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Quinn McMacMick
Aug 23, 2022
Solid Biblical teaching from someone committed to letting the text of Scripture rule over his own thoughts or preferences. I started listening at the Women in Ministry series and haven't missed an episode since, in fact I'm diving into the archives and start from the beginning!
Feb 10, 2022
Apr 23, 2021
A fantastic video series that will help you to consider any issue from a scriptural basis
Katherine
Apr 4, 2020
He speaks the truth according to the Bible, not what he wants, then tries to find verses that kind of match if you squint at them hard enough.
Episode | Date |
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You probably don’t know this.
00:01:15
Some people think of “sinners and tax collectors” as categories of people who Jesus treats as if they are oppressed and misunderstood. The reality is that Jesus treats all people as if even the best of us are “sinners and tax collectors” when it comes to our need for repentance and God’s grace. When you see yourself as you are, it will become so encouraging that Jesus called this lousy tax collector to follow Him. It means that Jesus calls you, as well, even though you (and me) aren’t worthy. |
Jun 01, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 100)
02:08:40
0:00 - Intro
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May 26, 2023 |
The Bible "Translation" That "Needs a Surgeon General's Warning"
00:07:04
You can have free access to all interviews and scholarly papers on this topic right here.
Watch the interviews on YouTube HERE.
Get the papers and/or interviews free on my website (no signup required) HERE.
For the sake of the body of Christ we need to be aware of the problematic "translation" that is strangely and undeservedly popular, due to the reckless endorsement of pastors who should know better. I did NOT search for scholars who would oppose TPT. I did NOT check to see what denomination they were from. Nor did I ask them to slam the work or provide a particularly negative review. I simply hired scholars who were well-qualified and asked them each to review a different book from The Passion Translation of the Bible. They unanimously agree that it isn't what it pretends to be. Their full reviews and papers are available to you at the links above.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
May 25, 2023 |
A powerful argument against Christianity.
00:06:11
This is a delicate issue because the terms of the discussion push an evaluation of the person who is failing to find God. I hope that listeners can hear that I am not trying to offer any personal attacks on individuals, but am trying to offer an analysis of how a claim like "I'm trying to find God and I am not finding Him" can actually involve a situation more complicated than a simple, sincere, two-dimensional search. Without labeling people with specific explanations for their particular situation, I can acknowledge several layers to this issue which undercut this argument's power as evidence that God does not exist.
My honest hope and prayer for those who feel they are seeking God and failing to find Him is that they would continue seeking as sincerely as they can and wait on God to open their eyes to Him.
Perhaps you find my answer unsatisfactory. In that case you might be interested in a more detailed answer from a philosopher who is better versed in such things. CLICK HERE.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
May 23, 2023 |
When to confront sin vs keep your mouth shut.
00:03:35
Jesus called out sin in others, except when He didn't. This question takes more wisdom than a simple, hard and fast rule will allow. Here are a few thoughts and a relevant passage of Scripture for you to consider. Hopefully it helps you figure out if you should call out sin or keep your mouth shut. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
May 15, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 99)
01:54:41
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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May 13, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 98)
02:08:30
0:00 - Intro
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May 05, 2023 |
When to be scared you're NOT a genuine Christian.
00:05:01
I'm hoping and praying that God would use this to comfort those who need comfort and to shine a light on those who are living dangerously, so they can make a true faith commitment to Jesus. Trust in Jesus, follow Jesus, be real about it. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Apr 28, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 97)
02:10:05
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Apr 21, 2023 |
Who will Jesus reject? It might not be what you think.
00:03:55
Learn to think biblically about everything. Countless hours of free content available here or at my website, https://BibleThinker.org |
Apr 18, 2023 |
I’m embarrassed I ever said, "I'm spiritual but not religious."
00:22:41
If you don't know what's wrong with the phrase, please take a moment to think it through with me. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Apr 13, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 96)
01:47:20
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Calling out false teachings.
00:08:50
Videos referenced in this episode:
A project with several credentialed scholars examining Brian Simmons' problematic new translation of the Bible: CLICK HERE
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Mar 24, 2023 |
Happy, Smiley, Heresy.
00:05:18
According to his website, Salvatore Sapienza is an ordained minister serving as pastor of the UCC church in Saugatuck/Douglas, Michigan, where he lives with his husband, Gregg.
Listen carefully and see if you can spot how this one Progressive Christian pastor twists John 3:16 to reject the Gospel.
Note the rhetorical move of pretending that those who don't agree with him are mean-hearted and delight in condemning people.
Note how he isolates one part of one verse from its full context so that he can more easily pretend it teaches something very different than it really does.
Note, most of all, how a thoughtful reading of Scripture in context will protect you from nice-sounding, false doctrines.
Do you want to see the whole video this is from? It's a full analysis of this pastor's sermon on John 3:16. Deeply troubling. CLICK HERE to view.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Mar 22, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 95)
01:56:05
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Mar 18, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 94)
01:42:30
A worthwhile ministry to support right now….
Today's Time Stamps:
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Mar 04, 2023 |
Did Pharaoh Have Free Will When "God Hardened His Heart"?
00:06:02
CLICK HERE for the full study on this topic from my verse-by-verse teaching through Romans.
This is my best understanding of this topic and I think that it fits really well with a wide variety of Scripture that speaks to the issue. For a fuller defense of my own view, please see the video I have linked above. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Feb 28, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 93)
01:52:55
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Feb 18, 2023 |
What I got wrong about Heaven.
00:21:06
I probably shouldn't have gotten my theology from cartoons. Here are specific, common, false beliefs about Heaven and a number of things we can know about Heaven based on the Bible. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Feb 14, 2023 |
Explaining EACH piece of "The Armor of God"
00:07:33
Christians, you are in a spiritual battle every day. You need the armor of God, lest you fall victim to the schemes of Satan. This reality should stir us up and make us very serious about our spiritual well-being and preparation for the daily battle we face. Put on the armor of God, not just a short video about it. Seek practical application of these principles in your life today. My website: https://BibleThinker.org What each piece means. |
Feb 07, 2023 |
Bethel and Bill Johnson’s Bridge to the New Age and Spiritual Fakery.
01:56:25
I have been wanting to make this video for quite a while. It's based on the teaching in the book The Physics of Heaven, which is very much a "Bethel book." It is sold in their bookstore, it's endorsed by their leaders, it's written by people from Bethel, including their two lead pastors, Bill Johnson and Beni Johnson. The book is a very open appeal to Christians to embrace New Age beliefs and practices. I truly wish I was exaggerating.
In today's video, I'm going to share quotes from the book to demonstrate the problems with its teachings and show its dangers. I'll address the way they misuse Scripture to support these teachings. I'll also be sharing content from a physicist who has weighed in to demonstrate how fake the "science" of the book is. Finally, I'll share some shocking details about the deceptions in the book related to the supposed credentials of the "quantum physicist" who they lean on as an expert. Spoiler: he's not.
Bethel Church in Redding, California has presented itself to the worldwide body of Christ as a guide for deeper and more miraculous spiritual experiences. Since they have such a wide impact and reach, and their teachings on these issues are, I am sad to say, not only reckless but dangerous and unbiblical, I feel this video is worth making.
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Jan 31, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 92)
01:39:55
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Jan 27, 2023 |
Atheism vs Christianity
00:15:48
If I was an atheist, I would be logically compelled to conclude we have no true purpose, no ultimate meaning, and no genuine morality, beauty, or value. I’m not alone in this view. Many atheists have made the same devastating conclusion. Interestingly, this seems to push against common human perception and my own incredibly strong intuitions of these things (it most likely goes against yours, as well). This alone is a strong reason to challenge atheism. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jan 24, 2023 |
A rising doctrine I currently DON'T agree with: Theonomy
01:55:26
After this rather long chat, I can say that I do have a lot to learn about theonomy to understand it better but that I am currently convinced that the core foundation of the view is not biblical. I consider this an in-house discussion, and one which we could disagree on without demonizing each other.
Special thanks to Joel Webbon of Right Response Ministries for inviting me to have this discussion and being willing to hear some pushback. CLICK HERE to visit pastor Joel's YT channel.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jan 17, 2023 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 91)
01:39:35
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Jan 14, 2023 |
No marriage in heaven
00:04:04
It can seem like your relationship with your believing spouse has been downgraded when you think about there not being marriage in heaven. But I think we should consider it an upgrade. The closeness, unity, and love that we will have with each other, not to mention being "married" to Christ, will be so much more than what we have had on Earth. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jan 04, 2023 |
Examples of modern idolatry and do I worry people will idolize me?
00:06:20
In light of the biblical teaching that covetousness is idolatry, I am deeply aware of how relevant this issue is for my life. My desires can pull me away from God. My desires, unchecked, can become idolatry. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 29, 2022 |
I hope you don't believe this myth...
00:07:42
I've tested a lot of myths in my time, but this one is particularly bad. My website where I don't give away any free cookies. But I've got hundreds of hours of free video content helping you learn to think biblically about everything... bring your own cookies. |
Dec 21, 2022 |
Some concerning facts about Santa
00:08:26
It's difficult but worthwhile to test our own traditions against the principles and values of Scripture.
More Christmas videos here:
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 19, 2022 |
People are still making this stuff up about Christmas trees.
00:08:07
For anyone out there thinking, "But doesn't the Bible specifically say not to decorate a tree and put it in your home in Jeremiah 10?" I have a video showing that the Jer. 10 passage is being distorted when we apply it to Christmas trees. CLICK HERE to watch! More Christmas videos here:
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 18, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 90)
01:29:12
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Dec 17, 2022 |
Is it OK to celebrate a holiday that's not in the Bible?
00:01:55
If our Lord could observe a holiday not found in the Old Testament and not instructed in the New Testament, then how can we say that it's automatically wrong to observe a holiday not directly taught in Scripture? We can't. Instead we need to actually consider the quality and meaning of the day along with the method of celebrating it.
More Christmas videos here:
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 15, 2022 |
The connection between Christmas and Saturnalia
00:03:02
One thing I didn't mention in the video is the idea that Saturnalia did involve gift giving. At first glance, this might seem to imply that the gift giving of Christmas must be borrowed from the gift giving of Saturnalia. But there are some obstacles to establishing that connection. First, gift giving is a widespread practice across many different celebratory days. It doesn't really mean that much to see the giving of gifts on a holiday of some kind. It's the error of many to presume that similarity = origin, even when they don't have additional evidence to support that it does. Second, gifts were given on the 19th of December in association with Saturnalia, not the 25th. Imagine how clumsy it would be for the early Christians to feel they need to have a festival to replace Saturnalia, only to put it on the wrong date, leaving the people with nothing to replace Saturnalia during its actual events.
More Christmas videos here:
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 14, 2022 |
We don't think gluttony is a sin anymore
00:04:25
Here's the big red flag that I see. The Bible seems to make a way bigger deal out of gluttony than we do. That's all we need to know that something very concerning is going on in our very affluent culture. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 13, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 89)
01:39:11
0:00 - Intro
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Dec 09, 2022 |
Pt. 11: 5 Views on “Women Keep Silent" (1 Cor 14:35-36) - Women in Ministry Series
03:16:16
Some say we should remove it from the Bible.
Intro - 0:00
Others say the Bible is rejecting these statements about women, not endorsing them.
Others say this is why women shouldn't speak in church in any way, perhaps singing in the congregation is ok though.
Others say this is a prohibition on women as teachers during regular all-church services.
Others say this passage is about prophecy and who is supposed to participate in the judging of prophetic gifts, discerning whether those messages are from God.
It's hard to get around the idea that this passage seems to endorse complementarian or patriarchal views of gender roles. But we will explore various attempts to do so.
"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak." 1 Corinthians 14:33-35
We'll examine all sides and dig deep to get as much clarity as I am able to offer on not only 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 but also how it applies to the topic of Women in Ministry.
After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. This is part 11.
CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).
CLICK HERE for my teaching notes from today’s video. You can find footnotes there, as well.
CLICK HERE for my two part series on "How to Understand the Old Testament Law"
CLICK HERE for my three videos explaining manuscript differences and how reliable the New Testament is.
You can also find more videos freely available on my website: |
Dec 04, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 88)
01:19:15
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Dec 02, 2022 |
Low self-worth and abandonment issues. Any advice?
00:04:34
Learn to think biblically about everything. 100s of free videos: Bible studies, topical issues, apologetics, theology, and more, on my YouTube channel and on my website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Nov 16, 2022 |
Pt. 10: All The Head Covering Debates (1 Cor 11) - Women in Ministry Series
06:45:50
Video map below... 0:00 Intro DIFFERENT WAYS OF INTERPRETING 1 Cor 11 THE 14 QUESTIONS THAT WILL EXPLAIN THIS PASSAGE 6:37:00 Conclusion: What 1 Cor 11 means for the Women in Ministry series. Here are my notes for today's video. I've included many links and references for you to follow up on while doing your own research. This is THE LINK to the playlist of ALL the videos in the Women in Ministry playlist: My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Nov 11, 2022 |
When the wife is more spiritual than the husband.
00:02:52
I suppose it just doesn't matter if the wife is more spiritual than the husband. The real bummer is when the husband isn't spiritual at all. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Oct 26, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 87)
01:33:44
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Oct 22, 2022 |
Does Christianity make wives "ripe for abuse"?
00:08:35
I disagree. More importantly, I can show why Scripture, which would protect wives from abuse, is often ignored. I would go so far as to say that Christianity would protect wives from such abuse and encourage them to take recourse in self-protection if the Bible is applied to their situation. It may be that the problem we often see is not too much Bible, it's too little Bible. |
Oct 19, 2022 |
Confronting a hyper-jealous person
00:05:20
This is one of those videos where I'm just hoping people will think carefully about what I'm saying. I race through a few things here rather quickly, though I fully mean what I'm saying. I think there's an obvious implication in the bitter water ritual that has application toward the idea of an overly jealous and suspicious spouse. Isolation tends to make them worse, public accountability may help them realize they are experiencing delusional thoughts and treating others wrongly as a result. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Oct 12, 2022 |
I don't care anymore, I just want out.
00:07:12
What do you say to someone who doesn't care anymore? I truly hope these words offer some help. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Oct 05, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 86)
01:32:14
0:00 - Intro |
Oct 01, 2022 |
He's obviously being a very horrible jerk.
00:04:47
It can seem like weak advice to people to "look to Jesus" in their situation. But it only seems like weak advice to those who haven't yet grasped what it means to "look to Jesus." Look to Jesus. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 28, 2022 |
A situation where you should NOT give to your church.
00:03:49
If you want some more info on why I think that 10% is NOT required giving from believers to their local churches, then watch THIS video: My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 24, 2022 |
I told you so
00:03:30
Dr. Peter Gurry is a well respected scholar, Greek professor at Phoenix Seminary, and the author or coauthor of numerous articles and books, including the new "Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism," which is careful analysis of rhetoric and facts about how reliable the New Testament is.
Here is the playlist where top scholar after top scholar review The Passion Translation and demonstrate that when it offers something new it's frequently something wrong.
This is the interview on Alisa Childers' channel where today's clip was found. She was interviewing both Dr. Peter Gurry and Dr. John Meade on "The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible." It's worth a listen if you find that topic interesting.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 21, 2022 |
I hate to have to make this video. These are the lies two Christians are spreading about me.
01:06:53
Some related links:
Since both Tim Hurd and Doctrinal Watchdog seem to think that I am only now changing my views because of a response to their criticisms, here are a bunch of old clips of me having these views long before their videos ever came out.
Click here for the MacArthur clip (what I really think about John MacArthur)
This clip is about being "slain in the Spirit," how self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and how you still should have control over yourself, according to Scripture, while speaking in tongues.
Click here for a second clip about being "slain or drunk in the Spirit" and "unknown utterances." Specifically, how "there's no biblical foundation" for being slain in the Spirit.
Click here for my shorter video called "Spirit-Filled: What it Does and Doesn't Mean."
Why I don't use people's preferred (and untrue) pronouns: Click here.
Why I would not attend a same-sex wedding: Click here.
This clip against living a homosexual lifestyle (in addition to my 4-part series).
The green text at the end of Tim's video also says, "Winger also told Joel Webbon of Right Response Ministries that Christians are [not] obligated to keep the 10 commandments."
Here's that clip in context. It should be clear that I am not saying it's ok for you to murder people. Nor is my view so strange. John Piper holds the same view.
Since Doctrinal Watchdog has also claimed that I have no problem with female pastors and teachers, I will provide related clips. Though I would nuance my views more than he wants me to, this is definitely a deception.
This clip is stating that women are not to be the teaching elder of the fellowship and that "women are not to take the role of lead pastor or teaching elder, and to have that position as a woman would be what 1 Timothy is saying not to do." And that it's "God's ordained structure for men and women."
Reiterated here that women are not called to the pastoral role.
You can also check out my whole Women in Ministry Series to see my views.
This clip giving my position on "By His stripes we are healed" and if that relates to physical healing for us today. Another point where I disagree with Bethel.
Doctrinal Watchdog's multiple deceptive videos about me (his channel seems to do this to others, as well):
Click here for BTWN's (Tim Hurd's) misleading video about me. (He has also added another yesterday.)
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 17, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 85)
01:33:21
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
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Sep 16, 2022 |
My husband is addicted to porn. Should I divorce?
00:07:13
This question is painful and difficult to answer. I really hope that me sharing my own thoughts and including several relevant verses from the Bible brings some help to those who need it. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 14, 2022 |
What do I do? My husband demands I don't go to church.
00:02:58
This seems to me to be an area where rebellion against his request is required by faithfulness to God. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 07, 2022 |
Joel Osteen misuses the Bible 14 out of 15 times in one sermon.
01:00:31
Since Joel Osteen removed my first video giving a full analysis of his sermon, I am uploading this highly edited one focused on his use of Scripture specifically. Why are you doing this, Mike? Because you can't think biblically if your teachers are misusing the Bible all the time. And pointing out when and how this happens is one of the best ways to help people learn not to do it themselves. I don't have anything personal against Joel Osteen. I do, however, feel a calling to help people learn to think biblically about everything and I recognize that the pop-level teaching of popular internet/TV preachers has done a lot of harm to our ability to read the Bible and our awareness of how serious Jesus' call to discipleship really is. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 06, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 84)
01:43:24
Here's the link I told you about, for searching on my site for answers to your questions.
HERE’S my video on the unforgivable sin.
HERE’S my video on how atheist scholar, Bart Ehrman, misleads millions.
My goal is to help you on the road to thinking biblically about everything.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
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Sep 02, 2022 |
Is your marriage “Christian”?
00:01:33
It's very important that we recognize the incredible value of our marriages, whether they involve two Christians or not. You can honor Christ in your marriage whether your spouse does or not. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 31, 2022 |
"Can I marry a Muslim?"
00:03:46
The most important issue here is that we first decide that we are willing to yield to whatever God says on the topic. Once we’ve decided to obey we will be more likely to actually listen to the answer without distorting it to fit our desires.
Original Q&A video is HERE.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 29, 2022 |
When a Christian spouse can be treated as a non-believer (and why abuse is hard to define)
00:07:21
This is a quick overview of several points that I explain in much more detail in my full teaching on everything the Bible says about divorce and remarriage. CLICK HERE for that 3 hour video with timestamps to help you navigate to exactly what you need.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 24, 2022 |
"I find it difficult to pray for the President even though the Bible tells me to.”
00:03:15
Yes, we want to pray for their salvation! But I think that some people have a hard time praying for those who they see as causing large scale harm or problems for others when they mistakenly think we are supposed to ask God to prosper them in their efforts. Instead, we can pray for God to bring good out of their leadership and for other blessings which don't involve supporting ungodly commitments or commitments that we see as ungodly. Unfortunately, this is pretty much the way I have found myself praying for every president I've known.
Original Q&A video is HERE.
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 22, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 83)
01:55:12
My goal is to help you on the road to thinking biblically about everything.
Here’s my video analyzing how Roman Catholic apologists abuse typology to teach Mariology.
THIS is the entire “How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament” series. The most personally rewarding and thrilling series I’ve ever done.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Aug 20, 2022 |
I endorse husband-leaders, but there is a danger in it.
00:04:17
It seems to me that a balanced, biblical view will affirm both the role of the husband as having higher authority in the household and his responsibility to utilize that authority for self-sacrificial service. Any teaching that doesn't emphasize both of these aspects seems to be unbiblical.
CLICK HERE for my video on "How to Be a Husband"
My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 18, 2022 |
Pt. 9: Have We Misunderstood "Wives Submit"? - Women in Ministry Series
03:09:00
Many (not all) egalitarians say that the fundamental way that marriage works, in relationship to authority, has been widely misunderstood by Christians throughout history. They say that wives are not called to submit in any greater fashion than their husbands are. They say that the real biblical teaching is for "mutual submission."
Today we will cover the main passages that seem to teach an authority imbalance in the marriage relationship, examine the context of each from a traditional, complementarian perspective, and then we'll spend the majority of our time going over egalitarian claims that would offer linguistic, contextual and historical reasons for why that's not what it means. They will generally say that a passage simply does not say that there is an authority imbalance in marriage, or that it does say that but it was only for a particular culture and a particular time.
After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry, I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. This is part 9.
CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).
You can also find more videos freely available here on my website.
I have other references and data in my notes from this series, which you can freely access through this website.
Time Stamps:
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Aug 16, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 82)
01:41:24
My goal is to help you on the road to thinking biblically about everything.
LINKS I MENTIONED:
https://BibleThinker.org
0:00 - Intro
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Aug 12, 2022 |
"Abuser" at Home - "Respected Christian Man" at Church.
00:07:38
I don't pretend my advice here is going to "fix" things for everyone suffering from an abusive spouse. I'm just trying to give the best answers I can, which I believe are biblical, to offer some measure of help. Please seek godly counsel from multiple people if you're in an abusive situation. It's ok for you to get help. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 10, 2022 |
I Found These Atheist Memes Online. Here’s What’s Wrong with Them.
00:51:29
I hope that this video doesn't just trigger people (though I'm sure that's unavoidable) but that it stirs serious thought and consideration. Timestamps! |
Aug 08, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 81)
01:31:32
My goal is to help you on the road to thinking biblically about everything.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Aug 05, 2022 |
Contradicting your husband in public.
00:07:52
Sometimes you should and sometimes you shouldn't. It seems to me that, if we are honest with ourselves about our motives and paying careful attention to the situation, we will be able to tell easily if it's worth correcting our spouse in public. Generally, it's probably best to err on the side of not saying anything or waiting for a private moment to share. |
Aug 03, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 80)
01:57:26
CLICK HERE for my video about 6 different views of the end times. What Romans 14 says about convictions and conscience: CLICK HERE CLICK HERE for 3 videos that explain translations and manuscript issues related to the Bible. CLICK HERE for my 4 hour debate on whether baptism is required for salvation. What happens to those who never hear the Gospel? CLICK HERE CLICK HERE for my 4 part teaching on homosexuality and the Bible. What we got wrong about end times: CLICK HERE What is the abomination of desolation? CLICK HERE Jul 29, 2022 |
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Can the guy stay home while the woman works, according to the Bible?
00:08:15
I surveyed the Scripture looking for an answer to this question, and it seems to me that even though there are more typical situations in biblical times, it's not the hard and fast rule that many think it is. In fact, there's quite of lot of support for a flexible attitude toward who "brings home the bacon." My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 27, 2022 |
Did God Speak to Him or Was it the Newspaper?
00:20:20
Consider carefully the timeline of this prophecy and the articles I share with you in this video. I think it reveals not only insight into James Goll, but into the low standards by which these large media-focused charismatic programs will lift up "prophets" for us all. May God bring true prophecy for us all to learn, grow, and be instructed from! But we all probably need to get better at spotting the fake.
Personally, I'd rather have one word of prophecy every thirty years than thirty fake ones every day.
CLICK HERE for the original, 8 hour video analyzing 2020 prophecies on The Remnant Radio.
My website, with hundreds and hundreds of free videos helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Jul 26, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 79)
01:47:54
Restoring Faith ministry to refugees - CLICK HERE for the correct link!
CLICK HERE for my video on what Bible version to read and where to read in the Bible depending on your situation.
CLICK HERE for my playlist defending the very important doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement.
This is the secret location where I store my searchable database of hundreds of videos.
You can also find me on podcast, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the dreadful TikTok. Just search my name.
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Jul 22, 2022 |
Do girls just have to vent sometimes?
00:07:43
I would honestly LOVE to hear some thoughtful feedback from you all on this topic. I have tried to give what I think are biblical principles and to apply them carefully. But I also recognize that drawing the line between proper sharing and improper gossip can be challenging. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 20, 2022 |
Pt. 8: Male Headship: Is it REALLY Biblical? - Women in Ministry Series
01:37:34
It's undeniable that the Bible explicitly teaches that a husband is the "head" of his wife. While church history has pretty much always believed this means the husband is the primary leader in the marriage and household, there has been serious pushback against this view from egalitarian scholars in more recent years. Time Stamps!!
Their basic contention is that "head" doesn't mean what you probably think it means when you read it in Scripture as the description of the relationship between husbands and wives. They tend to offer 4 main arguments to support their case:
I'm going to analyze each of these claims to see what the Bible really says about husbands being the head of their wives. This is super important, because it doesn't just impact who is in church leadership, it impacts every single marriage in the body of Christ! I can't overstate the practical impact of getting this topic wrong, so I have spent a ton of time gathering and, more importantly, researching to properly vet and test egalitarian claims about male headship. I'll give you the spoiler here in the description. On every single point they are very wrong, and even putting out blatant misinformation. I'll provide both analysis and evidence to support all this in today's video.
After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry, I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. This is just part 8.
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20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 78)
01:44:44
CLICK HERE for the video on Christophanies (appearances of Jesus) in the Old Testament.
CLICK HERE for the FULL series on How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament.
CLICK HERE for Natasha Crain's content that helps parents to disciple their kids.
CLICK HERE for Foundation Worldview which has actual video lessons to help teach your kids a Christian worldview.
CLICK HERE for BibleThinker shirts, mugs, and other stuff. The goal isn't to make money on these, they are just for you, for fun, since we set the profit margin as low as they'll allow us to go.
0:00 - Intro
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Jul 16, 2022 |
My MAIN challenge to Flat Earth Proponents
02:07:34
There are several links to additional stuff you might be interested in:
1) An article on "raqia" or the Hebrew word we often see translated as "firmament." The big debate on this word is whether it implies the sky has a hard, solid dome or if it's just talking about an expansive space. I didn't cover it in today's video because it isn't about the shape of the earth. But, people are interested, so CLICK HERE for an article that Cultish put together on the topic.
2) Cultish is a very interesting show which covers lots of fringe topics and a variety of groups from Charles Manson's group, to Masons, to the JW's strange Bible translation, to the "cult of right wing politics." CLICK HERE to visit their YouTube channel.
Allow me to react to some of the kinds of comments I expect to get on this video, since they also came in on the Cultish version of this interview which released earlier, and to make a few requests for those inclined to consider them.
1) "Mike is biased and untrustworthy, disingenuous, and generally bad."
2) "No flat earth proponents use those verses. Mike isn't dealing with the real Bible verses we use."
3) "You should have a flat earth proponent on to talk about this stuff for themselves." |
Jul 13, 2022 |
One UNbiblical belief that will kill your marriage.
00:10:03
I know it can feel oppressive to constantly hear that we have such a high calling to self-sacrifice and self-examination. But it's only oppressive to our flesh. And if you don't kill that sinful selfishness, it will kill everything else. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 11, 2022 |
Yes, spouses should join their finances, unless…
00:01:48
You know, there's one benefit of sharing bank accounts that I never mentioned in this video. It's the reality that you can't hide things as easily when you both can see what the money is being spent on. This inability to hide expenses is a good thing since grievous sins are often nurtured in the dark.
Thank you to Lisa Laizure, of “Women’s Bible Study” for organizing and hosting this event. Her ministry website is HERE.
My website https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 08, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 77)
01:34:39
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Jul 02, 2022 |
Lead Pastor Tries and Fails to Quote the Bible for Pro-choice Legislation
00:16:12
Reading the Bible in context is all it takes to solve most of these bad teaching issues. This is Senior Pastor Mike Thomas, from Radiant Church in Seattle, Washington. Original video can be found HERE.
Thank you to Woke Preacher Clips for making these sorts of clips available for needful discussion.
Here's me on Twitter.
My website, with hundreds of hours of free content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 01, 2022 |
Who cares about the real Jesus? Give us "Meme Jesus!"
01:33:24
There's a popular, fairly progressive Christian meme that has made the rounds online. It pretends to refute a "colonizer Jesus" and to support a "historical Jesus." But it turns out to just be another piece of poorly thought out propaganda. Proving once again that lots of people care very little about understanding Jesus and care very much about claiming that Jesus is supportive of their agenda. You all said that I should walk through this popular progressive meme and unpack it. We aren't going to shoot for talking points or picking sides here, unless the "side" is Jesus' side. This will be a thoughtful analysis of each point in this popular meme. |
Jun 27, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 76)
01:42:31
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Jun 24, 2022 |
Pt. 7: The Egalitarian "Silver Bullet" Bible Verse - Women in Ministry Series
01:53:04
Did you know that there is an egalitarian “silver bullet” Bible verse? In my own experience, every egalitarian knows about this but many complementarians do not. In this video, part 7 of my Women in Ministry series, I’ll be doing a detailed analysis of egalitarian scholar, Cynthia Long Westfall’s case for why Galatians 3:28 is such a pivotal passage for understanding women’s roles and for proving that complementarian views are fundamentally wrong. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them). Resources you may be interested in:
I have other references and data in my notes from this series, which you can freely have through my website https://BibleThinker.org |
Jun 21, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 75)
01:32:17
Today's Time Stamps:
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Jun 17, 2022 |
Why I am NOT suing Joel Osteen - Final update on my copyright strike and a personal message to Joel.
00:21:40
I plan to post a very edited version of the Joel Osteen review video in about 3 months. It will only use a small portion of his original video and it will be uploaded after my copyright strike has faded off my record with YouTube. The edited down version will just consist of every time that Joel quoted the Bible. Unfortunately, he distorted the meaning of the Bible every time, except once, in the "Let it Go" sermon. My website: |
Jun 10, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 74)
01:33:03
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Intro |
Jun 03, 2022 |
Pt. 6: Things I Didn't Know as a Complementarian - Women in Ministry Series
02:13:19
After years of being a bit confused about the topic of women in ministry, I set out to spend months researching the topic in great detail to produce this exhaustive teaching series on the topic. In today's teaching we will cover several topics that, to be honest, I didn't really think much about as a complementarian. These egalitarian arguments really do challenge some complementarians ideas in a good way. Though I can't agree with them all the way through.
1) Was Jesus training women to be rabbis/teachers?
Time Stamp Guide:
0:00 – Intro
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May 30, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 73)
01:45:31
0:00 - Intro
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May 20, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 72)
01:32:45
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
May 14, 2022 |
Pt. 5: Were Women Apostles in the New Testament? - Women in Ministry Series
01:17:15
I spent months researching the topic of women in ministry so that I could present you with this exhaustive analysis of everything the Bible says about it.
Was Mary Magdalene "an apostle to the apostles" as NT Wright claims?
The basic view of the egalitarians (who see no role differences for men and women regarding leadership in the church) is that women were in the highest possible realm of leadership in the NT since some of them were apostles. They conclude that this means women can be in any leadership role, including pastor or elder.
The basic view of the complementarians (who say that the role of elder is preserved for men) is that women were either not apostles at all or that they only were in the sense of being missionaries. Some say this means that in a period of church planting a woman can have a transitory role of authority and teaching over men but that the permanent role of elder is reserved for men. Others say that even though they were missionaries it is reasonable to think that they had different roles than male missionaries in their work.
As always, we will be going deep. Here are my notes from this study. If you’re looking to check my references, here’s where you will find them: CLICK HERE for Burer and Wallace's paper from 2001 on why Junia is not an apostle.
Richard Bauckham's response is on pages 192-200 (Kindle edition) of Gospel Women: Studies of Named Women in the Gospels.
CLICK HERE for Burer's response to critics. He gives a ton more evidence for his position that Junia was well known to the apostles but not one of them. I really hope more scholars will interact with this paper.
CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).
You can also find more videos freely available on my website: |
May 10, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 71)
01:45:19
1. 1:33 {How to Respectfully Correct our Husbands} As a Christian wife, what are some principles I can apply in order to respectfully and lovingly offer my husband correction when needed? |
May 06, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 70)
01:35:06
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Apr 15, 2022 |
Pt. 4: Women Leaders in the New Testament - Women in Ministry Series
02:05:09
I spent months researching the topic of women in ministry so that I could present you with this exhaustive analysis of everything the Bible says about it. Today we are surveying the New Testament to look for examples of women in positions of leadership. We will examine claims that there were women apostles, women elders, women deacons, and various other hints that some say offer us evidence of women in very significant leadership positions in the New Testament. We will also get into 1 Timothy and Titus and the requirements that Paul gives for elders and deacons. Marriage Conference - https://womensbiblestudy.com/marriage-questions-conference/ You can also find more videos freely available on my website: VIDEO MAP: 0:00 - Intro & Overview |
Apr 13, 2022 |
Biblical (or not) exceptions to the "don't separate” “don’t divorce" rules.
00:48:17
Allow me to say three things to those who would want to push back against my views here: 2) If you disagree, then please consider responding not only with your own arguments but with a fair handling of my arguments. Very often I see responses which simply ignore all I've said, and the evidence, and Scripture which I have used to establish my case. 3) Let's remember what it means to be part of the body of Christ. We will one day be worshiping God, in glory, with full joy and fellowship together. Juli Slattery's content and podcast can be found here: My website: |
Apr 11, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 69)
01:28:05
What's the point of the prodigal son's brother? Why is he in the story, upset about the celebration and getting no celebration of his own? Today's Time Stamps: 1. 0:47 {About the Parable of the Prodigal Son} Can you please teach us about the Parable of the Prodigal Son, specifically focusing on the obedient son who stays in his father's house and ends up resenting his prodigal brother? It seems like there's no real benefit to being the obedient son in that situation. Am I missing cultural context that would enhance my understanding of this parable? |
Apr 08, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 68)
01:40:23
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
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Apr 01, 2022 |
Pt. 3: How Women Could and Couldn’t Lead in the Old Testament - Women in Ministry Series
01:53:34
I spent months researching the topic of women in ministry so that I could present you with this exhaustive analysis of everything the Bible says about it. Today we are surveying the Old Testament to look for examples of women in positions like leadership.
We'll see Deborah, an actual "judge" of Israel who definitely exercised real authority in ancient Israel with God's approval. How does that impact our view of women's roles? Was Deborah limited in her role in any way?
We'll look at Miriam and ask if she was a leader like Moses during the time of Exodus.
Many egalitarians claim that there are quite a few women in leadership roles in the Old Testament. Women as civic authorities, royal authorities, prophetesses (and there's no denying that one!).
While there are more women in roles that carry some degree of authority than many of us have realized, we still need to answer the question of why they were forbidden from being priests in the service of God even though pagan religions had female priests. I'll tackle both sides and try real hard not to go beyond the text of Scripture.
I want to make sure that whatever my understanding of the New Testament teaching on women in ministry is, it's consistent with God's overall revelation and example of how He used women in the Old Testament.
CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).
You can also find the videos and my notes freely available on my website:
Video Map for Quick Reference:
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Mar 28, 2022 |
The Hidden Unchristian Belief of TOP Progressive Christian Influencers
00:56:02
I spent over a week reading and listening to progressive Christian influencers, trying to find some sort of central belief that connects them all together in a way that makes sense. I think I finally understand it. It's actually pretty simple. And it's not about Jesus. The teaching you are watching was given at the Battle for the Next Generation Conference in Palm Springs, put on by DesertApologetics.com in February of 2022, sponsored by World Gospel Mission. Check their website for info on other events they do. My website: |
Mar 24, 2022 |
She asked me to talk about politics.
01:13:16
Timestamps to help you find what you want:
Kira Davis’ podcast “Just Listen to Yourself”:
My website https://BibleThinker.org |
Mar 21, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 67)
01:30:47
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Intro |
Mar 18, 2022 |
Pt. 2: Was Women's Submission Just a Curse to Be Overturned? - Women in Ministry Series
02:10:24
There are some REALLY important debates about Genesis 1-3 and what they say about God's ideal for men and women and their relationships. Today I'm going DEEP on those issues. Here's a small sample of what we'll get into:
Does Genesis 1 giving dominion over the Earth to women as well as men mean that egalitarians are right in their contention that no authority differences based on gender should exist?
Does Genesis 2 have indications that before the fall, Adam had a leadership role in his relationship with Eve? Lots of debate on this issue!
Does Genesis 3:16, which says the husband will rule over his wife, actually mean that he will have control of her sexual desires? Dr. Linda Belleville argues for this.
Can we say that male leadership in a marriage is only the result of the fall, and we should therefore try to overturn it as much as possible just like we try to overturn other elements of the curse?
Was Adam a sexless being until after Eve was made? Dr. Phyllis Trible thinks so.
Does Adam show leadership of Eve by giving her a name?
Why is Adam made before Eve?
Why does Satan tempt Eve first?
Why does Adam seem to bear greater responsibility and consequences for the fall?
Was Eve meant to be Adam's "savior" and not his "helper"?
Today's video will be longer than usual, but I'm going to plow through a ton of content and I think it will give you simple clarity at the end, so don't feel overwhelmed by all the issues and debates. I'm going to do my best to make it as clear as I can and help you walk away with solid understanding of the nature of men and women in the image of God and their relationship to each other, both before and after the fall. Here are some resource links you might be looking for:
CLICK HERE for the first video in this series discussing how many people bypass the Bible completely on this topic.
CLICK HERE for Dr. David Freedman's paper saying "ezer kenegdo" (helper fit for him) actually means "power equal to him."
CLICK HERE for Dr. Mark Steven Francois' video which gives the closest thing to a skilled breakdown of that paper that laymen can mostly follow.
CLICK HERE for Dr. Ramsay's paper on “Is Name-Giving an Act of Domination in Genesis 2:23 and Elsewhere?” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol. 50, no. 1, Catholic Biblical Association, 1988, pp. 24–35.
CLICK HERE for the playlist of ALL the videos in this series (more will be added as I make them).
You can also find the videos and my notes freely available on my website: |
Mar 15, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 66)
01:31:55
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Mar 11, 2022 |
It is biblical to leave a truly abusive spouse. But be careful.
00:07:54
This is merely a snippet from 2 years ago when I did my 3 hour teaching on "Divorce and Remarriage: Everything the Bible says about It" back in May of 2020. This video may raise more questions than it answers for some people, but I promise I've got the answers to those questions and more in the big video. I'm Mike Winger and my goal is to help you learn to think biblically about everything. I've got a free, searchable database of over 600 videos on my website here: |
Mar 10, 2022 |
Pt. 1: Why We Can't Think Biblically About It - Women In Ministry Series
01:09:49
For years, I’ve refused to answer the question about women in ministry. Because I worried I might be wrong, and was fearful of how big of an impact my teaching can have in the life of another. I take that issue very seriously. I spent the last few months doing an in-depth research project on women in ministry. My goal was to read the best egalitarian scholars on the topic and see if I might change my position. To be totally open with you, I actually WANTED to become egalitarian. That may sound strange to some, but I’m just being honest about my own motivations. Now that my research is close to done, I’m going to present you with the “Women in Ministry” series; a thorough and systematic study of the topic, looking at all relevant biblical passages, historical research, linguistic studies, and philosophical concerns, interacting with the most recent scholarship on the issue (and there is a lot of it). This will be a somewhat exhaustive series to go over everything the Bible teaches on the topic and engage in all the important debates you will want to know about. Each video will cover different issues/passages of Scripture, and I’ll try to present the content in a way that helps you make informed decisions for yourself, and not just to parrot me. But I’m not interested being one of those people who pretends they don’t have their own opinions on the topic. So, after months of focused research, here are my general conclusions, which I will go on to support with great detail over the next 10 videos. I think egalitarian views (which hold there are simply no role differences related to authority between men and women in the government of the church) are obviously false. I mean that I went into this study hoping I’d see really strong and thoughtful cases for egalitarian views from top scholars and I saw, over and over again, insufficient evidence, poor reasoning, inconsistent positions, and bad Bible study practices. I don’t say ANY of that as a way of slapping at the sincerity or good will of those scholars. I think many of these scholars are strongly committed to Jesus and are my genuine brothers and sisters in Christ. But, as a result of studying this topic in detail, hoping to change my own mind and focusing on the work of egalitarian scholars, I am actually far more confidently complementarian than I was before. However, I have changed my mind on some important issues, and would consider my self a “soft complementarian” who holds that the biblical role of “elder” is reserved for men but that women have been FAR too restricted in other ways because of clumsy and incomplete views of complementarians, and sometimes simply because Christians aren’t quite sure where to draw the lines so they are overly cautious and unnecessarily limiting to women (and often to themselves). What I’m saying here is that I agree with many egalitarian complaints about abuses, restrictions, and general disrespect toward women that has been too common in complementarian circles. I’ve seen it firsthand many times, and I think Scripture offers us needed correction. So, I am rather firm in saying egalitarian interpretations are generally flawed, but that complementarians have much to refine and even remove from their own views, though the biblical core remains quite sound. I offer the above explanation as I introduce this series simply because I respect your intelligence and want to be as open as possible with you all. In today’s video, I’ll walk through the biggest reason why I’m not egalitarian as I discuss philosophical beliefs that egalitarians often bring into the debate which make it impossible for them to be open to following the Bible if it leads toward complementarian views. I’ll try to apply this standard fairly on both sides and set a tone for the debate that refuses to use polemics, |
Mar 08, 2022 |
This is what spiritual abuse looks like.
00:35:13
Ed's 4 hour long church service which this clip came from. The clip I used starts at 30 minutes in: You may think I've picked the worst example of Ed's behavior, but I really haven't. Ed can be seen doing all manner of far stranger and more extreme things in other videos. I chose this example to offer an analysis of how to identify this kind of spiritual abuse in an effort to help people caught up in it to do two things: First, to get out from under the control of dangerous leaders. Second, to realize that those bad leaders do not represent true Christianity so that people who've been burned by them won't turn away from Christ, the perfectly humble leader, as a result. I've got over 600 videos helping you learn to think biblically about everything, and I promise not to make up stuff about your family tree. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Mar 05, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 65)
01:25:10
I answer questions every Friday live on YT at 1 p.m. Pacific time. Wait till the live stream actually starts, post your question with a "Q" at the beginning, and try to check your wording for clarity. I apologize ahead of time if I don't get to your question. I know that can be dissapointing, but we try to prioritize questions I haven't answered before so you might check my website to see if your question has already been addressed in a previous stream. You can do so with the link below, using the "clip search" feature that takes you to specific moments in specific videos. Here's my website with a new clip search feature for finding exactly where in a video a particular issue is addressed. https://BibleThinker.org 1. 0:00 {Only One Way to Evangelize?} Before Jesus left, He gave us the Great Commission: "Go spread the Gospel and make Disciples." Sounds good, I can do that. But since Jesus didn't tell us exactly how to share the Gospel (He just tells us to do it), can we share the Gospel however we want, or do we have to do it a certain way? |
Mar 05, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 64)
01:34:03
Your questions can get answered live during my next stream by doing the following:
How to understand the Old Testament law (Part 2): "How correct is Kenneth Copeland?" (This is the teaching on prayer in faith that is answered with a “no” and how to reconcile that with Jesus saying that if we believed we would have what we asked.) https://youtu.be/VvA5ZWDSdmo This is the “Battle for the Next Generation” apologetics conference I’m speaking at in Palm Springs, CA on February 25-26 of 2022. You can watch the livestream with half off with this promo code: "WINGER10" (only $10) http://desertapologetics.com Here's my website with a new clip search feature for finding exactly where in a video a particular issue is addressed. https://BibleThinker.org 1. 0:33 {About “Binding and Loosing”} In Matthew 16: 19, what does the Bible mean in terms of "binding" and "loosing," and how do we rightly understand and apply that concept today? |
Feb 11, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 63)
01:19:13
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Feb 05, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 62)
01:34:57
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 Intro |
Jan 28, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 61)
01:34:50
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Jan 21, 2022 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 60)
01:28:25
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction |
Jan 14, 2022 |
How did we miss this?
00:57:37
I don't think I have ever heard someone say it quite like this. J. Warner Wallace's new book, Person of Interest, can be found here: Here's my website with a new clip search feature for finding exactly where in a video a particular issue is addressed. |
Dec 21, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 59)
01:27:07
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Dec 17, 2021 |
Dealing with Skeptics and Progressive Christians on The Bob Dutko Show
00:18:02
If you'd like to see more of the Bob Dutko Show it can be found here: I'm Mike Winger and I have tons of FREE content, helping you learn to think biblically, on my YouTube channel or on my website (which includes a search feature helping you find exactly what you are looking for): https://BibleThinker.org |
Dec 13, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 58)
01:09:33
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Dec 10, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 57)
01:25:43
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Dec 03, 2021 |
Are You a Pop-Christian or a Real Christian?
00:18:33
This concerns me deeply. All my content is free and it's meant to help you go DEEP into the word of God and strengthen your relationship with Christ. This is the last clip from my video collaboration with Allen Parr and I hope that you've benefitted from it. My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Nov 29, 2021 |
Allen Parr's Concerns about Seventh Day Adventists
00:23:07
This is one of several clips I will be uploading from a big video I did with Allen Parr evaluating a few different religious groups in light of biblical Christianity. Subscribe to my channel to get notified when the other videos in this series go up. Here is Allen Parr's channel. I recommend you check it out: Allen's videos on SDA... My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Nov 25, 2021 |
My Response to Roman Catholic Apologist Trent Horn's Rebuttal of Me
01:59:14
Trent Horn has over 8 hours of video content "refuting" me. Today, I'm going to respond to some of that content. Because there is FAR too much to do a thorough response to, I will be reacting to one of his recent videos point by point. Here's Trent's video: This can be a bit awkward for me, to be honest, because I don't want to spend time "defending myself" but I don't intend for this to be that. The issues we are discussing here are really important and I think that Trent Horn's videos are doing more to sow confusion than they are to offer any kind of proper refutation to the things I have said (and still hold) regarding Roman Catholic claims. I hope you will consider this response thoughtfully and, if you are a Roman Catholic, know that I do not do this with any personal animus toward you at all! What I think we should all agree on is that if the pope is who the Roman Catholic church says he is, then we all need to submit to him - but if he is not, then an open opposition to such claims is only an expression of loyalty to God. If Roman Catholicism is true in its claims to have authority over all believers, then we need to all submit. If it is false, and if it is propagating various doctrines of man, then it is only a kindness to tell others about it. This issue is worth discussing, for love of God and love of man. My teaching on James 2 and a Catholic vs. a Protestant view: My long debate on baptism and whether it saves (with time stamps): Depending on the response to this video, I may make another dealing with the rest of Trent Horn's "rebuttal" because there are some very serious problems with what he has said. But because this video is already going to be really long, I have chosen to focus on the first half of his video which deals primarily with justification. I'm Mike Winger and my website, with all free content, is: |
Nov 22, 2021 |
Catholicism Isn't a Cult... But I Have Serious Concerns
00:24:41
ANNOUNCEMENT! This is one of several clips I will be uploading from a big video I did with Allen Parr evaluating a few different religious groups in light of biblical Christianity. Subscribe to my channel to get notified when the other videos in this series go up. Here is Allen Parr's channel. I recommend you check it out: More videos of mine related to Catholicism below... Why I can't be a Roman Catholic (2 hour, detailed video): The "justified by works" passage in James 2 explained from a Protestant perspective: In this video, I deal with Roman Catholic apologists and Scripture they use to try to say that purgatory is in the Bible: Explaining and defending Sola Scriptura: My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Nov 18, 2021 |
What's up with the "Black Hebrew Israelites"? Allen Parr explains.
00:20:36
This is one of several clips I will be uploading from a collaboration I did with Allen Parr evaluating a few different religious groups in light of biblical Christianity. Subscribe to my channel to get notified when the other videos in this series go up. If you enjoyed this, you will probably enjoy a lot of the content that Allen Parr has. Here is his channel, I recommend you check it out: This is Allen Parr's much longer video on this topic, if you want to get a lot more info: My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Nov 15, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 56)
01:21:09
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction |
Nov 12, 2021 |
Analyzing a typical Joel Osteen sermon
02:04:49
This is not a hit piece. I just think that it can be really helpful to evaluate Joel Osteen's extremely popular teaching through the eyes of a teacher who cares an awful lot about representing the Bible properly. We often hear of problems with teachers when someone gathers just the most offensive, problematic, or otherwise inflammatory parts of their teachings and evaluates them. I am not doing that today. I'm grabbing a recent, random Joel Osteen sermon to have a "typical" example of his teaching. We will look at how he uses the Bible, what his general teaching style is, and how a Christian can evaluate and discern what to accept and reject. In the video, I will be referencing my series, How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament, and I highly recommend you check it out. It's been the most spiritually rewarding Bible series I've ever done: I'm Mike Winger and my website, with all free content, is: |
Nov 08, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 55)
01:13:09
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Nov 05, 2021 |
The Jehovah's Witnesses Religion Quickly Explained and Refuted
00:18:55
This is one of several clips I will be uploading from a collab I did with Allen Parr, evaluating a few different religious groups in light of biblical Christianity. Subscribe to my channel to get notified when the other videos in this series go up. If you enjoyed this, you will probably enjoy a lot of the content that Allen Parr has. Here is his channel. I recommend you check it out: Tips on how to practically reach JWs with the gospel of Christ: https://youtu.be/0bpu7hDoWOQ Why Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong about blood transfusions: https://youtu.be/3QJhSEbxF4o JWs teaching on the resurrection of Christ as well as the second coming is examined and refuted in this video: My interview with former JWs: JWs are taught that Jesus died on a stake, not a cross. This video gives tons of evidence supporting the cross: My longer video on JW beliefs, practices, and errors: https://youtu.be/lE5KQHf8fX0 My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Nov 01, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 54)
01:12:54
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Oct 30, 2021 |
A Brief Comparison of Mormonism and Christianity (with Allen Parr)
00:14:47
This is one of several clips I will be uploading from a colab I did with Allen Parr evaluating a few different religious groups in light of biblical Christianity. Subscribe to my channel on YouTube to get notified when the other videos in this series go up. We are using the word “cult” here in the popular negative sense that Christian theology uses; to indicate a religion which imitates Christianity but is not genuinely Christian. The term also has another technical meaning: referring to any religion that has rituals associated with it. That’s not the definition we intend in this video. If you enjoyed this, you will probably enjoy a lot of the content that Allen Parr has. Here is his channel. I recommend you check it out: Allen's interview with a former Mormon named Micah Wilder: https://youtu.be/StXOOhYZvEI My website. Tons of free, searchable content helping you learn to think biblically about everything: |
Oct 25, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 53)
01:24:32
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Oct 23, 2021 |
The longest interview I've ever done.
02:43:53
Info and timestamps below! This interview was filmed several months ago when I was asked by the moderators of the subreddit r/bible, to respond to a bunch of questions from their subreddit. So I fielded a number of extremely challenging questions (and a couple easy ones) in an interview that took over three hours to film, once you factor in how much time was spent sound and video testing before we could begin. Anyhow, we may seem a bit tired by the end but I hope you find the content helpful, thoughtful, and useful in learning to think biblically about everything. Specific videos I mentioned in the interview: |
Oct 18, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 52)
01:33:33
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Oct 15, 2021 |
How a "Progressive Christian" Pastor BUTCHERS John 3:16
01:12:24
If Pastor Salvatore represents "Progressive Christianity" then we need to start realizing that this isn't just another stream of Christian thought, it is a false gospel trying to replace the true one. Jesus is merely being highjacked by some who want to utilize His fame for their unchristian cause. The full video I'm responding to can be found here: https://youtu.be/9Fbxc1WD0J4 This is my video explaining the real symbolism of the bronze serpent (hint: it's not about elevating your awareness): I create free content meant to help you learn to think biblically about everything. |
Oct 11, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 51)
01:39:19
Time Stamps: |
Oct 08, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 50)
01:34:17
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Oct 01, 2021 |
4 Complex Bible "Contradictions" in David’s Census of Israel
00:25:36
Was it God or Satan who incited David to take the census? This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos, so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. Here's a playlist where I will add them as they come out: My website https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 27, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 49)
01:23:57
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Sep 24, 2021 |
This note on my car showed me just how HORRIFYING pro-choice logic is.
00:56:44
I have a bumper sticker on my car that occasionally causes pro-choice people to want to interact with me. In this case, someone left a note on my windshield explaining why she thinks I wasn't aborted and thinks it's not only allowable to kill babies in the womb but that it is morally required! I'm going to walk through the logic of this note and try to show why I think it demonstrates the same thinking in pro-choice people that was present in almost every genocide in history. Yes, it's that bad. And until we all see it as being that bad, we will be likely to fall into the continual moral compromise of our worldly culture. Make your own bumper sticker here (I haven't used this service and am not sponsored by them but their reviews look good): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014JQ43RQ/ Samaritan's Purse effort to help the Democratic Republic of Congo: Thank you to Liveaction.org for giving me permission to use their invaluable videos. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 20, 2021 |
First And More - Worship Song
00:04:10
Lyrics: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
Day Of The Dawn - Worship Song
00:04:12
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Chorus: Bridge: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
Bow To You - Worship Song
00:05:21
Inspired by the poetic beauty of the book of Psalms Verse 2: Chorus: Bridge: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
You Are My Joy - Worship Song
00:07:34
"…and after the fire a still small voice." Verse 1: Verse 2: Chorus: Verse 3: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
All My Cares - Worship Song
00:03:44
"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me... For when I am weak, then I am strong." Chorus: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
You Created The Heavens - Worship Song
00:04:28
I'd like to take a moment to explain one of the lyrics on this song. "Who am I to gain such worth, that my Lord would share my birth, when you created the heavens" Chorus: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
I Believe - Worship Song
00:04:28
This song was intended to be easily usable as a communion song. It is filled to the BRIM with scripture. I have connected most of the scripture references with the lyrics and encourage you to look them up. Verse 2: Chorus: Verse 3: Verse 4: Bridge: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
I've Fallen In Love (Amazing Grace) - Worship Song
00:03:44
"We love Him because He first loved us." Verse 2: Chorus: Verse 3: Bridge: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
We Will Praise - Worship Song
00:03:56
WE WILL PRAISE Chorus Bridge |
Sep 17, 2021 |
Your Holy Name - Worship Song
00:04:15
"He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things." Chorus: Bridge: |
Sep 17, 2021 |
The Kind of Meditation That Christians Should Avoid
00:03:07
Meditation is good and meditation is bad. It really depends on what you mean by "meditation." Here's a biblical perspective on it. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos, so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 13, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 48)
01:37:15
Our first question today is about the 7 tenets of Satanism. I think most people don't really understand what they are about. Let's get into it a bit. Here's that video giving a biblical evaluation of suicide: https://youtu.be/T6nlUhWJe00 To get your own questions answered, please show up at the start of the stream and type a question beginning with "Q" (or ANQ to ask anonymously), but don't send it before you see me on screen. I can only get to 20 each week, so please forgive me for not being able to answer all that come in. BibleThinker is a ministry committed to helping you learn to think biblically about everything. My website: https://BibleThinker.org Time Stamps: 0:00 - Introduction |
Sep 10, 2021 |
Can I Really Justify Seeing Pictures of Jesus In The Old Testament?
00:45:44
"Typology" is a fancy word for how God put intricate details about Jesus throughout the stories of the Old Testament. I'm not talking about prophecy here, although there is a relationship between typology and prophecy. I'm saying that Jesus is the main topic of the Bible so much that God shaped history and people's lives so that the Bible would become a beautiful literary tapestry that shows Jesus throughout its pages. From the story of Joseph going from slavery and presumed death to the right hand of Pharaoh as a savior of many, to the feasts of Israel demonstrating the very nature and mission of Jesus to die for our sins. In today's interview I will explain what "typology" is, give a number of examples of it, and answer objections to it. Thanks to Micah Gunn for having me on his podcast, Truth Be Told, to do this interview. THIS is my 27 part series on Jesus In The Old Testament, the most rewarding and exciting topic I have ever had the pleasure of teaching! My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Sep 08, 2021 |
The Super-Cute and Super-Wrong Religion of Omnism
00:06:06
Omnism, in the sense that we just pretend all religions are true, is a really nice (in the old sense of the word) religion. It has high hopes and seems to help everyone to "get along," but it depends entirely on utter irrationality and dishonest evaluations of the really important issues that religions are disagreeing on. If you have fallen for Omnism, then I hope you'll consider this a kindness and a wake-up call to consider the evidence for Jesus and the importance of the truth about God and us. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions, and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos, so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. Here's a playlist where I will add them as they come out: |
Sep 06, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 47)
01:44:15
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Sep 03, 2021 |
Why Mark's Gospel Has Such a Strange Ending: The Mark Series pt 70 (16:8)
01:38:30
I'm not exaggerating when I say that some skeptics, and even some Christians, and some scholars in both categories, will teach that if Mark ends his Gospel at 16:8 then it destroys Christianity as we know it. I think this is silly. But I also think it needs a response. After going through those over the top claims we will deal with the more subtle and thoughtful claims of those who say that there are internal and external reasons for thinking that Mark could not have meant for 16:8 to be the ending of his Gospel originally. All told I will walk through 7 specific claims against the shorter ending of Mark and give a case for how this seemingly strange ending is actually quite powerful and meant to cause us to sit with the massive implications of the death and resurrection of the Messiah, until we are stirred to action. This is the last video in the Mark Series. I have SO enjoyed doing this with you and appreciate your prayers for me to have wisdom as I seek to launch into future series and videos. Next up is a thorough study of women in ministry (that will probably take months to prep, sorry for the wait) and then I'll do a verse-by-verse teaching through the book of Hebrews, with the same sort of methods you've seen in the study of Mark. This is part 70 of the Mark Series - a thorough verse-by-verse study through the Gospel of Mark paying special attention to theology, apologetics, and historical context. Here's Kelley Iverson's article, "A Further Word on Final Gar": http://www.jstor.org/stable/43725642 The notes for many of my studies are also available for free on my website (as is all the content on my website). |
Aug 30, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 46)
01:30:07
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
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Aug 27, 2021 |
100+ hours of research. Is the longer ending of Mark authentic?: The Mark Series pt 69 (16:9-20)
02:09:44
Today's the day. I've spent weeks trying to dig deep on the debate of whether the last 12 verses of the Gospel of Mark are actually part of the Gospel of Mark. We will look at manuscript evidence, translations, church fathers, lectionaries, internal evidence from vocabulary and style, and consider the question of how all this weighs in on the fact that most Christians throughout time have had these 12 verses as their ending to Mark. I want to warn you of one issue that I slowly noticed in my research. Proponents of the vs. 8 ending (the short ending) have a habit of overstating their case and making some mistakes in accuracy while proponents of the longer ending have the same tendency, perhaps worse than the former. Yeah, this was hard to muddle through but I'll share with you my own confusion and eventual clarity on the issue. I hope that you find it clear, thorough, and edifying. I'm hoping today's video will not only answer your questions but serve as a good launching point for those who want to do more research on the topic. For that reason, I'm including several links here for you to consider looking into: This is a book where 4 scholars each build a case for their different views on the ending of Mark. It’s a good introduction into the issues of the debate even if no one scholar has the space to fully flesh out their case. Nicholas Lunn recently wrote a book offering a very detailed case that the longer ending was always part of Mark’s Gospel. At first, I found Lunn’s book to be really helpful in challenging the scholarly majority. But after spending a lot of time with it, I’ve come to think that his work causes more confusion than clarity on the topic. Uneven standards in how evidence is handled make his work difficult to read without leading to important misimpressions. Larry Hurtado offered three short reviews of Lunn’s book, all three at this link: James Snapp’s theory is that Mark wrote the longer ending but it was originally not part of the Gospel of Mark. It was taken from some other work from Mark and then added on to the end of the Gospel of Mark. He offers 5 different theories for why it is missing from some manuscripts. I respect Snapp’s tenacity, but I think his logic has regular logical problems. I mean no insult by this, I just want you to be prepared to think very carefully about what he says. His book, “Authentic: The Case for Mark 16:9-20,” is free here: The most helpful resource I found for dealing with the internal evidence in the longer ending of Mark is this article from Travis Williams: For those wanting to hear my verse-by-verse study of the longer ending of Mark, it’s here. It’s long, methodical, and shows that the passage doesn’t pose theological problems, even if it wasn’t written by Mark: For the 12th century Greek Codex 304, which is Byzantine in nature and ends Mark at 16:8, see the two links following; and you’ll need them because Snapp and Lunn have bad info on this and this is a really interesting piece of evidence showing not only a lack of the LE, but apparent debate on it from different owners of the codex! The text is viewable here: |
Aug 23, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 45)
01:18:17
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Aug 20, 2021 |
Clarity on Homosexuality and the Biblical Term "Abomination"
00:12:39
Is Leviticus just offering advice about medical health? Is it identifying homosexual acts as sinful, or just potentially unhealthy? Can we calmly and carefully try to understand the passage in context? I hope so. I think that the overall context of the passage makes its application pretty clear, and even though our current culture tends to misunderstand this as condemning certain kinds of people instead of certain kinds of behavior, we simply cannot be biblically faithful without standing our ground on this topic. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 18, 2021 |
How I Would Interpret The Longer Ending of Mark: The Mark Series pt 68 (16:9-20)
01:40:29
This passage is probably most well known because of its abuse by snake handling preachers in the United States. I will address that issue but it's far from the only important thing to talk about in these verses! Though the snake comments in the passage get a lot of attention from normal people, scholars are mostly interested in the question of whether the passage belongs in the Gospel of Mark at all. But, today I'm not answering the question of whether the last 12 verses of Mark are authentic or not. I'm just answering the question of how I would interpret the passage as it stands. Next week I'll deal with the complex issues related to whether the passage belongs in Mark in the first place. This is part 68 of the Mark Series, going verse-by-verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in Mark 16:9-20. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here: I have live videos Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 16, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 44)
01:37:01
Here’s the video on dealing with depression, which I mentioned during the stream: Taking live questions from the YT live chat! Every Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific time. While I don't pretend to know all the answers, I hope to offer some thoughts that will help you in the direction of thinking biblically about things. The BibleThinker mugs can be found here. I don't make any profit from these - they are made by a third party and $5 per mug will go to support different ministries I choose. My website: https://BibleThinker.org 1. 0:31 {Were Jesus’ Disciples Married?} Were Christ’s disciples married / did they have families? I believe there is a reference to Peter’s in-law, but I find it to be an interesting question. What would it be like for them? How would that fit with what the Lord tells us about the role of a husband/father? The love for God trumps all, so did that override their responsibilities as a husband/father? |
Aug 13, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 43)
01:36:13
Taking live questions from the YT live chat! Every Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific time. While I don't pretend to know all the answers, I hope to offer some thoughts that will help you in the direction of thinking biblically about things. The BibleThinker mugs can be found here. $5 per mug will go toward supporting different ministries I choose. For the time being, it's supporting refugees driven from their homes by ISIS. Here is Restoring Faith, the ministry helping refugees in the name of Christ: https://www.restoringfaithinc.org/ My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 06, 2021 |
If You Die Without Hearing About Jesus... What Happens Next?
00:04:25
I know you have questions about this. I hope this helps answer them. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos, so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 04, 2021 |
Why Skeptics Don't Think Jesus Was Buried But I Do: The Mark Series pt 67 (15:42-46)
01:19:33
They tell me that the internet is where religion goes to die, but they also tell me the internet is full of poor research and unreasonable arguments. We are going to get pretty technical today. Lots of different threads of evidence will be explained and drawn together to support the factuality of the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea. This may seem like it's not a big deal if you haven't recognized the evidential value of the burial and empty tomb for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus. I'll be drawing from the work of a number of different scholars (Craig Evans is particularly helpful) and responding to the work of Dr. Bart Ehrman, who has influenced countless people to reject the resurrection of Christ. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here: Here are resources I'll mention in the video: How Jesus Became God, by Bart Ehrman - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DB39V2Q/ How God Became Jesus, a response to Ehrman by 5 scholars: Article on chemical analysis of nails from Caiaphas' ossuary - "Petrochemistry of Sediment and Organic Materials Sampled from Ossuaries and Two Nails from the Tomb of the Family of the High Priest Caiaphas, Jerusalem": Jody Magness' article on why the archaeological data supports the historicity of the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea. "Ossuaries and the Burials of Jesus and James": I have live videos Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Aug 02, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 42)
01:40:55
1. 0:19 {Church Leader Living in Sin? Letter vs. Spirit} I am a young adult, still living in my parents' home. My father is the pastor of our small church. One of my siblings has leadership roles, but is living in sin (cohabitation). My father has talked with him, but hasn't taken any biblical action to remove him from leadership or from church. The elders don't see a need to do anything either. What should I do? (I'm the youngest and a daughter.) I was told I was taking the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. |
Jul 31, 2021 |
7 Lies Your Kids Will Believe Unless You Do Something - with Elizabeth Urbanowicz
01:16:59
This matters. These lies are being absorbed by youth in our culture and they are breaking their ability to think rationally and biblically faithfully. I HIGHLY recommend that parents check out Elizabeth's foundation worldview curriculum. It's a really good tool to train your kids (and yourself while you are at it) in how to think biblically about things. Since your kids are being exposed to worldly and unbiblical thinking all the time they are very likely to simply absorb it and assimilate it if they aren't given the tools to reason through the issues well. This is where Elizabeth's project comes in. You can have your kids do these classes once a week from home whenever it's convenient for you. I'm not making ANYTHING for telling you this. I think this is just a really needful program for Christian families in modern times. I know life is crazy busy for parents but I think this is one of those things that's worth your time and is really underpriced for the benefit it brings. Here is where you can learn more and sign up: https://foundationworldview.com/ My website, with the NEW search features that help you find exactly what you're looking for: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 27, 2021 |
20 Questions episode 41 (part 2 after internet issues)
01:04:02
This is the second part of today's stream. My internet dropped and then came back and I had to make a second video to finish things. Link to my 3 videos explaining textual variants and stuff related to why I don't think the story of the woman caught in adultery is originally part of John: Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: My website https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 24, 2021 |
20 Questions Episode 41 (part 1) see description for part two.
00:20:24
The rest of today's stream can be found here. Sorry, I had internet issues: https://youtu.be/r8biDmivVco Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: If you want a question answered live it must be submitted in the live chat after the stream starts (not before) and know that we always receive many more than I can answer so please give me grace if your question is not selected. You may try your question on the search feature on BibleThinker.org as well, since it's possible I have already answered it in another Q&A video. The NEW BibleThinker mugs can be found here. Made by a third party, I'm not making any money here, BUT $5 per mug will go toward to support different ministries I choose. This July it's supporting refugees driven from their homes by ISIS. https://www.zockollpottery.com/product-page/new-bible-thinker-mug Here is Restoring Faith, the ministry helping refugees in the name of Christ. https://www.restoringfaithinc.org/ My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 24, 2021 |
I Hear The Holy Spirit, So Why Do I Need The Bible?
00:02:38
If someone says this, you can know for sure that they are not hearing from the Holy Spirit. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. My website: https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 21, 2021 |
Rethinking The Women at The Empty Tomb: The Mark Series pt 66 (15:40-16:8)
00:54:44
It will be helpful for us to look at the account of the women finding the tomb of Jesus empty with fresh eyes. When we consider how embarrassing it was in 1st century culture to rely upon female witnesses, how important the idea of Jesus being physically raised was, and how impactful the claim of the empty tomb was, we find that what we have here is remarkable evidence for the trustworthiness of the Gospel accounts of women finding the tomb of Jesus empty after He was buried there. Add this to the rest of the evidence for the resurrection of Christ, and the case is quite powerful. What was considered and embarrassing fact of history back then is a wonderful piece of evidence from a modern historiographical perspective. In other words, it's true. This is part 66 of the Mark Series, going verse-by-verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in Mark 15:40-16:8. I have live videos Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. My website https://BibleThinker.org |
Jul 19, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 40)
01:25:42
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction |
Jul 16, 2021 |
Will my pet be in heaven?
00:07:10
I am by no means certain about my answer here but it does seem to be right based on my understanding of the passage in question. Initially when I was challenged to look at this passage more carefully I started to doubt that I had properly understood it in the past. But when I really examined it carefully I came to feel even more firmly about this interpretation. If any of you disagree then I hope you are right! Please feel free to share your reasons in the comments. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. Here's a playlist where I will add them as they come out. |
Jul 14, 2021 |
How An Atheist Scholar Misleads Millions Of People: The Mark Series pt 65 (15:34)
01:10:51
Bart Ehrman has convinced more people to reject the Christian faith than almost anyone alive today. But he has done so largely through being very misleading. I'm going to provide some solid examples of this as it relates to the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark because I think there is a lot of benefit in dealing with misleading claims about the Bible. I'm doing a lot of apologetics related stuff here at the end of this series on the Gospel of Mark and I hope you find it faith building and inspiring! Here's my teaching on Psalm 22 as an amazing passage that gives us good evidence that Jesus was prophesied ahead of time. https://youtu.be/eq8oaOix3rs This is part 65 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:53-72. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... The video clip I used from Bart Ehrman is from this debate he had with Craig Evans https://youtu.be/ZakwU4m9IJg I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. |
Jul 12, 2021 |
How I CURRENTLY Understand The Bible Saying "Women Be Silent In The Church"
00:12:32
I am totally open to changing my mind on this passage but I do currently think this is the right way to understand it and I didn't come to this opinion rashly. My research project on the topic of women in ministry and related issues is going to start once I'm done teaching through the Gospel of Mark (probably less than two months from now) and I hope I can offer real clarity on all this stuff. I know how important the issue is and how important it is that we strip away confusion and truly follow what God is telling us. |
Jul 09, 2021 |
Necromancy in the Bible: The Witch of Endor
00:05:34
There's a passage in the Bible that, according to some, shows necromancy working in the real world. Here are my thoughts on what we can learn about the legitimacy of necromancy from this text. Anti-supernaturalists would deny it and sensationalists might want to use it to say too much. But I will offer my own theory as to what was going on when the witch at Endor was used to try to access Samuel after he died and Samuel actually showed up! This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. |
Jul 04, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 39)
01:17:33
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Jul 02, 2021 |
Why Does the Bible Call Jesus "Firstborn"? Does It Mean He's Not God?
00:04:12
If you encounter a cult that denies the deity of Christ, they WILL quote this verse. Here's a quick analysis of why Jesus is called "firstborn" in Colossians 1:15. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. |
Jun 30, 2021 |
Controversies and Biblical Clarity on Baptism
00:59:47
Time Stamp Map I did this interview 3 years ago on The Remnant Radio program. Here's a link to their channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC31RZ-b3D1w452JLuzLVl4Q |
Jun 29, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 38)
01:19:43
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Jun 26, 2021 |
The Jewishness of Passover Refutes Transubstantiation
00:05:19
After this interview I was thinking about the possibility of other examples where Jesus uses a present physical object in a purely symbolic sense and I think we do have some. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well He told her that she should ask Him for water, and while there was physical water present the real point Jesus is making is that she needs non-physical water which is representative of new life in the Holy Spirit. Jesus also manifested bread for the crowd but told them that this was food that perishes and they need food that gives everlasting life. He goes on to show that this food is belief in Jesus. Even in the favorite passage for those who promote transubstantiation (John 6) Jesus adds the clarity/commentary that the flesh profits nothing and the Spirit gives life. This is not merely saying the word "spirit" means "symbolism"; rather it is saying that "spirit" is not "flesh" and cannot be interpreted to mean "my physical body being eaten by you". A whole lot more can and should be said about all this but I hope that the above answer will be seen as offering strong support simply for the fact that the Jewish context of the Last Supper is such that we should conclude symbolic meaning in the act and not transubstantiation. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. I'm Mike Winger and my goal is to help you learn to think biblically about everything!
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Jun 21, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 37)
01:36:01
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: |
Jun 18, 2021 |
I Had to Vote on a Medical Ethics Committee on Whether to Pull the Plug
00:03:33
For anyone who finds this video too short... here's my much longer video on the topic of suicide. https://youtu.be/T6nlUhWJe00 Please share your thoughts (hopefully in a gracious manner) in the comments below. These are tough topics. Do you think I'm right about seeing suicide and euthanasia as fundamentally different situations from having a DNR or pulling the plug on life support under certain dire conditions? |
Jun 17, 2021 |
Should you be baptized in a church you don’t agree with?
00:02:52
This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set.
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Jun 16, 2021 |
Jesus' Cross Defended Historically and Theologically: The Mark Series pt 64 (15:15-39)
01:54:56
On one side we have skeptics who want to easily dismiss much of the biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion. On the other side we have "progressive Christian" teachers who want to take away essential theological truths about the meaning of the cross of Christ. I'm tackling all of that today. I find it genuinely intimidating to be speaking on the topic of the death of our Lord, since I don't know how any man could do true justice to the glory and horror of the cross, but I pray that God uses this to bless you and draw you closer to Him. This is part 64 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:53-72. |
Jun 14, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 36)
01:28:10
0:00 - Introduction |
Jun 11, 2021 |
Is it too late for me?
00:04:13
This clip is taken from my weekly Q&A video, which happens live at 1pm pacific time on Fridays. Several people reached out to tell me this particular answer was helpful to them so I decided to cut it out and make it into it's own video in the hopes that it would bless you. |
Jun 10, 2021 |
How I Respond to King James Only Christians
00:03:26
You may be interested in my 3 part video series on what the original manuscripts of the Bible really say and how reliable our modern translations are. You can watch it here for only $29.99! Just kidding, all my stuff is free. Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WclIZwBFhq0&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuzJhPtmrgqpVoXhjvqiIjW |
Jun 09, 2021 |
6 MAJOR Religious Groups Compared to Biblical Christianity with Mike Winger
02:11:57
Can you believe in Christ and NOT Be a Christian? Join Mike Winger and I as we break down 6 MAJOR religious groups that ALL claim to believe in Jesus and compare them to Biblical Christianity. These six major groups, if not careful, can make you think that what they believe is the same as what you believe. Mike Winger and I will break down some of the similarities and differences of these six groups as we compare them against Biblical Christianity. TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Opening remarks |
Jun 08, 2021 |
Skeptics Say "No" to Barabbas and Pilate: The Mark Series pt 63 (15:1-15)
01:16:54
Skeptics claim that Barabbas was invented by the Gospels for symbolic purposes. Skeptics say that Pilate would never have given in to the requests of the Jewish leaders to crucify Jesus. Skeptics say that Pilate would not have released prisoners, like Barabbas or Jesus, for the Passover feast. I'll be answering all that today! Whether you are joining me for the live stream or watching afterward I hope and pray that this will be a blessing to you and increase your confidence in the truth of Scripture and the love of God for all people. This is part 63 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:53-72. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. |
Jun 07, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 35)
01:26:37
0:00 - Introduction |
Jun 04, 2021 |
The Best Bible Version May Depend on Your Education Level
00:07:34
These are my tips on Bible versions as well as where to read depending on what's going on in your life. Please share your recommendations in the comments as well! |
Jun 02, 2021 |
The Theology of the Holy Spirit Explained and Defended
01:18:14
Can we prove the Holy Spirit is a person and not just an "active force" as the Jehovah's Witnesses claim? Here's my study on what the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is. https://youtu.be/KmCHX8-2Smo I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. |
May 31, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 34)
01:43:05
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 1. 0:52 {Offering Counsel in Difficult Situations} I’m in a master's program with Liberty University for clinical mental health counseling. During our training, we were asked how we would handle certain difficult situations, such as if a LGBTQ couple would request help strengthening their relationship, or request help advocating for adoption rights, or advocating for trans. people. Can you please give me some biblical principles to follow, to help me counsel these people in a caring way without condoning unbiblical behavior? |
May 28, 2021 |
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
00:09:04
The Bible turns out to use this term to mean something very different than what I was originally taught. The "baptism of the Spirit" is not a secondary experience that Christians have after salvation, it is something that happens to everyone who is saved, when they believe. This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set. I'm Mike Winger and my goal is to help you learn to think biblically about everything! I go live every Monday and Friday at 1pm. Monday is usually a vs by vs teaching and Friday is a live Q&A where I take questions from the live chat on YT. |
May 27, 2021 |
Jesus Is Prophesied in the Book of Proverbs
00:49:04
How Proverbs 30:1-4 is a prophecy about Jesus. Here's my whole playlist on How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWlpQauXiTU&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHsHyvMtfgOgSPU6zEnCvxUO I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. |
May 24, 2021 |
Everything Wrong With The Passion Translation in Colossians
02:20:31
0:00 Why this matters Dr. Brad Bitner's academia profile https://wscal.academia.edu/BradBitner Here's every video and paper in The Passion Project (including Alex's paper) https://biblethinker.org/index.php/the-passion-translation |
May 20, 2021 |
How Jesus Used His Trial To Teach Christology: The Mark Series pt 62 (14:53-72)
01:20:24
Mark is one of the favorite books of skeptics of Christianity. They will sometimes say that it has "low Christology" (a low view of who Jesus was) and suggest that this is evidence that belief in the deity of Christ came not from Jesus and the apostles teachings but from other people "developing" Christianity afterward. Others will claim that orthodox Christian teaching about how Jesus died on the cross to suffer the just punishment of our sins so that we could be forgiven, as an atoning sacrifice, is an invention of Christians coming centuries after the time of Christ and the apostles. One of the reasons I love the book of Mark is because a careful study of it shows that all of those claims are false. In today's study we will look at Jesus on trial before the high priest and we'll see that there are two major lessons that Jesus wants to teach everyone about the nature of the Messiah. The Messiah is divine and the Messiah must suffer and die for the sins of others. Not only do these two teachings refute how some have distorted the Gospel of Mark, these teachings are actually central to the whole Gospel. They come at the climax of Mark's message and they reveal that the divine nature and the atoning work of the Messiah are absolutely essential in the Gospel of Mark. I love this stuff! This is part 62 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:53-72. |
May 17, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 33)
01:27:21
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference 0:00 - Introduction 1. 1:04 {The Gospel of Thomas} Do you have any thoughts about the "Gospel of Thomas"? 2. 9:55 {Can Denominations Substitute Baptism?} Is it within biblical "freedom" for a denomination like the Salvation Army to replace water baptisms with wearing a uniform instead, and to not practice communion regularly, as well? 3. 12:29 {Is God Truly Impartial?} How is God impartial when He makes some people with disabilities and some normal, when some people are born into abject poverty while some are born into riches, and gives some people a relatively easy life and others a miserable life? 4. 18:10 {How Should we Define “Fruit”?} How do we practically use Matthew 7: 15-20 to discern? People often define fruit as whatever they’d like. Some call being “drunk in the Spirit” good fruit, some say telling people to repent is judgey and bad fruit. 5. 25:55 {About being Born Again & Indwelling} Jesus said unless you are born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Does Luke 13: 28 imply that “born again” doesn't mean “indwelt by the Spirit” since that wasn't possible until Jesus came? 6. 30:20 {Psalm 51 – Were Sacrifices Optional?} In Psalm 51: 16-17, it talks about God not wanting sacrifices/burnt offerings. Does this mean those were optional, or is it just talking about the person’s heart in giving? 7. 36:56 {Bible Contradiction about Demon Possession?} In Luke 9:1, Jesus gives the twelve "power and authority over all the demons." And in Luke 9: 40, a man tells Jesus the disciples could not cast out the demon possessing his son. Is this a contradiction? 8. 40:17 {About the Book of Ezekiel} What are your thoughts and opinions on Ezekiel 38- 39, as well as what it may mean for us? 9. 44:26 {Overcoming Alcoholism Biblically} How do you help a fellow Christian (including your spouse) deal and overcome alcoholism biblically? 10. 50:48 {Why are Bystanders Sometimes Killed in Scripture?} Why were the families of people who broke the law like Achan killed with their families? Why were they not killed alone? 11. 52:45 {Why Wasn’t Daniel w/Shad./Mesh./&Abed.?} Where was Daniel when the 3 Hebrew young men were thrown into the fire? 12. 55:06 {How to Think Biblically about Exorcisms} I was wondering about how a modern Christian would deal with demonic activity. You only see in movies priests doing exorcisms, but what would a pastor do if this was happening today? 13. 57:04 AND 1:20:59 {About William Webb’s Hermeneutics} What do you think of William Webb's "Redemptive Movement" model for hermeneutics? My pastor is embracing it, but it seems almost heretical to me. 14. 57:42 {About Intercessory Prayer} Is intercessory prayer a spiritual gift, possibly within the spiritual gift of faith that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12:9)? Any knowledge you have on intercessory prayer is appreciated! 15. 1:01:23 {About Church Membership Classes} What are your thoughts on churches that require classes and interviews before becoming a member? I think we should be actively involved in a church, but it seems like steps that aren’t biblical. 16. 1:04:33 {Witnessing to LDS Members} What's the best way to respond to LDS friends who say "in the beginning" means only the beginning of "OUR world," and say then it's possible that Jesus was created before He created all things "here"? 17. 1:08:41 {Overcoming Pornography / Accountability} I’m getting married in 2 weeks and am hit with doubts and worries that my struggle with porn will lead into my marriage. My fiancé knows about it. Do you have any advice? 18. 1:12:10 {Would Jesus have Died of Old Age?} Since Jesus never sinned, would he NOT have died of old age eventually (if he hadn’t been crucified), or would he have? 19. 1:14:34 {About the Mosaic Law} How would you explain 1 John 3:4 (sin is transgression of the law) to someone trying to convin |
May 14, 2021 |
The Religious Beliefs of the Black Hebrew Israelites - with Vocab Malone
01:38:44
Who are they and what do they believe? How do you reach them with the gospel of Christ? What is going on with the Black Hebrew Israelites and their sudden rise in power. I invited Vocab Malone to talk to us about this group because he has spent countless hours not only researching the BHI but also interacting with them and helping deliver people from the false teachings they have fallen under.
This is Vocab Malone's YT channel https://www.youtube.com/user/vocabmalone
Here's my series on the Hebrew Roots movement. It gives a ton of info for the issue of Torah observant teachings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR7xTYhXEbo&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuOD_BytSxbejzCnGPOcgFw
I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
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May 10, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 32)
01:32:35
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:56 {Sharing the Gospel/Unsaved Loved Ones} How do you share the Gospel to people with unsaved loved ones who have already passed? (Accepting it to be true would mean accepting that their loved ones are in hell.)
2. 6:31 {What does “Turn the Other Cheek” Mean?} In the Bible, it says to “turn the other cheek.” Does that mean no one is supposed to be punished, except by God? (Meaning we shouldn't have prisons or protect ourselves and loved ones.)
3. 14:07 {About Adam’s Sin Nature/Original Sin} Does Psalm 51:5 teach that we inherit the guilt of Adam's sin, not just his sin nature?
4. 23:49 {Unity When We Disagree Politically} There is a lot of contempt within the body of Christ across the political aisle. How can there be genuine unity with those who differ so greatly in thinking when it comes to things like abortion or BLM?
5. 29:36 {How can I Better Support my Pastor?} Aside from tithing and prayer, what are good ways to support my pastor? Would it be weird to send an email each week thanking him for the sermon? I have a social disorder, so I’m always unsure.
6. 34:10 {Bible Study Resource Recommendations?} Do you know of any good Bible Study resources for a group with no teacher, only facilitators?
7. 35:40 {When to “Shake the Dust from our Feet”} At what point are we to "shake off the dust from our feet" as mentioned in Matthew 10: 14 when trying to witness to friends, strangers, loved ones, etc.?
8. 42:53 {God of the Living AND the Dead?} In Mark 12: 27, Jesus says God is the God of the living, not the dead; yet in Roman 14:9, Paul says He is the God of the living and the dead. How do I reconcile this?
9. 48:06 {Should we Ask Qs while Reading Scripture?} Does God want us to ask Him questions and look for the answers in Scripture, even if the Bible does not specifically deal with the question?
10. 50:06 {Historical Evidence for God’s Judgments?} Is there any historical evidence for any of the prophets of the old testament or for any judgments God pronounced on people?
11. 52:26 {Is the Parable of the Talents Works Based?} How do you separate the Parable of the Talents from a works-based Salvation?
12. 59:06 {About Jewish Interpretation} What's your take on Jewish interpretive methods for Scripture such as Gematria (Matthew 1: 17, Revelation 13: 18) or the Hebrew alphabet and pictographic symbolism? (Psalm 119: 73 for example) "Yod" = Hand, etc.
13. 1:06:17 {About the 10 Plagues of Egypt} How long did the 10 plagues of Egypt last? Were these consecutive events?
14. 1:06:52 {Women are the “Glory” of Man?} I'm studying 1 Corinthians 11, and I'm really struggling with verse 7. It says the woman is the “glory” of the man. What’s your opinion what this glory means?
15. 1:09:28 {Why Didn’t the Father Send Jesus Earlier?} Why didn’t God simply use the “new” covenant right away (meaning, why didn’t He just send Jesus much earlier in the world’s history)?
16. 1:14:00 {Contradicting Genealogies?} Why are the genealogies of Jesus different in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke?
17. 1:15:42 {What is the Purpose of the Christian Life?} If a non-Christian asked you “What is the purpose of life as a Christian?” what would you say, and what Scriptures would you use as a reference?
18. 1:19:16 {Does God Make Mistakes?} How can I help my Christian friend trust God? He reads the OT and thinks God keeps making mistakes and tries to fix them (snake in garden, Noah's flood). He doesn't trust Heaven will be better.
19. 1:23:04 {How to Overcome Nervousness in Prayer} Why do I feel nervous to pray? I want to but it feels unnatural to me.
20. 1:25:21 {The Deity of the Holy Spirit} I was wondering if the Bible mentions that the Holy Spirit was in the beginning with God the Father and the Son, and where is the Holy Spirit said to be God?
The NEW BibleThinker mugs can be found here. These are made by a third party and I'm not making any money off of them BUT $5 per mug will go toward to supp
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May 07, 2021 |
Jesus Dreaded The Cross: The Mark Series pt 61 (14:32-52)
01:38:49
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this passage of the Gospel of Mark records Jesus' most intense, emotional low point, full of agony, and absolute dread. Theological liberals will sometimes distort the agony of Christ in this passage while conservatives have sometimes minimized it. In fact, I would say that it has been radically minimized in history, to the point of us missing the main thrust of what is happening here. In addition to the horror and beauty of the moment where Jesus stands alone, the only faithful one, going to die for the world at great personal cost and pain, we have a lot of absolutely WONDERFUL theological insights from the Psalms, Jonah and parallels with the Garden of Eden that give me chills!
I can't wait to share it all with you!
This is part 61 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:32-52.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
Here's the 6 video series I mentioned offering a theological, historical, philosophical and rhetorical defense of Penal Substitutionary Atonement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4bTHScjdEo&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHttVR0rkvhBfA-IKrg5SGcp
This is the article about the very recent discovery of a ritual bath from Jesus' time that works well with the idea that olive production was happening in the Garden of Gethsemane during the 1st century. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ancient-ritual-bath-may-mark-first-new-testament-era-find-at-jesus-gethsemane/
I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
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May 03, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 31)
01:29:25
Here’s my video on “the priesthood of all believers” https://youtu.be/fi0a94fbAoc
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 1:08 [What does Paul Mean by “The Faith”?] In Ephesians 4:7-16, what exactly does Paul mean by “the faith”? How does the Church attain to this unity, why is the Church so apparently lacking in unity, and why are so few believers participating?
2. 10:31 [About Stephen, Terah, & Abraham] Why does Stephen mention that Abraham's father Terah died before Abraham left his home (in Haran) in Acts 7:4? That seems to contradict Genesis 11: 26 and 11: 32 which say that Terah became the father of Abraham (then called Abram) by the time he was 70 and Terah died in Haran at the age of 205. This means that Stephen is saying Abraham was 135 when he left Haran, but Genesis 12:4 says he was (only) 75 when he set out from Haran.
3. 12:43 [Do You Have any Favorite Teachers?] What is your opinion of the written works of Emanuel Swedenborg, Watchman Nee, and Charles Spurgeon? Please share your favorite teachers.
4. 14:28 [Is Dancing a Sin?] Why do people think that dancing is a sin? Is there a biblical basis to this, or is this legalistic/unnecessary?
5. 19:38 [Should We Ask for Signs from God?] When we pray for direction from God, should we ask for specific signs to guide us or confirm God's will (similar to Gideon and the fleece) when the answer isn't clear to us?
6. 27:24 [Overcoming Laziness] PLEASE give me tips on how to overcome laziness! I work very hard at work but get literally nothing done around the house when I get home. Feel free 2 be harsh. I need it. Thanks!
7. 29:45 [Why did Jesus call Judas “Friend”?] In Matthew 26: 50, Jesus calls Judas "friend" as He is betrayed. Was Jesus being sarcastic at such a dire moment? The Greek word ἑταῖρος (hetairos) is used only by Matthew (11:16; 20:13; 22:12; 26:50).
8. 32:47 [Why Doesn’t God Fully Reveal Himself?] Why does God not appear physically and audibly speak to everyone? I know some people that He does this with, but what makes them so special? Would it not get rid of all unbelief if He did?
9. 39:14 [About Jewish Forgiveness/Atonement] How do Jews today obtain forgiveness for sin without the temple and sacrificial system in place?
10. 43:46 [About Psalm 82] Who are the “gods” in Psalm 82?
11. 50:10 [About the Big Bang Theory] Should Christians believe in the Big Bang? My brother says it isn’t biblical because the Big Bang Theory includes light, and God created light after the creation of the Earth.
12. 57:06 [About Modalism / Discussing the Trinity] How do I lovingly witness to my husband raised Oneness Pentecostal? Discussing the Trinity, he gets angry. Tongues, falling out, etc…he says I just don't get it because I haven't experienced it.
13. 1:00:18 [How to Summarize the Gospel] How do you summarize the Gospel when you are sharing it in conversation (e.g. with a stranger on the street or with someone from a different religion)?
14. 1:02:53 [How does the HS Speak?] How does the Holy Spirit speaks to me personally? I've left a hyper-charismatic church and am confused.
15. 1:06:24 [Why did God Choose to Die?] Why did God choose to die to redeem our sin? Does the Bible mention His motives for this method? Is this to show His power over death, or is there another reason?
16. 1:08:23 [Did Jesus get Tricked by Demons?] In the account of the demoniac at Gerasene, did Jesus make the swine run down the steep embankment and into the sea, therefore tricking the demons? Or did the demons somehow trick Jesus?
17. 1:15:05 [About Marriage Documentation] Due to the Coronavirus, me and my fiancé haven't had a chance to get documentally (or even in church) married (he's in another country right now). We behave as if we were, almost in everything. Is it justified?
18. 1:17:23 [How to Overcome Gluttony] How do I avoid gluttony? Should I stay within a strict calorie limit, or is that too legalistic?
19. 1:21:57 [About the “Priesthood of Believers”] I'm a Lat
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Apr 30, 2021 |
How To Test Your Faith: The Mark Series Pt 60 (14:26-31)
01:07:02
Peter said He would rather die with Jesus than deny Him. Then he denied Him. What about you? What about me? This passage of Scripture has many lessons for us in theology and apologetics but what stands out to me the most is the lesson of how suffering and confusion test out faith in such a dramatic way.
This is a link to the entire Mark series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark looking for theological, historical, apologetic and practical insights. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
I go live every Monday and Friday at 1pm pacific time, if my internet is working! haha
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Apr 26, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 30)
01:30:47
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:23 [Movies/Shows Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain] There is so much debate going on among me, my family, and friends regarding watching movies or TV shows that use the Lord’s name in vain. Like saying “Oh my G…” or when they get angry and say “J..C...” Could you shed some light on this, please? Is there anything in the bible that tells us if it’s wrong or right to watch these movies even if we ourselves don’t use the Lord’s name in vain?
2. 8:30 [Are We Free from the Enemy’s Power?] In one of your videos, you said some things have been provided on the cross but not fully finished. One of them was being free from the Enemy’s power. Isn't that finished? (Colossians 1: 13, Acts 26: 18)
3. 14:55 [Question about Priesthoods] Could you please explain the difference between the Aaronic, Levitical, and Melchizedekian priesthoods?
4. 21:09 [Understanding OT Commands for Death] How does one justify God's directive to kill all the Amalekites, specifically the children, and even infants in 1 Samuel 15:3?
5. 27:24 [Should good teachers teach w/false teachers?] What would be your opinion on pastors with sound doctrine who share stages with false prophets? Will they be considered guilty by association?
6. 30:08 [About God’s Discipline/Correction] Hebrews 12:5-6 quotes Proverbs 3: 11-12. Why does the end of v. 6 say “scourge,” not “correct”? I get the first part, but to say God brutally whips EVERY believer “sounds” like a misquote. What does it imply?
8. 36:36 [About Sin and Death] James 1:15 ends with "…and sin, when full-grown, brings forth death." If we are in Christ, what does he mean by “death”? Is he speaking about unbelievers? Any insight to this verse would be helpful!
9. 41:54 [Growing Closer to the Holy Spirit] I'm struggling with trusting and wanting Christ. How do you stop keeping the Holy Spirit at an arm's length distance, spiritually?
10. 44:48 [Does Luke teach “Purgatory”?] Does Luke 12: 44-48 teach Purgatory? There are 4 servants: The faithful, the one sent to unbelievers, and then two others that only receive punishment, not casting out.
11. 52:00 [Is Nudity in Art o.k. for Christians?] A lot of classical art has nudity in it, like the statue of David. How should Christians approach this art? Is it o.k. to like it, or to make art similar to it?
12. 54:38 [About OT Law & Morality] I am having trouble understanding the morality of Deuteronomy 22: 28-29. Some say it is consensual, but this contradicts 2 Samuel 13: 14-16. How do you interpret and justify the morality of this law?
13. 1:01:56 [A Biblical View of Self-Worth] We are talking about self-worth in a young ladies group and I wanted to ask, “What is the biblical view of self-worth?”
14. 1:06:10 [Overcoming the Sin of Pride] How do you deal with pride? I find it paradoxical; I often get proud of how humble I am when I notice my pride, thus leading to more pride. It just goes into an infinite regress of layers of pride.
15. 1:08:08 [Loving our Neighbor During Quarantine Times] In what ways can we love our neighbor and live lives that honor God in times like these, when many of us can't congregate and instead spend a lot of time at home?
16. 1:10:04 [About “Jesus Ben Ananias”] What do you think about the claim that Jesus Christ was based off of Jesus Ben Ananias in Josephus’ Jewish War?
17. 1:15:25 [Drawing Close to God when it Feels Difficult] I have felt cut off from the Lord. When I pray, I wonder if I am talking to myself and if everything I hold dear is wishful thinking. Why won't God help me when I am crying out to Him?
18. 1:21:17 [About Military Service / Self-Defense] Is a will to fight for this country in opposition to a faith in Jesus? Furthermore, is there provision in Scripture for self-preservation from things such as home invasion, foreign threats, etc.?
19. 1:23:15 [Did Jesus Lie?] Why does it seem like Jesus lied to His brothers in John 7:8-10?
20. 1:26:12 [Christian vs. Non-Christian
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Apr 23, 2021 |
Asking Mike Winger Those Controversial Questions
01:13:10
0:00 - Introduction
1. 5:55 What are your thoughts on divorce and remarriage for Christians? Is it biblical?
2. 15:33 What are your thoughts about the Covid vaccine, and about following other government mandates or laws?
3. 22:52 What do you think of women in positions of Christian leadership?
4. 24:39 Is it o.k. for Christians to live in prosperity? How prosperous is too prosperous for a Christian, when it comes to possessions? Should Christians sell all that they have?
5. 29:05 How can we share the gospel to gay friends? Do you believe there is such a thing as a "gay Christian" that continues to act on their temptations? If someone is currently in a gay marriage, should they divorce, or stay committed to the marriage?
6. 44:01 What does Pastor Mike think about Nate and Sutton’s channel?
7. 45:47 Why do we worship on Sundays when the 10 Commandments talk about the Sabbath and even Jesus kept the Sabbath?
8. 49:49 What is your perspective on the practice of speaking in tongues? Is that gift for today? And what do you think about people who say if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the Holy Spirit?
9. 54:57 When it comes to our giving, is there a specific percentage Christians are supposed to tithe or give?
10. 1:02:37 How did Satan have the ability to sin before the fall, and how did sin come to exist?
11. 1:05:21 Why should we pray for unbelievers to be saved when God already has His “Elect” chosen?
Here's Nate and Sutton's channel. I had a great time with them but also think that they have valuable content that is helping people know and follow Christ. Check them out! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdY3Sgxm_ay3bu_lk70zL0w
This is my exhaustive video on divorce and remarriage. If you really want help on this I recommend you patiently watch it all and prayerfully consider it. https://youtu.be/N2pC6ZikbYo
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Apr 22, 2021 |
Brought To You By "Progressive Christianity"
01:00:21
The best selling book "A Rhythm of Prayer" has a number of prayers, including one that asks God to help you hate white people. Let's analyze this prayer because it's not only wrong on the surface, it's a rather clever way to get us to embrace the very unbiblical views of Critical Race Theory, racial guilt and to replace a biblical value of impartiality and oneness in Christ with one of sectarian power dynamics.
We will look at the prayer as well as the justification that the author offers for it. It might surprise you to find out that there is a real worldview behind it. It probably won't surprise you to find out that it's not consistent with Jesus.
Here's my video on Critical Race Theory with Neil Shenvi. Please watch it in full before judging it. We are serious about these issues and want to be biblical in how we handle them.
Here's a link to the prayer in full https://drchanequa.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/prayer-weary-black-woman.pdf
- Please note that Dr. Chanequa, the author of the prayer, is the one who made it freely available online. This is why I feel it's ok to share the whole thing with you.
Dr. Chanequa's defense of her prayer is here. If you reach out to her, do so with the love of Christ seasoning your words. https://drchanequa.wordpress.com/2021/04/08/prayer-of-a-weary-black-woman/
The book, Rhythm of Prayer, is here. https://www.amazon.com/Rhythm-Prayer-Collection-Meditations-Renewal/dp/0593137213
I have live videos every Monday and Friday at 1pm Pacific Time. Monday is a Bible study and Friday is a Q&A.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
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Apr 19, 2021 |
Relearning The Last Supper: The Mark Series pt 59 (14:12-26)
01:27:04
I remember the first time I read through this passage. I definitely missed out on MOST of the wonderful stuff that is in here for us to enjoy. But even after years of studying the Bible I think it's easy to miss out on some of the subtle and powerful truths hidden in the text. Jesus' last supper is something "everyone knows" and, I would like to suggest that assumption of knowledge is causing many of us to miss out on the beauty and brilliance of this famous event.
This is part 59 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:12-26.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
Here's my video on how Jesus fulfilled Passover... it's pretty amazing how intricately God laid out the symbolism! https://youtu.be/tbwylmj26SU
Here's a teaching on Jesus fulfilling Isaiah 53, which He alludes to in Mark 14 as well. https://youtu.be/Ng0HMOs7ky0
This is my favorite series ever! How to find Jesus in the Old Testament. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHsHyvMtfgOgSPU6zEnCvxUO
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
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Apr 12, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 29)
01:26:53
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:20 {Should We Obey the Sabbath?} What exactly does Jesus mean in Matthew 12:1-8 when He says we must obey His commands? Do we receive special rewards for obeying the sabbath, and are we jeopardized for not obeying the sabbath?
2. 7:09 {Are Unwanted Bad Thoughts from the Enemy?} I struggle a lot with bad thoughts popping into my head out of nowhere. I'm kind of horrified and I don't agree with them! Is it possible that they can come from the Enemy?
3. 12:19 {About the Local Church} What is a local church and how should one be started? Many teach that it should be a plant under the authority of an existing church, but is that a biblical mandate?
4. 16:09 {How to Rest in God’s Presence} How should we as Christians rest in the presence of the Lord? Is there anything you do to be connected to Him throughout the day?
5. 20:35 {How Could Judas Betray Jesus} Does Hebrews 6:4-6 apply to Judas Iscariot? How else could Judas betray Jesus even after he had "been enlightened" and "tasted of the heavenly gift" and had "partaken of the Holy Spirit"?
6. 28:00 {Refuting “Universal Salvation} How do you square Romans 5: 18 and 1 Corinthians 15: 22 (among others) with 2 Thessalonians 1:9 and Matthew 25: 46 (among others) regarding the issue of universal salvation?
7. 32:10 {Do Online Church Services Violate Hebrews 10?} How absolute is the instruction in Hebrews 10: 25 about "meeting together"? Are churches who go online-only due to COVID and/or government rules failing to live up to it?
8. 37:41 {Why did Command Killing Instead of Moving People?} In the Old Testament, I struggle with why God has Israel kill thousands of people to take the promised land, rather than just driving them out or trying to convert them.
9. 45:12 {Why was Zacharias Disciplined but Not Mary?] In Luke 1: 18 & 34, both Zacharias & Mary questioned Gabriel when he told them of their future offspring. So why was Zacharias disciplined for his question, but not Mary?
10. 49:16 {Does God Ever Stop Forgiving?} Can we anger God to the point where He never forgives?
11. 51:26 {Advice for Agnostics Seeking God} I am agnostic, trying to believe. How would you recommend someone should approach this? I am reading though the Bible – I started with John as some recommend, but my heart hasn't changed yet. Any advice?
12. 55:28 {About “Total Depravity”} How do you read 1 Peter 1:3 in light of your rejection of the doctrine of Total Depravity?
13. 58:15 {About Justification, Sanctification, & sin} Can someone be justified without being sanctified? In other words, can someone live a lifestyle of habitual sin and still be saved?
14. 1:03:30 {About the “Mandela Effect”} This is purely hypothetical, but: How would you respond to the suggestion that the disciples’ confidence in the resurrection was produced by the Mandela Effect?
15. 1:06:08 {Do Non-Believers get Physical Bodies Back?} Do the non-believers who have died or will die get their physical bodies back at the final judgment? I know we will, but does Scripture mention this about those who reject Christ?
16. 1:09:55 {About Peter & Satan – Was Satan Divided?} Jesus says to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" when Peter tries to rebuke Him from dying in Jerusalem, but "Satan entered into [Judas]" leading him to betray Jesus. Was Satan "divided against himself"?
17. 1:11:44 {About Fear of Kids Rejecting Christ} A friend is afraid to have kids because she’s afraid they’ll reject Jesus. She would feel guilty for having them if they went to Hell and doesn’t want to take that chance. How should I respond?
18. 1:13:44 {About Old Testament Scholarship} What is your take on scholarship that attempts to alter our common understanding of the Old Testament by questioning the translations or our understanding of the culture?
19. 1:17:06 {Does Jesus Directly Say He is “Son of Man”?} In the Gospel of Mark, since Jesus talked about the Son of Man in the third person, that me
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Apr 09, 2021 |
When Your “Progressive Christian” Heresy Is Really, Really Clever
00:37:44
Since Brandan Robertson has accused me of editing his clips to take him out of context here is a link to the full teaching on “Truth” that I got the clips from. The teaching portion begins at about 37 minutes in. You can see for yourself that I haven’t done that. https://vimeo.com/257414376
Here’s the video where Brandan makes this rather odd and baseless claim. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeaj3R3H/
He also said that I don’t want people to ask questions. Which is a great time to remind you of my weekly Friday Q&A! See you there!
Sometimes it's helpful to examine a theological car accident. Brandan, or any of those who share his views, I have no bitterness toward you and hope that one day we can look at the Bible together and see the same Jesus.
Most of the other video content I used can be found on Brandan Robertson's web site. Just match the background of the video to find whichever one you are looking for. http://www.brandanrobertson.com/audio-video-1
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Apr 06, 2021 |
When You Throw Jesus Under the Bus For Your Social Agenda
00:43:44
I know, I said this was going to be a shorter video but after having looked at hours of misleading teaching from Brandan Robertson I decided to dig a bit deeper.
Here are some links that may interest you.
My original teaching on the passage in Mark where Jesus says "dogs" https://youtu.be/DJZ7zmL2eyc
My video on Critical Race Theory (I think this one is pretty important) https://youtu.be/yHvJx-rBYKo
Reverend Brandan Robertson's original TikTok video saying Jesus repented of racism. https://www.tiktok.com/@revbrandanrobertson/video/6936268413010464005?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v3&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6940438139509196294
Dr. Miguel De La Torre's original teaching video where he offers his Latinx version of Jesus https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1131187867072318&ref=watch_permalink
This next link is a tough one, it has Brandan and Miguel in conversation, trying to defend their views. I considered covering it all in detail but it is so chock full of misinformation (I really mean it, almost everything Miguel claims is not true and many of their answers are ignoring the real issues at hand) that I decided not to address all of it. You are welcome to watch it but please know that he is wrong on history, wrong on 1st century culture, wrong on Greek, wrong on Anselm and how the early Christians viewed Jesus, wrong on the nature of sin and complicity and almost never right at all. You all know me, I never use such strong words, I'm really not exaggerating here. https://youtu.be/s3DHktBCt1E
Why do I share links with such terrible content? Because I want to equip you to think biblically about things and not to try to control what you can and can't listen to. You should be able to see that I have not misrepresented these guys but have honestly dealt with misinformation and spiritually dangerous teachings.
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Mar 30, 2021 |
"The Poor You Will Always Have With You": The Mark Series pt 58 (14:1-11 again)
01:13:40
I have often heard this passage used in ways that I don't think it was ever intended to be. In this study we are going through the anointing of Jesus by Mary, but unlike last time where we handled a rather complex set of questions about how this passage supposedly shows irreconcilable contradiction in the Gospels we are now looking at this passage to learn what we can from it in the way of answering a few questions. Why did Jesus say we would always have the poor with us? Does that mean we don't need to give money to the poor? What about those who say that taking care of the poor is the job of the Church and not the government (a phrase I have heard on the lips of pastors many times)? Why was Jesus anointed with oil for burial? What symbolic meaning is in this (spoiler, it's beautiful)? Why did Judas fall the way he did? Can we learn something from it to keep ourselves from slip sliding away like he did?
This is part 58 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:1-11.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Mar 29, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 28)
01:24:17
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 1:29 [Is Salvation Applied to All Mankind?] Since Jesus died to save all of mankind, won't everyone be saved regardless of whether or not they place their faith in Christ, just like how gravity still works on everyone whether they believe in it or not?
2. 6:47 [About Energy & the Kalam] Why couldn’t energy be infinite, considering that we (as Christians) believe in an infinite God? The reason I’m asking is because the biggest Atheist objection I get to the Kalam while evangelizing is that 1. Energy can create a universe (quantum fluctuations) and 2. Energy may be constant (infinite). Can you object to these claims thoughtfully?
3. 10:18 [How can Jesus “become” sin?] The Bible says that Jesus “became sin who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). You also mentioned it at times in your videos. How can Jesus become sin?
4. 15:08 [About Jerome, Latin Vulgate, Changes] Around 400 A.D., what were the biggest changes in doctrine that Jerome introduced in his first Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, and how did they differ from the original Gospel?
5. 18:55 [What does “impure” mean in Ephesians?] What does Paul mean, specifically, by "impure" in Ephesians 5:5? I can't find anything at all that clearly defines this. I would love to know what Paul, as a Jew, meant exactly by this term.
6. 25:23 [Advice while “Waiting on the Lord”] I'm currently in a season of "waiting on the Lord" to know what He wants me to do with my life. Any advice for someone in this season?
7. 28:20 [Can Christians Serve in Government Roles?] Can a Christian be called to be a governing authority talked about in Romans 13:1 with all that such a role would demand? Does it conflict or contradict with Romans 12:17 onwards?
8. 32:07 [What does Idolatry Look Like Today?] What would you say is modern day idolatry? I spend way more time on Christian YouTube channels and my phone than I do reading the Bible or praying. Do you get concerned that people may idolize you?
9. 38:37 [About Unclean Food/Items] In Mark 7: 14-19, why does Jesus seem appalled that the Jews believe that touching or eating certain things could make them unclean, given Leviticus 5:2-6 and Leviticus 11? This concept came from God.
10. 44:21 [Why Would God Give Multiple Wives?] It's often said that God does not affirm polygamy in the Old Testament, but 2 Samuel 12:8 seems to refute that. Why would God give multiple wives to David if he opposes polygamy?
11. 51:05 [When Were the Angels Created?] Were angels created on day 1 (with the heavens and all the hosts in them? (Nehemiah 9-6) Genesis 1 is not as clear. Are the hosts the angels?
12. 54:03 [How to Lovingly Correct Others] When discussing “correcting each other” in Bible studies (eg. Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18: 15), people mostly focus on when/why we shouldn't admonish someone. What does loving and appropriate discipline look like?
13. 59:33 [How do we Biblically Love Ourselves?] How can I love myself biblically? Any advice or Scripture? I feel like I hate myself sometimes.
14. 1:04:54 [Help with Reaching Atheist Family Members] Most of my friends and family are atheists and don’t take any argument for God seriously. How can I reach them in a way that they will listen and start to take Christianity seriously?
15. 1:06:38 [Biblical Thoughts about Birth Control] What is a biblical perspective on married believers using birth control or permanent measures (e.g. a vasectomy)? Heard some say no based on Genesis 38 and Psalm 139.
16. 1:09:40 [Why did God Allow Satan into the Garden?] Why would a God who hates evil place evil incarnate (Satan) into the garden, when the world was still good and sinless, knowing it would lead to the corruption of humans?
17. 1:12:39 [Does Judas have a Throne?] In Matthew 19: 28, Jesus told His twelve disciples that they will have twelve thrones of judgment to judge the twelve tribes in the future. Does Judas still have a throne?
18. 1:16:17 [Why is Jesus C
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Mar 26, 2021 |
He lost his daughter to the Mother God Cult. Don't let it happen to you.
01:31:53
To protect himself from possible retribution by the World Mission Society Church of God, “David Erdman” is using a fake name and his face is blurred out. This is because the WMSCOG is alleged to use law suits and family separation as ways of silencing those who openly come against them. Here are some resources that came up in my discussion with David. I thought you might find something here interesting… and hopefully it will strengthen your confidence that Christianity is true.
All of my videos on the WMSCOG (except for the one they had YT remove under a copyright complaint) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0LhGhJDXtA&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHvwOzziMOk9ZIHKphdag47d
Misquoting Jesus appendix info. https://crossexamined.org/is-the-new-testament-reliable-erhman-refutes-ehrman/
A response to Bart Ehrman’s “How Jesus Became God” https://www.amazon.com/How-God-Became-Jesus-Nature/dp/0310519594
Dan Wallace and Bart Ehrman debate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsVWFS9r9DY
William Lane Craig’s not-as-hard-to-understand “On Guard”. Evidence for God and for Christianity in particular. https://www.amazon.com/Guard-Defending-Faith-Reason-Precision-ebook/dp/B005SJ19VM/
Josh Rasmussen’s brilliant argument for God. https://www.amazon.com/How-Reason-Can-Lead-God-ebook/dp/B07TK5LCRN/
Watch me try to use fulfilled prophecy to prove that Christianity is true. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHvj5rdOI_3HtSrwvFK-96qH
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Mar 24, 2021 |
A Very Challenging "Contradiction" in the Gospels: The Mark Series pt 57 (14:1-12)
01:11:39
I almost gave up trying to resolve this supposed "contradiction" between Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Was Jesus anointed with oil/perfume once, twice or three times? Is there error in the Gospels about this? This is a rather complicated set of problems that will take time to unpack. In my study this week I searched and searched and could not find a satisfactory answer; and I'm not really ok with half-answers, so I was about to give up on the issue when I set aside all my resources and just worked with the texts themselves. Now I think I understand a very plausible explanation for the differences and similarities in the four Gospels on this issue. Today is all about apologetics! I'll be answering a lot of the following questions. If Luke is a separate account that happened at a different time and place how do we explain the similarities between his account and those in Mt, Mk and John? Like the other Gospels, Luke records a woman anointing Jesus, using fragrance from an alabaster flask and the name of the home owner being "Simon". Even if Luke is a separate account we have questions about how John can be harmonized with Matt and Mark. Critics claim that John has this event happening 6 days before Passover while Mark and Matt have it happening 2 days before Passover. They say that John has this happening at the home of Lazarus while Mark and Matt have it happening at the home of Simon the Leper. Yet these three accounts seem too similar to say it happened twice in such a short period of time. This puzzle had me confused for a time, and when I looked up resources from other people who tried to figure out a good solution I found myself bothered even more. The solutions often disregarded obvious challenges! In the end, I think I've figured it out and decided to do a whole video on it to make sure a good resource was out there for those looking to answer the question. I also think we should talk a bit about the anxiety Christians often feel when trying to resolve a supposed contradiction. How do we process that, especially if we simply don't know the answer yet? This is part 57 of the Mark Series, going verse-by-verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 14:1-12. Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture. See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here: |
Mar 22, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 27)
01:29:08
0:00 - Intro Helping you learn to think biblically about everything, because the Bible is more brilliant, beautiful, and life-changing than most of us have realized. Every Friday at 1 p.m. PT. |
Mar 19, 2021 |
Teen Atheist Becomes Christian Because of This Evidence
01:07:25
Mario became convinced that Jesus bodily rose from the dead because of the historical evidence for it. He wrote a paper defending the resurrection for a school project, in Belgium, and asked me to do an interview on the topic as well as to answer several objections from his teacher. What excites me the most is just knowing his story and how those of us who have been doing online ministry have been able to play a role in it. To any skeptics who may be listening. I encourage you to take this evidence seriously and to dig on your own. Not just looking for reasons to reject Christianity but looking to discover what the truth is.
Here are some VERY helpful links.
My video explaining why, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", doesn't help the skeptic deny the resurrection. https://youtu.be/3GRAI-us4es
A large video giving tons of evidence for the resurrection. https://youtu.be/0Rtmn5LLM-0
A short video for those who only have moment to hear the evidence. This is something to get the conversation started with a friend. https://youtu.be/4qhQRMhUK1o
My video on the evidence for the empty tomb. https://youtu.be/C8BU_R7QoYo
My playlist of live Q&A videos. Mario mentioned these have been helpful for him and I thought you might be interested as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gflBDcJV5wc&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHsF2AppZDY7p1wGK0BwahuZ
Here is my verse by verse series going through the Gospel of Mark and covering various theology and apologetics issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c7jWg60N_0&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Mar 17, 2021 |
If Jesus Is God, Why Didn’t He Know Everything?: The Mark Series pt 56 (13:32-37)
01:18:39
People have been using this verse of Scripture to deny the deity of Christ for a long time. in reality, it's actually a beautiful way of teaching the deity and humanity of Christ. We will go through it in detail and answer objections while trying to make sure we don't lose the simple and profound teaching of the passage. Jesus didn't know the day or the hour. Why not? Does He know it now? Did the Holy Spirit know it? If Jesus didn't know then how does that bear down on so many today who are trying to figure out the day and hour?
This is part 56 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 13:32-37.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Mar 15, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 26)
01:26:41
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 1:11 [Grieving the death of the unsaved] How do we biblically grieve the death of a loved one who wasn't saved? Since we don't believe in purgatory, and therefore we don't pray for deceased people, what is an appropriate (but still loving) response in this situation? And how can we kindly correct those who make a well-meaning offer to pray for a dead loved one without being harsh?
2. 8:20 [Plato & Christianity?] What does Plato have to do with Christianity? I recently read that Plato had as much influence on Christianity as the Bible.
3. 11:29 [Does Christianity impede critical thinking?] Is/was Christianity guilty of impeding critical thinking and exploring the mysteries of the cosmos and physics of the natural world? How would you advise a believer involved in both worlds?
4. 17:06 [Does God have a sense of humor?] Deep theological and philosophical question: Does God have a sense of humor?
5. 21:18 [Should I be rebaptized?] Are there biblical examples of people being baptized more than once? I was baptized LDS but don't consider it to be a legitimate baptism. I want to be rebaptized now that I found Christ. Is this ok?
6. 26:16 [About ‘gods’ of other religions] In Numbers 33:3-4, YHWH never denies other ‘gods.’ Are we then to understand gods of other religions (Allah, Zeus, etc.) as very much real ‘gods,’ albeit demons?
7. 32:00 [Does God really forget sins? Should we?] After forgiveness, all sin is wiped clean. Can a person then claim to have never taken part in certain sin in his past? If the Lord remembers our sin no more, why should we?
8. 35:17 [Is it biblical to mandate traditions?] The church I grew up in had extrabiblical "traditions" (women wear dresses, men are clean shaven, etc.), and justified this using Proverbs 22: 28 & Matthew 18: 18. Is it biblical to mandate adherence to tradition?
9. 40:38 [Answering skeptics’ claims online] I've been trying to reach skeptics online, but they've told me belief in God is irrational and that I must believe rape & torture are o.k. since I'm a Christian. They also call God evil, a murderer, and a megalomaniac, and say Christians are wasting their time believing in "fairytales." How should I respond to these claims, and how can I tell when a debate is not even going to be fruitful?
10. 45:35 [Should we pray against “spirits” of sins?] Is it Biblical to pray against spirits (e.g., the "spirit of" offense, laziness, depression, confusion, etc.)? What is a "Jezebel spirit," and is it real?
11. 51:15 [Perpetual virginity of Mary?] Did Mary remain a virgin? I've heard that the brothers of Jesus that are mentioned were actually his cousins, and that if she had other sons, John wouldn't have needed to care for her (John 19:26).
12. 58:16 [Defining persecution] Can you please define "persecution" and speak to whether these pastors imprisoned or being penalized for defying public health orders are in fact being persecuted?
13. 1:00:35 [Can secular songs be turned into worship?] What are your thoughts on using secular music as a form of worship music where half of the lyrics are secular words and the other half is supposedly Jesus’ words?
14. 1:02:34 [Do real Christians stop sinning?] Does 1 John 3:4-10 mean your aren’t a real Christian if you still struggle with sin? At face value that’s how it sounds, but then nobody would qualify for Grace - so I’m confused.
15. 1:11:30 [Why did God command death?] My 12 year old daughter asked me after reading Exodus 32: 28 “If God gives us free will to worship Him, why did He have Moses command the Levites to kill those 3,000 people who chose not to?”
16. 1:14:29 [Did God make individuals & not just mankind?] Even though I know people (as a whole) were made by God, because God made Adam, how do I know that I/people (individually) are also made by God, especially when they are conceived out of sin?
17. 1:17:03 [How to rekindle passion for God] How would you counsel som
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Mar 12, 2021 |
Why Did Pastor Chuck Predict the Rapture?: The Mark Series pt 55 (13:28-30)
01:05:19
I've had a number of people asking me about when pastor Chuck Smith predicted the rapture. It's an uncomfortable topic for a Calvary Chapel pastor, which I am, and for someone who looks up to and deeply appreciates pastor Chuck, as I do. This is because Chuck Smith is the founder of Calvary Chapel and I can say that his ministry has had a big, positive impact in my own life. But I think we should talk about it for a few specific reasons.
1) It did happen.
2) It has not been publicly dealt with, to my knowledge. In fact, it appears as though it has been denied.
3) My own ministry has led many people to Calvary Chapels and I feel obligated to talk about this because it's a significant issue in our past and I owe it to those who are or will attend Calvary Chapel churches because of my influence.
4) It wasn't just mentioned in one message. Pastor Chuck predicted it in multiple books and over the course of years.
5) It's based on a misinterpretation of Scripture which is still common among pastors today. It just so happens that this passage of Scripture is the one we are covering today in our verse by verse study in the Gospel of Mark.
6) Many pastors, in my own movement as well as beyond, have gotten in the habit of playing fast and loose with predictions related to the rapture, the tribulation and the second coming and I think that if we look honestly about mistakes of the past we can be warned not to fall into the same mistakes in the future. And if my own understanding is correct, we can expect to see a great deal of reckless prophetic speculation in the years to come. We would do well to be prepared for it.
I really should have mentioned that in Mark 11 the fig tree being cursed is thought by some to specially represent Israel. Here is my response to that. The fig tree there is used to make an example that relates to Israel or the Temple but I don’t think that’s because fig trees in general represent Israel (see my survey of its usage in the Old Testament from the video). Also, the context in Mark 13 shows Jesus is using the budding of the fig tree to refer to the two signs He mentions and not using fig trees in general as a representation of the nation Israel existing. In addition to this, the parallel passage in Luke shows that Jesus said “the fig tree and all the trees”. In other words, even if a fig tree might specially represent Israel in some cases it didn’t in this passage because all the trees aren’t fig trees.
This is part 55 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 13:28-30.
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Mar 08, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 25)
01:16:11
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:36 [Parable of the Dishonest Manager] What is the meaning of the Parable of the Dishonest Manager in Luke 16: 1-13? I was having a Bible study with a friend over Discord, and we're wondering about this.
2. 10:01 [Anxiety about the Rapture] Is it bad to hope that Jesus doesn’t come back until after I have died? Not knowing when the rapture will come (pre or post-trib) causes me anxiety.
3. 12:46 [Can Christians claim all biblical promises?] How do we respond to someone who says we can "claim" all the promises in the Bible for ourselves because we are "grafted into Israel" or because God is "no respecter of persons"?
4. 16:35 [Resources to guard against confirmation bias] I am afraid that I am just partaking in confirmation bias for theism, but I find that most atheistic arguments are just strawmen and ad-hominem attacks. Are there any good, thoughtful resources?
5. 23:42 [Premarital abstinence] I've been a follower of Christ for about 3 months now and my girlfriend of 2 years who I would say is "lukewarm" is hesitant to abstain. How should I handle this?
6. 26:08 [Golden chain of redemption – Romans 8] Can you give your interpretation of the "golden chain of redemption" in Romans 8: 29-30?
7. 29:53 [How is God glorified when a soul perishes?] Everything works together for God's glory, but I have a hard time reconciling that with the idea that God creates people that He knows are destined for Hell. Any thoughts?
8. 36:17 [Do different biblical interpretations make Scripture contradictory?] Given the multiple schools of thought on concepts like eschatology and Calvinism, and each school has Scripture to back up their contradicting views, does that make Scripture contradictory?
9. 41:28 [Advice for an atheist teen] Please give advice on what say to my 16 yr. old who has told me he is an atheist. He can barely defend his position. He has basically fallen victim to internet atheism, and he no longer wants to go to church.
10. 43:50 [Have I truly forgiven if I don’t feel it?] How do you know when you truly have forgiven someone in your heart? I can say the words but I’m unsure if my heart has changed.
11. 46:33 [Is Satan omniscient?] The Bible indicates that the mystery of God's plan for salvation was kept hidden for ages until after the resurrection. Could that mean Satan is omniscient, i.e. when Jesus had to rebuke Peter?
12. 50:30 [Matt. 10 & Mark 13 written similarly] Why does Matthew 10: 16-24 have Olivet Discourse wording (same wording as Mark 13:9-13)? It does not seem to fit here/make sense & this is NOT found in the parallel verses (Luke 9:1-6, Mark 6:7-13).
13. 52:56 [Is meditation style prayer o.k.?] I enjoy mindful meditation for mental health reasons and want to involve God in this, but I've heard this type of prayer is wrong. Why couldn’t I memorize a Psalm and repeat it in prayerful thought?
14. 55:21 [Intro to apologetics resources] What are some good sources to look at to start studying apologetics?
15. 57:50 [Can we allow extrabiblical sources to inspire us?] Is it sinful to be inspired by historical people in and outside of the Bible? Should I instead be exclusively inspired by the Holy Spirit who enabled believers or by the Father?
16. 1:00:21 [Caring for a grieving loved one] A loved one of mine (a believer) is going through a season of mental anguish. What are some practical ways that I can help and encourage them?
17. 1:02:37 [Disciples’ memory – Miracles in Mark 6 vs. Mark 8] How is it that when Jesus feeds the 4,000 in Mark 8, the disciples don’t seem to remember Him already doing the same thing in Mark 6 (the 5,000)?
18. 1:04:03 [Jesus’ death, burial, & resurrection] If Jesus was beaten unrecognizably, how can we be sure they checked the right tomb?
19. 1:08:41 [How could Adam & Eve know right from wrong?] If eating from the tree of knowledge is what gave Adam and Eve the knowledge of good vs. evil, how could they have been e
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Mar 05, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 24)
01:17:13
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:13 I'm a follower of Christ, and I have several major illnesses which makes me uninsurable, and I can’t afford a funeral plan. My family will likely cremate me, but I’m REALLY troubled about this. Can only buried bodies be resurrected? Will I miss out on eternal life and go to Hell if my body is cremated? When I asked a pastor nearby, he said cremation is Pagan and only burial is biblical. Is this true?
2. 8:10 How do you see God when you pray? My mind wants to envision a person.
3. 10:29 Is there a possibility that “Lady Wisdom” in Proverbs 8 is actually the Holy Spirit? Is there ever any definitively male or female pronouns used in the Hebrew or Greek to know?
4. 13:26 Romans 11: 25-32 seems to say that the Jewish people will turn back to Christ. Do you have any thoughts on that or see a connection between that and the rising number of Messianic Jews is Israel?
5. 18:59 I am a new Christian, formally LDS. Many LDS folk have been very active at challenging my new beliefs (the Trinity, etc.) I want to share the Gospel with them, but I recognize I'm still learning. Do new Christians have an obligation to defend our beliefs and evangelize, or is it o.k. to ask these challengers to give me space?
6. 22:02 If God is timeless, how could He have sequential thoughts, especially before time was created (e.g., His decision to make time and creation)?
7. 25:36 What are our "non-negotiables" as Christians? What doctrines do we unapologetically plant our flags on and refuse to back down from?
8. 32:33 To what extent do we expose works of darkness? (Ephesians 5:8-14) A family member who claims to be a Christian is openly selling food w vulgar text & images and I found out she’s supplying alcohol to minors as well, through her business. The 1st part was bad enough, but I can’t stay silent anymore. She is already unhappy with me and another family member calling her out on behavior that endangered her child & our family, but admitted at the time that she “should be a better Christian.” How do we handle this?
9. 34:12 Is the Paradise mentioned by Paul in his vision of being taken to the third Heaven, Jesus to the thief on the cross, and in the account of Lazarus the same place?
10. 37:11 How can God love the whole world while hating sinners like in Psalm 5:5?
11. 41:23 Any advice for a wife whose husband has admitted he is not as spiritually mature as the wife? She doesn’t want to lead *him,* but is more spiritually mature.
12. 44:07 If a born-again Christian dies suddenly with an unconfessed sin (not a lifestyle) like momentary lust or deceit, will this lead to Hell? Or does Christ's sacrifice cover all sins (past & future)?
13. 49:05 Where are we when we are judged? On Earth, in Heaven, or somewhere in between?
14. 50:51 In Matthew 27, who are the people coming out of the tombs when Jesus rises? Did they continue earthly life and die again, or ascend too?
15. 54:22 How can I get close to God and overcome demons I have and oppression?
16. 57:31 My wife and I think we are called to move to Alaska for missions (to Remote Alaska). How can I know God is guiding us there?
17. 1:01:47 Would you please explain Matthew 10: 23? What is meant by “before the Son of Man comes”? Mark does NOT state this in his rendition of “Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles” (Mark 6:7-13).
18. 1:05:04 Have you ever read anything on the Eastern Orthodox view of the Holy Trinity called the Monarchy of the Father? If you have, do you have any thoughts?
19. 1:06:22 I think I'm getting diagnosed with Covert Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Proverbs 16:5 scares me. Am I unsavable? I want to be saved and truly converted, but fear is my motive.
20. 1:13:22 My heart has become hard due to continued rebellion which led to a problem trusting Christ and resting in Him. How do I know if I’m repentant when I’m not “sorry” anymore? I miss living near to Christ.
Every Friday at 1pm PT
Here’s how you ge
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Feb 26, 2021 |
What Will The Second Coming Look Like?: The Mark Series pt 54 (13:24-27)
01:12:04
This is part 54 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 13:24-27
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Feb 22, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 23)
01:18:05
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Introduction
1. 0:38 The NT has a lot of examples of demons being very active, and Jesus & the Apostles had to cast many demons out of people - there was a lot of activity and possession. But in the OT, demonic activity and possession is not talked about at all (or very, very rarely). I was wondering what happened to cause the change and huge increase…or why we rarely read about it in the OT but there are so many examples in the NT.
2. 9:32 How can Jesus be fully God and fully man if He died? How can God die? I can understand Him putting aside some of His divinity in order to die, but don’t we believe that He is both fully God and fully man? How can He be FULLY God at the crucifixion?
3. 13:44 Some pastors I respect live in in huge homes in gated communities. Their salaries are higher than about 90% of their church members. Do you find anything wrong with this?
4. 16:42 My sister has decided to make a vision board and was asking me to follow. I did a bit of research and it looks like it has ties with the New Age. Could you explain how Christians should deal with goals & dreams?
5. 20:42 In Matthew and Mark, Jesus calls the first disciples before healing Peter’s mother in law and heals her by touch. In Luke, they're called after, and she’s healed by “rebuking the fever.” Is this significant?
6. 21:38 What's your view of 2 Timothy 2: 20-21 saying people can "cleanse themselves" & using the same “honorable vs. dishonorable” wording as Romans 9? Does this refute the Calvinist view of “Total Depravity”?
7. 27:14 What should we do when confused on doctrine? I’ve seen your videos on Catholicism, but recently had a debate with a Catholic and feel so confused. My faith is shaken, and I don’t know what to believe.
8. 31:09 Any thoughts about the ecumenical movement? If my church is in it, should I get out of that church? In Finland, most churches have papers that you are officially in it. Is that biblical?
9. 34:15 If Jesus doesn't return until the Temple is rebuilt, how is the Temple rebuilt when the ark and its contents are gone? Perhaps I have a big misunderstanding of prophecy or the specs for the Temple.
10. 36:55 What happens to animals/insects when they die?
11. 39:31 Is there anything Christians should fear apart from God?
12. 41:41 Can you please comment on John 8: 30-38? Why was Jesus talking like this to those who believed Him? Would love to hear your insight!
13. 46:49 What does the Bible say about modesty in clothing? Are there certain parts of our body that we cannot show, or is it just a heart issue? If the uniform for a sport is a bikini, should we avoid that sport?
14. 51:18 Could you run through an explanation of the Armor of God in Ephesians?
15. 59:07 Does Psalm 121:6 literally mean that God can protect you from being sunburnt? I want to not wear sunblock but don’t want to ruin my skin if I’m wrong.
16. 1:01:44 Why do people go to Hell? Is it a penalty for sins, or for not believing in Jesus? Some say everyone's sins are forgiven, but that doesn't seem to square with Ephesians 5:5-6 and Colossians 3:5-6.
17. 1:04:44 In one of your past Q&As, you shared your thoughts on “JESUS CALLING.” I was wondering if it’s okay for someone to get quiet and try to hear God and write it down just for themselves. Is that wrong?
18. 1:07:18 You mentioned in an earlier video that you do not believe one goes directly to Hell once dead. Can you elaborate on that?
19. 1:09:29 Given the fact that evolution occurs, is observable, and is supported by a vast body of scientific evidence, earning it the highest degree of scientific support, how do you interpret Genesis 1 & 2?
20. 1:13:00 I have ADHD, and while looking for a Christian perspective on my condition I came across a website that calls mental illness a myth and attributes any abnormality in thinking to the influence of the devil and demonic spirits. It also says ADHD is a "behavioral problem" that happens because pa
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Feb 19, 2021 |
What Ravi Did and Where We Go From Here.
01:49:34
Lori Anne Thompson's full victim impact statement video - https://youtu.be/4kDe8caElaw
This is not a video I'm looking forward to. But this is why I'm doing it.
1) Ravi's victims need vindication. In particular, Lori Anne Thompson has been continually maligned and horribly treated because she brought TRUE accusations against Ravi. I believed the worst about her because of the comments from Ravi and the echoes of those comments from RZIM. This only made her a continual victim. We need to clear her name.
2) Ravi's sins have left a lot of open wounds that need tending. Both in the body of Christ and in RZIM. Believers need to be reminded of how to process all this as a follower of Christ, of how true Christ remains regardless of this tragedy and how to handle this situation so that we don't wrongly treat RZIM staff, Ravi's family or continue to make the error of ignoring red flags that may still lead to more discoveries. I've seen every kind of wrong response online already. I pray to God that I would have wisdom to help us all to have wisdom here. If you are reading this before I go live then please stop and pray for me as I prepare for this video.
3) Scripture commands us to openly deal with a leader who persists in sin, which is proven by evidence, by telling the local body so that other leaders can properly fear their own falling (1 Tim 5:19-20). Since Ravi was a leader in worldwide Christianity with personal character endorsements from countless other leaders this command can only be fulfilled by taking the truth as public as his endorsements were.
4) If we as the body of Christ do not deal with this issue openly then I feel that we implicate ourselves in some sort of complicity at this point. The witness of Christ in the world has been harmed by Ravi's sin and we do need to publicly deal with it. Due to my own place in ministry as a public figure I do feel compelled to speak on this.
Like many of you I am angry and I'm sad. But we can't respond with conspiracy theories that deny the overwhelming evidence of persistent sin, abuse of power, abuse of ministry funds, abuse of women and how calculated and deliberate it all was. The facts are in, all that is left is to face them and try to respond in ways that honor Christ.
To Ravi's family, I'm really sorry I am making a video about your father/husband/relative. It breaks my heart and I hate the idea of adding hurt to what you are going through. Please know that I don't mean you harm and I'm not on the bandwagon of heartless crowds. I am compelled that this must be done and I pray that you will find, in some way, some help in it as well.
The PDF of the full Miller & Martin investigative report on Ravi https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/rzimmedia.rzim.org/assets/downloads/Report-of-Investigation.pdf
The board of RZIM's most recent statement (as of 2/15/2020) https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/board-statement
The timeline according to Brad and Lori - https://julieroys.com/open-letter-to-rzim-from-brad-lori-anne-thompson/
Christianity Today Spa Article https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/september/ravi-zacharias-sexual-harassment-rzim-spa-massage-investiga.html
World Magazine Spa Article https://world.wng.org/2020/10/new_sexual_misconduct_claims_surface_about_ravi_zacharias
Open Letter from Thompsons - https://julieroys.com/open-letter-to-rzim-from-brad-lori-anne-thompson/ 10-13-2020
My teaching explaining that all sin is NOT the same. https://youtu.be/Tp_lAMuX16k
My website https://BibleThinker.org
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Feb 15, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 22)
01:11:16
0:00 - Introduction
1. 2:11 If Revelation was written after 70AD, why wouldn't John say anything about the destruction of Jerusalem? Wouldn't he write about a prophecy of Jesus that came true? Pretty big event to ignore.
2. 6:09 Do we have free will? If not, how does that affect God's sovereignty? If yes, how can we be punished for sins when we had no other option?
3. 13:11 As a conservative Christian, is it wrong to enjoy New Age music? I enjoy playing and listening to the relaxing piano music, but if it is connected to New Age, I do not want to disrespect the Lord.
4. 16:08 From a Christian perspective, do you have any advice on dealing with and overcoming the fear of death? I've been experiencing a lot of anxiety over my own death and the death(s) of my loved ones.
5. 21:01 How do you view the false prophecies of Trump winning? Pride? A lying spirit spreading the same false prophecy? Do we stop listening to all those who claimed this?
6. 26:50 In a futurist view of the end times, which current country do you think would best represent Babylon?
7. 28:27 What is your advice for a young adult who wants to start a ministry platform similar to yours, but who doesn’t have any formal training? I want other young adults to care about theology like I do.
8. 31:02 If God is omnipresent, would His presence also be in Hell?
9. 34:23 Can you help me understand why Paul would permit Timothy to drink wine for his sickness in 1 Timothy 5: 23 even though it seems that he was under the Nazarite vow? (Numbers 6:1-4)
10. 38:25 In Galatians 4: 27 who is "the desolate" referring to: Sarah or Hagar? My Bible study disagreed and I can see arguments for either one.
11. 43:13 Who can baptize? Can I baptize my kids?
12. 45:56 Why is it that big name Calvinists, in general, are super arrogant and ultimately unloving? And shouldn't this disqualify them from leadership and make them false teachers?
13. 48:11 Should I stop reading the devotional on my “Bible in one year” plan? It seems to be eisegetical and groups the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms/Prov. daily reading under one common theme each day.
14. 49:05 Can it be argued that the authority and power Jesus gave to the 12/70 disciples in Luke 3: 15 and Luke 10:9 to heal the sick and to cast out demons is different from using our spiritual gifts?
15. 52:37 In Matthew 11: 22-24, Jesus says if Sodom saw and heard the miracles you have they would have repented. So why didn’t Jesus do those works in Sodom instead of destroy them?
16. 57:41 In your marriage videos, you referred to men as “knuckleheads” that weren't acting as the “head” in decision making. Is it permissible to actively consult with and make decisions with your wife, cooperatively?
17. 59:18 Am I a covenant breaker if I agreed to a divorce that I didn't want? My wife is divorcing me, and I told her we need to go to counseling first but she said she doesn't want to fix the marriage.
18. 1:01:11 Does the Bible teach that we can “feel Gods presence,” or is it just human emotion in response to our minds receiving biblical truths?
19. 1:05:26 What advice would you give to me who struggles with apathy in my spiritual life?
20. 1:07:11 Do we need to feel bad for our sin when we repent? Or is knowing it’s supposed to be wrong enough? My ex-girlfriend and I sinned and I feel bad about it, but she doesn’t.
Every Friday at 1pm PT
Here’s how you get your questions answered in the Q&A
1) Please reread your question before you ask to ensure that it will make sense to me. Clarity is paramount.
2) Wait till we go live before asking. We don’t take questions until then.
3) Put a “Q” at the beginning of your question.
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Helping you learn to think bi
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Feb 12, 2021 |
Jesus Said THIS Was The Sign to Watch For.. But What Does it Mean?: The Mark Series pt 53 (13:14-23)
01:09:42
I'm surveying different interpretations of "the abomination of desolation" and comparing them to the Scripture to see if they fit.
If you want to see my teaching surveying 6 different end times perspectives then click here - https://youtu.be/xmw0uVLunwU
Here’s my video on Daniel 9 https://youtu.be/pK5RsOaVy4U
And here’s one on Daniel 11, the most prophecy packed chapter of the Bible https://youtu.be/lXrPhtQLj9E
This is part 53 of the Mark Series, going verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Today we are in chapter 13:14-23
Feel free to use my videos in your own gatherings as an aid to studying Scripture.
See the WHOLE Gospel of Mark playlist here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHuGenHwUdeiQ5M-uj5XW4sF
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Feb 08, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 21)
01:14:17
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 Introduction
1. 0:53 Recently, I've seen several of your videos dealing with The Passion Translation, and the criticism seems very much on point. Clearly, Brian Simmons is a bit of a nut and I think you'd agree that religions can attract those types of people. So, why would you assume Paul, or the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John weren't also nutty? At the very least you should be skeptical of their writings. Further, there is no way to go back and do the sort of analysis of those authors, the way you can with Simmons. For example, the review you do of Simmons' lectures, as opposed to simply having his Passion Translation, is very effective in demonstrating just how nutty he is. Nothing even close to that is possible with the biblical authors. So why give them credence?
2. 9:05 If Moses was God's chosen one, why did God want to kill him in Exodus 4: 24? Also, what did Zipporah mean by "Surely a bloody husband art thou to me"?
3. 14:00 Can you help me understand the comparison/contrast between how the Holy Spirit comes upon vs. in someone? Is it correct that in the Old Testament, He came UPON someone (Exodus 29: 45 & Ezekiel 37: 27) but not IN, and in the New Testament, He indwells believers?
4. 19:08 What are your thoughts on Kenneth Hagin's "The Authority of the Believer" and other Christian spiritual authority concepts? If none, would you consider looking into it?
5. 21:27 Are angels immortal? if not, does that mean demons might have a chance to defeat them or some in a war? I ask because sometimes I see paintings of angels vs demons.
6. 23:03 I was wondering, why are there times where Jesus tells people not to talk about Him? Some Verses: Matt. 8:4, 9: 30, 12: 16)
7. 26:05 If God’s will is always done in Heaven, was Satan’s rebellion God’s will?
8. 28:41 What are some ways God disciplines us as it’s said in Hebrews? How do we know if He is disciplining? Can He discipline through physical or psychological ailments?
9. 32:34 What does someone need to believe for you to consider them your brother or sister in Christ?
10. 35:13 Could you comment on Matthew 13: 44-45? Most people seem to feel that the merchant is a man and the pearl/treasure is Christ, but in context I seem to see the opposite.
11. 40:27 You were in American Gospel 2. What do you think of the final 10 minutes teaching God's whole purpose for everything is His own glory, and we're "merely" incidental to that?
12. 44:17 Does the integrity of our faith need Adam and Eve to be literal historical people? Some people say the account of Adam and Eve is a myth, or a story to teach us theological and moral truth.
13. 47:01 If God is good and perfect, how can He ever be jealous (Exodus 20:6) or angry (Exodus 34:6) since both jealousy and anger are sins of the flesh (Galatians 5: 20)? More Cat Cam!
14. 51:48 Can you explain how you understand John 20: 23? I’ve read several commentaries on this verse and still have difficulty rightly understanding it.
15. 55:02 How can I learn to see God as a loving Father? I’m afraid and sometimes I feel that God is indifferent and impatient with me. Am I gonna make it to heaven?
16. 59:40 Any books you recommend for those courting and preparing for marriage? If not, any advice?
17. 1:02:00 If someone passes away, is it wrong to pray for their salvation? This would not be “get them out of purgatory,” this would just be in a “God, you knew back then that I would pray this” sort of way.
18. 1:03:20 In your opinion, who are the “gods of Egypt” in Exodus 12? The options seem to be rulers, idols, demons, or actual gods.
19. 1:07:59 I shared your Passion Project with the Elders of my church. They thought it was nitpicking. How do I decide to leave? Long history with these people. Seem to be becoming hyper-charismatic.
20. 1:09:52 What boundaries (biblical separation) should a Christian establish with a professed believer who is now in a gay marriage?
BONUS Q: 1:12:11 I am a new cat owne
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Feb 05, 2021 |
What's Wrong With "Progressive" Christianity
00:14:23
How could it end any other way.
Step one: Take Scripture out of context.
Step two: Absolutely demonize those who disagree, with highly emotional and extremely judgmental language.
Step three: Summarize your unbiblical views with utter hypocrisy and plank-eyed judgment toward anyone who dares to hold to a biblical Christianity.
Step four: Conclude that your views, which Jesus most certainly would not have agreed with, are righteous and loving while those who disagree are going to go to your version of hell (but do this while condemning others for thinking they are righteous and loving and that those who disagree are going to their version of hell).
Step five: Ignore all those who would rationally analyze your view and compare it to biblical teaching and historical Christianity.
Here's Alisa Childers's channel. I recommend subscribing because I see so much value in her content. https://www.youtube.com/user/alisachilders/videos
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV.
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Feb 05, 2021 |
Have We Made Sin Too Big of a Deal?
00:03:59
It's hard to find a group of so many words directly from the Bible being used to mean the exact opposite of what the Bible means.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Feb 04, 2021 |
I Changed My Mind About The Bible and Alcohol
00:02:33
I actually had a hard time coming around on this topic but, in the end, the Bible constrained me to change my view on alcohol. The difference between me and the progressives we are responding to is that my mind was changed by the Bible and I get the impression that they would believe whatever they want whether the Bible said it or not.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Feb 03, 2021 |
Christians Have Probably Overreacted to Smoking.
00:03:56
I'm hoping to offer some balance and wisdom on this issue.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Feb 02, 2021 |
They Tell Me God Didn't Want Jesus' Sacrifice. Here's My Response.
00:04:41
If you are around progressive thinkers and teachers much you will probably have heard them say, "God didn't demand a sacrifice, we did!" The problem with this quotable and heartwarming phrase is that it's terribly unbiblical and would have been rejected by Jesus and all the apostles. As it should be by us.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Feb 01, 2021 |
Different Christian Views of Revelation Explained
01:39:00
0:00 Introduction & Overview
1. 4:09 Post Millennial/Preterist
2. 39:40 Hyper-Preterist
3. 45:11 Dispensational Pre-Millennial/Futurist
4. 1:05:17 Progressive Dispensational Pre-Millennial/Futurist
5. 1:16:02 Amillennial/Idealist
6. 1:29:28 Historicist
I'll be teaching you the beliefs of premillennial, postmillennial, and amillennial views as well understanding their VERY different interpretations of the Book of Revelation. We'll cover preterist, hyper-preterist, 2 futurist views and idealist views of Revelation.
I'm Mike Winger and my passion is helping people learn to think biblically about everything because the Bible is more brilliant, beautiful and life-changing than the world knows.
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Feb 01, 2021 |
Are Different Religions Just Ways of Pronouncing God's Name?
00:04:36
It starts to feel like they aren't making any effort at all to understand biblical Christianity. Instead there are just a series of shallow misrepresentations that help to try to justify unbiblical beliefs. Don't fall for it.
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Jan 31, 2021 |
How They Misrepresent the God I Love
00:05:46
Please notice that the heart of progressive Christian distortions of Christianity is NOT a careful interpretation of the Bible but emotion-filled shaming.
This clip is from a recent interview I did on Alisa Childers' channel. I took that interview and broke it down into topical videos dealing with the 23 different claims made by the "progressive Christian" Ragamuffin TV. You'll see a new video EVERY DAY until the whole series is uploaded.
0:00 intro
0:18 to SKIP intro
Here's a link where you can see EVERY video in this series (as they go up) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHstu7p_vncGknpVhWp9uxc1
Here are the links to the long form interviews which are on Alisa's channel
Part 1 https://youtu.be/wVLLuyN-Ezo
Part 2 https://youtu.be/CoBW3LY8xiw
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Jan 30, 2021 |
20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 20)
01:13:51
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 Introduction
1. 2:49 What led to the “charismatic conundrum” of 2020 where large numbers of false prophecies were being given by seemingly well-respected & well-known teachers online?
2. 9:13 I'm writing a book with a Native American friend and I want to help him come to Christ. He is respectful of Christianity, but terrible things have been done to him and his family by people professing to be Christians (his aunt was beaten to death by a Catholic nun just to prove she had the authority). I want to share the Gospel with him in a way that is accurate, but at the same time, sensitive to what his people have endured. Any advice?
3. 13:19 Matthew 19: 12 talks about eunuchs from birth. Does that include intersex people? It seems to advise that eunuchs should not marry and should just serve God. Is that right?
4. 20:52 Is Ruth 4:5-6 typologically connected with Galatians 3: 23-25, where Boaz replaces the guardian-redeemer to redeem Ruth, Christ takes the place of the law to redeem the Church?
5. 25:08 I have a Japanese friend who believes in a false Japanese religion, mainly because when she sprained her ankle, her mom prayed over it and the Dr. said it was healed. How can I effectively share that her religion is false, after she experienced this convincing miracle?
6. 29:39 Can you please comment on the Book of Life and how one is written into it or blotted out from it?
7. 32:15 Is there biblical basis for a Christian being able to “release healing” into the atmosphere? I hear this quite a bit at my church, and I’m uneasy with it for some reason.
8. 36:26 What is the leaven of Herod? It seemed Herod was intrigued by John, even though John was against his unlawful marriage, and Herod did what people thought instead of God's law.
9. 39:44 As a youth leader, my students share these New Age things they learn to do on TikTok, and 1 of them sounds like Astral Projection. How do we talk about this with them without sounding crazy?
10. 41:52 Why should we care about false doctrine/teaching like the prosperity gospel or the word of faith movement? Does believing in such compromise one’s salvation? If not, why care at all?
11. 44:35 In Romans 8: 34, why is Jesus still interceding for the elect since they are already saved?
12. 47:44 Do you believe Solomon was saved seeing as he died worshiping false gods?
13. 48:55 I preach with a stutter, and sometimes it can be very discouraging! I know God uses it still, but do you have any advice f |