I've been sitting on this for years...

Summary

BibleThinker with Mike Winger

Episode: "I've been sitting on this for years..."
Date: May 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this provocative and eye-opening episode, host Mike Winger exposes and analyzes a series of failed prophecies and questionable claims by Brian Simmons, author of the Passion Translation and prominent figure in certain charismatic circles. Winger examines Simmons’ public statements, critiques the broader implications for Christian leadership and biblical reliability, and urges discernment when evaluating those who claim divine revelation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Exposing a "Fake Prophecy" about 2020

[00:00–01:07]

• Mike Winger reveals he has been holding onto certain revealing clips about Brian Simmons for years.
• Simmons claimed in 2019 that 2020 would be "a year of glory," prophesying not only general blessing but also that people would become healers within their own families:
  • Brian Simmons Quote [00:35]:
    “Presence of Heaven is coming in such power to our gatherings... 2020 is just going to really, really be good... it’s going to be a year of glory. God is going to pour out his spirit upon you and your family. You’re going to be the healer that you’re praying for your family.”
• Winger points out how, in reality, 2020 was viewed globally as a year of immense hardship and disruption (implicitly referencing COVID-19), and emphasizes the direct contrast between Simmons’ prophecy and what actually transpired.
  • Mike Winger [01:07]:
    “This claim that you are going to be the healer in your family in 2020 turned out to not just be a little off the mark, but to be almost like a trap. The Lord allowing someone like him to be exposed as being not reliable, not in tune with the Holy Spirit.”
• Winger underscores the gravity of Simmons’ claims, which are foundational to his highly successful Passion Translation, promoted as stemming from private revelations.

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2. Other Failed Prophecies: Mass Conversion in California

[01:07–02:36]

• Winger shares a 2015 video of Simmons predicting a dramatic mass conversion in Southern California:
  • Brian Simmons Quote [01:55]:
    “There’s going to be, you know, millions here in Southern California, millions coming to know Jesus. 20% of Southern Cal is going to be converted... 3 million new converts. That’ll make a good church.”
• Mike connects Simmons with other leaders in the “apostolic” movement (notably Che Ahn), positioning him as an influential figure within these charismatic circles.

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3. Leadership Accountability & The Dangers of Private Revelation

[02:36–03:41]

• Winger laments the widespread endorsement of Simmons by major charismatic networks and musicians, as well as a handful of scholars:
  • Mike Winger [02:50]:
    “...the man pretends to have private revelations from God that he’s put into a translation that had been sold to millions of people, endorsed by the Hillsong crew, ...Cheon side of things, and one scholar named David Householder...but you guys should be protected from lies, and Christian leaders should be warning people about leaders that are frauds...”
• He frames this not as an attack on charismatics or those who believe in spiritual gifts, but as a call for discernment and accountability regarding concrete, unverifiable claims.

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4. Strange and “Wacky” Testimonies

[03:41–06:45]

• Winger then highlights a series of unusual, extravagant claims Simmons has made publicly:
  • Regarding a "Pogo Stick" Vision [03:41]:
    Simmons recounts an airport vision about needing a pogo stick, which he attributes to God and his own open visions, adding credibility to his claims for some listeners. - Brian Simmons Quote [03:41]:
    “I said, Lord, I just need a pogo stick. And if I could get on a pogo stick, everything would be okay. And I believe God’s going to put a pogo stick in this... I’m just seeing things. It’s hard to concentrate.”
  • His Wife's Supposed Levitation [04:30]:
    • Brian Simmons Quote:
      “There were people in church history that floated right off the ground. Don’t tell anybody this, but it’s happened twice to my wife... she came right up off the ground. The power of God.”
  • His Wife's Multiple Nightly Dreams [04:47]:
    Simmons claims his wife routinely has six or seven prophetic dreams each night, which he claims God loves to reveal to her.
  • Visions Involving Billy Graham and a Celestial Chariot [05:10]:
    • Simmons relates a dream in which Billy Graham visits him and cautions him against pride; he describes being taken in a spiritual chariot ride over New England to see where revival would break out.
    • He also introduces a controversial idea about the Holy Spirit:
      • Brian Simmons Quote [06:45]:
        “By the way, did you know the Holy Spirit in both Greek and Hebrew is always feminine? But nobody would want to talk to her. I don’t know why we don’t talk to her...”

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5. Clarifying the Critique

[06:45–END]

• Winger underscores that his primary concern is not to criticize charismatic beliefs per se, but to provide clear, irrefutable documentation of false prophecy and warn the church of its dangers:
  • Mike Winger [06:45]:
    “But I know that some would perceive that as me just critiquing people for being charismatic or believing in the gifts, when that is certainly not what I’d be doing. So instead, let’s stick to a demonstrable wrong prophecy.”
• He reiterates the need for church leaders to protect believers from deception and hold public figures accountable for their claims, especially when those claims impact widely used Bible translations.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On failed 2020 prophecy:
  “This claim that you are going to be the healer in your family in 2020 turned out to not just be a little off the mark, but to be almost like a trap.” (Mike Winger, [01:07])
• On mass conversion claim:
  “There’s going to be, you know, millions here in Southern California, millions coming to know Jesus. 20% of Southern Cal is going to be converted...” (Brian Simmons, [01:55])
• On the strange “pogo stick” vision:
  “I said, Lord, I just need a pogo stick. And if I could get on a pogo stick, everything would be okay.” (Brian Simmons, [03:41])
• On levitating wife:
  “Don’t tell anybody this, but it’s happened twice to my wife... she came right up off the ground. The power of God.” (Brian Simmons, [04:30])
• On translation concerns:
  “Christian leaders should be warning people about leaders that are frauds, and they’re ultimately abusing them with their fake stuff.” (Mike Winger, [02:50])
• On distinguishing critique:
  “I know that some would perceive that as me just critiquing people for being charismatic or believing in the gifts, when that is certainly not what I’d be doing.” (Mike Winger, [06:45])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00–01:07 – Introduction; Simmons’ failed 2020 prophecy.
• 01:07–02:36 – Mass conversion prophecy for California.
• 02:36–03:41 – Networks supporting Simmons and the issue of private revelation.
• 03:41–04:26 – Simmons’ “pogo stick” vision.
• 04:26–06:45 – Further odd claims: wife levitating, multiple nightly dreams, chariot ride with Billy Graham, and Holy Spirit as feminine.
• 06:45–End – Winger clarifies his intent and reiterates the need for discernment.

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Takeaway

Mike Winger artfully provides direct evidence and sound commentary to encourage biblical discernment, emphasizing the dangers of unchecked prophetic claims, especially when made by individuals with broad influence through popular Bible translations. He calls Christian leaders and laymen alike to prioritize truth and accountability, demonstrating how even widely-endorsed ministries can propagate significant error when claims go untested. This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned with biblical accuracy, spiritual discernment, and the responsible stewardship of God’s Word.

Transcript

[A]

I've been sitting on this information for a few years, and I'm just going to make a quick video just to put it out there. Here's a fake prophecy about the year 2020. I don't know about you guys, but 2020, I remember it well, although not fondly. This is Brian Simmons, author of the Passion translation, with his 33 second wrong prophecy about the year 2020. But this guy, oh, man, made the Passion Translation, sold millions of copies, lifted up as the one of the best things to happen in Bible translation in my lifetime. According to Brian Simmons, friend of Bethel. Here's the wrong prophecy.

[B]

Presence of Heaven is coming in such power to our gatherings that it's going to be really good. It's going to be really good. 2020 is just going to really, really be good. January is going to bring some shakings here and there, but I'm telling you, 2020, mark it down. It's going to be a year of glory. God is going to pour out his spirit upon you and your family. You're going to be the healer that you're praying for your family. You're going to be the one that brings it.

[A]

Oh, I've been sitting on this clip for literally years. I just, if I wanted to, I could make a video about Brian Simmons every several days of so much stuff on the guy. This claim that you are going to be the healer in your family in 2020 turned out to not just be a little off the mark, but to be almost like a trap. The Lord allowing someone like him to be exposed as being not reliable, not in tune with the Holy Spirit. And certainly you should consider his translation that came from this guy getting private revelations from God, supposedly as being spurious, even just on the basis of this alone. But that's not the only wrong prophecy. Here's another one where Brian Simmons in 2015 talks about how a bunch of people are about to get saved in California, millions and millions of them.

[B]

And I think this coming awakening, we're going to have to learn different discipleship methods. First of all, there's going to be too many people. There's going to be, you know, millions here in Southern California, millions coming to know Jesus. 20% of Southern Cal is going to be converted and come to know Jesus Christ. 20%, you do the math. I don't know the numbers. I would show my ignorance if I tried to quote that. There's like 14 million, okay? 20% of that. Round up 3 million. 3 million new converts. That'll make a good church. That'll make A really good church.

[A]

That's hrock. That's Cheon's stuff, right? This is Chaon. In fact, Brian is one of the apostolic leaders at the top of the food chain in Chaon's network, One of that handful of people who knew about shambles and didn't do anything, according to Che.

[B]

And.

[A]

And I just want to document this because I have so much backlogged footage of Brian Simmons and weird stuff that he's done. And he said, and it's relevant because the man pretends to have private revelations from God that he's put into a translation that had been sold to millions of people, endorsed by the Hillsong crew, endorsed by a bunch of people in the Bethel crew, the Cheon side of things, and one scholar named David Householder, who. I don't know what he is thinking, but you guys should be protected from lies, and Christian leaders should be warning people about leaders that are frauds, and they're ultimately abusing them with their fake stuff. So this is that. If we just wanted to delve into the weird and wacky side of Brian Simmons, I could play the clip of him saying how much he needs a pogo stick.

[B]

You know, I was in the airport today, and I turned to my wife, and it came right out of me. I don't know how, how or why or what. I said, all I need is a pogo stick. I said, lord, I just need a pogo stick. And if I could get on a pogo stick, everything would be okay. And I believe God's going to put a pogo stick in this. Thank you, Lord. Well, this is the second time this has happened in the last couple of weeks. I'm just in open vision. I'm just seeing things. It's hard to concentrate.

[A]

I could play the clip of him talking about his wife levitating twice off the ground.

[B]

There were people in church history that floated right off the ground. Don't tell anybody this, but it's happened twice to my wife. Don't tell anybody, but she came right up off the ground. The power of God,

[A]

or her having

[B]

seven dreams a night in an average evening, in the night of Candace Simmons, how many dreams might you have just on an average day if you're at home? Normally, six or seven is what I have every night. And I want to hear what he has to say, and he loves that. Normally, every night I'll get six or seven and I write it down.

[A]

Or all kinds of other strange and odd things he's done.

[B]

Billy Graham told me that he came to me and told me in a dream, he said, don't be proud, Brian. I had just preached 20,000 people. It was good, and I liked it too much. And Billy Graham on the front row, after I came down from the platform, he came, put his hand on my shoulder, said, don't be proud, Brian. I had a chariot come and pick me up one night. And a prophet that if I told you his name, you all know him. And he and I went in this chariot. We went all over the six states of New England, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We slipped into upstate New York just a little bit, but we. Throughout the whole night, we visited those states in the chariot of God. And we saw the places where revival was about to break loose. And that chariot came right back over my house, hovered over my house. And there the two of us were. We watched the sun rise together in the spirit. And then I was back in my body. By the way, did you know the Holy Spirit in both Greek and Hebrew is always feminine? But nobody would want to talk to her. I don't know why we don't talk to her. I think we've got issue or two, but that's all right.

[A]

But I know that some would perceive that as me just critiquing people for being charismatic or believing in the gifts, when that is certainly not what I'd be doing. So instead, let's stick to a demonstrable wrong prophecy.