Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp
05/29/2026

Unbreakable is the somber account of author Minoru Tonai’s (1929-2023) experience as a Japanese American boy imprisoned with his family in an American incarceration camp after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941.In a coauthor note, Jolene Gutierrez writes, “My friend Minor

Jay Kelly
05/29/2026

George Clooney’s latest movie, Jay Kelly, brings two potent words to mind: “Richard Cory.” The latter was a 20th-century poem—and later a Simon &Garfunkel song—that helped poet E.A. Robinson secure a Pulitzer Prize.“Richard Cory” rocked notions of what celebrity power gave celebrities. Richard Cory

Working for Better
05/29/2026

Colossians 3:23 might just be the most well-known Bible verse about a Christian view of work. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” the NIV translation says. Elaine Howard Ecklund, a sociology professor at Rice University, and Denise Danie

The Smallest Member: Governing Speech with Biblical Wisdom
05/29/2026

As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.“The soothing

Banner Receives Christian Publishing Awards For Work in 2025
05/29/2026

The Evangelical Press Association and the Associated Church Press, two professional organizations for Christian publishing, had their annual conventions in May, distributing awards for work produced in 2025. This year the ACP hosted its convention jointly, in Toronto, Ont., with the Canadian Christi

Researchers Find Lost Pages of Sixth-century Greek New Testament Manuscript
05/29/2026

The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Fiona Murphy, was published April 27, 2026 on religionnews.com. It has been edited for length and Banner style. The Banner added the last three paragraphs to provide context for the Christian Reformed Churc

Four Pastors to Serve Synod 2026 as Officers
05/28/2026

Three experienced officers and one new clerk will serve Synod 2026 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America as the assembly comes together in June in Grand Rapids, Mich.Delegates to Synod 2026 convened by Zoom video conferencing May 27 to elect the officers, test out the meeting tech, and p

Ontario Church Grateful For 150 Years of Christian Heritage
05/28/2026

Mount Hope (Ont.) Community Christian Reformed Church celebrated 150 years of gospel proclamation in its location at the end of May, even though only eight of those years were as Mount Hope Community CRC.The congregation, formed in 1952, used to be known as Mount Hamilton Christian Reformed Church a

The Hidden Training Ground: The Young Leaders Chair
05/26/2026

As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.There’s a cha

160 Years of Editorial Freedom
05/25/2026

When Synod 2025 met in June, one of its most-discussed decisions was a change in the editorial policy of The Banner. While many readers were shocked, even appalled, at the change, tussles over the balance between confessional boundaries and editorial freedom are not new. Last year’s decision is just

How Do We Teach Our Children About the Rainbow?
05/25/2026

How do we teach our children about the rainbow God showed Noah when they see a rainbow flag in their neighborhood that has different connections?Children are natural-born inquisitive thinkers, and their observations can offer a significant opportunity for parents, teachers, and mentors.When a child

Don’t Dine On Darkness
05/22/2026

As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.You are what

Wheelchair Ministry Helped by CRC Volunteers
05/22/2026

Seven volunteer fabricators from Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa, are helping to increase production of Hope Haven International’s tiltable wheelchair, a tool developed in 2020 by engineering students at Dordt University.“Each wheelchair is carefully selected and tailored to m

Faith Leaders Go Door to Door in Congo Preaching Peace Amid Renewed War
05/22/2026

The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Tonny Onyulo, was published May 5, 2026 on religionnews.com. It has been lightly edited for Banner style.GOMA, Congo (RNS) — As gunfire and explosions echo across eastern Congo’s hills amid the ongoing viol

Marty, Life is Short
05/22/2026

It’s three characters that have made Martin Short my all-time favorite comic actor: SNL’s Ed Grimley, the zany, triangle-playing man-child with gelled hair and pants pulled up to his thorax; Franck Eggelhoffer, the fussy, weirdly accented wedding planner in the Father of the Bride series of movies;

Enough for Today: Forty Reflections for Surviving the Wilderness
05/22/2026

In 40 devotions, author Donna Barber vulnerably and honestly relates anecdotes about her walk with God and describes some of the wilderness happenings she and her family navigated with the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance. Recalling the biblical wilderness experiences of the Israelites, Jesus, and o

Navigating Night
05/22/2026

In this poignant, wistful children’s picture book based on her childhood experiences, author Julie Leung relates the story of a young girl and her dad who deliver take-out meals prepared in their Chinese restaurant. As the dad drives, the girl navigates, a foldout map and a notebook of addresses to

Past CRCNA Exec Director Jerry Dykstra Dies
05/21/2026

Gerard “Jerry” Lee Dykstra, a retired minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church of North America who served the denomination as executive director from 2006 to 2011, died April 27. He was 76.Before becoming executive director, Dykstra served one year (2005-2006) as director of denominati

From Shallow Snippets to Scripture's Depth
05/19/2026

As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.We live in a

People Skills: Your Relationships Are Only As Strong As Your Skills
05/19/2026

A few weeks ago, I attended a writer’s conference in which the stakes were high. Or at least, that was my focus as I thought about what I hoped to accomplish while I was there. On several levels, I was pitching myself and my work in the hopes of getting a new book published and hopefully finding a n