Reformed Podmatics

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.

Anyone who's ever studied Church history, including the development and transmission of the Reformed tradition, has probably noticed that some fairly important things have changed in church life and practice over the millennia. Sometimes these changes are for the better, and yet other times it seems they're for the worse. In this week's episode, Mark and Zac aim to make the case that our churches ought to strive to make ministry decisions, even the seemingly insignificant ones, according to Reformed biblical and theological principles first and foremost, as opposed to ease, convenience, and pragmatism. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

We may know our story and the contours of our tradition, but as the CRCNA today, who are we really? And more importantly, who are we going to be? In the midst of our ongoing denominational identity crisis, Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac spend time in this week's episode casting a vision of sorts for the CRC as a denomination who seeks always the glory God in our doctrine, cultural engagement, and piety. The article mentioned by Pastor Zac from Dr. Michael Allen may be found here: https://journal.rts.edu/article/the-central-dogma-order-and-principles-for-reformed-catholicity/ Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

With classis season right around the corner, one of the perennial subjects on many people's minds is the upcoming ordination examinations that are coming up for prospective ministers and other servants of the church. So in this week's episode, Pastor Mark and Pastor Zac sit down for a discussion about what kinds of exams take place, how they should be conducted, why they're important, and how classis delegates should approach them. While this is a subject of special interest for those in church office, it may also be illuminating for those who are simply curious about the process that pastors must go through in order to be ordained. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

What does it mean to be a member of a church? Is membership biblically valid? And how should we go about becoming members, and pastorally caring for members? And when do we "lapse" members versus "excommunicating" them? All these questions and more are the topic of this week's episode of Reformed Podmatics. Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

On December 18th, one week before Christmas, the Roman curia released a document titled Fiducia Supplicans which gave permission, under specific circumstances and conditions, for Roman Catholic priests to perform blessings of same-sex couples. While there is no shortage of debate within the Roman church as to what this means and doesn't mean, the aim of this episode is to consider this document from a Reformed Protestant perspective and discuss what it might mean for the rest of us, especially in the Western part of the world. Carl Trueman's essay in First Things Magazine: https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2023/12/the-pope-same-sex-blessings-and-protestants?fbclid=IwAR1JNdjx4LFzmdPKyNgN5KVkVqpFdAWQyX2u7BhrRNYjpVwg__0j0BBoa00# Paul VanderKlay's episode on Fiducia Supplicans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qo9aU6NwQU Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.