Rev. Henry Beets, 1903-1928
10/12/2026

Note: This online-only article is part of a series showcasing past Banner editors. You can read all the content celebrating The Banner’s 160th anniversary here.Rev. Henry Beets headed the group that purchased The Banner and in 1903 took the editor’s seat where he served for 25 years. Because Beets t

A Sound Discovery
10/09/2026

Hoping to save a little money on a recent vacation to Niagara Falls, my husband and I parked a few kilometers away from the falls and walked to the main attraction. As we walked, the music of the falls gradually grew louder and louder—ending with a powerful crescendo as we arrived. We stood silent,

Hints of Hope: Essays on Making Peace with the Proximate
10/09/2026

What is the proximate? And how does one make peace with it? Author Steven Garber, senior fellow for the Institute of Marketplace Transformation in Vancouver, B.C., has spent his life as a teacher in many places in the world answering these questions and exploring the intersection between vocation an

Heart of the Beast
10/09/2026

Films about dogs instantly tug at my heart strings. The love and loyalty of a pup is an encouragement through life’s uncertainties. Heart of the Beast, directed by David Ayer, struck a chord in me because at the heart of this thrilling film is deep, sacrificial love.Special Forces veteran James Belm

A Beautiful Day to Die
10/09/2026

Jeff Taylor’s book has an unusual title because in it he tells an unusual story. At age 4, Taylor died in an ambulance and came back to life about 30-45 minutes later. He knows this story will seem uncertain or impossible to many people, so he researches his book with a faith in God that seeks under

Northern Michigan Church Sews Dresses for Mission
10/09/2026

For 14 years the Sewing Sisters of Lucas Christian Reformed Church in McBain, Mich., have been supplying Project Canefire and other ministries with upcycled dresses to distribute on mission trips.Sandy Pluger, one of the sewing women and an organizer of the group, was inspired to start the work afte

Zietsma Reappointed to Second Term as Redeemer President
10/09/2026

The Board of Governors of Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ont., announced the second term appointment of currently serving president David Zietsma on Sept. 25.“Serving as provost and vice president, academic, and interim president before his official appointment as fifth president in March 2022, Zi

B.C. Church’s Care Ministry Includes Family-style Thanksgiving
10/09/2026

Thanksgiving in Canada comes about six weeks before the same holiday in the U.S., and Thanksgiving at Tapestry Church in Richmond, B.C., comes even earlier as the congregation’s pastoral care ministry welcomes about 100 people to its family-style meal in early October.Unable to host the full congreg

Teach Them Diligently: Parenting and the Wisdom of Proverbs
10/06/2026

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.“Train up a c

The Young Will Remember
10/06/2026

Chinese American Ellie Chung, a native of California raised by ethnic Chinese parents who were born and grew up in Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, understands the pain of straddling two worlds, a depth of wisdom that will prove invaluable to her in the years ahead.In 1950, 28-year-old Ellie is

Is Toxic Empathy A Problem in the Church?
10/02/2026

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.A psychologis

Isaiah Johnson and the Big Game
10/02/2026

In this third picture book in renowned theologian and author Esau McCaulley’s Johnson Family series—the others are Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit and Andy Johnson and the March for Justice—children will learn what it means to offer forgiveness when feelings are hurt and disappointments cau

The Sheep Detectives
10/02/2026

What is this about? I munched popcorn as The Sheep Detectives began. A voiceover made me wonder. But soon I was in. The Sheep Detectives is a winsome fairy tale-ish, morality play-ish. Overall, though? This flick is delightful and poignant family fun.Pithy maxims abound as the sheep tell their story

Three Book Club Picks for Hispanic Heritage Month (and All Year Long)
10/02/2026

The Lost Story of Eva FuentesBy Chanel CleetonReviewed by Lorilee CrakerI love a book that connects the past with the present, and when that book teaches me about a little-known piece of history and another country and culture? Even better.The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes weaves the stories of three wo

As Violence Escalates in Nigeria, Christian and Muslim Leaders Unite
10/02/2026

The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Tonny Onyulo, published Sept. 23, 2026 on religionnews.com, has been edited for length. The Banner added the final paragraph, with context for the Christian Reformed Church.(RNS) — As killings and mass kidn

What Are We Fighting For?
09/28/2026

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.“Was there no

The Way Will Provide
09/25/2026

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.Through the g

The River of Caregiving
09/25/2026

Winsome and captivating, this gently narrated and warmly illustrated children’s picture book portrays the loving care that runs in a family through the generations.As a young girl walks alongside her grandmother, she narrates, “My a-ma told me that in our family, our care for one another flows like

Story Telling: A Writing Life
09/25/2026

Born Aug. 2, 1942, Isabel Allende, renowned 84-year-old Chilean-American author of more than 30 books spanning a career of four decades, invites readers to explore the craft of writing in her most recent publication. Part memoir, part instruction manual, Story Telling is more than a list of things w

Mission Church Builds Trust Through Community Engagement
09/25/2026

Starting a church in Tucson, Ariz.—a city identified as the 12th-most “post-Christian” in the U.S. on Barna research group’s 2017 scale—was daunting. Even the neighbors didn’t want it. Asked for letters of support in 2017, local entities in the Arroyo Chico neighborhood instead responded to Mission