A Northwestern College professor is encouraging readers to look beyond modern portrayals of Jesus and examine what the New Testament says about his identity and mission.
Lindsey Medenwaldt, an assistant professor of business and economics at Northwestern, co-authored the newly released book “What if Jesus is Right? Examining Jesus’ Claims About Himself in a World Full of Falsehoods” with Christian philosopher and author Dr. Douglas Groothuis.
The 240-page book was published by Tyndale Elevate.
Looking Beyond Modern Portrayals
Medenwaldt says the first portion of the book addresses what the authors describe as inaccurate or incomplete versions of Jesus that have taken shape in modern culture. Its second half explores the historical evidence for Jesus and the reliability of the New Testament accounts of his words.
“In the first part of the book, we talk about the fake Jesuses that exist in the world,” Medenwaldt says. “In the second half, we provide evidence as to why we can believe he was a historical figure and his words are reliable. It comes down to the reliability of the New Testament. If we trust it, we can trust that its words are reliable. And if Jesus is speaking truth, what does that mean?”
The authors contrast Jesus’ biblical claims with portrayals that primarily cast him as a moral teacher, mentor or life coach. They also examine the Christian belief in Jesus’ divinity and how accepting that belief could affect a person’s decisions and priorities.
“The world outside Christian circles has created a Jesus for its own use,” Medenwaldt says. “People are developing a Jesus that becomes a life coach or mentor or teacher who tells you how to live a moral life. The problem with those titles is they eliminate the holiness of Jesus and the Godship of Jesus.”
Although the book was initially written with skeptics in mind, Medenwaldt says she believes it can also help Christians better understand and communicate what they believe about Jesus.
“My hope is that Christians will be encouraged to find the answer to who they say Jesus is for them,” she says. “The way you view Jesus affects how you will live your life.”
Working With A Former Professor
Groothuis has written more than 20 books, including the “Christian Apologetics” textbook and “Unmasking the New Age.” He also taught philosophy at Denver Seminary for three decades.
Medenwaldt met Groothuis approximately 10 years ago while she was pursuing a master’s degree in apologetics and ethics at the seminary.
“He was a joy to work with on this book because he trusted me from our past experiences,” Medenwaldt says. “It was a neat opportunity to work with somebody I value so highly.”
Medenwaldt is also a lawyer and the author of “Bridge-Building Apologetics,” published by Harvest House in 2024. Before joining Northwestern’s faculty full-time last year, she worked for Mama Bear Apologetics as its executive director and director of operations.
She has also spoken across the country on bridge-building, world religions, apologetics, evangelism, and cults.
