Mike concludes his discussion of the Constitution Under Siege in part four of this lecture series. He talks about the current education system's focus on teaching about the UN instead of how the US Congress works and the subtle centralization of power changing how the next generation thinks. He explores the history of the Constitution's passing, the role of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, the concept of nullification, and the idea of jury nullification. The conversation also touches o...
Apr 26, 2023•42 min
Mike Winther dives into the third part of the Constitution Under Siege. He begins with a brief review of the necessary and proper clause. Then he dives into the controversial interpretation of the general welfare clause in the US Constitution. While some argue that it allows Congress to enact any law promoting the general welfare, the founding fathers intended for it to limit taxation and ensure the nation's well-being. He also explores how the commerce clause is often misused to regulate variou...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In Part Two of the Constitution Under Siege, Mike Winther discusses the foundational principles of the American system. He explores the seventh foundation principle: the sovereignty of the states. Mike explains how the states created the federal government, not the other way around, and emphasizes the importance of state control in selecting the president and the Senate. He also talks about the idea of government authority in America. He highlights the importance of decentralizing power to comba...
Apr 12, 2023•28 min
Mike Winther kicks off a special three-part series about the Constitution being under siege. At The Institute for Principle Studies, we have always emphasized the importance of viewing the Constitution from a perspective of principle over pragmatism and recognizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ over every area of life. By doing so, we can better understand its significance and the need to defend it. In this first part, Mike talks about the Constitution and its importance as the foundation of our ...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Mike Winther dives into the topic of when the church and Christians should get involved in matters of state. He kicks things off with a history refresher about the 1807 Slave Trade Act in England and the eventual abolition of slavery in England and the work of William Wiberforce. When the church is active, society gets better. Society gets worse when the body of believers or the church is silent. Mike talks about Mathew 28, discipleship, and what discipleship includes. He asks the question of wh...
Mar 29, 2023•48 min
Mike Winther continues his mission of teaching government and economics from a biblical perspective. This lecture focuses on how change begins outside the ballot box. Mike shares how he had an early interest in government and political science. It all began with his dad who was a student of history and led to Mike majoring in political science and going on to found IPS and share these lectures. We learn about Mike’s journey from settling in California to forming a full-time ministry. Mike dives ...
Mar 22, 2023•39 min
Mike Winther talks about laying the groundwork to address poverty. He starts off with mindset perspectives of the God ordained institutions of charity, government, church, and family. He covers the difference between principle and practically and how it affects decisions. Practical considerations should be taken into account after we are sure none of God’s principles are being violated. Mike shares evidence behind how having full knowledge and following principles will also lead to practical ben...
Mar 15, 2023•54 min
Mike Winther continues his lecture series on the government and economics. He stresses that the best way to understand something is to teach it. By listening to these lectures, reading, and discussing the topics with those around us, we have the ability to influence and change hearts and minds. This lecture dives into the two economic systems of the free market and socialism. According to Mike, these are the only two economic systems and all other systems are subsets of either of these two syste...
Mar 08, 2023•41 min
Mike Winther dives into the pros and cons of government-funded healthcare and how it affects supply, demand, and price. This lecture was given during the Obamacare debate years. He talks about how government and insurance programs have contributed to the escalation of healthcare prices. Insurance has made people less cautious about how money is spent. He offers solutions for making healthcare affordable and insurance appropriate so that all people can have access to affordable healthcare. This i...
Mar 01, 2023•44 min
In 1913, several important events took place that impacted the US federal government. The Federal Reserve System was created through the Federal Reserve Act. The 16th Amendment was ratified, which authorized the federal government to impose and collect income tax. The 17th Amendment provided for the direct election of US senators by the citizens of each state. Before this, senators were chosen by the legislature. Mike Winther dives into how the direct election of senators affects us, our country...
Feb 22, 2023•59 min
Mike Winther talks about limiting government and where the brightline should be. The challenge of the brightline is defining it. Where is that line in the sand that separates two ends of a spectrum when enough is enough? He goes on to share examples, such as the abortion debate. He talks about society, government, and relativism. Mike tackles the role of government and how Political Science as a discipline is about defining the proper role of government or finding the brightline. He also mention...
Feb 15, 2023•59 min
Mike Winther lays the foundation of where our rights and authorities come from. He talks about how everything we deal with in government comes down to our rights. He talks about the political context of rights and how it’s what we are ethically allowed to do. He also explains why morality can be a relative term. He also shares an exercise where he used logic to get students to conclude that God is the source of our rights. We learn about evolutionary thinking in law, government authority, and th...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min
This lecture is the last of Mike Winther’s lecture series delivered in June of 2012 in Colorado. Mike talks about consumer protection in a free market in order to support the idea of a free market. All of the economic systems in the world fall under the umbrella of socialism or free market. Mike dives into how the free market is supposed to work. He talks about the legitimacy of free market exchanges, how they are supposed to be mutually beneficial, and so much more. You’ll Learn: [03:50] When t...
Feb 01, 2023•58 min
This episode is about getting insight into the strategies of our enemies. Mike Winther dives into some of the evil strategies used to hide the truth and deceive the public. We are called to be people of integrity and righteousness. Our strategies, techniques, and everything we do should be above board. We should have ethics and be children of the light. This lecture about defending against public deception was given in June of 2012 in Colorado. You’ll Learn: [01:47] Just because we are children ...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Sometimes people think of history as a boring subject, and it can be when it’s just basic memorization of names, dates, and events. History gets interesting when we move into the logic stage of why something happened. Mike Winther takes an interesting approach on why certain past events played out the way they did. History can be a powerful teacher. Mike takes us on a journey of why certain historical events happened and the consequences of ideas in American history. This lecture was originally ...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Mike Winther talks about The American Presidency in this lecture given in June of 2012 in Colorado. Mike explores the oval office based on biblical principles with the thesis of the presidency not really being that important. The office of the president really isn’t that big of a deal, yet in America we make it a big deal. He talks about how the president gets into office, what the president is supposed to do, and the constitutional duties of the president. Then he talks about mismanagement and ...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Mike Winther talks about biblical principles for limiting civil government in this lecture given in June of 2012 in Colorado. This episode builds on the Biblical Principles of Government episode. We are also big believers in reading the classic works, so browse our book selection . Mike talks about our civil government and principles which we use to limit civil government. He starts off with the fundamentals of family, church, and civil government. State government can be dangerous if not limite...
Jan 04, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Mike Winther talks about making a difference in your world. This lecture was given in June of 2012 in Colorado. He talks about sanctifying the world the same way we try to sanctify our families. Our families should be a sanctifying influence on society. This lecture is about how we can make a difference in our world. It’s also about how people in the past have made a difference. First, we talk about whether we can make a difference, our long-term view, the two kingdom view of Christianity, and m...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Mike Winther talks about the biblical principles of education. This lecture on high school economics was given in June of 2012. He covers the importance of teaching solid economic concepts beginning even earlier than high school. It’s Mike’s goal to bring awareness of how much the bible has to say about economics, government, and education. He talks about the ethical and moral issues of economics, how monetary issues are moral issues, and biblical education in financial issues. You’ll Learn: [02...
Dec 21, 2022•51 min
It’s the goal of The Institute of Principle Studies to teach the biblical principles of civil government and economics. Mike Winther talks about the basics of biblical principles of government in this lecture given in June of 2012. We need to educate our children and ourselves, so we can be informed voters and shape the world in a positive way. We want our children to be adequately prepared. We need to spend more time instructing them in government and economics. You’ll Learn: [01:21] It's the g...
Dec 14, 2022•59 min
Mike Winther talks about the biblical principles of education in this lecture given in June of 2012 in Colorado. This lecture is all about teaching biblical principles over practicality. Everything we do in life and every decision we make can be based on either principle or practicality. We’ve been trained to think pragmatically as opposed to a principled fashion. When educating for the Glory of God, we need to think of principled concepts. In the Bible, we can think of things it tells us to do,...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr
Mike Winther continues his lecture by reviewing the key principles of whether the branches of government were elected or appointed, how the states are more represented than the people, and how the states created the federal government. Then he continues with how biblical principles should apply or were intended to apply to our current system. This is the second part of the Founding Principles in the U.S. Constitution series delivered on July 19th, 2011 as a part of a Government and Economics Con...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Mike Winther takes us on a little journey into studying the U.S. Constitution, but first we need to understand the proper role of government. We need to evaluate the constitution based on biblical principles and if it's a good document; we need to defend it. Once we decide the Constitution is a worthwhile document, then we need to learn about it. This lecture is part of an IPS Government, Economics and History Conference hosted for Christian Educators. This lecture is the first of two parts enti...
Nov 23, 2022•37 min
Government does have a proper role, but it also needs to have limits. We’ve already established that the government can use force to make people do things, which can make the government dangerous when not limited by proper roles. Requiring force can even be a test of proper government roles. Mike Winther dives into the civil government, its proper roles, and proper limits. This lecture was given July 19th, 2011 as part of an IPS Government and Economics Conference hosted in Modesto, California. ...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 3 min
The bible is filled with principles that help us understand what the proper role of government should be. Mike dives into some of the many principles that he has discovered during his biblical research. He starts with the nature of man, comparing the world view of Plato to the Apostle Paul. He then goes on to talk about the nature of government, decentralization of power, god-ordained institutions, personal property, and submission and rebellion to authority. This lecture was given on July 18th,...
Nov 09, 2022•52 min
On July 18th, 2011, Mike Winther gave this lecture on Government as an Apologetic at an IPS Government and Economics Conference hosted for Christian educators of private and home schools. The conference was held in Modesto, California. Mike dives right in and talks about what an apologetic is. Most of you have probably heard of Christian apologetics, which means those in defense of Christianity's claims and truths. Since God has created every type of knowledge, every academic discipline and stud...
Nov 02, 2022•53 min
Mike Winther gave this lecture at an IPS Economics Conference in January 2009. He makes a case for free market healthcare. Mike talks about the dangers of socialized and government-managed healthcare. He also shares why the free market approach is superior, and principle-based decisions create the best outcomes. We learn why the government is the problem, not the solution, when it comes to healthcare. Mike gives us a quick refresher on government systems and explains how there are only two syste...
Oct 26, 2022•54 min
Mike wrote an article about the five principles that were violated by the financial bailouts that happened around 2009. He realized that these five principles also apply in government. He's hopeful that these five principles are things that we can incorporate into conversations with friends and people we interact with to help engage thought processes in conversation. Fixing America is about fixing hearts and minds! We have a tremendous potential to influence people around us just through casual ...
Oct 19, 2022•54 min
Part two of Mike Winther’s lecture on why economics matters as a moral issue. It was given through Zoom during the COVID lockdown on May 12th, 2020. Last week Mike talked about economic terms like micro and macroeconomics, capital, trade, socialism, and free trade. He used the example of one person stranded on an island to begin a microeconomy that eventually evolved into a macroeconomy as more people and resources were added. Mike continues that lesson with a brief recap of important economic t...
Oct 12, 2022•1 hr 14 min
It’s time to discuss economics and our government from a biblical perspective. This is from a lecture by Mike Winther given over Zoom early on at the beginning of the pandemic. It was given on May 5th, 2020. Mike kicks the speech off by answering questions about executive orders and the three branches of the US Government. Mike stays close to the constitution and the original intention of our founding fathers. He also keeps everything from a biblical perspective. He talks about checks and balanc...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 14 min
