⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read
How Deception Spreads in the Church Today
Show: The Weekly Watch, part of Contending for the Word
Host: Dave Jenkins
Episode: January 2026 Series Kickoff, Discerning Truth in a Deceptive Age, Clarity for the Church Today
Show Summary
Deception in the church rarely begins with outright denial of Christ. More often, it enters subtly through shifts in authority, emotional appeals, selective use of Scripture, and the quiet redefinition of biblical truth. In this episode of The Weekly Watch, Dave Jenkins lays the foundation for January’s theme, Discerning Truth in a Deceptive Age, Clarity for the Church Today, by examining how deception gains a foothold, why it spreads, and how Christians can guard against doctrinal drift by staying anchored in the Word of God.
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Episode Notes
Key Scriptures
- Jude 3
- Matthew 24:4–5, 11, 24
- Acts 20:27–31
- 2 Corinthians 11:14
- 2 Timothy 4:3–4
- Ephesians 4:11–15
- 1 John 4:1
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
- Proverbs 16:18
- Matthew 7:13–14
Main Ideas Covered
- Deception rarely starts as obvious heresy, it often begins with partial truths and subtle shifts in authority.
- False teaching commonly borrows Christian language while redefining biblical terms and downplaying essential doctrine.
- Deception often rises from within the church, through familiar voices and trusted platforms.
- The Word of God being minimized opens the door for doctrinal drift.
- Experience elevated over Scripture makes people vulnerable to persuasive but unbiblical claims.
- Discernment labeled as unloving creates a culture where error goes unchallenged.
- Platforms and popularity accelerate deception, influence is often mistaken for truth.
- Guarding against deception requires biblical literacy, testing teaching, belonging to a faithful local church, and humility.
How Christians Can Guard Against Deception
- Stay anchored in the whole counsel of God, read Scripture regularly, study passages in context, and let God’s Word correct you.
- Test teachings, teachers, and movements, truth welcomes examination, error resists it.
- Stay connected to a faithful local church, deception flourishes in isolation.
- Cultivate humility and teachability, a humble Christian stays close to the Word and remains willing to be corrected.
Takeaways
- Discernment is not optional, it is a necessary part of faithful discipleship.
- Clarity protects Christ’s Church and honors the authority of God’s Word.
- Return to Scripture as the final authority for faith and practice.
- Test everything and hold fast to what is good.
Call to Action
If this episode helped you, please subscribe, share, and stay with us as we walk through January’s series, Discerning Truth in a Deceptive Age, Clarity for the Church Today. The church does not need less discernment, it needs more discernment grounded firmly in the Word of God.
For more biblical teaching, podcasts, and resources, visit Contending for the Word page at Servants of Grace and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 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.
