Josh McDowell set out to discredit the assertions of Christianity, to disprove the resurrection of Christ. But while trying to demean Christians, he became one. And since McDowell’s conversion in 1959, he has devoted his life to sharing the Gospel with those who are skeptical, as he once was himself.

Now, 45 years and nearly 80 books later, speaker and bestselling author Josh McDowell is coming to Windham.

This Saturday night, Windham Assembly of God, assisted by Windham Baptist Church, will host McDowell’s seminar, “Why Belief Matters,” based on his newest book, “Beyond Belief to Conviction.”

Josh McDowell Ministries contacted Windham Assembly when they were planning his latest tour because, according to Brian Galbraith, Windham Assembly’s youth pastor, they were looking for a church with room enough to accommodate a lot of people. Saturday evening’s event is already sold out.

The seminar’s Web site, www.beyondbelief.com, says the seminar is “a one-evening, three-session seminar in which Josh shares how to reverse the distorted beliefs our young people are adopting and how to ground them in both their relationship with Christ and in the Christian evidences of why we believe what we believe.”

Galbraith says he’s excited about what McDowell will share with the 500 parents and other adults registered for the seminar.

“What’s happening in our culture is that the issue of right and wrong has become very blurred,” Galbraith said. “These days, the basis of truth seems to come from my own perception of it – I decide what’s true and what’s not true. For years the Bible has been that foundational source for truth.”

Galbraith says McDowell will be speaking about “tying together our actions with our values,” and “how to instill Christianity, the source of truth, in our children.”

Members of over 20 churches, some coming from New Hampshire and Connecticut, will fill the multi-purpose room of the church, located on Route 302, to hear McDowell. In addition to the evening session, that same day the two host churches will put on a luncheon for 70 area pastors and youth workers at which McDowell will also speak.

McDowell is a popular Christian author whose book, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict,” published in 1972, was named one of the century’s top 40 books by “World Magazine.” His 1977 classic, “More Than a Carpenter,” based on his seminary thesis, has been translated into over 50 languages with millions sold.

In the 1980s, McDowell wrote a number of books geared toward teens and young adults including “Why Wait?” “Right from Wrong,” and “The Disconnected Generation: Saving Our Youth from Self-Destruction.”

Over the years, McDowell has led 7,000 volunteers on mission trips to the former Soviet Union through his evangelistic and humanitarian aid organization, Operation Carelift.

He is also known for his live events for young people, as well as for his weekly broadcast, “Josh McDowell Radio,” heard on about 400 stations across the United States.

Christian speaker and best-selling author Josh McDowell is coming to Windham. He will give a one-evening parent/adult seminar entitled,