You asked for it! New Believer's Q&A!

Mike announces BibleThinker is now its own incorporated ministry organization, separate from his local church (while still attending). Also previews follow-up to his marriage/divorce/remarriage study — longest teaching he's ever done (3 hours), nearly 1,000 comments in one week.

Announcements — BibleThinker incorporation, divorce study

Mike addresses the George Floyd protests and racism from a biblical perspective: (1) All humans are made in God's image — foundational to human rights. (2) Race as commonly discussed doesn't fit the Christian worldview — skin color is irrelevant to human value. (3) Romans 12:21: don't let others' sin trigger your sin. (4) Galatians 6:1: restore in gentleness, keep watch on yourself lest you be tempted. The key warning: don't justify rebellion against God in the name of righteousness.

Biblical response to George Floyd and racism

1 Peter 2:24 ("by his wounds you have been healed") does refer to physical healing in Mike's view, but the TIMING is the issue. Many benefits of the cross aren't received now — we still die, still have corruptible bodies. Full physical healing comes in the resurrection. It's theologically inconsistent to demand healing for the common cold while accepting death from old age. The "healing in the atonement" teaching overreaches on timing, not content.

Healing in the atonement — timing issue

Advice for new believers encountering militant anti-theists: (1) Don't spend most of your time with them — get grounded in biblical truth first. (2) Many militant atheists repeatedly ask the same questions, get good answers, and ignore them — they want to stump, not learn. (3) If your good answers only generate more questions with no acknowledgment, you may be wasting your time. Focus on learning truth before combating error.

New believers and militant atheists

Can a Christian be demon-possessed? Mike distinguishes possession from influence/oppression. Christians have the Holy Spirit indwelling them — demon possession (ownership/control) seems incompatible with the Spirit's presence. But Christians can be oppressed, influenced, and harassed by demons. The demoniac in Mark 5 was fully controlled; Christians may experience lesser forms of spiritual attack but not total possession.

Demon possession vs oppression in Christians

How to find a good church: (1) Sound biblical teaching is #1 priority — does the pastor handle Scripture correctly? (2) Genuine community — not just Sunday performance. (3) Don't expect perfection — you'll bring your own imperfections too. (4) Be willing to serve, not just consume. (5) Size doesn't determine quality. Visit several, ask questions, look for fruit.

Finding a good church

Should new believers read the whole Bible? Yes, eventually. But start with the Gospel of John (written for the purpose of producing faith), then the rest of the NT. Read Psalms and Proverbs for wisdom/worship. Genesis for foundations. Don't start at Genesis 1 and try to plow through — you'll bog down in Leviticus. A reading plan helps maintain consistency.

Bible reading plan for new believers