A few weeks ago, a pastor friend reached out to Pastor Zac asking what his go-to book recommendations were for new Christians, and this question got him thinking. Books are an important part of discipleship for many Christians, and so in this week's episode we take some time to reflect on what books we'd recommend for getting to grips with Christianity depending on various considerations (age, maturity level, spiritual needs, etc.). This will be a helpful episode for anyone looking for good books to start with, or for anyone looking for good books to recommend to new Christians in their church.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In this first episode of 2026, we take some time to reflect on 2025 and some of the major events that transpired. We pay special attention on the recent developments within the conservative right and the fractures that have become clear in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death as a result of conspiracy theories and the appeal of sensational explanatory narratives. Following the guidance of Scripture & our Reformed confessions, in this episode we discuss how Christians ought not be marked by pervasive distrust of government and institutions, but by an abiding respect for and willingness to trust them despite their failings. 

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Do you know the REAL Christmas story, as opposed to the popular versions of the story we hear every year around this time? In this week's episode, we spend some time, like Mary herself, marveling at the goodness of God in the Matthew and Luke's accounts of the nativity of Christ our Lord. We get into the date of Christ's birth, the timeline leading up to and after His birth, the story of the shepherds, the wise men, and the slaughter of the innocents. As we prepare for Christmas, this is a devotional episode to help us focus on the reality of Christmas and the glad tidings of great joy.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

While it may sound strange to many, the Reformed tradition has had a long and complicated history with regard to the use of the Church Calendar. In some corners it's been outright rejected, whereas in others it's been strongly encouraged. So given that we are currently in the season of Advent and approaching Christmas, we thought it would be fun to sit down and discuss how Reformed Christians can and should use the Church Calendar today and how our tradition helps shine the spotlight on the so-called "evangelical feast days." We hope this is a fun and enlightening episode!

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! As another Christmas season has now descended upon us, we thought it would we'd get a little festive and spend this week's episode ranking our favorite (and least favorite) Christmas carols and songs. Perhaps we'll step on some toes, but more importantly we hope to deepen your appreciation for some of the true gems of this wonderful season where we celebrate the arrival of the Son of God in the incarnation. 

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 we take a step back to ask the question, What is ministry like in Ripon, California, USA? Part of the goal of every Christian is to understand the mission field in which God has placed them, and so as pastors called to serve Almond Valley CRC in Ripon, CA, we often find ourselves thinking how ministry in Ripon both excites us and is a challenge to us. We hope that even those who live across the world will find this discussion encouraging, informative, and helpful as you seek to serve the Kingdom of God where God has put you.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Over the past few decades it has become increasingly common throughout the church to relegate the congregational prayer to being merely a segue between other more favored elements of the modern worship service. So in this week's episode, we call for a recovery of the congregational prayer, or as some people have called it, "the long prayer" in the church's gathered worship. We also give some reflections on why this kind of prayer is so vital in the church today, and how pastors can labor in this area as means to deepening the prayer life and ministries of their congregations.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Given recent headlines about the crackdown on illegal gambling in the NBA, we're betting some of you will be interested in this week's topic of discussion: is gambling permissible for the Christian? To answer this question we turn to Scripture and our Catechism for help, as we consider how Christians ought to approach gambling, betting, the lottery, and even stock market investing. 

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

Prompted by the recent peace agreement between Israel and Gaza—and the wide range of reactions it has sparked—this week we ask: how should Christians respond when their political “opponents” accomplish something that’s objectively good? In our polarized age, it can feel almost disloyal to celebrate the other side’s victories. But followers of Jesus serve a King whose kingdom transcends every earthly party and platform. In this episode, we explore the role of nuance, the challenges of “third way-ism,” and how to live faithfully in politically fractured times. We hope this conversation offers clarity—and a little encouragement—along the way.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

As we grow and mature in our faith we can often find ourselves becoming more and more cynical of everything around us, even beginning to think of cynicism as a sign of maturity. And for those of us who have grown in our theological understanding and awareness, this can be especially true in how we begin to look down on expressions of Christianity we think are less evolved, less enlightened, and less robust. But is this really how things should be? In this week's episode, we explore how cynicism is actually a false kind of spiritual maturity and how real growth and real progress in the Christian life actually manifests itself in a spirit of gracious gratitude. This will be an especially helpful episode for those struggling with a temptation to either leave Protestantism for Catholicism or Orthodoxy, or to leave Christianity altogether.

The episode mentioned by Pastor Zac with historian Molly Worthen can be found here.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.