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The Battle for the Bible and the Call to Discernment
By: Dave Jenkins
Podcast: Contending for the Word
Episode: The Battle for the Bible
Show Summary
As we conclude our December series on the 2025 State of Theology, this episode addresses a sobering reality,
widespread doctrinal confusion among self-identified evangelicals and a drifting confidence in the authority of God’s Word. We examine why these trends matter as we head into 2026, why the deeper crisis is ultimately about biblical authority, and what faithfulness looks like for ordinary Christians who want to stand firm with clarity, conviction, and hope in Christ.
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Episode Notes
- What the State of Theology reveals, and why doctrinal confusion is not merely academic, it shapes discipleship, churches, and public witness.
- Why these trends matter for 2026, Christianity rises or falls on what is true, not sentiment, sincerity, or good intentions.
- The root issue beneath the crisis, the authority of Scripture as the fault line that determines what the church believes and practices.
- The call to biblical discernment, not cynicism or suspicion, but trained, humble clarity shaped by God’s Word.
- Doctrines to hold tightly, the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, Christ’s deity and humanity, original sin, the exclusivity of Christ, the immutability of God, and the Trinity.
- Practical steps for ordinary Christians, daily Bible reading, commitment to a faithful local church, saturating the home in Scripture, building theology not opinions, guarding the mind, and praying for wisdom.
Call to Action
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and 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 connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
