BibleThinker with Mike Winger

Episode 69: Quick Update on Cover-up Culture and 10 Qs with Mike Winger
Date: February 6, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Mike Winger provides a candid update on the ongoing “cover-up culture” in certain Charismatic Christian circles, specifically focusing on transparency, abuse of spiritual authority, and calls for true reformation within the church. He addresses recent controversies, the responsibilities of church leadership, and how believers can process and respond biblically. The second half of the episode is devoted to audience Q&A, covering issues ranging from leaving harmful church environments to practical Christian living.

Main Discussion: Update on Cover-up Culture

[00:02 – 40:24]

Key Points

• Transparency and Accountability:
  Mike underscores that his work is not about entertainment, but about reforming the church through light, truth, and openness.

  • “Cover up culture never is. And a solution is light, man. Light disinfects, light exposes.” (00:19)

• Recent Exposures (Bethel, IHOP, etc.):

  • Videos on Bethel have forced partial apologies; true repentance remains to be seen.
  • “Bethel has a small little window of opportunity to be really, really transparent and open. And the temptation will be to share as much as they have to instead of what’s real.” (01:30)
  • Mike traces the roots of charismatic scandals through leaders like Benny Hinn, Mike Bickle, and the Kansas City Prophets, recounting disturbing patterns of protected sin and ongoing abuse of power.

• Culture of Complicity and Blackmail:

  • Allegations that many high-profile leaders possess incriminating information on each other, explaining mutual silence.
  • “Paul Kane had dirt on a lot of people… he calls what he did to Chuck Smith spiritual blackmail. I’m not making this up.” (06:08)

• Chris Reed and Ongoing Threats:

  • Mike identifies Chris Reed as someone who holds leverage over others via tapes, and whose public behavior is “manipulating and deceiving his people in the name of Christ.”

• For the Sake of the Flock:

  • He asserts that sincere, godly Christians are harmed by these unhealthy environments.
  • Mike urges transparency and radical reform, not just surface-level apologies.
  • “Any pretend reform or pretend health or wholeness is the enemy of the true health and wholeness. And it’s ultimately more cover up culture.” (17:08)

• Scriptural Framework:

  • God’s command: Do not pity perpetrators when justice is due; do not fear false prophets.
  • “You cannot offer mercy when it’s unwarranted by the grace of God, by the conditions of forgiveness and repentance and proper handling of a situation.” (20:46)

• Handling Personal Attacks and Public Pushback:

  • Mentions being targeted by leaders like Greg Locke, Malachi, Sean Foyt, and Landon Schott.
  • Emphasizes the need to defend truth regardless of personal cost.

• Call for Reform Over Deconstruction:

  • Encourages those harmed to disentangle toxic experiences from biblical Christianity without abandoning faith.

• The Window for Change:

  • Predicts a coming lull, waiting to see if reform really happens, otherwise “the moral thing to do is to ratchet up the harshness so that it is appropriate.”
  • “We are in a bit of a lull, waiting to see if something good goes on. And if not, then, you know, then it’ll be the hard way instead of the easy way.” (32:36)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Ministry Motives:
  “I do all this believing in the church and believing in the gifts and believing in charismatics because I just think if you guys know what’s going on, you’re not going to stand for it. I hope that that belief is rewarded.” (33:32)

• On Cover-up Culture:
  “They’re dishonoring Christ and they’re shaming anybody who tries to stop them and they’re keeping the church imprisoned by their cruelty, that’s it. In the name of Christ, with, with the authority, supposed authority of Christ.” (29:44)

Audience Q&A

[40:25 – End]

Mike responds to 17+ listener questions, combining biblical wisdom with personal experience.

1. Advice for Those Leaving Bethel or Deconstructing

[40:25]

• Affirm skepticism after spiritual abuse is understandable, but encourages seeking truth and biblical grounding.
• Warns against swinging from naïve belief to blanket disbelief.
• Recommends “disentangle” over “deconstruct”:
  • “Go back to the Word. Start reading and studying the Bible on your own, chapter by chapter, verse by verse… check out my series going through the Book of Romans.” (47:00)

2. Mixed Faith Marriage – Catholic Mass

[57:17]

• Advises against sending children to Catholic Mass due to incompatible doctrine, despite the marital strife this may cause.
• Encourages counsel with a godly man for wise application to specific family circumstances.

3. Acts 5 and Theudas – Possible Contradiction?

[1:01:33]

• Walks through Acts 5, explains context and scope for harmonizing potentially confusing references.
• Concedes some details are unclear, models transparency in responding “I don’t know” when appropriate.

4. Does God “Remove” the Wrong Partner?

[1:14:18]

• Encourages maturity in decision-making instead of spiritualizing indecision.
• Suggests seeking wise counsel, reading wisdom literature (Proverbs), and “putting on your big boy pants” to make thoughtful relationship choices.

5. Favorite Bible Verse (from an 8-year-old, Arabella!)

[1:20:35]

• Chooses Psalm 62:8; highlights the comfort of trusting God at all times and pouring out your heart before Him:
  • “Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
• Affirms everyone’s equal standing before God, remarks on cat shirts, and makes a note about “husbands lay your dogs down for your wives” – a lighthearted, relatable segment.

6. Did God Use a Lamb to Clothe Adam & Eve?

[1:28:53]

• “Cool parallel, but not explicit in the text.”
• Differentiates safe conjecture from doctrinal certainty; connects to Christ as the Lamb of God, but advises caution not to overstate connections.

7. Testing Prophecy (for a Bethel Alumnus)

[1:33:36]

• Calls for robust, scripturally grounded testing of prophetic words—by biblical consistency, outcome, source, and lifestyle of the prophet.
• Rejects merely “positive and encouraging” tests promoted by Bethel as unbiblical.
• “If you prophesy something, let’s find out, was that real? Did it actually happen?”

8. Location of the Third Temple (Prophecy)

[1:49:11]

• Affirms strong biblical implications that the temple must be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem based on OT and prophetic context.

9. Mental Illness and Demon Possession

[1:53:31]

• Cautions against reckless attributions of mental illness to demonic activity.
• Points out damage caused by careless spiritual diagnoses in Charismatic circles.

10. Evangelism Without Competition Between Churches

[1:58:08]

• “Ignore the churches and focus on the mission field.”
• Warns against rivalry among Christians that divides and weakens the gospel’s impact.

11. Responding to Adult Children’s Sinful Lifestyles

[2:01:21]

• Principle: Never minimize or approve sin, but also maintain love and relationship, modeling Christlike balance.

12. Moving from Earning God’s Love to Receiving It

[2:05:15]

• “You laugh at yourself when you realize the thing you’re doing to try to earn God’s love is really pathetic.”
• Emphasizes God’s initiating love, Christ’s death for sinners, and futility of self-justification.

13. Depending on the Holy Spirit’s Strength

[2:10:10]

• Pray for the Spirit’s help, particularly for character and godliness.
• Relies on Galatians’ “walk in the Spirit”, emphasizing practical choices over mystical experiences.

14. Life Meaning and Spiritual Emptiness

[2:13:58]

• Warns that financial blessings won’t satisfy; meaning comes from relationship with God/others and serving.
• Suggests connecting with local believers for community.

15. Timing of Jesus’ Incarnation

[2:18:10]

• Explains God’s providence: Jesus came at the most opportune historic moment for the spread and verifiability of the gospel.
• “There’s a ton of evidential confirmation to the New Testament that only exists because Jesus came when He did and not earlier.”

16. Joel 2, Latter Rain Theology & Cover-up Culture

[2:26:02]

• Explains that “latter rain” in Joel is often misapplied by NAR/Charismatic leaders.
• Argues the farming analogy refers to tangible blessings for Israel, not prophecy about Charismatic revival.
• Debunks “Pentecost 2.0” teaching as unbiblical and constructed out of context.

17. Handling Workplace vs. Church Injustice

[2:39:04]

• Similarities: Deal with unethical actions directly; differences: church calls for deeper relationship boundaries and higher moral standards.

18. Cursing of the Fig Tree—Link to Fig Leaves?

[2:41:43]

• Favors interpreting the fig tree cursing as symbolizing Israel’s judgment rather than a link to Genesis fig leaves.

19. Romans 13 and Government Authority

[2:43:03]

• Acknowledges inconsistency in how Christians apply Romans 13 based on political alignment.
• Calls for Christians to maintain consistent standards and not let political pressures compromise biblical values:
  • “I have a worldview. I don’t just have a political party now.”

Memorable Quotes

• “If I had all the time in the world… I could just devote videos to every one of these guys. And I don’t want to. I have no desire to do that. But it could easily be done because their issues are out in the open, obvious, and well known if people care about truth and integrity and justice and righteousness.” (28:19)

• “Mercy is only truly mercy when it doesn’t kill justice.” (21:44)

• “Don’t lose hope. I have been through personally the ‘I doubt everything, I doubt everyone, I don’t trust in you’… but there is evidence to believe the word of God.” (54:57)

Structure & Flow

The episode begins with a serious and direct update on cover-up culture, names and details significant issues, then pivots to a wide-ranging Q&A, mixing pastoral empathy with biblical clarity. Mike maintains his signature tone—honest, convicted, occasionally lighthearted, always pressing listeners to biblical thinking and courageous action.

For Listeners

• If you are wrestling with disillusionment from spiritual abuse, this episode provides biblical perspective, practical next steps, and encouragement.
• If you need clarity on discernment, prophecy, and healing from toxic church experiences—you’ll find direct, scriptural answers.
• If you’re looking for honest talk about the state of the Charismatic movement—warts and all—Mike’s transparency delivers.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------|--------------| | Transparency & Cover-Up | 00:02–40:24 | | Q1: Leaving Bethel | 40:25 | | Q2: Mixed Marriage & Mass | 57:17 | | Q3: Theudas in Acts 5 | 1:01:33 | | Q4: God Removing a Partner | 1:14:18 | | Q5: Favorite Verse (Arabella)| 1:20:35 | | Q6: Animal to Clothe Adam/Eve|1:28:53 | | Q7: Testing Prophecy | 1:33:36 | | Q8: Third Temple Location | 1:49:11 | | Q9: Demon Possession & Mental Health | 1:53:31 | | Q10: Evangelism Competition | 1:58:08 | | … Misc. Qs & Wrap Up | 2:01:21–end |

Listen for:

• Nuanced, pastoral engagement—never shying from controversy, but aiming for genuine church health and reformation.
• Clear distinction between faithful critique and destructive deconstruction.
• Encouragement for listeners to cling to Christ, Scripture, and thoughtful discernment—even when church leaders fail.

Final Note:
Mike closes with a sober call to prayer and patience, both for God to bring reform among Charismatic leaders and for wisdom for individual believers navigating turbulent times. The episode is an honest, biblically grounded guide for those seeking integrity and truth in the modern church.