Reformed Podmatics

In our third installment of our new series, Christ and Culture, we address the ways in which Evangelicals today feel pressure to appear intelligent, fashionable, and morally virtuous given the ways in which the Christian faith is uniquely perceived and often maligned in our world today. So as we address these pressures, Christians need also to consider ways in which we might develop assurance, fortitude, and resilience as we stand firm on the gospel of Christ despite the shifts currently taking place in our broader Western culture. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In what is maybe more of a crossover episode of our two ongoing series here at Reformed Podmatics, this week we're interviewing writer and consultant, Aaron Renn. Aaron's work over the past several years has been focused on cultural analysis of the Evangelical church with respect to the ways in which Christianity has now become a minority position in America and what that means going forward. In this week's episode, we talk about Aaron's new book, Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture, and about some of Aaron's insights for the Reformed tradition in the 21st-century. For more insight into Aaron's work, visit aaronrenn.com. For Aaron's new book, Life in the Negative World, click here. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

One of the many public conversations that set the internet ablaze this past summer came from the opening ceremony of the Paris summer Olympics in a scene which appeared to many as a mockery of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting of the Last Supper. And so for this week's installment in Christ & Culture series, Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac tackle the questions, How should Christians respond when their faith is publicly mocked and ridiculed? And if we do feel offended, how can we be sure we're offended by the right things and not just by the fact that Christianity no longer holds a privileged position the way it once did? Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

A crucial aspect of Christian discipleship is learning how to follow Christ faithfully regardless of the culture we find ourselves in. At times in history, Christians have found themselves both on the outside and on the inside of cultural power. But today, things are a little more complicated. And that leads us to ask the question, Is our culture more progressive or more conservative? How you answer this question often has everything to do with your general outlook, but it's an important question to consider if we're going to really understand and navigate the complexities of life in the modern West as those whose desire is, above all, to be faithful to the Lord Jesus. This episode is the first of a new series we'll be doing here at Reformed Podmatics right alongside with our other ongoing series, Exploring the Reformed Tradition. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In this week's episode Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac sit down with Dr. Gayle Doornbos of Dort University to discuss the Reformed tradition and particularly its Neo-Calvinist stream and how it helps us navigate many complexities of daily life in the 21st century. This conversation is part of a larger series of discussions we are be having with various Reformed leaders from the CRC and beyond. Visit www.dordt.edu for more information about Dordt University. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, people throughout the country have been trying to make sense of things. For Christians in particular, and especially those on the political right, it has become quite common in recent days to try to see in Trump's survival a divine endorsement of his candidacy for reelection. In this week's episode, Pastor Zac and Pastor Mark do their best to avoid political analysis as they try to offer theological reflections on what this weekend's events do (and, maybe more importantly, don't) mean. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In this week's episode, Pastor Zac kicks off a new series of episodes in which we'll be gathering voices from around the Reformed tradition, both within the CRC and without, to give their insights on what the Reformed faith is all about. With Pastor Mark on a missions trip this week to New Mexico, Pastor Zac takes the reigns and kicks off the series with Dr. Michael Allen, author and professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL. Topics covered include Reformed theology, Neo-Calvinism, and the catholicity of the Reformed tradition. Visit www.rts.edu/campuses/orlando for more information about Reformed Theological Seminary's Orlando campus. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

It's been a week since the conclusion of synod, and there is definitely a lot to talk about. Many other great summaries and reviews of synod have already been conducted (see links below), so Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac settled down this week to discuss not so much the play-by-play of what took place but to try to analyze the deeper theological forces at work within our denomination--the "spirit" of synod, if you will. We hope you find this edifying and beneficial as you process the goings on in the Christian Reformed Church, whether yo u're a member or following along from the outside! Other post-synod resources: The Banner (official periodical of the CRCNA) The Abide Project synod recap Paul VanderKlay's synod delegate panel discussion Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and school is no longer in session. That can only mean one thing: it is VBS season! In this week's episode, Mark and Zac take a few moments to talk about the ins and outs of Vacation Bible School from a Reformed perspective and offer a few ways to improve your VBS program, particularly from a Reformed perspective. Article mentioned by Zac in the episode: https://thefederalist.com/2017/06/28/vacation-bible-school-drove-millennials-away-church/ Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Today marks the beginning of Synod 2024 and delegates have begun arriving at the campus of Calvin University for a weekend of deliberations and discussion. In this week's episode Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac get into some of the weightier matters about to be worked through in the crucial week ahead. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

As the ministry year has now ground to a halt and Christians find themselves entering into the dog days of summer, Pastor Zac and Pastor Mark settle into a conversation about books they've read and recommend as well as books they're hoping to work through over the summer months ahead. If you have a little extra margin on your hands in these summer months and would like to continue growing in your faith, this is just the episode for you! Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In the final installment of their "It Matters More Than You Think" series, Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac tackle two final subjects: what we wear at church and how our churches are governed and organized. While the two subjects have nothing to do with each other, we hope our thoughts stimulate some deep thinking and reflection. If you have any other topics you'd like us to address this summer, please reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you! Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Continuing the series "It Matters More Than You Think," we turn our attention to the calling of Christian parents to lead their children in worship at home. This episode gives a theological and biblical argument for family worship and provides practical advice for how to guide children towards a life of Christian discipleship. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In the communication of God's holy Word and Christ's holy gospel, one often overlooked element is the pastor's use (and misuse) of humor in the pulpit. In this week's episode Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac seek to consider ways in which reliance on jokes, laughter, and humor can either hamper or aid in the preaching of God's Word. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Though it's one of the less discussed issues in modern Evangelical churches, the order of worship in our Lord's Day liturgy is an incredibly important subject because of the way it shapes the warp and woof of our daily walk with the Lord. In this week's episode, Pastor Mark is rejoined by Pastor Zac to discuss the gospel logic of the Reformed tradition's approach to the biblical ordering of the worship service. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

This week we continue the series "It Matters More Than You Think," in which we consider topics that could go unnoticed by many churchgoers but will actually have great impact on our spiritual lives. Today we ask why it matters to everyone (not just those in ordained ministry) that pastors pursue a seminary education. In today's episode we are joined by Pastor Patrick Anthony of Immanuel CRC in Ripon, California. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

There are many things in the life of the Church that matter far more than many Christians typically realize, but which are still of very great importance. In this week's installment of this new series, Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac embark on the journey by turning some attention to the topics of church architecture and expository preaching, as they consider how the Reformed tradition tends to approach these subjects and why they matter "more than you think". Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Who knew such a simple question could require such a long answer? In this week's episode pastors Mark and Zac try their best to tackle a perennial question in the life of the Church: what's the ideal size of a local congregation? While their answers (spoil alert!) aren't exactly set in stone, the question opens up pandora's box of important things to consider about what it means to be a church. We hope that despite the length of this week's question, you will find some food for thought on the topic of congregational size. Article on congregational statistics mentioned in this week's episode: https://worshipleader.com/leadership/worship-in-the-average-church-in-america/ Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

As C.S. Lewis warns us in his famed Screwtape Letters, we must always be alert to the temptation to love Christianity not for the sake of Christ, but for the sake of using it for our own purposes and ends, whatever they may be. Thus we must ask, What is Christianity for? In this week's episode Zac and Mark dive into this weighty question, trying to tease out the Bible's teaching on the matter. Along the way, words of warning are offered both for those on the left and the right, with the aim of helping God's people better recognize the ways in which they too might sometimes love the Christian faith for all the wrong reasons. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In today's world, with the panoply of so many great Christian conferences, resources, books, podcasts, blogs, and parachurch ministries, it has become all too tempting for Christians of all denominations to place less and less value on their denominational identities all while, in turn, placing more emphasis on a certain kind of theological eclecticism. And so in this week's episode, Mark and Zac dive into how this temptation plays out particularly among conservatives in the CRC who can at times feel alienated from the life of the denomination, and how we may all learn to better love and appreciate it as both a institution and family of churches. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.