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
Long Haulers (available weekly on YouTube) is science fiction from a fresh perspective. Rather than a galaxy populated exclusively by Chosen One farm boys with princess sisters, explorers on state-of-the-art starships, daring smugglers, and military units, creator (and star) Michael McGruther dares
Several years ago, when author Tim Challies downloaded an app that promised to help him improve his memory, he found that it effectively assisted him to memorize devotional poetry. He repeated the poems to himself till they were deeply woven into his mind and heart.Challies had no way of foreseeing
The Banner has a subscription to republish articles from Religion News Service. This story by Adelle M. Banks, was published June 16, 2025 on religionnews.com. It has been lightly edited for Banner style.Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half of churchgoers are regular part
“Go to the nearest CRC, and they will help you.” That's the advice a Congolese pastor looking for a place to worship with his Arizona congregation got from a fellow transplanted pastor in Michigan. Three months later, Embassy Church had its first service in the fellowship hall of Phoenix (Ariz.) Chr
Renowned Bible scholar N. T. Wright is best known for his books for adults, including Jesus and the Powers, Into the Heart of Romans, and Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.In God's Big Picture Bible Storybook, Wright narrates for children ages 6 to
It’s education hour at Sonshine Community Church. In one room, preschoolers gather in a circle, singing with gusto; in another, teens work to create posters about being a good neighbor; in yet another, an elderly woman tells stories and shows artifacts from her days as a missionary in Asia.What’s go
Candidates for ministry know they will soon wade through a variety of expectations from their churches and communities. People might expect them to be a Bible expert, counselor, mediator of quarrels, visionary leader, community organizer, and church growth expert in addition to a range of other role
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.I sat with my
Nola Galluch has been described as having a big personality. “She had this big bravery to do what others wouldn’t even think of trying, a strong perseverance despite many odds and barriers against her along the way, and a big, nonjudgmental love for people,” said one of her brothers.Nola, 76, died M
Jerry DeVries, who died May 30, was a gentle and humble pastor who served Christian Reformed congregations in the U.S. from coast to coast for over four decades.Jerry grew up on a farm in Princeton, Minn. He contracted polio at age 7. When he left the hospital after six months of therapy, Jerry was
The two-part PBS British crime drama, Collision, zigzags through time. One moment we’re in a literal car crash; the next, we’re in the inspector’s quiet office as DI John Tolin plots cause and effect. Quite clever, I thought.The collision is a terrible multi-vehicle accident on a British highway. As
This is the second book of author Mary DeMuth’s The Women of the Bible series. The first is The Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible: What Their Stories Teach Us About Thriving, and a third book, The Most Overwhelmed Women of the Bible: How Their Stories Help Us Find Peace, will be released later t
Five hundred years ago, Richard Beck argues, the world was enchanted. He writes in the opening chapter of his book, Hunting Magic Eels, that before the Protestant Reformation and the beginning of the Enlightenment, “God existed, and the devil was real. The world teemed with angels and demons. There
Shiao Chong, editor-in-chief of The Banner, the magazine of the Christian Reformed Church, tendered his resignation with the publication June 23. His last day as editor will be July 11. Shirley De Vries, chief administrative officer for the CRC, is “working with the Office of General Secretary, Bann
For decades, The Banner has been the official magazine of the Christian Reformed Church. Since 2015, this magazine has worked under a mandate and publishing guidelines that called for editorial staff to show “the diverse positions held within the church” and permitted staff to “lead and encourage a
Pastors and missionaries aren’t allowed on university campuses in Mexico. That’s why Resonate Global Mission missionary James Lee works with COMPA Campus Ministry to equip students to share the gospel at their schools—and that work is having ripple effects.David* first connected with Lee after seein
This was my fourth synod as news editor—sixth in a reporting capacity. Titles of my “In Our View” reflections have been “In Person, But Not Together,” “Incomplete and Broken,” and “Resounding Words.” As I witnessed discussions, deliberations, and decisions of the Christian Reformed Church synod this
In 1347 Provence, in southern France, 17-year-old Eleanore and her twin sister, Margot, live with their father, an accountant employed by Pope Clement, and their faithful housekeeper, Anes. When the girls were 10 years old, their mother, a respected midwife, healer, and herbalist, died. As a child,
A request from Classis Zeeland to appoint a study committee to evaluate and clarify the Christian Reformed Church’s polity surrounding the relationships among local church councils, classes (regional groups of churches), and synod has been passed on to Synod 2026. It was originally sent to Synod 202