An Excerpt from Bridge Building Apologetics by Lindsey Medenwaldt

Editor’s note: Shadowlands Dispatch is pleased to feature an excerpt from Bridge Building Apologetics by Lindsey Medewaldt (MA, JD, MPA), who is director of ministry operations at Mama Bear Apologetics and an adjunct professor at Northwestern College in Iowa. She will be joining the Society for Women of Letters in a Bluestocking Salon in early 2025. We hope you enjoy!

Talking about my faith hasn’t always been easy, but growing up, I’m sure it was easier for me than it probably was for most. I remember getting in trouble in kindergarten because I told a kid he was going to hell if he didn’t give his life to Jesus (whoa, I know, but I was a new Christian who was very much on fire and didn’t have couth). I also remember reading my Bible with a friend on the school bus and sharing my faith with my friends in high school. Because I grew up in the church, I thought I had my faith covered. I knew God is real. I knew Jesus died for me. I knew that Jesus told His followers to make disciples. Sharing my worldview with others was supposed to be par for the course. I was a missionary kid and pastor’s kid—that had to count for something, right? Wrong. Well, not entirely wrong, just misguided thinking. Growing up in the church certainly helped, and doing evangelism next to my parents was the kind of experience some people only dream of. I’m grateful for that, but I’m here to tell you it wasn’t enough.

As I grew older, I found myself not sharing my faith with others as often as I once did. Not because I was ashamed or afraid of backlash, but because my faith never came up. I was rarely asked to share my hope. People noticed I read my Bible, sure, but they didn’t often ask me questions, and I was not offering any answers without being asked. Then I entered seminary. I went to school to grow closer with my husband, Jay—I was looking for more substantial things to talk about over dinner and knew he enjoyed apologetics. He became a Christian in part because of apologetics. Jay would talk about apologetics, and typically, I would listen with interest but would walk away not fully understanding. I had rationalized that apologetics was good for him but not necessary for me. And I was okay with that until my first apologetics class with Douglas Groothuis, author of the 1,000- page tome Christian Apologetics.

At one point during that first class, Dr. Groothuis asked us to interview an unbeliever. We didn’t have to answer any questions; we just had to listen and learn. I will be forever grateful to my friend— I’ll call her Priscilla—for agreeing to the conversation. It was because of that assignment that I realized I couldn’t answer basic questions about my faith, including the most basic question of all: Why do I believe Christianity is true? It was also because of that conversation that the idea for this book was born. Not right away, but over time, I started to understand the importance of building bridges.

During my time at seminary, I read some books about how to engage with others, but I could never quite find what I was looking for in those texts. All too often I read the words war, opponent, and battle mixed in with tips about having discussions about faith. All too rarely have I stumbled upon the words gentleness, relationship, and love. If you’re reading this book, that probably means you’re hoping for tips about having real relationships with people. I recently heard the term missional friendship—a friendship you enter with the primary goal of sharing your faith. The person becomes your mission. I’m not saying these kinds of relationships are bad, but that’s not solely what I talk about in this book. Instead, I’m encouraging you to seek real, authentic relationships with people. The kind that can greatly benefit your life and theirs. Maybe one day you’ll get asked about your faith. But maybe you won’t. If you do, then this book is going to give you what you need to be ready for that day. The point is, without a real relationship, one with genuine trust and love, you’re probably never going to earn a place at the table.

Let me give you an example. Think about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Typically, those holidays are filled with family visits, and so often I hear people say, “Religion and politics always come up at these gatherings.” Yep, and you know why? Because of the already existing relationships in those settings. Usually, family gatherings include people you grew up with. The people you’ve done life with. You’ve experienced life (and sometimes death) with them. And that’s why such gatherings are a more comfortable spot for somewhat challenging topics like religion and politics. How does this transfer outside of familial relationships? Time, trust, and tact. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen with ulterior motives in place. I’m talking about friendships that are enduring. …

Ultimately, this is a book about relationships. Yes, you’ll learn some about apologetics. Yes, you’ll learn some about evangelism. But more than anything, you’ll learn about love. Because as Christians, we’re called to love God and love people. Once we do those things well, it gets much easier to talk about our faith, share truth, and make disciples. After all, we should want to shout from the rooftops about the hope we have. This book will help you do that with confidence, grace, and love.

Excerpted from: Bridge Building Apologetics. Copyright © Lindsey Medenwaldt. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408.

http://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/