talking with someone who disagreed with your faith? Let me know in the comments. ⬇ ⬇ ⬇
In real life - all the time. My best friend is a devout catholic while I'm a mainstream Protestant who left the church. We met while we were both studying to get our MA in religious science. I had studied protestant theology before and he catholic theology. That was at the University of Bamberg in Germany back in the day when there still was a catholic faculty which has since closed down.
We instantly hit it off because of a common interest in horror movies 😊. We talk about theology quite often. Sometimes we both joke that we will become Eastern Orthodox 😂.
But here in Germany most people you will meet in academic circles are atheist or at least almost never talk about religion. But another person I like to talk with about theology is my brother in law who's also catholic and very much interested in theology. We even listen to the same podcasts sometimes.
In the past I also had a very good friend who was Muslim and we sometimes talked about theology but not that often. He wasn't all that strict about it. He also drank a beer every now and then for instance.
Online discussions unfortunately is a different matter altogether. People just become mean once they sit behind a keyboard. And especially catholics are horrible online while it's quite the opposite in real life.
Online I almost alway just read nonsense from catholics. Stuff like, "the Bible is a catholic book. Traditions are more important. Blablabla."
I think social media, including UA-cam, aren't really the place to have a good faith discussion - I mean the comment section, not actual video discussions.
Yes, people in my family who unfortunately suffered church hurt. It is challenging at times to share aspects of Scripture they already know. My approach is always patience as a practice of creating a bridge. Many times, I encounter rejection and skepticism. However, when I just listen to their pain, I find out they are more receptive to listening the next time I share something.
I enjoyed the segment about not taking criticism personally. I think for those of us who are excited by apologetics and tend more towards the intensity, knowing to show restraint from those "gotcha" moments is important. Although winning the argument might feel good in the moment, allowing our response to criticism be an apologetic to the character of Jesus and his grace is more valuable.
Yes! We aren’t just answering questions, we’re answering people and we need to know when to press and when to give space, staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we minister to them. Thanks for sharing this!