Contending for the Word

4.3 (26)
CHRISTIANITY
UPDATED WEEKLY

Contending for the Word is a podcast devoted to helping inform, educate, equip, and warn people about false teachers, false movements, and unbiblical philosophies.

2H AGO

How the Church Drifts: When Sin Is Redefined

In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins continues the March series, Clarity in a Confused Age: How the Church Drifts and How Christians Stay Anchored, by addressing a critical issue facing the modern church: the redefinition of sin. Rather than denying sin outright, many churches soften biblical language, replace moral categories with therapeutic terms, and blur the meaning of repentance and holiness. But when sin becomes unclear, grace becomes unclear, repentance is minimized, and assurance is weakened. Dave explains how doctrinal and moral drift often develops gradually through cultural, institutional, and emotional pressures, why "almost right" teaching is often more dangerous than obvious error, and how this confusion affects ordinary believers in the pew. Most importantly, this episode shows how Christians can remain anchored through the clarity, authority, and sufficiency of God's Word. This episode calls believers to thoughtful discernment, humble faithfulness, and confidence in Christ as the unchanging anchor for His people in a confused age. For more episodes of Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word/

50 min
3D AGO

Results and Faithfulness: Recovering Obedience in an Age of Influence

In this Weekly Watch episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins examines the subtle shift that occurs when visible results become the primary measure of success in the church. What are movements quietly training Christians to trust—visible results or faithfulness to Christ? In this episode you'll hear: • Why Scripture measures faithfulness differently than cultural influence • The difference between influence and biblical discipleship • Why Christ's promise—not visible success—anchors the church Through biblical contrasts such as results versus faithfulness, influence versus discipleship, and speed versus obedience, this episode calls Christians back to steady confidence in Christ's promise to build His church. Movements rise and fall. Influence expands and contracts. But obedience endures. Christ has not called His church to dominance, but to faithfulness—anchored in His Word and committed to making disciples. For more episodes of Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/ Topics covered: biblical faithfulness, results vs faithfulness, influence vs discipleship, dominion theology, Seven Mountain Mandate, church and culture, Great Commission discipleship

9 min
MAR 10

The Word, Not the Sword: The Government Mountain Examined

In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins examines the Government Mountain of the Seven Mountain Mandate and asks whether its vision of cultural influence aligns with the mission Christ gave His Church. This message is not about party politics or culture-war rhetoric. It is about theology, mission, and how drift happens when political outcomes take on redemptive weight. The central point is simple: the Kingdom of Christ advances through proclamation, not political possession. The Church wields the Word, not the sword. Drawing on Scripture and the storyline of the Kingdom from Genesis to Revelation, this episode addresses: • The distinction between the Dominion Mandate and the Great Commission • Government as restraint, not regeneration (Romans 13) • The danger of conquest language in the Church • Faithful civic engagement without confusing nation and Kingdom Christ reigns now. Christ builds His Church. The Kingdom cannot be shaken. More from Contending for the Word: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

51 min
MAR 7

Where Discernment Is Being Softened in Today’s Church

In this Weekly Watch episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins examines subtle patterns reshaping biblical discernment in today's church. Rather than focusing on personalities or controversies, this episode explores language drift, cultural pressure, and discernment fatigue among believers. Scripture calls Christians not to panic but to return to biblical clarity, faithful obedience, and confidence in Christ, who is building His church. For more from Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

14 min
MAR 3

How the Church Loses Discernment: Why Theological Drift Happens Slowly

The church rarely loses discernment through sudden rebellion or open denial of Scripture. More often, it happens slowly, quietly, and relationally, through softened language, subtle authority shifts, and "almost right" teaching that sounds pastoral and wise. In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins explains how theological drift takes root, why it often goes unnoticed, and how ordinary believers are affected long before doctrinal collapse becomes obvious. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why discernment is usually lost incrementally, not explosively. • How relationships and trust can replace biblical testing. • What happens when Scripture is affirmed but no longer functions as final authority. • Why "almost right" teaching is more dangerous than obvious error. • How drift produces confusion, anxiety, and exhaustion among believers. • How Christians can remain anchored in Christ without becoming cynical or fearful. Key passages include Hebrews 2:1, Acts 20:29–30, 1 John 4:1, Acts 17, and Romans 8. This episode is not reactionary or alarmist. It is a call to steady faithfulness rooted in the sufficiency, clarity, and authority of God's Word. For more from Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

44 min
FEB 28

Deception Rarely Announces Itself: Testing the Spirits

Deception in the church rarely appears as something obviously false. More often, it sounds spiritual, borrows biblical language, and appeals to real spiritual longings—while subtly shifting authority away from Scripture. In this episode of Weekly Watch, part of the Contending for the Word podcast, Dave Jenkins offers a closing reflection on February's series, Testing the Spirits: Exposing Counterfeits and Standing on the Truth. Rather than revisiting previous episodes, this message identifies recurring patterns found in counterfeit movements and false teaching within the church. In this episode, Dave discusses: • Why deception is often persuasive rather than blatant. • Warning signs when experience begins to outrank Scripture. • How authority subtly shifts from God's Word to individuals. • Why Scripture repeatedly commands believers to test and discern. • How God's Word provides clarity, confidence, and peace for Christians today. Biblical discernment is not about fear or suspicion, it is about faithfulness to God as He has revealed Himself in His Word. For more episodes of Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

13 min
FEB 25

Prophetic Authority, Abuse & Accountability: A Biblical Response

In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins and Dawn Hill provide a careful, biblical response to recent abuse allegations connected to figures within the prophetic and New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement. This is not reactionary commentary or sensational reporting. It is a pastoral and theological examination of authority, accountability, and leadership in light of Scripture. In this discussion, we address: • The difference between allegations, institutional responses, and theological systems. • How prophetic authority is framed within NAR contexts. • Why certain authority structures increase the risk of abuse. • The biblical qualifications for church leadership (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). • The necessity of plurality of elders, church discipline, and real accountability. • What genuine repentance and restoration should look like biblically. The New Testament warns not only about false teachers, but about destructive systems and authority patterns that place leaders beyond meaningful correction. Our aim is to help believers think clearly, process carefully, and remain anchored in Christ and His Word. If you have been hurt or destabilized by these movements, we pray this episode encourages you toward a healthy, gospel-centered local church where leadership is qualified, accountable, and shepherding in nature. For more from Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

2h 30m
FEB 24

Discerning the Voice of God: Scripture, the Spirit, and Modern Prophecy Claims

How does God speak today—and how can Christians discern His voice with clarity and confidence? In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins addresses one of the most pressing questions in modern Christianity: the relationship between Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and contemporary prophecy claims. As "God told me" language becomes increasingly common, many believers feel pressure, fear, and confusion about hearing God's voice and obeying His will. In this episode, you'll learn: • How God has spoken decisively and sufficiently in His Word (Hebrews 1:1–2). • The Holy Spirit's role in illumination—not ongoing revelation. • Why modern prophecy culture often undermines biblical authority. • How to biblically test spiritual claims (1 John 4:1; 1 Thess. 5:19–21). • How prophecy culture connects to dominion theology and the Seven Mountain Mandate. • Practical guardrails that protect peace, clarity, and faithful obedience. Discernment is not fear or suspicion it is confidence rooted in the sufficiency and clarity of God's Word. For more episodes of Contending for the Word, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-podcast/

47 min

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4.3

out of 5

26 Ratings

Contending for the Word is a podcast devoted to helping inform, educate, equip, and warn people about false teachers, false movements, and unbiblical philosophies.