Search — Theology Explorer

Bible study pastoral ministry teaching

Laziness is a major detriment to teaching ministry — pastors need to study deeply

Further advice on pastoral preparation

calling pastoral ministry servanthood

Serve humbly in any capacity — do not limit ministry to pastoral role; obey calling

Final advice to aspiring pastor Jared

Bethel Church discernment Bill Johnson

Feel-good phrases like "you are enough" and "Jesus came to bring a piece of heaven to earth" — ambiguous theology

Question from Ben Johnston about a pastor using feel-good slogans

Bethel Church discernment false doctrine

Approaching a pastor using feel-good theology — gracious challenge, define the terms

Practical advice for Ben on speaking to a feel-good theology pastor

discernment false doctrine pastoral correction

Using a book or resource as a proxy for delivering correction to a defensive pastor

Alternative strategy for Ben Johnston

Calvinism R.C. Sproul TULIP

Introduction to TULIP as a summary of Calvinist theology

Mike opens the Q&A by addressing a Facebook question from Paul Rem about the five points of Calvinism.

Calvinism Sola Scriptura Reformed Theology

Mike affirms the Five Solas but says they do not make him a Calvinist

Mike clarifies his relationship to Reformed theology before walking through TULIP.

Genesis 6:3 Holy Spirit Calvinism TULIP

Total Depravity defined as "total inability" — Mike rejects it

First point of TULIP addressed in detail.

Calvinism Arminianism Total Depravity

Regeneration precedes faith — the core of Calvinism, which Mike rejects

Mike identifies what he sees as the single unifying point underlying all five TULIP points.

Exodus Gospel of John Calvinism Exodus

Divine hardening in John's Gospel as a challenge to Calvinist Total Depravity

Mike argues divine hardening is inconsistent with Total Depravity.

Unconditional Election — Mike partly affirms, partly rejects

Second point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism Molinism TULIP

Calvinism Free Will Election

Corporate view of election and God's foreknowledge conditioned on faith

Mike's alternative to Calvinist individual unconditional election.

James White John Owen James White Calvinism TULIP

Limited Atonement — Mike firmly rejects it

Third point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism TULIP Total Depravity

Irresistible Grace — Mike rejects it as the mirror image of Total Depravity

Fourth point of TULIP addressed.

Hebrews 6 Hebrews 10 Hebrews 4 Calvinism Apostasy Hebrews 6

Perseverance of the Saints — Mike is unresolved, not firmly opposed

Fifth and final point of TULIP addressed.

Calvinism TULIP Free Will

All five TULIP points are ultimately one point: denial of free will

Mike summarizes his overarching critique of Calvinism.

Satan Paganism Demon Possession

Demon possession: less visible in Western cultures due to secular/medical framing

Q&A question from "Only in Antarctica" about why demon possession seems less prevalent today given population growth.

Isaiah Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Jesus Isaiah Isaiah 53

Deutero-Isaiah / multiple authorship of Isaiah — Mike skeptical

Q from "Skeptic Reviews" about the scholarly view that Isaiah had multiple authors.

Proverbs Genesis 24 Proverbs Marriage The One

God as matchmaker — Mike rejects "the one" theology applied universally

Q from Haruhi Anderson about the doctrine that God has one divinely chosen spouse for every Christian.

Proverbs 18:22 Marriage Guidance Proverbs 18:22

Proverbs: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing" — find a good one, not the one

Mike applies Proverbs to marriage decision-making.

Oneness Pentecostalism Marriage Trinitarianism

Trinitarian-Oneness Christian marriage — Mike counsels against it

Q from Ash Cash about whether a Trinitarian Christian should marry a Oneness Pentecostal.

Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Isaiah 53 Hermeneutics Isaiah 52

How to construct a biblical theology — start with contextual reading plus the doctrine of inspiration

Q from Nick (Quint/Quiet) about building a biblical theological method.

Evangelism Holiness Family Relationships

Living with non-Christian parents who swear, drink, and watch vulgar content

Q from Soul about navigating holiness when living with ungodly parents.

Judges Judges Just War Pacifism

Just War theory — Mike affirms it; pacifism in all scenarios is evil

Q from Dan Dan about whether an Armenian Christian can go to war in defense against genocide.

Satan Imago Dei Free Will

Angels and free will — Mike's view that angels had a one-time choice that became fixed

Q from Brent Smith about what separates humans from angels and whether angels can fall.

Genesis 1:1 bereshit Genesis 1:1 False Prophecy

Bereshit Prophecy in Genesis 1:1 — Mike strongly dismisses as fabricated

Q from Enigma about the "Bereshit prophecy" in Genesis 1:1 regarding end times.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Saul Jehovah's Witnesses

Immortal soul — JW/annihilationist claim that it is a Greek import, not Jewish or biblical

Q from Grace Lou 22 about a JW friend who says the Greek word for soul just means any living being and that the immortal soul concept is Greek philosophy smuggled into Christianity.

Government Voting Civic Responsibility

Voting as a Christian moral obligation in a democracy

Q from Woolpack about whether it is a sin for a Christian not to vote.

2 Corinthians 9 Sanctification Giving 2 Corinthians 9

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.

Evangelism Discipleship Church

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.

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

Mark 16:15 Evangelism Mark 16:15 Great Commission

"My faith is personal" — Mike says this is unbiblical and reflects spiritual deception

Q from Proverbs 17:11 about Christians who refuse to discuss religion because it is personal.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 62:8 Proverbs 3:5-6 Faith Guidance

Favorite Bible verses for daily courage — Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 62:8

Q from Eighth Day Adventist about Mike's favorite Bible verse for daily encouragement.

1 Corinthians 10:13 Romans 13:14 1 Corinthians 10:13 Spiritual Warfare Pornography

Fighting pornography addiction — battle is lost before you even feel overwhelmed

Q from Nathan P about why prayer seems ineffective against porn addiction.

Colossians Romans 14 Acts Colossians Romans 14 Mosaic Law

Old Testament dietary laws — not binding on Christians; Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel future prophecy not a present command

Q from Ashley Koenig about whether Christians must follow OT dietary laws, citing Isaiah 66:16-17.

John 1:1 Trinity Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation renders John 1:1c as "a god" rather than "God"

Mike opens the episode by addressing the JW translation of John 1:1 before taking live questions.

John 1:1 Trinity Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation

JW theology denies the Trinity and the deity of Christ; NWT is their translation tool to support this denial

Mike explains the theological motivation behind the JW translation of John 1:1.

John 1:1 Jehovah's Witnesses theos John 1:1

Greek grammar of John 1:1 — theos/theon and the definite article (ton)

Mike walks through the Greek text of John 1:1 using Logos Bible Software.

John 1:1 John 1:6 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation theos

John 1:6 refutes JW argument — theos without article still means God Almighty

Mike demonstrates the JW argument is self-defeating using another verse in the same chapter.

John 1:1 Trinity Deity of Christ theos

Dan Wallace on John 1:1: the articular construction fights Sabellianism; the anarthrous predicate fights Arianism

Mike quotes Greek scholar Dan Wallace's commentary on John 1:1.

John 1:1 Trinity Martin Luther John 1:1

Martin Luther quote: lack of article is against Sabellianism; word order is against Arianism

Mike continues citing Wallace who himself references Luther's summary of John 1:1's grammar.

John 1:1 John 1:18 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Deity of Christ

John 1:18 further exposes JW inconsistency — theos without article used twice but not rendered "a god"

Mike shows a second example from John 1 that undermines the JW argument.

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Bible translation

NWT translators' identities were kept secret; a former JW leader revealed they were not qualified

Mike addresses the credibility problem with the NWT's translation committee.

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation spiritual abuse

JWs are victims of their organization's false teaching, not perpetrators

Mike closes the JW section with a pastoral appeal.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Matthew 24

Matthew 24:34 — "this generation" does not mean the generation hearing Jesus speak; it refers to those who witness specific end-time events

Question from Jason Stob about the meaning of Matthew 24:34.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Israel

Refutation of the 1948 Israel founding as a generational clock for Matthew 24

Mike critiques the popular dispensational application of Matthew 24:34 to Israel's statehood.

Matthew 24 Matthew 24:6-8 eschatology false prophets Matthew 24

Wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences in Matthew 24 are NOT signs of the Second Coming — they are warnings that the end has not yet come

Mike reads Matthew 24 in sequence to reframe how the signs are commonly misunderstood.

Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 eschatology

The one true sign in Matthew 24 is the Abomination of Desolation — referenced from Daniel 9

Mike identifies the single definitive sign Jesus gives in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24 Matthew 24:26-27 eschatology false prophets Matthew 24

During the Tribulation, false christs will appear — the real Second Coming will be unmistakably visible to all

Mike explains why Jesus warns so strongly against looking for a hidden or local return of Christ.