Mom was in a skilled care facility, and part of her care plan was a checkup from a physician’s assistant. Martha insisted we call her by her first name rather than referring to her as a doctor. She was kind, personable, and extremely patient dealing with Mom’s early-stage dementia. Since I lived two
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.As a product
ReFrame Ministries' Arabic-language ministry is reaching an important milestone as work continues toward the creation of the Today daily devotional written in Arabic.The Today devotional celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025 and is a cornerstone of ReFrame’s English-language ministry. Starting as
If you’re looking for a masterclass on the craft of writing, look no further than Marilyn McEntyre’s new book Start with a Word. This author of numerous books on faith and language—including Word by Word: A Daily Spiritual Practice and Make a List: How a Simple Practice Can Change Our Lives and Open
In the first article in this series, I suggested that confessions are historical, communal, and ecumenical documents that summarize key teachings of the Bible. I noted that these documents identify us not only as Christians, but as Reformed Christians who together affirm these particular beliefs. Th
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.Jesus says to
A report reflecting on the practice and purpose of membership in the Christian Reformed Church is ready to be presented to Synod 2026, as requested by Synod 2024. The Defining Membership Task Force report, 15 pages and a two-page appendix, recommends that synod “remind consistories of the privilege
A report released March 5 by Cardus, in partnership with the Canadian Bible Society, is challenging widely held assumptions about the steady decline of religion in Canada, particularly among younger generations.Drawing on three years of polling data from the Angus Reid Institute, the report, “Faith
Author Sarah Shin, a Korean American theologian, and her husband, illustrator Shin Maeng, creators of the children’s picture book, The Deliverer Has Come: A Christmas Story, join forces once again to share the good news of Jesus’ redemptive work for the nations and the cosmos.Young Anastasia and her
Are we still brave even if we are pushed or forced to do something incredibly hard? That’s a question reverberating through Project Hail Mary, a movie meant to be seen in theaters if there ever was one.Another way to pose the question is this: How do we show up for ourselves and others when in the m
Based on author Esau McCaulley’s recently published God’s Colorful Kingdom Storybook Bible, this picture book relates the story of the first Easter from the perspective of Simon of Cyrene.In his introduction to Simon and Jesus, McCaulley invites children to think about their perceptions of heroes: “
The Banner is pleased to present a writing contest on the topic of sustaining faith. What does sustaining faith look like? What does it mean to be sustained in faith in today’s world? How does God build a faith that lasts? Please use a personal story to illustrate the theme of your article.We’ll pub
Volunteers in Service, a connecting agency in Kent County, Mich., to mobilize congregational volunteers into community service where it’s needed, celebrates 40 years in 2026.“It is very exciting to be celebrating God's faithfulness over the past 40 years as Volunteers In Service has continued to “em
Have you ever thought about how odd it is that you can spend years in school getting graded on everything with a scale of 1 to 100, or an “A” through “E,” yet the “real world” has yet to grade you the same way? Imagine being graded on your daily job. That IV you administered to a patient: B+. The pa
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.January 2025
Author and poet Kathleen Norris, well known for The Cloister Walk, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, and many other books, invites readers into an intensely personal narrative about her life with her younger sister, Rebecca Sue.When Rebecca Sue—called Becky by her
The Christian Reformed Church’s first denominational endeavors after its establishment were to publish a denominational magazine and open a theological training school, and for many years their financial fates were intertwined. The Banner of Truth (a monthly magazine in English) and De Wachter (in D
This book inspires children and adults to do their part in serving others for the common good. Dick Gregory’s personal story, as told by Derrick Barnes and Christian Gregory, is a triumph motivated by a tragedy. The illustrations are wonderfully expressive; the text is thought-provoking and insightf
Note: The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This interview by Kathryn Post was published on March 12, 2026, on religionnews.com. It has been edited for length and Banner style.(RNS) — The global smash hit “The Chosen,” the speculative biographical series abo
In this first book of the Consider series—a series that celebrates God’s gift of nature and encourages gratitude—young children are invited to consider the birds.Author Jennifer Grant introduces one raucous, hungry blue jay swooping down on a bird feeder, sating his hunger, then flying away; two mou