Reformed Podmatics

One of the distinctive features of the Reformed tradition is its commitment to what we call covenant theology, which is a framework of reading and understanding the Scriptures in a way that is especially attuned to the way our God relates covenantally to His people throughout the Scriptures. As this is an important aspect of the Reformed faith, in this week's episode we try to explore the ways in which this framework is found in th...

If you've been a Reformed Christian for any amount of time, odds are you've probably heard some half truths about our theological tradition. The truth is, there are a lot of caricatures and misconceptions out there. Often times, these come from outside the Reformed camp, but even sometimes from within. And sometimes, they are rooted in reality, albeit not entirely. So for this week's episode, join us as we work through what Reforme...

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. For a great snapshot of this year's agenda, check out the new Guide to Synod 2025 ----more----

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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 "e...

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.

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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'...

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 F...

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 a...

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 Chris...

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 Reform...

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 v...

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 offe...

While there is a lot that we get into here at Reformed Podmatics that gets us into controversial waters, one of the least controversial things in the Christian life is our duty to the poor and vulnerable in our midst. In recent decades, this has unfortunately become a political issue, like much else, yet for all believing followers of Christ it is a non-negotiable. So what does the Bible teach us about caring for the poor, the hurt...

In both the Christian Reformed Church and the broader church today, there is a shortage of faithful pastors. For a multitude of reasons, many pastors have been leaving the ministry in recent years and less young people have heeded the call. So in this week's episode we want to dig into what's going on and, more importantly, we want to help listeners consider what it means for them - or someone they know - to be called by God to be ...

Over the past several years one common accusation levied against those in favor of the classical Christian view on sexuality is that there has not been enough listening, open inquiry, and dialogue. The feeling among many is that by settling the debate within the CRCNA through synod, conservatives have effectively silenced dissent by circumventing honest deliberation. So in this week's episode, we try to tackle this argument head on...

One of the perennial needs in the Church is a strong dose of theological humility, where believers develop strong, confident convictions but without the pitfalls of hubris and pride. But the question is, in our quest for knowledge how are we to avoid becoming puffed up? This is what we aim to tackle in this week's episode.

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

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In a recent article in the New York Post entitled "Young men leaving traditional churches for ‘masculine’ Orthodox Christianity in droves", journalist Ricki Schlott analyzes the growing trend among young men in Gen Z leaving Evangelicalism for the Eastern Orthodox Church. In this week's episode we discuss why we believe this is happening, what it teaches us about the needs of young people, and what we as Reformed Christians can do ...

One of the great questions in life that many of us have is whether or not we can really change, and if we can, how it happens and how we can do it. In this week's episode, we dive into this subject and explore it biblically, addressing along the way how Christians believe God can (and does) change us but how some of the changes we would like to see in ourselves can be painfully long in the making as we grow and learn and strive by ...

This week's topic comes from a listener in Blyth, ON who is curious to hear an explanation for and defense of the Reformed articulation of predestination and irresistible grace. In particular, she's interested to see how we would respond to the oft-repeated claim that "God wouldn’t force people to love Him because He’s a gentleman.” So by using the Scriptures and the Canons of Dort, we aim to do just that, laying out a case for how...