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All (757) Mike Winger (757)
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-05

Lauren Daigle's interview on homosexuality as a cultural moment exposing a widespread Christian struggle

Winger opens by framing the video not as an attack on Lauren Daigle, but as an opportunity to address a struggle millions of Christians share: how to answer hard cultural questions about homosexuality under pressure.

cultural pressure Christian witness homosexuality
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-17

Christians are not obligated either to have or to avoid Christmas trees — liberty of conscience

Applying the correct conclusion from the exegesis

Christmas trees Liberty of conscience Judging fellow believers
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Bishop Barron's answer: Vatican II teaches a person can be saved outside explicit Christian faith through conscience or sincere law-keeping

Mike quotes and plays a clip of Barron's response to Ben

salvation conscience grace
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Implication of Barron's answer: evangelism of Jews becomes unnecessary if law-keeping + sincerity suffices

Mike draws out the logical consequence of Barron's position

evangelism salvation missions
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Philippians 3:4-9 — Paul counts his pre-conversion Jewish credentials as 'rubbish' compared to knowing Christ

Mike reads Philippians 3 as a direct biblical answer to Ben's argument

Philippians 3:4-9 Paul righteousness Philippians 3:4-9
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Galatians 2:15-16 — even Jewish believers know that justification is by faith in Christ, not works of the law

Mike adds Galatians to the scriptural case

Galatians 2:15-16 Paul justification works of the law
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Romans 10:4 — Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes

The climax of the Romans 10 argument

Romans 10:4 faith righteousness law
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Romans 10:9-10 — confess Jesus as Lord and believe in the resurrection: the simple formula for salvation

Mike states Paul's positive prescription for Ben

Romans 10:9-10 justification by faith gospel resurrection
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Romans 10:11 — everyone who believes will not be put to shame

Continuing Romans 10

Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 faith shame Romans 10:11
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Romans 4:1-5 — Abraham justified by faith, not works, citing Genesis 15:6

Mike uses Abraham as the foundational Old Testament example of faith-based justification

Genesis 15:6 Romans 4:1-5 justification by faith Abraham imputed righteousness
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

The New Testament is a Jewish book written by Jews about the Jewish Messiah

Mike contextualizes the gospel for Ben as a Jewish person

Romans 11 Torah Tanakh Nevi'im
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Romans 4:6-8 — David as second Old Testament example: righteousness apart from works (Psalm 32)

Continuing Romans 4

Romans 4:6-8 Psalm 32:1-2 David imputed righteousness forgiveness
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

John 5:45-47 — if you believed Moses you would believe me: encountering Jesus reveals whether one truly believed Moses

Mike addresses the logical question: what about Ben, who has heard of Jesus but rejected him?

John 5:45-47 revelation Moses parables Torah
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Christianity is a Jewish religion; Gentiles are grafted in — not the other way around

Mike speaks directly to the Jewish identity of Christianity

Romans 11 Messianic Judaism grafted in Romans 11
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Q&A: Core doctrines vs. peripheral doctrines — spiderweb illustration; Mormonism example

Answering viewer question from Jacob Inglot about when doctrine becomes heresy

Mormonism Christology soteriology
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Ephesians 2:8-9 — saved by grace through faith, not of works; personal story of Catholic friend Tony

Mike illustrates grace alone with a personal anecdote

Ephesians 2:8-9 Ephesians 2:8-9 sola gratia sola fide
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Q&A: What does it mean to believe? — Faith is a choice to trust, not a blind leap

Answering viewer question about the nature of faith vs. fruit

Holy Spirit fruit of the Spirit faith
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Definition of repentance: turning from one direction to another

Brief definition offered in response to a viewer request

repentance faith metanoia
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Opening thesis: defining faith as 'belief without evidence' is a disastrous mistake for Christianity

Mike opens the livestream by stating his core argument for the session.

faith belief without evidence Christian apologetics
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Video clip montage: multiple skeptics and a Christian caller define faith as belief without evidence

Mike plays a compiled video showing both atheists and a Christian caller agreeing on this definition.

faith skepticism The Atheist Experience
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Introduction of Matt Dillahunty and announcement of upcoming resurrection debate

Mike pauses the video clip to identify Matt Dillahunty and announce a planned debate.

Matt Dillahunty The Atheist Experience resurrection of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

A Christian caller's agreement with the 'faith = belief without evidence' definition hands skeptics a rhetorical victory

Mike analyzes the Atheist Experience clip where the atheist host anticipates the Christian caller's definition and immediately labels it 'gullibility.'

faith Matt Dillahunty gullibility
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

The 'faith = belief without evidence' definition makes Christians appear foolish and concedes the epistemic ground

Mike explains the rhetorical and theological consequences of accepting this definition.

faith Christian apologetics reasonable faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Methodology: test the definition of faith against Scripture first, then the dictionary

Mike outlines his approach for the rest of the session.

hermeneutics faith apologetics methodology
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

1 Kings 18 — Mount Carmel contest as evidence-based faith: Elijah's challenge to prophets of Baal

Mike's first biblical example demonstrating that God operates through evidence, not blind faith.

1 Kings 18:22-39 evidence-based faith Elijah Mount Carmel
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Deuteronomy 18:22 — false prophecy as test for identifying true vs. false prophets

Mike's second Old Testament example showing God requires verification before demanding belief.

Deuteronomy 18:22 Jehovah's Witnesses prophecy evidence-based faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Isaiah 41:22 — predictive prophecy as God's proof of his own existence and authority

Mike's third Old Testament passage, showing God challenges false gods to prove themselves through prediction.

Isaiah 41:22 evidence-based faith Isaiah 41:22 predictive prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Acts 18:27-28 — Apollos vigorously refutes Jewish opponents using Scripture to show Jesus is the Christ

New Testament example of evidence-based persuasion in the early church.

Acts 18:27-28 Apollos typology evidence-based faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

John 5:31-38 — Jesus presents three specific evidences for his identity: John the Baptist, miracles, and Scripture

Mike analyzes Jesus's own self-defense in John 5 as a model of evidence-based persuasion.

John the Baptist John 5:31-39 resurrection evidence-based faith John the Baptist
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

No other religion has a comparative apologetic to Christianity

Mike makes a comparative religion claim after discussing Christian evidential resources.

Islam resurrection comparative religion
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

John 5:39 — the Old Testament scriptures testify of Jesus as a third category of evidence

Continuation of the John 5 analysis; the Father's testimony through Scripture.

John 5:39 evidence-based faith messianic prophecy John 5:39
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Matthew 9:5-7 — Jesus heals the paralytic as evidence of authority to forgive sins

Mike uses Jesus's healing of the paralytic as another instance of miracles functioning as proof.

Matthew 9:5-7 miracles as evidence Matthew 9:5-7 paralytic healing
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Hebrews 2:3-4 — signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit as confirmation of the gospel message

Mike's final direct positive scriptural argument that Christianity is evidence-based.

Hebrews 2:3-4 evidence-based faith Hebrews 2:3-4 eyewitness testimony
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Pivot to objections: addressing 'but what about?' passages that skeptics use to support the faith-without-evidence definition

Mike transitions from positive case to handling counter-passages.

Hebrews 11:1 Romans 1:19-20 John 20:24 apologetics methodology Hebrews 11:1 Romans 1:19-20
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Hebrews 11:1 — introduction and reference to Amy Hall's article at STR.org

Mike begins addressing the most commonly cited 'faith without evidence' passage.

Hebrews 11:1 faith Hebrews 11:1 Amy Hall
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Hebrews 11:1 is a description of what faith looks like, not a definition of why or how we believe

Mike's core exegetical argument about the nature of Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:1 hermeneutics faith Hebrews 11:1
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Hebrews 11: 'not seen' means future realities not yet occurring, not things lacking evidence — illustrated by Noah building the ark

Mike's second exegetical argument about the meaning of 'unseen' in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:7 hermeneutics eschatology Noah
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Abraham and Sarah in Hebrews 11: faith as trust in specific divine promises, not evidence-free belief

Further examples from Hebrews 11 illustrating that the characters had specific reasons to believe.

Hebrews 11:8 Hebrews 11:11 Sarah Abraham faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

The Hebrews 11 heroes had concrete reasons for their faith: direct speech from God, angelic visitations, inherited testimony

Mike argues that the faith-figures in Hebrews 11 are not examples of 'faith without evidence.'

Hebrews 11 Moses Sarah evidence-based faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Romans 1:19-20 — creation itself is the evidence through which God is perceived; not faith without evidence

Mike addresses the second counter-passage sometimes used to support faith-without-evidence.

Romans 1:19-20 evidence-based faith cosmological argument Romans 1:19-20
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

John 20:24-29 — Thomas passage: 'not seen' does not mean 'without evidence'

Mike addresses the Thomas story as the third counter-passage.

John 20:24-29 hermeneutics faith Thomas
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Thomas's demand to see the nail marks refutes Jehovah's Witness teaching that Jesus rose in a different body

Side point made while explaining the Thomas narrative.

John 20:24-27 Jehovah's Witnesses resurrection body Thomas
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Jesus gives Thomas evidence first, then commands belief — a model of evidence-based faith

The climax of Mike's Thomas analysis.

John 20:27-28 resurrection evidence-based faith Thomas
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Thomas's rebuke was for ignoring available evidence, not for demanding evidence — modern believers have the same pre-appearance evidence

Mike draws the application of the Thomas story to contemporary Christian faith.

John 20:24-29 resurrection Thomas Matt Dillahunty
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Skeptical objections to Christianity are often based on misunderstanding, misrepresentation, and bad scholarship rather than genuinely superior evidence

Mike's meta-level assessment of the state of skeptical arguments against Christianity.

evidence-based faith skepticism Christian apologetics
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Dictionary definition of faith: Google's two definitions — 'complete trust or confidence' vs. 'strong belief based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof'

Mike moves from Scripture to the dictionary to examine the secular definition of faith.

personal testimony faith spiritual apprehension
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Webster's dictionary definitions of faith: 'allegiance,' 'loyalty,' 'belief and trust in God' — the 'firm belief in something for which there is no proof' definition exists but does not represent biblical Christianity

Mike examines Webster's multiple definitions of faith.

faith Christian apologetics definition of faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Why Christians accept the bad definition: 'sloppy thinking' — illustrated by the peanut butter sandwich experiment

Mike explains how well-meaning Christians end up using imprecise language that harms their apologetic position.

faith apologetics methodology sloppy thinking
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Skeptics take advantage of Christians' sloppy language; Christians must speak precisely about faith

Mike's conclusion on the source of the problem and call to action.

faith apologetics methodology sloppy thinking
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Recommended apologetics ministries and resources for Christians who want a robust, evidence-based faith

Mike provides a resource list for viewers who want to deepen their apologetics.

Greg Koukl William Lane Craig apologetics resources