“Welcome to our ceremonial garden” boomed Bert Adema from an outdoor stage set up at the Indigenous Christian Fellowship in Regina, Sask. This vibrant space was once an abandoned lot but is now complete with benches, a fire pit, and murals that tell stories of resilience and reconciliation.Adema, di
In North America, we have automated solutions for labor-intensive work. A cement mixer with a couple of operators, for example, can quickly pour a massive concrete slab. In contrast, much of the world works on the “principle of the ant.” There is a Haitian proverb Men anpil, chay pa lou (Many hands
In a world increasingly connected through digital platforms, the role of media ministry has never been more critical. For millions of people who live in remote areas or places with limited access to churches, media ministry offers a lifeline—a way to hear the gospel, grow in faith, and connect with
When Nomkhosi first reached out to Pastor Deb through ReFrame Ministries’ Family Fire, she was in despair. “I was in a hopeless place,” Nomkhosi wrote.Despite her Christian faith, Nomkhosi was weighed down by struggles she didn’t fully understand: feeling isolated and burdened by relentless spiritua
I remember being at a classis meeting where a minister was being deposed due to significant challenges in his personal life. This pastor was given an opportunity to speak and, with the arms of his colleagues around his shoulders, he stood at the mic and quoted this proverb: “Wounds from a friend can
“Unless women tell their stories, someone else will tell it their way.” This is the motto of a new group of women theologians who are shedding light on gender inequality in the church.In 2009, most of the 2 million members of the United Church of Zambia, World Renew’s local partner, were women, but
“Home is where the heart is, and my heart is on this campus,” Shanaya James said.James is a sophomore at Calvin University from Islamabad, Pakistan. Like many international students, she decided to study at Calvin without ever visiting the school.Her reasons are ones commonly cited by other students
“The world belongs to God, and the world is everything—including our professions and our callings,” said Mwikali Wambua, a Resonate Global Mission missionary.Resonate is the Christian Reformed Church’s mission agency. As Resonate missionaries, church planters, and campus ministers work to spread the
Calvin Theological Seminary is blessed with a diverse community of over 300 students from more than 30 countries. This diversity enriches our community by bringing together a wide range of cultural backgrounds, experiences, and passions. Three current students—David Seunghwan Roh, Debbie Jin, and Ju
Cory Willson is no stranger to conversations about integrating worship and work. As professor of missiology, world Christianity, and public theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, Willson teaches, researches, and spearheads grant-funded programs and workshops all focusing on this very topic. His bo
In Lisa See’s novel The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, an early and defining moment of the story occurs when the main character assists her birth attendant mother with labor and delivery for a woman in their rural mountain village. But when healthy twins are born, there is no rejoicing. Instead, the
Synod’s mandate to Thrive, the Christian Reformed Church’s congregational support agency, calls the agency to equip and encourage CRC congregations “to practice lifelong faith formation and missional discipleship from a Reformed perspective, across all ages and stages of life, with particular attent
I had a good laugh recently when I learned that one of my teenagers was peppering her teacher with unwelcome “whys” about mathematical formulas and theorems. When worn down by their pupils’ questions, even the most patient pedagogues will eventually concede: “Because they are!” For a person like me,
Since 1983, the Christian Reformed Church’s Loan Fund has provided low-interest loans for church building improvements. In recent years, these loans have supported collaborative projects such as a renovation at Madison Church: South Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) that included space for a licensed early
One of the five goals of the Christian Reformed Church’s Our Journey ministry plan is to “cultivate practices of prayer and spiritual discipline.”As individuals and congregations across the CRC work toward this milestone, they are renewing a commitment to prayer and spiritual practices that deepen o
It’s Friday night at Casa Adobe, a ministry house in Costa Rica, and the loudest chess club ever is meeting.Resonate Global Mission missionary Micah Schuurman and his friend, José Mario, just explained how to checkmate with two bishops. As the kids start their games, birds chirp in the garden, a Ger
As Calvin Theological Seminary looks forward to its 150th anniversary celebration, it asked alumni and supporters, “What is important to your continued development and growth?”The response, said President Jul Medenblik, was an overwhelming desire for easier access to Reformed teaching and content th
In Engineering 333 at Calvin University, students spend the entire semester answering a single question. For this semester’s class, that question is, “What should be the design of a Calvin Solar Farm?”Professor Matt Heun teaches Engineering 333 alongside physics professor Larry Molnar, structural en
Is God with us? This is perhaps the greatest question we face. It is often a question born out of our deepest pathos: at the bedside of our dying loved one, as the dust settles from an earthquake, or when we get a late-night call about a car accident.Some might ask whether God even exists. But for t
“The Bible presents God as the one who pushed back the darkness with this first light.”—Today devotional, Dec. 2, 2024Although much of the world is shadowed by fear, division, and uncertainty, the light of Jesus Christ offers a beacon of hope. During Advent, the Today devotionals offered by ReFrame