With the CRCNA's 2025 synod just around the corner, we take some time this week to reflect on the agenda and three of the big items on the docket: the virtual" church report, the assisted suicide report, and the overtures coming in regarding matters relating to gravamina, confessional subscription, and the Covenant of Officebearers.

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

A perennial question in the Christian life is whether we can truly trust the Bible. With all the years that have come and gone between the original writings and now, can we really be sure the Bible hasn't just been corrupted like a long game of telephone, or twisted by this or that whim of ancient scribes? And what about those few passages or verses in the Gospels that are put in brackets and have strange footnotes about how the "earliest manuscripts" either do or don't contain them? In this week's episode, we try to take a pastoral look at how the field of study known as "textual criticism" not only doesn't challenge our trust in God's Word but actually deepens and strengthens it.

Recommended Resources for Further Study:

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

By the Lord's grace, we've reached yet another milestone here at Reformed Podmatics: episode 200! To help us celebrate we invited back an old friend of the show, Simon Veenstra, to join in for a lively convivial conversation about what it is that continues to thrill and captivate us about the Reformed faith, and how we hope this beautiful inheritance will continue to guide our denomination in the years to come.

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

This week's episode comes from a listener question! He wrote in, wondering if many ordinary Christians may doubt whether it's really all that important to pursue progressing from spiritual milk to the solid food, thinking that maybe it's just for pastors and theology nerds to pursue deeper theological and biblical wisdom. So we take some time to think, why should lay Christians move beyond spiritual milk to solid food? We hope you're encouraged and motivated as you listen in!

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

With all that's going on in our world around us today, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. But for the believer, there is still hope available to us at all times. In this week's episode, Mark and Zac dig into three passages of Scripture that perennially remind us where true hope can be found. As you celebrate this Easter season, perhaps this may be the perfect place to start!

Mentioned by Zac: Impossible Christianity: Why Following Jesus Does Not Mean You Have to Change the World, Be an Expert in Everything, Accept Spiritual Failure, and Feel Miserable Pretty Much All the Time by Kevin DeYoung

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Over the last few months, many have argued that Christianity is experiencing something of a "vibe shift". Just last year, Aaron Renn published a book called Life in the Negative World, arguing that the Church was living in increasingly oppositional times in the Western world. So could it be possible that, perhaps, there is something more going on here too? And if so, what should we do about it?

***Episode note: please forgive our audio imbalance issues. We'll make sure to clear them up going forward!

For stats and analysis of the "Quiet Revival" in England and Wales, see here: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival 

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're joined by our friend and special guest, Rev. Todd Zuidema, who serves as the Director of Church Relations at Dordt University. In this episode, we take some time to talk with Todd about Dordt University, its vision and philosophy, as well as its approach to what's been going on within the CRCNA over the past few years of major synodical decisions. 

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Sometimes people may wonder what we're reading and thinking about over here at Reformed Podmatics, so this week decided to share a little bit about some recent things we've been reading, watching, and listening to. If you're looking for good books, devotionals, YouTube channels, or music to help you grow in your daily walk this is 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 1 Peter 2:9 we read that the church is "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession." But what does this mean, in practice? For some, it means all believers are on the same playing field, able to preach, lead, and administer sacraments. For others, it means something less radical. Where does the Reformed tradition stand? And how does it compare, for example, to an Anabaptist or Pentecostal view? What about the Roman Catholic view? These are questions we dig into on this week's episode.

The article mentioned from Roger E. Olson can be found here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2012/09/mostly-for-baptists-others-welcome-to-listen-in-priesthood-of-believers/

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

For many Christians today, sharing the faith proves to be a challenge. In a divided world with deep convictions on all sides of the political and cultural spectrum, it can be hard to speak up and tell the truth. And the difficulty only increases when we consider sharing our faith with unbelieving family members--siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, grandparents, you name it. So in this week's episode we dive right in and offer our perspective, thoughts, and experiences to help our listeners think through this crucial task.

Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA.

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.