During my theological training in Bible college and seminary, I worked security in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was wonderful employment that provided well for my needs and came with great benefits.
Earlier in my time doing security, before my conscience led me otherwise, I used to accept various side jobs. In some of those environments, my main responsibility was checking IDs at the door of bars and restaurants (serving alcohol) to ensure no minors gained entry. Early on, I was relatively unfamiliar with the process. Over time, however, I became quite adept at sorting through large, fast-moving crowds, manually scanning IDs, and determining not only if someone was of age, but whether the ID in their hand was legitimate or a fake.
People often assumed we spent hours studying fake IDs to spot the counterfeits, but that isn’t how it worked. The way we became familiar with the phonies was not by studying phonies, but by studying the standard-issue California driver’s license, i.e. the real thing.
Every single time I came in for a shift, I pulled my own license out of my wallet and studied it down to the smallest detail, so I was completely ready to spot any inconsistency. Often, when a counterfeit came across my hands, I couldn’t immediately articulate what was off, but I instantly knew something was wrong. My eyes and fingers were so accustomed to the real thing that the fake naturally stood out.
That same principle served me well in seminary. It was not so much reading the assigned books in classes like apologetics or biblical counseling that helped me do well; it was the hours spent hovering over the open pages of Scripture, taking notes, and praying. Immersion in the genuine truth of God’s Word trained my mind to recognize spiritual error long before I ever analyzed specific false doctrines. In the words of one man, “Become so familiar with the truth, that when a counterfeit looms on the horizon, you know it instantaneously.”
Many in our country are reeling right now following the elections of November 3rd, desperately seeking a strategy to “save America.” But brothers and sisters, any true reformation or defense of our culture must start with us—the Church.
In recent years, many believers lost their way by slipping into the subtle idolatry of politics … most of us have been there at one time. In the process, they lost their daily familiarity with our great Lord and Savior and their deep familiarity with His Word. When we lose contact with Him, we lose our power (cannot be emphasized enough). And when we lose contact with His Word, we miss the counterfeits being floated right before our eyes by smooth-talking figures like James Talarico and other wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing, like The View.
These leaders often quote Scripture, talk about “love” and “compassion,” and sound deeply religious. Yet, they twist the text at every turn—redefining marriage, blurring the explicit design of God’s creation of two distinct genders (Gen 1:27, Matt 19:4), and undermining the sanctity of human life. They get away with it because, so few Christians know their Bibles well enough to catch the distortion. It is the age-old tactic of the serpent in the Garden of Eden: taking a grain of truth and mixing it with a deadly lie.
The Apostle John issued a direct warning about this very danger in 2 John 8–9: “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching, has both the Father and the Son.”
If we do not remain anchored in the authentic teaching of Christ, we expose ourselves, our families, and our nation to catastrophic deception.
If we want to stand firm in this culture war as we enter 2027, we do not need new strategies, political savior figures, or complex schemes. We need to return to the spiritual basics in our personal lives, our homes, and our local churches.
Here is the battle plan God has laid out for us:
1. Commit to Consistent Bible Reading
Spiritual discernment does not happen by accident; it is the natural byproduct of regular time in the Word of God. Just like studying a real driver’s license prepares a bouncer to spot a fake, saturating your mind with truth prepares you to spot error instantaneously. EVERY believer should commit to a structured Bible reading plan that takes them through Scripture systematically. Reading the Bible cover-to-cover or following a chronological plan prevents us from cherry-picking verses and helps us understand the overarching redemptive narrative of Scripture. When you know the truth deeply, counterfeit teachings become instantly recognizable.
2. Prioritize Intentional Discipleship
True discipleship requires real sacrifice. To make time for spiritual growth, we must be willing to sacrifice one comfortable habit (at least)—whether it is mindless scrolling on social media, excessive television viewing, or over-commitment to secondary activities— to carve out dedicated time for prayer, Scripture memorization, and theological study. Discipleship is not merely an institutional church program; it is an intentional, life-on-life relationship where mature believers pouring timeless truth into others.
3. Be Planted and Active in Local Churches
Isolation is incredibly dangerous in times of intense spiritual warfare. Regular, uncompromised attendance and active engagement in a biblically faithful local church are non-negotiable for the Christian life. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but to encourage one another—all the more as we see the Day approaching (Heb 10:24–25). A healthy church provides spiritual accountability, sound expositional preaching, and a solid community of believers who will stand shoulder- to-shoulder with you when cultural pressures mount.
4. Return to the Basics as Individuals, Couples, and Families
Spiritual leadership must begin within the walls of our own homes. Husbands, wives, parents, and single individuals must anchor their daily routines in foundational spiritual habits. This means praying together, discussing Sunday sermons over the dinner table, and teaching children the core truths of the faith from a young age. When the home is spiritually vibrant and anchored in biblical truth, it becomes an impenetrable fortress against external cultural confusion.
There is no greater battle plan to overcome the enemy than the one God has already provided: His unchanging Word, His indwelling Holy Spirit, and His blood-bought Church.
As we step into a new year, let us leave behind biblical illiteracy, political idolatry, and casual Christianity. Let us commit ourselves fresh to knowing God’s Word, standing firm on His timeless truths, and speaking love and truth in equal measure.
Joshua was tasked with taking over leadership of Israel after Moses passed, do you recall the instruction from God to him, for his success in doing so, This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (Jos 1:8)
