Growing Gratitude
10/28/2026

Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving last month. Americans will take a day to give thanks later this November. While news broadcasts are reminding us every day of all the things we have to fear, Thanksgiving Day reminds us to look at all the things we have to be thankful for.Gratitude can feel like a n

The Spirit in You
10/27/2026

Author Jordan Raynor succinctly and clearly articulates the gospel of salvation for young children and spells out what it means for their entire lives.Raynor's children's picture book is structured in two sections. The first half focuses on people’s sin and the salvation Jesus offers. The second poi

Rev. Henry J. Kuiper, 1928-1956
10/26/2026

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.One hardly knows where to start in writing about Rev. Henry J. Kuiper. He was the longest-serving editor of The Banner, leading in that role

Stop Exchanging the Glory of God for Images on a Sanctuary Screen
10/26/2026

When one of my college students was in elementary school, he enjoyed watching hour-long videos. But now watching something that long is stressful, and he can no longer pay attention in class. The cause, he said, is TikTok, a social media platform that delivers an “infinite stream” of short videos.My

Life After Cancer
10/26/2026

Just over two years ago I emerged from surgery to remove a tumor from my cerebellum. Scans had suggested that the tumor was contained, relatively easy to remove, and probably not malignant. I’d likely be back to regular life in a month, maybe two at the outside.But the tumor was closer to the brains

First Vancouver CRC: Centennial Year of Discernment, Commemoration
10/23/2026

A white, steepled church stands as a landmark on Victoria Drive in Vancouver’s Eastside. It is home to the First Christian Reformed Church of Vancouver. The congregation marked its Centennial year with a celebration service on Oct. 18. One hundred years earlier, on Oct. 21, 1926, a small group of po

Clamless Clam Chowder
10/23/2026

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.Darkness is c

Behind Five Willows
10/23/2026

Set in Korea in 1792, this young adult novel melds historical events, romance, cultural critique, and engaging characters in an emotionally charged narrative.In an author’s note, June Hur points out the two decrees that shaped the period in which the book is set. The first was the marriage edict by

Preaching Disability: A Resource for Pastors
10/23/2026

Author and longtime chaplain Bill Gaventa is a notable influencer when talking about disabilities because he has spent so much of his working life serving with and among people with disabilities.In this book, Gaventa wants to help people and communities as they come together to worship, learn, and s

Homecoming
10/23/2026

For her latest release, a six-song EP called Homecoming, Sandra McCracken prepared by going to Oxford, England, for four months to reflect on the subject of heaven and to have conversations with theologian and Anglican bishop N.T. Wright as he was finishing work on his book, God’s Homecoming.The res

Refreshed Mandates Approved for Canadian Justice Ministries
10/23/2026

The directors of the Canadian Ministry Board, the operational governance board for ministry among the Christian Reformed churches in Canada, adopted refreshed mandates for Indigenous Ministry, Intercultural Ministry, and the Centre for Public Dialogue at their October meeting. The changes, worked ou

Boards Approve Investigating Corporate Restructure for ReFrame
10/23/2026

ReFrame Ministries, the 87-year-old media ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is an agency of the denomination “subject to the authority of synod” (ReFrame -US Corporate Bylaws) and regulated by the “denomination’s Church Order, its Rules of Synodical Procedure and the mandat

Director of Communications Ratified, Appointees for Vision Statement Review, Other Actions
10/23/2026

The Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and the denomination’s two ministry boards, one for the U.S. and one for Canada, met Oct. 14-16 at Cascade Fellowship CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.Items to note from the meeting include ratifying a new director of communication

Director’s Desk: Meet Jul Medenblik
10/21/2026

In what ways does Calvin Theological Seminary equip local CRC people and churches to do Kingdom work?Our mission to serve the church is what Calvin Seminary was founded on 151 years ago, and it has been our focus ever since. At our core from the beginning, we form leaders for the church and provide

New Documentary Looks at the Changing Face of Christian Churchgoing
10/20/2026

Note: The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This interview by Yonat Shimron was published on Oct. 1, 2026, on religionnews.com. It has been edited for length and Banner style.(RNS) — A 120-year-old United Methodist Church in rural Michigan shutters. A tradit

Artificial Intelligence: The Church Responds
10/20/2026

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.Stepping thro

What Does God’s ‘Impassibility’ Mean?
10/19/2026

Does God have feelings? What does his ‘impassibility’ mean?“Impassibility” can, on first blush, be a bit of a strange, scary, or even off-putting word, especially ascribed to God! It might make us imagine God as distant, uncaring, even apathetic.Thankfully, a description of God as impassible is in n

Noticing With Eyes of Love: What We Can Learn About Gift Giving From the Magi
10/19/2026

The key to good gift giving lies in noticing with eyes of love.There is a luminous moment in Anne of Green Gables when Matthew Cuthbert, shy, bachelor potato farmer and newly minted father figure, gives his Anne Girl the gift of her dreams: A dress with puffed sleeves. What struck me wasn’t just the

Over in the Meadow
10/19/2026

“Over in the meadow, in the sand, in the sun … .” Have you ever heard that children's song? Maybe you have sung it yourself!But what exactly is a meadow? A meadow is a wide-open habitat that plays an important role for ecosystems and wildlife, and meadows are found on every continent on Earth. Anima

How to Save a Dolphin
10/16/2026

In Galveston, Texas, 12-year-old Dany is having a tough summer break. Her life seems boring and ordinary compared to the lives of her three siblings who excel at various endeavors. Besides, Dany is lonely and feels forgotten by her best friend Courtney, who moved to another city and immediately made