Filter results by source database — Scripture Commentary, Theology, Mike Winger, or Pulpit. Click a tab to narrow to one database.

...more
All (110) Mike Winger (110)
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Question: Does Scripture authorize only one physical cup during the Lord's Supper?

Q&A question from Andrej about eucharistic practice

Lord's Supper Passover eucharist
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Discovering gifts requires doing everything first and then observing where you excel

Practical application of gift discernment

spiritual gifts vocation body of Christ
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Spiritual dryness — returning to first works as the remedy

Continued application from Revelation 2

Revelation 2 spiritual disciplines Revelation 2 first love
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Cheerful giving — the problem is the grudge, not the giving

Q from Folky about whether it is better not to give if you cannot give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9 Sanctification Giving 2 Corinthians 9
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Purpose of a church service — discipleship vs. evangelism balance

Q from Austin Hallman about whether church services should be primarily for believers or inclusive of the unsaved.

Evangelism Discipleship Church
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

1 Corinthians 3 — believers are judged at the Bema for their works (gold/silver/precious stones vs. wood/hay/straw), not for salvation

Question from Emily Bain about how forgiveness of sins relates to judgment day.

1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 salvation judgment 1 Corinthians 3
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

1 Corinthians 14:22 — tongues are a sign for unbelievers only when interpreted; the apparent contradiction explained

Question about the apparent flip in 1 Corinthians 14:22-23 where tongues are a sign for unbelievers yet unbelievers will think speakers are mad.

1 Corinthians 14:22-23 spiritual gifts tongues 1 Corinthians 14:22-23
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Jesus commends voluntary singleness (making oneself a eunuch for the kingdom) — therefore a blanket command for every person to have children cannot be right.

New Testament witness on the fruitful-and-multiply question.

Matthew 19 — Eunuchs for the Kingdom 1 Corinthians 7:32-38 Paul Jesus Marriage and Childbearing
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

The role of the church's Sunday service is primarily discipleship with contextual outreach emphasis — the degree depends on the season and makeup of the congregation; discipleship always happens, outreach emphasis is more variable.

Q: Should the church be focused on reaching unbelievers or teaching believers who then go out and evangelize?

Evangelism Discipleship Church Mission / Ecclesiology
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Personal evangelism by individual believers throughout the week is more effective than Sunday-service-only outreach — placing the entire evangelism burden on the pastor is both ineffective and inappropriate.

Continued discussion of church role and outreach strategy.

Evangelism Church Mission / Ecclesiology Personal Witness
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

When handling online 'heresy hunters' who badger a minister, evaluate whether you are responding from self-defense or from genuine capacity to help — then use time for maximum ministry impact.

Q: How do you handle online heresy hunters that badger you through email about your teaching?

Heresy Hunting / Online Critics Ministry Time Management Self-Defense vs. Service
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Two issues with heresy hunters: (1) a divisive uncharitable attitude over secondary issues needing gentle correction toward unity; (2) the real possibility they are right — total openness to correction with zero self-defensiveness is required.

Continued advice on handling heresy hunters in ministry.

Humility Heresy Hunting / Online Critics Self-Defense vs. Service
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q9: Is it sinful to not want to marry? Singleness is a gift, not inferior to marriage

Response to viewer asking about call to singleness

1 Corinthians 7 Matthew 19 1 Corinthians 7 marriage singleness
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

God is good and His promises remain — our eternal kingdom is incorruptible and preserved in Christ

Opening encouragement at the start of the Q&A, framed against social and political polarization in early 2021

Christian worldview kingdom of God eternal security
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Ministry faithfulness in obscurity is intrinsically valuable regardless of audience size

Mike introduces himself and describes his Sunday night service in Bellflower, CA — typically 12-15 attendees despite massive YouTube reach — as an encouragement to small-ministry workers.

Matthew 25:14-30 Luke 16:10 Matthew 25:14-30 Faithfulness in ministry Parable of the Talents
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

"Drunk in the Spirit" is not supported by Acts 2 — the mockers said they were drunk because they couldn't understand the foreign languages

Bonus note during Acts 2 discussion on the misuse of Acts 2:13 to justify charismatic "drunk in the Spirit" practices.

Acts 2:13 Tongues / glossolalia Acts 2:13 Drunk in the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of Talents) and 1 Corinthians 3:12 are distinct analogies and should not be conflated

Question from Eelo Minish about whether the "bags of silver" in Matthew 25 are the same as the gold/silver/wood in 1 Corinthians 3:12.

Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Matthew 25:14-30 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Parable of Talents
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike addresses the morality of soldiers killing in war, arguing that just war is a real category but that individual soldiers must personally discern whether a given war is just rather than simply following orders.

Follow-up response on killing in the context of military service

Romans 13 Christian ethics just war Romans 13
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Holy Spirit in the Old vs. New Testament: Old Testament experiences were primarily empowerment for service; New Testament introduces indwelling.

Question from Elizabeth about the distinction between the Holy Spirit coming "upon" versus being "in" a person.

Ezekiel 29 Elijah Holy Spirit empowerment Holy Spirit indwelling
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Advice to someone whose church is becoming hyper-charismatic: leave, if you must, without bitterness, motivated only by principle and love.

Question from Jay Parker about whether to leave a church moving toward hyper-charismaticism after elders dismissed critique of the Passion Translation as nitpicking.

Galatians 5 Galatians 5 Passion Translation Hyper-charismatic movement
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Advice for a 20-year-old preparing for pastoral ministry: balance seminary education with active local church service, and remove ego.

Question from John Parizzo about preparing for pastoral ministry while in college and seminary.

Pastoral formation Seminary education Humility in ministry
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Organizing prayer life: mindset matters more than rigid structure; serving God during quarantine requires ambitious creativity.

Question from Ian Becker about organizing prayer life and serving God during COVID quarantine.

Prayer life Christian service Spiritual disciplines
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Tips for an atheist starting to believe: gather intellectual reasons for God, practice spiritual disciplines, and make choices that shape belief.

Question from Emil Codrin about how to start believing after a lifetime of atheism.

Evidence for God Christopher Hitchens Spiritual disciplines
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

Anxiety about eschatology (pre/mid/post-trib) is unnecessary — Christians are called to live ready for a full lifetime of service

Responding to a question about hoping Jesus does not return until after the questioner has died, due to eschatological anxiety

eschatology rapture abomination of desolation
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-23

Scripture permits self-defense and defense of innocent others; military service can be just, but soldiers retain moral responsibility to refuse unjust orders.

Q18 from Zane Potter: is a willingness to fight for one's country compatible with faith in Jesus? Is there scriptural provision for self-preservation in home invasion or foreign threats?

self-defense (biblical) just war theory military service
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

Helping a nominal Christian spouse grow in biblical knowledge

Listener Tasteful Chicken has a wife who believes in Jesus and prays but does not read the Bible; her lifestyle does not align with Scripture.

Pastoral care Discipleship in marriage Nominal Christianity
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-19

Q&A: The pro-life movement doesn't need to provide free healthcare to oppose murder. You don't need to build houses for Holocaust victims to tell Nazis to stop. The pro-life movement does help women through pregnancy and beyond, but that's separate from the moral argument.

Q&A — pro-life movement and healthcare

abortion pro-life human rights
Mike Winger idea 2020-02-26

Reason 6 (The Seeker): Discovering there's a market for dead fetuses — people make millions from abortions. Live Action video debunks Planned Parenthood's "3% of services" claim: 1 in 8 patients gets an abortion, PP does 30.6% of the nation's abortions but only 1.8% of breast exams.

Reason 6 — the abortion industry and Planned Parenthood

abortion Planned Parenthood Live Action
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-16

Selflessness should drive decisions — even if you're low-risk, older/vulnerable congregants face serious danger. Mike's personal practice: running errands for his elderly mother with COPD. Churches can close for a season without spiritual compromise — maintain community through calls, small groups, and online gatherings.

Selflessness and community during lockdown

Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:25 COVID lockdown church closures
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 6-7: (6) Lamb was one year old (prime of life) — Jesus began ministry at 30, the age of full maturity for priestly/sacrificial service. (7) Lamb selected on 10th of Nisan — Jesus entered Jerusalem on the same day (Triumphal Entry, Palm Sunday). The crowd cried "Hosanna" (Psalm 118) = "save us" — presenting himself as the Messianic King. He was then "inspected" for 4 days through questioning by religious leaders, found faultless.

Points 6-7 — age, selection date, triumphal entry

Psalm 118 Passover Passover triumphal entry
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-23

Mark 9:36-37: Jesus uses a child (culturally unimportant, not romanticized as today) to illustrate that receiving ANY believer — even the least significant by worldly standards — is receiving Jesus himself. Matthew 25:34-40 confirms: what you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Ministry to any Christian = ministry to Christ.

Receiving the least = receiving Jesus

Mark 9:36-37 Matthew 25:34-40 Mark 9:36-37 receiving the least Matthew 25:34-40
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: Will saved Christians be punished on Judgment Day? Not punished in the hell sense — Jesus took that punishment. But 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 shows believers' works will be tested by fire: gold/silver/precious stones survive (pure ministry); wood/hay/straw burn up (compromised service). The person is saved but may suffer loss of ALL rewards. 2 Corinthians 5:10: we receive what is due for what we've done — this is loss of reward, not punishment.

Q&A — believers' judgment and rewards

2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10 2 Corinthians 5:10 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 2 Corinthians 5:10
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: How to deal with worry about death as a young Christian. The gospel IS the solution to death: Jesus's empty tomb means resurrection is real. Mike shares attending an atheist's funeral — no comfort, only empty cliches. Christian "cliches" about being with the Lord and seeing loved ones again are actually TRUE. Re-read the resurrection accounts and biographies of faithful saints.

Q&A — fear of death

gospel presentation fear of death resurrection hope
Mike Winger idea 2020-06-03

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

expository preaching expository preaching finding a good church
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-18

Mark Series pt 39: Mark 10:35-45. James and John ask for positions of authority in Jesus's kingdom. Jesus teaches that greatness in his kingdom = servanthood, the opposite of worldly leadership. This passage addresses pastoral abuse at its root: the false expectation that Christian leadership means authority rather than service.

Introduction — Mark 10:35-45 and pastoral abuse

Mark 10:45 Mark 10:35-45 James and John request servant leadership servant leadership Mark 10:45
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-18

Hope for abusive pastors: the disciples who asked for thrones became the greatest servants in church history. James was the first apostle martyred; John served faithfully into old age. Jesus didn't disqualify them for their worldly ambitions — he corrected them and they changed. The same transformation is available today. But it requires: (1) honest self-examination, (2) willingness to be corrected, (3) choosing service over authority.

Hope for transformation — disciples changed

James and John request Acts 12 (James martyred) James and John request pastoral transformation Acts 12 (James martyred)
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-31

Zechariah 9:9-10 is the key OT prophecy behind the entry — the messiah comes humble on a donkey bringing salvation through service, not military conquest. The donkey vs. war horse contrast is central.

Old Testament prophetic background for the Triumphal Entry

Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10 Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Richard Dawkins is not respected even by fellow atheists as a philosopher of religion. Atheist philosopher Michael Ruse says The God Delusion "makes me ashamed to be an atheist."

Setting up Dawkins' credibility before addressing his arguments

Richard Dawkins Michael Ruse The God Delusion
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-19

Jesus redirects from taxes to the image of God — you bear God's image, so you belong to God. For the Christian, there is no separation between religion and politics; being a Christian IS the lens through which you engage all of life.

The image of God as the foundational political principle

image of God image of God render to Caesar
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-11

Sacrificial giving has the highest value to Jesus — the things that cost you the most are worth the most. When you think your service to God is at its lowest value, Jesus may see it at its highest.

The widow's mite principle: sacrifice determines value, not amount

widows mite sacrificial giving widows mite
Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

The Salvation Army replacing water baptism with wearing a uniform and not practicing communion is a serious mistake — baptism and communion are commanded by Jesus, not optional denominational choices.

Q2: Can the Salvation Army replace baptism with a uniform?

Jesus salvation baptism
Mike Winger idea 2021-11-12

About Tongues & God’s Will: If the Holy Spirit gives tongues, how is it that anyone uses it against the will of God, if the Spirit only does what the Father wills? (For example, misusing it in church services.)

Q&A question: About Tongues & God’s Will

tongues
Mike Winger idea 2022-01-21

Is it Wrong to have Vaxxed & Non-Vaxxed Services?: My church has decided to have 2 different services: one for those who have gotten the vaccine, and one for those who have not. I love my pastors, but I disagree with this approach, and I see it as divisive. Is this something I should leave the church over? I wouldn’t think Jesus would ever be for this option.

Q&A question: Is it Wrong to have Vaxxed & Non-Vaxxed Services?

Jesus pastoral ministry
Mike Winger idea 2022-02-04

Do Salvation Numbers = Biblical Practices?: Should we always see new souls coming to Christ as a sign/indicator that the Lord was with us in a particular event, service, or mission field?

Q&A question: Do Salvation Numbers = Biblical Practices?

salvation
Mike Winger idea 2022-04-01

How Important is a Church’s Statement of Faith?: How important is a church's statement of faith? If a church has a basic, correct statement but adds and emphasizes serious errors in their services, what would you think they're really about?

Q&A question: How Important is a Church’s Statement of Faith?
Mike Winger idea 2023-02-17

Is there a Proper Format for Church Services?: Is the current way we do church services prescribed in the Bible? Where did this current style of worship come from?

Q&A question: Is there a Proper Format for Church Services?

worship
Mike Winger idea 2023-05-12

Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?: Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive?

Q&A question: Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?

atheism
Mike Winger idea 2023-08-18

Did Saul Know who David Was?: Why at the end of 1 Samuel 16 did the author emphasize David's service to and recognition by Saul, but in 1 Samuel 17, Saul didn't seem to even know who David was (no one seemed to know him for that matter)?

Q&A question: Did Saul Know who David Was?

1 Samuel 16 David Samuel 1 Samuel 16
Mike Winger idea 2023-09-01

Does Video Auto-Play Lead to Sin?: Is it a sin to use a social media service that often displays ungodly messages and music? Short-form video services such as TikTok display videos directly on your feed rather than suggesting them to you. I will still often see ungodly videos even though I don't want to.

Q&A question: Does Video Auto-Play Lead to Sin?
Mike Winger idea 2023-09-15

Examples of Serving God Daily: I’m wondering what discipling others, sharing the Gospel, and service to God looks like in your life day-to-day? Anything you’ve learned over the years?

Q&A question: Examples of Serving God Daily
← Prev Page 2 of 3 Next →