Every year in preseason in every professional sport, the experts gather to discuss who is going to be the odds on favorite to win the championship. Every four years in our country the pundits begin to conjecture as to who will emerge as his - or her - party’s candidate for President of the United States. Incredible energy…unspeakable amounts of money…thousands of hours go into analysis and debate as to who could win. But before the championship trophy is awarded or the inauguration commences, first, a team…or a person has to at least be a CONTENDER. They - he - she - must possess the qualities and opportunities that allow them to even have a chance to win.

In the late first century, a former doubter and dissenter - a man who had been radically transformed by Jesus wrote a very short letter to a group of believers, huddled against impending extinction by their culture. Theirs was a world full of spiritual voices…and antagonistic array of competing philosophies and theologies that contested for their attention and allegiance. Rather than urge them to shrink back and hide, or even ‘take a firm stand and hold their ground,’ the writer challenged them to do one thing: CONTEND for their faith in their generation.

That little letter, often described as the most neglected writing in the New Testament. It is the letter of Jude, nestled in your New Testament, just before the great writing of John’s Apocalypse - the Revelation. Join us as we unpack the words of Jude to his world…and to us. See if you have what it takes to be a Contender!