When Community Isn’t

cut out paper men

The contemporary use of the word community has troubled me for some time. I could not put my finger on it until today. It came to me during a drive across the vast wasteland that is Nevada. People routinely speak about the . . . Continue reading →

Toward A Confessional CRC: Synod 2025

crc synod 2025

The 2025 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) met from June 13–19 at Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. The 49 Classes of the denomination sent 176 delegates to deliberate on important matters of the church. The headline . . . Continue reading →

Review: Swing Low: A History of Black Christianity in the United States By Walter R. Strickland

The earliest church experience I remember was in my hometown of Shreveport, LA. My mother made sure my brothers and I were dressed in our “Sunday best,” then loaded us into the car and drove us to a small white church building that could not have held more than sixty people. Continue reading →

Of Militants And Moderates

Darryl Hart (as always) has a provocative (in the best sense) article at Old Life.1 His use of the categories “militants” and “moderates” is very useful and helpful. To anticipate a criticism: yes, Reformed people can sometimes be jerks.2 Neither Darryl nor . . . Continue reading →

The Crystal Cathedral Isn’t What It Used To Be

Editor’s note: Since this essay was first published, the Crystal Cathedral really isn’t what it used to be. In 2019 it became Christ Cathedral, the seat of the bishop of Orange. § Christianity Today reports that the Crystal Cathedral is experiencing a . . . Continue reading →

A Question About Redeemer’s Multi-Site Model

In response to an article in USA Today on multi-site churches, in which Redeemer Presbyterian (NYC) was featured, Tim Keller offered a brief clarification of Redeemer’s version of the multi-site model.1 As part of that explanation he articulated a premise that strikes . . . Continue reading →

Warren Cole Smith: In Church Growth Slow Is Fast

We live in an age of rapid change and instant gratification. “Outreach” magazine publishes an annual list of the fastest growing churches in America. Christian publishers seek authors with “platforms.” The church now pays more attention to social media influencers and leadership . . . Continue reading →