As a lifelong member of the Christian Reformed Church, I grew up hearing two very different narratives.
Columns
Read our regular columns on Faith Matters, Big Questions, Christian apologetics, Shiao Chong's monthly Editorial, the Discover page (especially for kids), the Vantage Point, the Other Six, and letters from Christian Reformed Church members and our readers. Our online-only columns are As I Was Saying and Behind the Banner.
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In 1907, a man named Leo Baekeland made a discovery that changed our world forever.
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Self-denial is at the heart of Christian calling. How different this is from popular conceptions of calling!
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When we reject God and follow our own purposes, ugliness results. These ugly stories hold up a mirror to show us how sin looks
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Are commissioned pastors allowed to perform the same tasks as ministers, such as administering the sacraments and performing weddings and funerals?
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The majority of us who read The Banner are not theologians, and we so appreciate a good, down-to-earth article. Keep writing, and thanks again.
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It may be easy to shut our eyes and hearts to nameless throngs, but personal relationships make it much harder.
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What do we do when our culture provides us with a counter-narrative to the one in Scripture, one that, on the surface, appears far more alluring, satisfying, and fulfilling than the one that Scripture offers?
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It sits prominently way up on the third shelf to the left of our fireplace. It’s a robin’s-egg-blue 1961 Chevy pickup truck and trailer with white trim made by Tonka at 1/18th scale. In the trailer is a plastic Black Angus steer with one horn slightly chipped.
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Our churches are called to explore various ways to reach their communities through both evangelism and social justice.
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All I really remember about my first few years of lessons is that I wanted to play. My brother and sister both played, and it looked like fun. When I started, it was the pure joy of creating something beautiful and meaningful out of nothing.
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The annual practice of setting New Year’s resolutions has taught me that my sins and failings, even those that come before January 12, will not be the end of me. In Jesus Christ and through the Spirit, God is more faithful than I have yet to imagine.
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Our church leadership is talking about faith milestones. What are they, and why should we be interested?
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What would happen if we were to think of ourselves less as sitting on the truth and more as pointing to it? We’d invite nonbelievers to join us as learners of the way of Jesus, journeying deeper into God’s truth. This is a humble stance from which to share our faith with others.
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Every Christ follower has the potential to be a multiplying agent for the kingdom.
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The temptation of Christ in Matthew 4:1-11 serves up important cautions to the church in how to imagine and fulfill God’s mission.
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It is very cold in many places in the winter. To stay warm, you wear lots of sweaters, mittens, scarves, and a warm winter coat. But there are two places where it is cold all the time—the North and South Poles.
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Let’s recognize the Canons of Dort for what they are: not a summary of Reformed theology, or even a full account of election, but a crucial clarification of some key issues that matter as much now as they did 400 years ago.
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#MeToo movement has highlighted women who have experienced sexual harassment or assault. Aren’t Christians supposed to forgive rather than demand justice?
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What may look like a simple move in the search of a good outcome—when the moral stakes are so high—will almost certainly have profound unintended consequences.
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Many activities that were once forbidden by the church (card playing, dancing, and movie attendance) are now considered fine. But the Bible does not change. Are these changes biblical?
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Today I received The Banner. It was filled with various articles about abuse, most of which were well done.
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Offering your pastor a sabbatical is an investment in ministry.
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We don’t often think of Advent as looming. But here is a time of darkness, preceding the Redeemer’s birth into a dark and cold night.