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Thanksgiving, Prayer, and Mutual Encouragement in Christ
Romans 1:8–12In this episode of the Servants of Grace podcast, Dave Jenkins continues the Romans series by considering Paul’s thanksgiving for the believers in Rome, his continual prayers for them, his desire to strengthen them, and the mutual encouragement found in the body of Christ.Romans 1:8–12 teaches that gospel-shaped ministry is marked by thanksgiving, prayer, affection, strengthening, and mutual encouragement in the faith. Paul’s example reminds Christians that faith is a work of God’s grace, the church is sustained by prayer, and believers need one another as they grow in Christ.Listen or Watch
Thanksgiving, Prayer, and Gospel Fellowship
Paul thanks God for the faith of the Roman believers because genuine faith is the work of God’s grace. Their faith was known throughout the world, bearing visible witness to Christ in the heart of the Roman Empire.Paul also demonstrates that faithful gospel ministry depends on prayer. Though he had not yet visited the Roman church, he continually prayed for them and longed to see them strengthened in Christ.Finally, Paul’s desire for mutual encouragement reveals the beauty of the body of Christ. No Christian is above the need for encouragement, and every believer has a part to play in strengthening others through faith, prayer, hope, endurance, and faithful presence.As Christians, we should thank God for the evidence of His grace in others, pray for the people of God, seek to strengthen fellow believers, and refuse to isolate ourselves from Christ’s church.
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 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 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.
