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Japanese Health Care Workers Find Strength
05/05/2021

Department: Author: Brian ClarkAs in many hospitals around the world, Momoru said the hospital where he works near Tokyo, Japan, has felt “more like a battlefield than a place of care.”Facing patient deaths, a lack of supplies, and feelings that the coronavirus waves will never end, Momoru has been

Sharing and Living the Gospel
05/05/2021

Department: Author: Rev. Darren C. RoordaAccording to study.com, the textbook definition of a “growth strategy” is “the method that an institution uses to achieve their goals for expansion.” Generally, it involves at least three things: an internal adjustment, an external focus, and risk. Does your

Virtual Pulpit Supply
05/05/2021

Department: Author: Kevin HoeksemaEven before COVID-19, the Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church identified a need for a library of video sermons for use in churches with pastoral vacancies, especially those that are geographically distant from other CRC congregations, which can make

Until This All Shakes Apart
05/04/2021

Department: Author: Micah Van DijkMost Christians who were teenagers in the 1990s know Five Iron Frenzy. They are a Christian ska-punk band that rode the third-wave global resurgence of ska. Five Iron Frenzy found acceptance in Christian and non-Christian circles with their energy and humor. As the

Sing! Global – Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference
05/04/2021

Department: Author: Robert J. KeeleyKeith and Kristyn Getty have had a significant impact on the music many churches use in worship. That impact has potentially gotten even bigger as they have begun to host yearly worship conferences that draw thousands of people to celebrate, learn, and be inspire

California Churches Love Their Cities
05/03/2021

Department: Author: Dan VeenemanOn Saturday, April 24, volunteers from Escalon (Calif.) Christian Reformed Church joined forces with volunteers from Heritage Church, Trinity Church, and Escalon Kiwanis to serve and love their city. This event was part of a larger day of service in the area. Dozens

Should Our Beliefs Evolve?
05/03/2021

Department: Author: Mike WagenmanLike the best questions, the answer to “Should our beliefs evolve?” is “It depends.” Let me give three different reasons beliefs might change. I acknowledge that for many the term “evolve” seems loaded. So here, let’s just assume it means “change.”The first reason b

Words of Life or Death
05/03/2021

Department: Author: Shiao ChongI wrote the article “How to ‘Argue’ Christianly” (p. 32) in December. Back then, I was mainly thinking about how toxic online arguments among Christians have become. Since then, intimidation toward denominational justice and mercy staff have been reported. If I were t

Could Right Thinking (and Believing) Not Be Enough?
05/03/2021

Department: Author: Karen WilkCould right thinking (and believing) not be enough?Western Christianity has asserted that being a Christian means believing the right things and ensuring (via logical argument and rational persuasion) that others do too. However, we are becoming more aware that discipl

Redeemer President Resigns, Interim Appointed
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Krista Dam-VandeKuytIn a year of navigating new and changing protocols, Redeemer University is facing another change. President Robert Graham announced his resignation from the Ancaster, Ont., institution last month. It’s effective May 1. Ongoing health concerns and difficulties

In Memoriam: Rev. Dirk Velthuizen (1930-2021)
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Janet A. GreidanusThe wonder of God’s grace was a constant theme and reminder throughout Dirk Velthuizen’s life. “He was a straight shooter with a very warm heart for the underdog and a fierce opponent of injustice wherever he met it,” said a colleague and friend. Velthuizen die

Jack vs. the Tornado
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Sonya VanderVeen FeddemaIn this first book in author Amanda Cleary Eastep’s Tree Street Kids series, set in the mid-1990s, Jack Finch receives “the worst present ever” for his 10th birthday. His family moves out of his grandparents’ farmhouse, leaving behind the best hayloft for

If It Rains
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Ann ByleThe tragedy of the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma comes alive in Jennifer Wright’s novel that portrays this dark time in America’s history while also offering glimmers of hope, redemption, and new life. Kathryn Baile is 14 years old in 1935 when her sister marries and her father

Godzilla vs. Kong
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Trevor DenningKing Kong entered pop culture in the 1933 movie that bears his name, and he’s never left. After all, who is going to show a giant gorilla the door? Godzilla, that’s who! Bursting into Japanese cinema in 1954, the King of the Monsters has forever been on a collision

One Woman Can Change the World
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Sonya VanderVeen FeddemaThrough the lens of her Christian faith, author Ronne Rock tells stories of women of the Bible and current women from different cultures and countries who followed God’s leading and were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring change to their

A Tree in the Rock
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Clayton LubbersA while back, my family and I took a vacation to Colorado. While hiking in a park, we saw the tree in the picture above.One of the things God designed trees to do is to affect the ground in different ways. Willow trees absorb water in their roots and transpire (re

Remembering George
04/30/2021

Department: Author: Joyce SluiterAs 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

Youth Justice Project Supports Young Changemakers
04/28/2021

Department: Author: Erin KnightThe students at Unity Christian School in Chilliwack, B.C., are committed to being good stewards of God’s creation. When the seventh-grade class began seeing the effects of improper waste disposal globally and locally, they began exploring ways in which they could act

‘Hearts Exchanged’ Seeking Participants
04/28/2021

Department: Author: Victoria VeenstraHearts Exchanged is a learning and action journey that equips Reformed Christians to engage with Indigenous peoples as neighbors in ways that grow trust and transformation.The Christian Reformed Church is now seeking participants from every Canadian Classis to p

Likes and Prayers: Facebook Tests New 'Prayer Post' Feature
04/27/2021

Department: Author: Religion News ServiceThe Banner has a subscription with the Associated Press to republish religion and faith content from AP, RNS, and The Conversation. This story from Religion News Service was first published there April 21.When an unfamiliar pop-up touting a new feature appea