Embrace Webinar #26
Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer
Winsome Conviction: Disagreeing Without Dividing the Church
May 26, 2022
Winsome Conviction: Disagreeing Without Dividing the Church
By Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer
In today’s polarized context, Christians often have committed, biblical rationales for very different positions. How do we discern between core biblical convictions and secondary issues? How do we cultivate better understanding and compassion for those we disagree with? Muehlhoff and Langer provide lessons from conflict theory and church history on how to avoid the dangers of groupthink and how to negotiate differing biblical convictions to avoid church splits and repair interpersonal ruptures. Christian unity is possible. Discover how we can navigate differences by speaking in both truth and love.
Winsome Persuasion: Christian Influence in a Post-Christian World
By Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer
Muehlhoff and Langer present a model for cultural engagement that integrates communication theory, theology, and Scripture. Penetrating, wise, and relentlessly practical, it includes test cases and examples from history, such as William Wilberforce and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The Winsome Conviction Project
With Biola University
The Winsome Conviction Project was launched from a heartfelt concern for the toxic, polarized and simply unloving communication climate that is permeating our nation and penetrating the body of Christ. The hope is to foster conversations within the church and the broader culture that deepen relationships and enrich lives rather than tear us apart. Visit the website to discover resources, workshops, and events for churches and organizations who want to deepen convictions without dividing the body of Christ or alienating the watching world.
Tim Muehlhoff (Presenter)
Tim Muehlhoff (PhD, University of North Carolina) is a professor of communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California; codirector of The Winsome Conviction Project; and a speaker and research consultant for the Center for Marriage and Relationships. His books include The God Conversation, I Beg to Differ, and Winsome Persuasion, which received a 2018 Christianity Today book award in apologetics/evangelism.
Richard Langer (Presenter)
Richard (Rick) Langer (PhD, University of California, Riverside) is professor of biblical and theological studies at Talbot School of Theology and director of the Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning at Biola University. Together with Tim Muehlhoff, he cowrote Winsome Persuasion. In addition to teaching and writing, they are codirectors of The Winsome Conviction Project, which seeks to introduce civility and compassion into our discussion of differences. An ordained minister, Langer previously served as senior associate pastor of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands, California, and as a missionary with Cru.
Michelle Sanchez (Facilitator)
Michelle Sanchez’s dream is to mobilize a multiethnic movement of disciples who make disciples. She earned an M.Div. and Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and completed spiritual direction training at Boston College. Michelle studied international business at NYU and worked previously as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. She is a regular columnist with Outreach Magazine and is currently working on her first book Antiracist Discipleship (Waterbrook Multnomah, 2022).
