The Banner

Sitting under a cloudless sky with an afternoon sun baking my skull and turning my balding head bright red didn’t sound like anything I wanted to do.

The Banner’s Mixed Media editor chooses the seven books that most encouraged and enlightened her faith journey in 2020.

I had laid the foundation as soon as the frost was out of the ground and was framing the walls when Gloria was diagnosed with signet cell carcinoma, an aggressive appendix cancer.

The word ‘meme’ itself was coined in 1976.

A young pop singer details why she rejects progressive Christianity in favor of historic Christianity.

With a blend of electro-pop, ballads, and spoken word, the Fearless BND stirs courage in its listeners.

A deeply moving picture book helps children and their families navigate grief.

The Gathering Place, a community outreach founded by three Thunder Bay, Ont., Christian Reformed congregations 35 years ago, continues to serve the community, with some adaptations to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Prompted by COVID-19 to worship outdoors or online, churches are seeing God move in new spaces. A pastor in New York City and in Grimsby, Ont., shared experiences with The Banner.

So many books, so little time, right? How do we narrow it down?

Heartland Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in Chilliwack, B.C., helped to build a community trail system five years ago. Continuing community partnerships are now deepening relationships to protect community health.

As CRC ministry leaders listen and serve, they discover the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives—even when people might not believe in God.

Christian Reformed Church members, in Iowa, Michigan, and Montana, won seats in the U.S. election November 3.

Could it be that the captain’s oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

A masterpiece of a documentary about Michael Jordan appeals to even non-basketball fans.

She never expected to be a minister’s wife. And the life she discovered was more challenging—and more beautiful—than she could have anticipated.

What we see in Jesus’ truthing is the embodiment—the flesh and blood expression—of God’s love.

This Canaanite intuits that Jesus gives spiritual bread. She is not too proud to beg.

What do you think about “regifting”—giving someone else a gift that you had previously received yourself as a gift? 

On Thanksgiving, the Elgersma family from Community Church of Richmond Hill, Ont., helped to make a longstanding community dinner tradition ‘to-go’ for 2020. The outreach will now continue as a monthly meal-making event.

Global Coffee Break, a small group Bible study ministry, turned 50 in 2020 but the coronavirus pandemic put the celebration of that milestone on hold.

A bloody movie about a small town sheriff tries and fails to be like Fargo.

When sin is disguised as virtue, the path to cultivating righteousness becomes impossible. Such is the challenge Christians face in the modern age.