To celebrate my recent graduation from college, two friends from high school and I decided to spend most of the month of June traveling to China. This was only possible because one of those friends had been an exchange student at my high school and is originally from China. Through this trip, my Chi
Dear readers, this is, sadly, my last editorial. I have resigned in protest of Synod’s decision to change The Banner’s mandate.Although in protest, I am not bitter or angry. I am disappointed, of course, but I have gone through a discerning process. Through prayer, separate conversations first with
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Ex. 20:8).Of all the Ten Commandments, this might be the one that contemporary Christians most consistently ignore. We’ve found creative ways to honor God, avoid murder, and respect our parents. But Sabbath? That command seems almost quaint in our perpe
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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