The Banner

Young singer/songwriter Julien Baker’s songs let happiness and sadness sit closer together.

Author Kristin Schell put a bright turquoise picnic table in her front yard and learned about a different kind of hospitality.

The Banner; the Annual Ministry Report for the Christian Reformed Church; and Breaking Barriers have all been recognized in the 2018 “Best of the Church Press” awards.

Last June, Synod 2017 called for an annual Day of Justice to be held in churches beginning on Aug. 19, 2018. 

The woman, swathed in a black dress, sits on the floor of a white-tiled institutional kitchen, big pots stacked behind her and beside her. Broken masonry and other rubble ring her. A light from outside the frame spills over the scene.

When faced with cancer, Edie Littlefield Sundby decided to walk the El Camino Real mission trail because she felt closest to God in the wilderness

Unlike the whimsical and intriguing music they are known for, the Decemberists’ new album takes a darker, more nihilistic turn.

My paintings explore the process and cycle of abuse based on my experiences and those of many others. Each painting has its own theme: “Abuse,” “Aftermath,” “Recovery,” and “Cycle.” 

Christians have asked this question since the early church.

I’m sure you have encountered the brokenness of relationships, governments, and society. It would easy to throw your hands up and never leave your home. 

When the United States celebrated the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, I was a young faculty member at Calvin College in Michigan, in my second year of full-time teaching. 

Christian Reformed campus chaplain Brian Bork worked with colleagues to introduce quiet worship—in the tradition originated in France—on the campus of the University of Waterloo.

Boer will be remembered for his kindness and understanding, for his unique sense of humor, 

Weekly learning forums on everything from scuba diving to opioid addiction and a Muslim’s experience in Canada have become an April tradition for First Christian Reformed Church in Sarnia, Ont.

A Quiet Place is a suspenseful story of family and love in the guise of a horror film.

An interview with the founder of the online Christian library, CCEL.org, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary.

The VanderBeeker family offers delightful escapades for middle grade readers

Consistent in its absence is any sense from the church that the gospel has anything to say to this moment in time and the myriad of other times people of color are mistreated simply because, well, they exist. 

Moussa is overjoyed with the fruit of a powerful collaboration. Together, his small West African community, their local church, and World Renew built a cereal bank.

There is a rule that ministers should not tell stories about their children from the pulpit—

Brian Fallon delivers an archetypal rock album with relatable themes, interesting song structures, and an authentic, raspy rock voice.

Author Christopher Paul Curtis brings young readers another great story about the Underground Railroad.

As someone who teaches and writes about faith and science, I’ve noticed a troubling disconnect between many Christians and the work of scientists.