Department: Author: Shiao ChongAs of the time of writing (October), our fundraising efforts toward our $450,000 goal have broken the $400,000 mark for the third year in a row. Thank you all for your generosity. The more money we raise, the less we need to draw from ministry shares. Your strong supp
Department: Author: Emily Joy StrobleMy Thanksgiving traditions include cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and the question, “So Emily, anybody special in your life?” As a single young adult, I sometimes wonder if my most significant contribution to holiday meals is not sweet-potato casserole
Department: Author: Douglas J. SchuurmanCan you have a calling if you don’t believe in a divine Caller?Many of my students ask whether you can have a calling if you do not believe in God. Can there be a calling without a Caller? As more and more secularized students come to the college where I teac
Department: Author: Rolf BoumaMy parents have set up bequests to each of their grandchildren in their will. Some grandchildren are very responsible and will use the money wisely, but we’re afraid others will just spend it on wasteful things. Is it smart to give money outright like this to young peo
Department: Author: Henry De MoorOur council meets only six times a year and basically just rubber-stamps everything presented to it by the Executive Committee of four: two elders and two deacons. The consistory and diaconate meet once a month but just follow the lead of these four, thus basically
Department: Author: Extra BlessingsI want to thank you very much for the articles in the September Banner about the body of believers helping parents who have higher education costs due to the abilities of their children (“Extra Costs Bring Extra Blessing,” Sept. 2019). As we promise parents at bap
Department: Author: Melissa KuipersAs 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 t
Department: Author: Shiao Chong"No sabes lo que no sabes." Escuché esta frase recientemente y me llamó la atención. Como alguien siempre tentado por el orgullo intelectual, veo como el Espíritu Santo me recuerda a menudo las limitaciones de mi mente. Es cierto, no sé lo que no sé, y eso debería pro
Department: Author: Judy HardyEven the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. —Psalm 84:3My son and daughter-in-law are in the process of buying a house—their first.It reminds me of our o
Department: Author: Doug TjapkesIt was Advent, and praise team leader Mark Roessing led the congregation into the first verse of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” Using just guitar for accompaniment, he gave this ancient hymn a contemporary beat. In verse two, an electric guitar, a keyboard, a b
Department: Author: Judy Cook Is it inevitable that the Christian Reformed family of God in North America will split over the LGBTQ+ issue when it comes up at Synod 2021?But for the grace of God … yes. However, the grace of God is enormously powerful. A church denomination that understands that a
Department: Author: Todd StathamYou’ve probably heard the rumor spread by pop-culture outlets and institutions of learning that science has proved God doesn’t exist. I hear this rumor too often. I spoke recently to a university committee tasked with addressing the raging mental health crisis on cam
Department: Author: Jenna C. HoffRiding the crowded city bus home, I was scrolling through Facebook in an attempt to distract myself from both the horde of pressing strangers and the ache in my heart when a quote on a friend’s post leaped out at me:“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expec
Department: Author: Shiao Chong“당신이 모른다는 것을 당신은 모르고 있군요.” 얼마 전에 이 말을 듣고, 저는 무척 놀랐습니다. 항상 지적 교만의 유혹을 받는 사람으로서, 저는 성령님께서 종종 제 마음의 한계를 상기시켜주시는 것을 발견합니다. 제가 모른다는 것을 모르는 것은 사실이며, 이는 저를 겸손하게 합니다.저는 어렸을 때, 여러 신학적인 부분에 대해 지금보다 더욱 확신했습니다. 하지만 나이가 들면서 신학을 더 배울수록 제가 모르는 것이 많다는 것을 깨닫기 시작했습니다. 기존에 확실하다고 생각했던 부분
Department: Author: Outlook for the RCA Two stories in the August Banner indicated that the Reformed Church in America is on the verge of a split. We are divided, it’s true. But don’t put the Holy Spirit in a box by assuming a split is inevitable. An excellent team is working hard on our behalf to
Department: Author: Adam BarkmanThe Bible says God hates “lying lips,” but there are also stories, such as Rahab helping the Israelite spies, where lying seems to be a good thing. So is lying sometimes okay?If lying is defined as “unjust deception,” then it is always wrong. David sings against “lyi
Department: Author: Rev. Aaron VriesmanAs 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 refle
Department: Author: Shiao Chong“You don’t know what you don’t know.” I heard this phrase recently and it struck me. As someone who is always tempted by intellectual pride, I find the Holy Spirit often reminds me of my mind’s limitations. It is true that I don’t know what I don’t know, and that shou
Department: Author: Reginald SmithMy church does traditional doctrinal education well. I think we can improve our emotional intelligence to become more welcoming. Any advice?Your question is a good one. Christian Reformed churches have a long history of teaching theology quite well. However, our st
Department: Author: John LeeI am a bivocational minister. Recently I started a contracting company with two friends. We fixed the roof of a church and the exterior wall of a house. The church paid promptly. But an elder from the church who owns the house refused to pay the agreed amount. He said he