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
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
In the middle of a sunny summer morning, as I biked in the bike lane on a busy city street, I saw a car come to a complete stop in the exit from the library parking lot that I was just about to pass. Assuming the driver had seen me, I rode in front of the exit just as she drove onto the road, right
One of my delights each year is to unpack and display my large collection of Nativity sets. I have gathered them from around the world, and part of the fun is to see how this story is interpreted through each culture.A painted screen from Haiti pictures one of the Magi bringing an enormous bunch of
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. The Banner h
Power differs from authority. According to the late Christian sociologist Tony Campolo, power is the coercive ability to control what happens, even against the will of others. Authority, however, is “established when someone is able to elicit compliance because others want to obey” (Choose Love Not
Quack, quack, quack. My friend emerged from the bushes, binoculars in hand. “Do you hear it? The quacking?” he asked. He was determined to find the ducks that were quacking in the middle of the forest.I did hear it—tiny voices in the distance making a chaotic “kvaak kvaak,” as if a thousand mallards
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.After a chall
As I write this article, I’m wearing the handmade friendship bracelet Maddi gave me. She made it herself. She even tied it on my wrist for me. It’s been with me ever since.In my sermon a few Sundays ago, I made a reference to the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets that some Christians wore back i
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. The Banner h
Sometimes the Christian life seems full of contradictions.For instance, I care about the environment. I care about it for biblical reasons. When Scripture says that God made and gave us this world to steward, cultivate, and take care of, part of that, I think, means taking care of the environment.I
How should I treat a brother or sister who leaves the church to avoid discipline?I hear it all the time: How can a church discipline its members for unrepented sin if they can simply leave the church and go somewhere else? Few people, it seems, take the church’s authority very seriously anymore. Tha
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.Christians be
About 40 years ago my dad’s oldest sibling, Aunt Clara, showed me a picture I had never seen before. It was the lone surviving photo of my long-deceased great-grandpa Einfeld, taken sometime around 1900 in the Netherlands. Aunt Clara seemed eager to reveal a closely held family secret. My great-gran
To send letters to the editor, please see our guidelines at thebanner.org/letters.Synod DecisionsC.S. Lewis once iterated that “it is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit, and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to him. We must
My parents need more support, but my siblings don’t want to help. How can I get them to step up and honor their father and mother?It’s disorienting and emotional to see our parents needing increased support, and all sides might struggle to see the needs and the best way to meet them. Needs constantl
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. The Banner h
I need to spend more time on Bible study. Is there a best way to do that?While there likely isn’t one best way to study the Bible, there are some things to keep in mind as you read.Read paragraphs, not verses. The chapter and verse numbers, as well as the section headings found in many Bibles, are h
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 don’t know
Spooning food into an open mouth—so natural, yet so strange.It was so natural to spoon nourishment into the mouth of a toddler. It was so strange to spoon food into the mouth of a 90-year-old man. One, my granddaughter. The other, my father—the great-grandfather of my granddaughter.Each was needy in