Changing Minds in the Marketplace

Guest speaker Dean Meadows, Campus Minister from Blacksburg Church of Christ, delivered an engaging session titled “Changing Minds in the Marketplace” at our Youth Apologetics seminar 2025. With a background as a pulpit minister and a master’s degree in apologetics from Biola University, Dean emphasized the importance of conversational apologetics in a polarized culture. He highlighted the need to move beyond merely accumulating theological facts and instead focus on deploying them effectively in dialogue. Drawing from Acts 17, Dean illustrated how the Apostle Paul engaged diverse worldviews in the marketplace, urging Christians to actively participate in the "marketplace of ideas" by initiating meaningful conversations.

Dean introduced three key questions to guide discussions: “What do you mean by that?” to clarify terms, “How did you get there?” to understand personal journeys, and an “if-then” question to draw conclusions and encourage commitment. Through personal anecdotes, he demonstrated how these questions foster trust and open doors to deeper discussions about faith. He emphasized the importance of patience, sincerity, and meeting people where they are, noting that effective evangelism requires both modeling a Christian life and engaging in verbal conversations. Dean warned against insular church discussions, advocating for outreach that addresses external worldviews to fulfill the Great Commission.