⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Ordinary Means, Extraordinary Grace
Series: Anchored for a New Year
Podcast: Equipping You in Grace
Host: Dave Jenkins
Show Summary
In this episode of Equipping You in Grace, Dave Jenkins explains the ordinary means of God’s grace—the Word, the sacraments, prayer, and fellowship—and why God uses these “ordinary” rhythms to produce extraordinary spiritual stability, maturity, and perseverance. If you feel weary, dry, or restless, this episode calls you back to God’s faithful pathways where Christ meets His people week after week.
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Episode Notes
- Growth in grace is not built on hype, gimmicks, or spiritual novelty.
- God ordinarily strengthens His people through His appointed means.
- The church’s historic pattern is seen in Acts 2:42—Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayers.
- The Word of God does not merely inform; by the Spirit it transforms and sanctifies.
- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are visible gospel signs that strengthen faith and unite the church.
- Corporate prayer and embodied fellowship are not “extras”—they are essential means of grace.
- In seasons of dryness, stay where grace flows—keep gathering, keep hearing, keep praying, keep receiving.
Key Scriptures
- Acts 2:42–47
- John 17:17
- Romans 10:17
- 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
- 1 Timothy 4:13
- 2 Timothy 3:16–17
- Philippians 1:6
- Isaiah 55:10–11
Key Takeaways
- Ordinary means are God’s ordinary way of doing extraordinary work in His people.
- Faith is nourished by hearing Christ preached and receiving His Word with expectancy.
- The sacraments strengthen believers by pointing us to Christ’s finished work and promises.
- Prayer and fellowship sustain weary saints through shared dependence and mutual encouragement.
- Don’t chase novelty—pursue nourishment. The deepest growth is often slow, steady, and faithful.
Call to Action
If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe to Equipping You in Grace wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube. Consider sharing this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded that God is faithful in the ordinary.
For more articles, podcasts, and resources to help you love God’s Word, serve God’s people, and live for His glory, visit our page for Equipping You in Grace at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
