⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 1 min read
Recognizing the Messages Shaping Our Culture
Episode Summary
Messages about identity, sexuality, authenticity, and self-expression surround us every day. In this Weekly Watch episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins examines the cultural narratives surrounding identity, sexuality, authenticity, and self-expression. Looking to Colossians 2:8, Dave explains why Christians must exercise biblical discernment and evaluate every message according to God’s Word rather than cultural assumptions. He also discusses the importance of the local church, discipleship, and maintaining confidence in Christ’s sovereign reign while engaging a confused culture with truth and compassion.Listen
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Episode Highlights
- Why cultural messages are never spiritually neutral.
- How modern narratives shape beliefs about identity and desire.
- Why Christians must evaluate ideas through Scripture.
- The difference between tolerance and endorsement.
- Why the local church is essential for spiritual growth.
- How Christ’s sovereign rule gives confidence in confusing times.
Stay Connected
You can find more episodes of Contending for the Word at Servants of Grace and on YouTube.Listen to Contending for the WordWatch the Contending for the Word PlaylistDave 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 War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
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.




