End the Stalemate : Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations

When was the last time you had a real & meaningful conversation? What has happened to our society?

Differences of opinion have always been part of life. For decades, spouses, family members, co-workers, and neighbors have had spirited conversations about politics, social issues, religion, current events, and even sports. But what was different in the past is that these disagreements wouldn’t sever ties between family and friends.

Today, we live in an argument culture that has let to nearly a third of people reporting they have stopped talking to a friend or family member due to a disagreement and nearly two-thirds of people saying they stay quiet about their beliefs due to the fear of offending others. From cyberbullying to hate speech, workplace harassment, demonizing political language, verbal abuse, and intolerance, the vast majority of us―eighty-seven percent―no longer feel safe in public places to share our opinions.

Sean McDowell and Tim Muehlhoff seek to end this stalemate. They believe Christians are called to be God’s ambassadors, which necessarily entails the need to listen to those around us―especially people with diverse and different perspectives. In End the Stalemate, you will be able to revive the art of meaningful conversations by walking through:

• How to create connection and emotional awareness that opens the door for a fair exchange of ideas and effective communication;
• How to engage in perspective-taking, as illustrated in Scripture in a number of stories;
• How to speak the truth in love, from a biblical understanding;
• How to structure a conversation with those who hold diverse, and/or seemingly threatening, views; and
• How to honor the words and perspective of those with whom we disagree.

Yes, we live in cancel culture. But that doesn’t mean that we as Christians need to conform to our world. Instead, we can be a beacon of sanity that promotes meaningful conversations around what matters most in this life―and the next.

Sean McDowell is an associate professor of Christian apologetics at Biola University. He is the bestselling author, editor, or coauthor of more than twenty books. He speaks internationally on issues related to culture, apologetics, and Gen Z. He is the cohost of the Think Biblically podcast and has a popular YouTube channel.

Tim Muehlhoff is a professor of communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California, where he teaches classes in conflict resolution, apologetics, gender, and family communication. He is codirector of Biola's Winsome Conviction Project, which seeks to reintroduce compassion and civility into our disagreements. He's the cohost of the Winsome Conviction Podcast, where people with differing viewpoints are brought on for engaging dialogue.