This past Tuesday, Turning Point USA at North Carolina State University hosted Shane Winnings, a full-time traveling preacher, evangelist, and former Afghan War veteran and law enforcement officer, for an evening lecture titled “America Needs Godly Men.”
In 2021, Winnings made a life-changing decision to leave his job and dedicate himself fully to ministry. Since then, he has traveled across the country speaking to churches, campuses, and communities about faith, masculinity, and the moral foundations of society. His message to NC State students was both deeply personal and boldly countercultural.
Faith in a Time of Fear
Winnings began by sharing his story of obedience, loss, and conviction. He recounted losing close friends, being called names, and at times questioning whether he had made the right decision. Yet through those struggles, he said, his faith only grew stronger.
“When God calls you, He doesn’t promise comfort,” Winnings said. “He promises purpose.”
He urged students to seek God’s direction in every area of life and to live courageously in an age where faith is often dismissed or ridiculed.
Cultural Marxism and the War on the Family
A major theme of Winnings’ address was the rise of cultural Marxism, which he described as a worldview that seeks to dismantle the values and institutions that have traditionally held America together. Chief among those, he said, is the family.
He discussed how ideologies that glorify personal identity over responsibility have weakened both men and women. Winnings was especially critical of what he called the distortion of feminism, explaining that modern culture often pressures women to choose careers over motherhood, not out of freedom but out of fear of judgment.
“There’s nothing oppressive about raising children,” he said. “It’s one of the most powerful, nation-shaping things a woman can do.”
For Winnings, the strongest opposition to Marxism is not political revolution but moral renewal through strong families led by godly men. He argued that the stability of the home is the true foundation of freedom.
Restoring Order Through Faith
Throughout his talk, Winnings tied spiritual obedience to societal order. He spoke about the need for men to step into leadership, not as domineering figures but as humble servants guided by conviction and love.
“If we want to fix what’s broken in America,” he said, “we have to start in our own homes. Be a man of prayer. Be faithful to your wife. Be present for your children.”
Closing with Prayer and Reflection
The evening concluded with a Q&A session, where students asked Winnings about navigating faith on secular campuses, finding purpose amid uncertainty, and balancing personal ambition with spiritual calling. His answers were honest and heartfelt, often returning to the same point that true strength comes from surrender to God.
Afterward, Winnings invited attendees to join him in prayer. The room grew silent as he prayed over the students, asking for courage, purity, and revival in a generation searching for meaning.
The event ended not with applause, but with reflection. Many students stayed afterward to speak with Winnings, several visibly moved by his message.
A Call for Renewal
In a time when society often rewards conformity and silence, Shane Winnings’ message served as a reminder that faith still has a place on a public university campus. Whether one agrees with his every point or not, his challenge to pursue truth, family, and moral integrity resonated deeply with the audience.