Search — Theology Explorer

personal testimony evidence-based faith comparative religion

Evidence for Christianity spans multiple disciplines: Scripture, philosophy, history, science, and personal experience

Mike summarizes the scope of Christian evidential resources before moving to Q&A.

Holy Spirit personal testimony apologetics methodology

Q&A: How to explain to non-believers that the Holy Spirit's presence is a reason for faith

Viewer question from Cam 94.

John 13:2 omnipotence Satan spiritual warfare

Q&A: Can Satan, as a non-omnipotent being, put thoughts into people's minds?

Viewer question from Joy Chintons.

John 3:36 obedience hermeneutics faith and works

Q&A: Connection between belief and obedience in John 3:36 — belief leads to obedience; lack of obedience implies lack of faith

Viewer question from Jacob Englet about John 3:36 and James 2:14-26.

James 2:14-26 faith James 2:14-26 faith and works

James 2:14-26 — faith without works is dead; Mike references his dedicated video on Catholic vs. Protestant interpretations

Part of Jacob Englet's question on faith and obedience.

Dr. Ragnar study Dr. Rosenfeld family instability

Q&A: Response to atheist videos on the Dr. Ragnar study and the lurking variable of family instability

Viewer question from Brian Stevens about a sociological study and atheist video responses.

hermeneutics biblical interpretation contextual reading

Q&A: How to know you have the proper interpretation of Scripture — hermeneutics and contextual reading

Viewer question from Eric Seagardia.

epistemology evidence apologetics methodology

Q&A: Distinction between 'evidence' and 'proof' — Mike is skeptical that they must be rigorously distinguished

Viewer question from Martin Gradwell.

Romans 1:19-20 personal testimony Romans 1:19-20 natural theology

Q&A: Personal testimony — Bradley Wilcox found God through science and history; Mike shares friend Travis's conversion testimony

Viewer comment on creation as evidence; Mike illustrates with a personal conversion story.

Isaiah 53 Bible as historical document Isaiah 53 Pontius Pilate

Q&A: How to use the Bible as evidence with non-believers who don't accept it as God's word — the prophecy approach

Viewer question from Kate about apologetic method.

evidence-based faith faith trust

Closing summary: faith is simply trust; the reasons for faith are a separate discussion from the nature of faith itself

Mike's concluding definition and summary of the session.

1 John 3:4 Equivocation fallacy 1 John 3:4 Anomia

Greek term anomia (lawlessness) does not exclusively mean violation of the Mosaic law — it has diverse NT usage

Mike makes a focused philological argument about the Greek word anomia.

1 John 2:3-10 1 John 3:23-24 John 15 Law of Moses 1 John 2:3-10 1 John 3:23-24

Reading 1 John in context: the commandment John has in view is love and faith in Jesus Christ, not the Mosaic law

Mike does a sustained contextual reading of 1 John 2 and 3 to determine what John meant by "commandments."

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Paul rejection

The Hebrew Roots Movement tends to involve a progressive radicalization through increasingly extreme positions

Mike describes what he observes as a typical trajectory for people who enter the Hebrew Roots Movement.

1 John 2 Torah observance Salvation by works Apostasy

119 Ministries contradicts itself: early they say Torah-keeping is not required for salvation; later they imply it is, calling non-observance "denying the faith"

Mike plays two clips from 119 Ministries showing an internal contradiction between their opening disclaimer and their later conclusion.

Torah observance Gentile believers Sola fide

Torah-observant Christians who hold sola fide — Mike's gracious but firm assessment

Q&A question: what about Torah-observant believers who genuinely hold that salvation is by grace through faith alone?

Hebrews 11 John 5 John 6:53-63 Abraham Hebrews 11 John 5

John 6:53 — "eat my flesh and drink my blood" is symbolic, not a basis for the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist

Q&A: an ex-Catholic questioner asks whether John 6:53 has legitimate Hebrew roots or is scripture-twisting in support of the Eucharist.

Acts 15 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries

Preview of next week: Acts 15 and Pauline passages; warning to Hebrew Roots adherents to separate from those who deny salvation by grace

Closing remarks and preview of future videos in the series.

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Hebrew Roots Movement: Should Christians uphold the Law of Moses?

Q&A on whether Christians should uphold the Law as Jesus did, since he was sinless in following it.

faith in Christ Hebrew Roots Movement Law of Moses

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Christ as fulfillment of OT ceremonial types (Passover, Day of Atonement)

Mike argues that trusting in Christ means participating indirectly in the fulfillment of OT ceremonial law.

typology Passover Law of Moses

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

Baptism does not secure salvation; it is an outward expression of inward faith

Q&A on whether post-baptism sin causes a loss of the security received at baptism.

1 John 2 baptism faith in Christ 1 John 2

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Free will in heaven: believers will have genuine free will but no desire to sin

Viewer asking whether we will have free will in heaven

1 Corinthians 15 2 Peter 1 Corinthians 15 Greg Koukl glorification

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Strategy for protecting college students from JWs and the Mother God cult (World Mission Society Church of God): inoculate, don't isolate

Viewer on a college campus encountering JWs and World Mission Society Church of God

Mormonism evangelism Jehovah's Witnesses

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Mike's personal testimony: heard the gospel at 12, found relief in forgiveness

Viewer asking about Mike's salvation experience

salvation sanctification forgiveness

Christian apologetics Gospel historicity reasons people leave the faith

Introduction: purpose of the stream and why the historicity of the Gospels matters

Mike opens the Tuesday livestream and frames the day's topic as important for faith retention.

James John Matthew Peter James John

Papias's key quotation about seeking living witnesses over written sources

The primary Papias text Mike uses to establish the eyewitness-guarantor model.

Luke 1:2 Gospel reliability Luke 1:2 paradidōmi

Luke's use of "just as delivered" (kathōs paredosan) emphasizes transmission accuracy

Luke's specific language about accurate transmission of the tradition.

Hebrews 11:32 Samson salvation saving faith

Q&A: Why is Samson in the Hebrews Hall of Faith? Was Samson saved?

Q&A question about Samson's presence in Hebrews 11.

Pontius Pilate eyewitness testimony Gospel historicity

Q&A: How did the Gospel writers know about private conversations (Jesus and Pilate)?

Q&A on the epistemological question of how private Gospel scenes were recorded.

1 Corinthians 7:14 hermeneutics sanctification 1 Corinthians 7:14

Q&A: 1 Corinthians 7:14 — "sanctified" is a dictionary term, not a theological one; no automatic salvation for unbelieving spouse

Q&A on the meaning of sanctification language in Paul's marriage instruction.

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Proper epistemology for trusting Scripture: demonstrate Bible is from God, then trust it — rather than requiring external proof for every claim.

Mike's methodological note on the Exodus question.

Biblical inspiration Biblical epistemology Apologetics methodology

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

Personal account: two friends experienced SIDS (crib death/sudden infant death) and responded differently — one drew closer to God, one turned away

John shares a personal story illustrating different responses to suffering

John McCrae problem of evil John McCrae SIDS / sudden infant death

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

Cameron Bertuzzi's ministry goal: expose the intellectual depth of Christian belief; counter the cultural assumption that atheism has all the intellectual high ground

Cameron shares his goals for Capturing Christianity

Capturing Christianity Christian apologetics Cameron Bertuzzi

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology

Boghossian explicitly states the book's purpose is to talk people out of their faith

Mike reads directly from page 15 of the book

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Page 15 quote: Boghossian's stated goal is to create a generation of Street Epistemologists who help people abandon faith and embrace reason

Mike reads page 15 of the book at length

A Manual for Creating Atheists Faith Brainwashing

Mike argues the book is designed to brainwash atheists and secular readers, not engage Christians

Mike explains who the book's real audience is

Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 11:1 A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Boghossian redefines "faith" as "pretending to know things you don't know"

Mike quotes Boghossian's definition of faith directly

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Boghossian's multi-page substitution chart trains readers to mentally replace every use of "faith" with "pretending to know things you don't know"

Mike shows and reads from the chart in Boghossian's book

Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 11:1 Peter Boghossian Faith

The false definition of faith makes Christian claims appear unreasonable before dialogue even begins

Mike explains the downstream effect of Boghossian's redefinition

Atheism A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Summary of chapter 2: Boghossian redefines faith, atheism, and agnosticism to rig the intellectual playing field

Mike synthesizes his analysis of chapter 2

Stand to Reason Tim Barnett Peter Boghossian

Boghossian claims faith is an epistemology — a way of coming to know things — which Mike and his guests argue is fundamentally wrong

Mike identifies the second major pillar-error in the book

Mark 2 William Lane Craig Stand to Reason Tim Barnett

Tim Barnett (Stand to Reason): faith is not an epistemology but a way of trusting; knowledge and trust are distinct categories

Video clip from Tim Barnett responding to Boghossian

Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology Faith

The two foundational false pillars of Street Epistemology: (1) faith = belief without evidence, (2) faith is an epistemology

Mike synthesizes the two central errors he has identified

Circular reasoning A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Page 30: Boghossian's principal argument against faith is circular — it presupposes his false definition

Mike analyzes Boghossian's core argument structure

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Chapter 3: doxastic closure — Boghossian continues the assault on faith while romanticizing Street Epistemology

Mike transitions to chapter 3 of the book

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Faith

Page 43-44: Boghossian claims faith removes wonder and curiosity; Mike counters that faith enhances his intellectual engagement

Mike quotes and rebuts pages 43-44

A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian Street Epistemology

Pages 44-45: Boghossian romanticizes the Street Epistemologist as a hero rescuing people from the faith "virus"

Mike reads from pages 44-45

Apologetics A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

The book assumes religious people have not thought through their beliefs — which Mike says is demonstrably false

Mike identifies a core assumption embedded in the book

David Hume A Manual for Creating Atheists Peter Boghossian

Boghossian self-contradicts by quoting David Hume approvingly: "A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence"

Mike identifies a self-contradiction on page 45