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Saturday Selections – Nov. 15, 2025

Women don't belong in combat (5 min)

That world won't acknowledge that it is Who made us, and in Whose Image we are made (Gen. 9:6), that makes us valuable. So, instead, the world evaluates people on the basis of what a person might have, or how they look, or what they can do. All of these other evaluations cause troubles, especially the last. An abilities-based assessment is what's behind both dehumanizing the unborn, because they can't yet do many of the things the already born can do, and dehumanizing the elderly and disabled because they can't do what the young and more able-bodied can.

Valuing people on the basis of what they can do is also what's been behind the push for women in combat roles. If you are what you can do, then we would be forced to conclude that women aren't the equal of men if there is anything men can do that women can't. So, in rejecting God, the world also has to reject the reality that men are stronger and make more capable soldiers. The world puts on blinders, because the only alternatives are equally unattractive to them: either to believe that men are better than women, or to believe that our worth is found in God and not in ourselves or anything we can do.

Another problem with the minimum wage

It's said a person will judge himself by his intent – "It doesn't matter how it went, after all, I meant well" – and judge others by their actions... or, in other words, by whether it actually went well. The minimum wage is an example, implemented in the name of helping the poor, and therefore judged by its implementers to be a success, no matter what results.

But with the newly elected New York mayor having campaigned on a push for a $30 minimum wage, it doesn't take much imagination to see the harm that could result, with all sorts of businesses closing because they can't afford to pay those wages. Then, instead of the poorest getting paid more, you have the poorest getting fired.

Now a new study finds that the harm the minimum wage causes hurts blacks more. This is a US study, and the racial aspect doesn't translate directly to Canada. But the fact that the minimum wage hurts the most vulnerable certainly does.

The woke mob doesn't forgive, but God does

Malcolm Gladwell became one of the first big names to admit peer pressure cowed him into saying guys in dresses should be able to compete against women. His admission – both to being cowed, and owning up to it now – are remarkable in a culture in which forgiveness is in low supply.

A whole list of reasons to consider marrying younger

Tim Challies with a bunch of benefits that come with marrying younger.

On marital nakedness

What the world cheapens, God's people can enjoy as He intended.

Nick Fuentes: a name your kids may know (15 min).

Nick Fuentes is big in the US, and probably leaking across the border, so if your kids don't know about him yet, they may soon. Whether or not you've heard of him, there's a reason to watch this video – Fuentes' rise is an object lesson in how taking a strong stand against what's wrong can be both attractive and still really, really evil. Too many think we can find the the truth simply by pushing back against the lies of the Left. But that forgets that there is another side of the horse to fall off of. So, for example, feminists who say motherhood is slavery are calling good evil, but when Fuentes hits back at feminists by degrading women, he's just turning his followers in a different evil direction. So Truth isn't found by rejecting error but by turning towards Christ.

While Fuentes says he is Christian, he wears his "faith" like an outfit, to be put on or taken off whenever it suits. Maybe we can use this video with our kids to show how being loud while professing "Lord, Lord" (Matt. 7:21-23) can be a very different thing than being bold in our submission to the LORD (Matt. 10:32-33).

The one concern I'll offer with the video below, is that it includes, near the end, depictions of Christ as He has been portrayed by actors through the years, including some quite bloody, graphic portrayals.. I'd have loved if they'd steered clear of visually depicting Jesus (my concern is the 2nd Commandment), but share this anyways because of the insight offered.

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Fewer young people identifying as “queer” or “trans”
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Australia and Denmark restrict social media use by children
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Peanut allergies plunge … and they could plunge even more
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Saturday Selections – Nov. 8, 2025

The baptism rap battle you never knew you needed This is the best of what A.I. can give us. Here's a rapping, axe-playing, Jonathan Edwards rebutting...
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Government leaves religious and pro-life organizations alone in 2025 budget

Pro-life Christians can breathe a sigh of relief. Actually, you can take two. The 2025 federal budget unveiled on Tuesday leaves the charitable status of religious organizations and pregnancy care centers alone. 2024 – the threat Both of these concerns were raised late in 2024 when the Standing Committee on Finance reported on its pre-budget consultations. This is a standard practice, where the government gives Canadians the opportunity to share what they want to see in the upcoming federal budget. The report made a whopping 462 recommendations, but two caught the eye of pro-life Christians: • Recommendation 429 suggested removing the charitable status of “anti-abortion organizations.” • Recommendation 430 proposed removing charitable status for religious organizations. The latter recommendation came out of left field. Organizations like the BC Humanist Association have long lobbied for the government to give religious activities less time, less money, and less recognition. But no mainstream political party or figure had seriously entertained the idea until this federal finance committee recommendation. Even after this recommendation was made, Karina Gould, the new chair of the Finance Committee, wrote the following to the Canadian Executive Director of the Christian Reformed Church “Charitable status for religious organizations is not under review, and this government has no plans to change that. Any suggestion otherwise is false. We respect the role faith-based organizations play in communities across the country, and religious organizations continue to enjoy charitable status under the same rules that apply to all charities in Canada. There have been no policy or legislative changes proposed that would revoke charitable status from religious groups including churches.” Roots in 2021 The idea of revoking the charitable status of pregnancy care centers, however, has a longer history. In their 2021 election platform, the Liberals explicitly promised to remove the charitable status of “anti-abortion organizations (for example, Crisis Pregnancy Centres).” This recommendation not only betrayed their pro-abortion stance but also accused pro-life organizations of providing: “…dishonest counselling to women about their rights and about the options available to them at all stages of the pregnancy.” Of course, they entirely ignored the material, emotional, and relational assistance these pregnancy care centers provide. Then last fall, the federal government announced its intention to introduce legislation to require pregnancy care centers to either disclose that they do not provide abortions or else lose their charitable tax status. Thankfully, gridlock in Parliament, the resignation of Justin Trudeau as prime minister, and the spring federal election prevented such a bill from being introduced. 2025 and onward These attacks on pregnancy care centers were dropped from the Liberals’ 2025 election platform. Though there is no mention of the revocation of charitable status for religious organizations or “anti-abortion” organizations in the federal budget, and though the current government seems to have different priorities than the last one, this isn’t necessarily the end of the story. Given that tens of millions of Canadians identify as religious and that revoking the charitable status of religious organizations would be a massive departure from four hundred years of charitable status tradition, this change seems unlikely to be implemented in the near future. Not only would this be bad policy, it would also be bad electoral politics for the government. However, the Liberal Party has firmly set its face against the pro-life cause. They’ve done so in every recent vote on abortion legislation, and in the change they made in 2017 to the Canada Summer Jobs program which required applicants to declare support for abortion, and in their continued funding for abortion. So the government may well set pregnancy care centers in their sights again in the coming years. A good test of the government’s intentions will be whether this recommendation reappears in the final consultation report before next year’s budget. We need to continue to remind our Members of Parliament of the benefits that both religious organizations and pregnancy care centers provide, so as to fend off attacks on their charitable status. Levi Minderhoud is a policy analyst for ARPA Canada (ARPACanada.ca)....

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Saturday Selections – Nov. 1, 2025

Luther vs. the Roman Catholic church In light of Reformation Day this week: Luther's stand, as a rock opera. A theology of bed Many of us go to bed plugged into our smartphone and then fade into sleep all the while never free from distraction. But, as Rev. Ian Wildeboer shares, the Bible points us to a different sort of bed time. "You can tell cause a da bones!" Viral dinosaur skit perfectly exposes “Trust the Science” culture It took quite a while for me to realize that much of what I was learning in university wasn't actual, but only theoretical. I wasn't the only student confused, because our profs weren't presenting their theories as educated guesses – they were presenting them as facts. And their guesses were based on assumptions, and sometimes, as this video highlights and mocks, there was an awful lot of guesswork and assumptions stacked atop a scant amount of actual, factual information. Canada is turning its assisted suicide regime into an organ donation supply chain Canadian doctors are now murdering their patients and then harvesting their organs – it's happened at least 155 times so far. And under the euthanasia regime, it's all legal. The idea of giving your organs away to those in need will now become one more enticement to encourage desperate, confused, lonely, ailing, or abandoned people to sign up for MAiD murders. This has implications for Christians, even though we'd never agree to euthanasia. Why? Because Christians are going to require transplants. Do we need to create a parallel organ donation system that is free from any encouragements to murder? How could we even go about doing that? Manage your time better... ...with these 4 quick tips. Creationist on why you shouldn't be worried about climate change In this conversation, atmospheric scientist Dr. Larry Vardiman starts talking about the Ice Age and its causes, but about 5 minutes in continues on to talk about climate change, and how today's concerns "are the result of a deep confusion about earth history." This is 20 minutes, but worth it for Christians concerned about climate change or curious about a creationist perspective on ice cores. ...

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Saturday Selections – Oct. 25, 2025

Easiest way to save 175,000 Europeans a year “Every year, around 1,300 Americans die from extreme heat. But in Europe, which has about double the population, 175,000 people die from extreme heat.” Why this huge difference? “…strict environmental regulations to help combat climate change…” Christians are being encouraged – in the name of biblical stewardship – to sign on for the climate catastrophic agenda. It can be hard to know what to do, since the science is beyond most of us. But you can gauge the fruit of that agenda. Here we see how those trying to save the planet aren’t saving the people on it. So that’s not an agenda we should sign up for. Ontario school taught third graders how to “get into drag” We send our kids to Christians schools not, first of all, to shelter them, but rather to teach them to see the world as it really is – as God created it and sustains it. But government schools are a danger we should shelter our kids from. Public schools indoctrinate children to see the world as it isn't – to see it as completely disconnected from God. And that's not enough for the government, as this report shows: they also want children to question their gender, and feel guilt, not for their sins but for their skin color. Parents disrobe to make their point The trans agenda has schools across this continent telling girls they need to be okay with boys in girls' locker rooms, changing in front of them, and watching them change. What we have here is adults refusing to protect girls. So, in what seems to becoming a trend, three parents have gone to school board meetings and, while arguing against this ridiculous policy, disrobed to their underwear or bathing suit. In the first case, in September, the board shut down the meeting, too uncomfortable to continue, and isn't that exactly the point that mother, Beth Bourne, was trying to make? If the board can't take such discomfort, why are they subjecting girls to it? Then, in October, a couple of women did the same, undressing to their underwear, to make the same point. Awkward? Certainly. But is it a sinful way to make a point? After all, God calls us to modesty (1 Tim. 2:9–10). But He has also used immodesty to make a point, having Isaiah walk around naked (or in no more than his underwear) for three years (Is. 20:2-4). God also calls on us to defend our children and take the hit for them (2 Cor. 12:14, 1 Thess. 2:7-9), modeled most clearly in what God had done for us (John 10:11). The school was set on humiliating children, and these parents were willing to be humiliated instead. Neither school seems to have listened. We can only hope these brave parents will also have the sense to pull their kids out. Too hot to be old (10 min. read) There are moons, and planets, and even a former planet, that are way too hot to be 4.6 billion years old. Our solar system gives evidence of being a young one after all. Conservative Anglicans have been liberated The appointment of a female Archbishop of Canterbury has prompted conservative churches to formally split away. Why girls are more susceptible to transgender indoctrination Our kids, girls or guys, need to know that their teen struggles are common – at some point in their teens, everyone feels like a friendless loner who has something deeply wrong with them. They need to know hear that from their parents so they don't start looking for answers on the Internet or elsewhere where they could hear their problem is that they were born in the wrong body. They need to hear from us that yes, they might be broken... as we all are. Thankfully, we can turn to God in our brokenness and in repentance, and He will be a Father to the lonely. ...

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Saturday Selections – Oct. 18, 2025

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? If we do, we should definitely do it differently. Whatever its historic origins, Halloween today has become a celebration of, and the commercialization of, death, the demonic and all things creepy – 5-foot spiders and 8-foot skeletons are on sale now at your local Walmart! Your kids want to dress up as a cute puppy dog or a princess? Downright counter-cultural! Shucks, while trying to find a stock picture for the topic of Halloween, I discovered 99% of the Halloween pictures had skeletons, ghosts, devils, witches, vampires, or the like. Photos of kids dressed up in clever or cute costumes could hardly be had. The most compelling case against tech in schools (10-minute read) This is on "the mounting evidence that computers and tablets on students’ desks are interfering with their education because the distraction effects almost always outweigh whatever educational benefits were promised." As Jonathan Haidt (author of The Anxious Generation) writes, "I banned the use of all screens in all of my classes at New York University several years ago, because it became clear that many college students can’t stay present in class when there’s a laptop or phone on their desk." National Post article highlights the case against term limits and for small, teeny tiny government Citizens, frustrated with politicians who don't deliver on their promises, might well raise the notion of term limits, to ensure that we can at least sweep out the disappointing mass of them every couple of terms or so. But what good is it, if we get rid of the figureheads and not the powers behind the throne? "Nearly one-quarter of Ontario's senior managers appear to have progressive leanings" – so reads the headline. We can debate how conservative Ontario's current government may or may not be, but even if it was headed by the most stalwart of Christian conservatives, it might not make any difference if its bureaucracy – the folks who actually decide how government decisions will be implemented – was run by radicals. So a case could be made then, that if an elected official is ever going to have a chance at draining the swamp, he's going to need to have some time on the job to figure out where exactly the drain is situated. Term limits might just ensure that no one ever has enough experience to take on the swamp. Of course, we already have politicians with plenty of experience, and they haven't righted the wrongs. But what an article like this shows is that our priority shouldn't be to bring in a new batch of politicians, but to just start whacking away at the bureaucracy. If we were to elect some good men, the only chance they'd have against an entrenched bureaucracy is if it were quickly reduced and rooted out. Sports gambling ads are overrunning the airwaves It's called the gambling industry, but there's nothing industrious about it. In true industries, everyone benefits. A farmer grows grain, a builder creates a home, a barista serves up a cappuccino – in each case provider and purchaser are both better off, such that everyone involved can say "thank-you." But in gambling, the only way someone can win is for others to lose – there is no mutual benefit. The government and the gambling industry know the odds are always against the betters. Even the winners, if they keep gambling, are sure to lose in the long run – that's how the odds are stacked. In other words, our government and the gambling "industry" they've partnered with are making their money by encouraging their citizens to do something stupid with their money. This is evil undisguised. Let kids read dangerous stories This is about the rise of "cozy stories" – the Hallmark-movie versions of middle school novels, that don't have grit, chills, or tension – and why we need to steer our kids away from reading too many of these. What is the unbeliever's most compelling argument? Jeff Durbin, on how even the most emotionally powerful argument from an unbeliever has to have power from the Christian worldview to have any power at all. ...

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Saturday Selections – Oct. 11, 2025

Ray Comfort does a stint at a Turning Point USA event Since Charlie Kirk's murder, his organization has been filling his shoes with quite a variety o...
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ARPA condemned in BC legislature

On the very first day of the fall legislative session, British Columbia MLAs debated the “views and policies of Association for Reformed Polit...
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90,000 legal homicides in Canada since 2016

According to calculations from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), as of September this year approximately 90,000 Canadians have been euthanize...
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Saturday Selections – Oct. 4, 2025

Bahnsen vs. Hitchens, the Rap Battle Here's AI put to its weirdest and most wonderful –the late Reformed apologist Greg Bahnsen taking on the late ...
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Saturday Selections – Sept 27, 2025

Voddie Baucham (1969-2025) spoke to Christian Nationalism shortly before his passing This past week, Voddie Baucham passed away at the age of 56. A Reformed Baptist pastor, he was known for his powerful preaching, and his willingness to speak to cultural hot button topics. In one of his last public events he appeared on the Founders podcast to advocate for a form of "discipleship of the nations" that he knew would make some Christians nervous. He never used the term "Christian Nationalism" – probably because the term has so many conflicting definitions – but could have, speaking to the need for government to submit to God. Some Christians (and unbelievers too) mistakenly presume that a call for such submission is a call for the government to be ruled by the Church. But no one (not even Douglas Wilson) is advocating for an ecclesiocracy. Starting at the 24-minute mark in the video below, Baucham explained why these nervous Christian have made that mistake – it's because they've adopted the world's understanding of government as the holder of all power. They then presume that when any Christians talk about transforming culture they must be after the governmental levers of power. Not so, Baucham explains. What he was advocating for instead is akin to the public Christian witness ARPA Canada helps us offer in the political square, and the discipleship we receive via our Christian families, our Christian schools, and via the Bible studies and regular preaching in our churches. We can see the Holy Spirit already working through these means, and we should pray that His work will continue to be transformative, not just for us, but for millions and billions more in both our nation and our world! Click the link for WORLD magazine's Baucham obituary. Take the tech exit: it's not too late to get your kids off their smartphones "...nearly one-third of parents regret giving their child a smartphone or access to social media when they did. Only 1% say they wished had provided these devices sooner. Take the tech exit. Your kids may not thank you now, but they probably will later on." Is this a Turning Point for the West? "Sunday’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk may have been the largest evangelistic event in human history. Not every speaker at the event was in tune with the Gospel, but those who were stated it clearly and boldly...." What the reaction of Canadian leftists to Charlie Kirk’s murder tells us "...there is something different knowing that these journalists, professors, teachers, and others saw an incredibly graphic video of a young father getting shot in the neck and collapsing as blood gushed from the wound, and that their first reaction was glee – because he believed and said the very things that we believe and say. There is something jarring about knowing that if this happened to a Canadian pastor, or pro-life activist, or parental rights advocate, they would also rejoice..." Jordan Peterson’s Achilles Heel "The latest viral video of Peterson was not a video of him standing up to insanity but faltering over his faith. A live debate by YouTube channel, Jubilee, where Peterson took on more than 20 atheists was called, "1 Christian vs 20 Atheists," but only a few hours later it was retitled "Peterson vs 20 Atheists." Why? Because Peterson refused to be called a Christian by one of his interlocutors..." Thousands of Methodist churches reject sexual license Over 4,600 congregations worldwide have departed the United Methodist Church (UMC), most of them joining the Global Methodist Church, over the UMC embracing same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy, and the UMC questioning biblical authority. I didn't know anything about this, but how wonderful it is to hear what God is stirring up here. What's curious is the Christian reporter's refusal to pick a side, sharing the story as if this is all just a matter of a difference of opinion over what kind of ice cream flavor they prefer. ...

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Charlie Kirk’s funeral spreads the Gospel

On Sunday, September 21, an estimated 100,000 people gathered inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the funeral of Charlie Kirk, with an overflow crowd outside also in the tens of thousands. Kirk, just 31 years old, was an extremely popular and influential Christian leader, especially among young people; he was assassinated on September 10 while debating with “those who disagreed with him” in front of a large group of students and onlookers on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk, stated that over 100 million people streamed portions of the service or watched it on cable or other broadcast services. More remarkable than the size of the audience was the message they heard. Speakers included powerful politicians, sitting White House cabinet members, President Donald Trump, ministers of the Gospel, friends of Charlie Kirk, coworkers, and, touchingly, his wife Erika. Almost without exception, each orator brought the Gospel message to the millions of ears listening, often with Scriptural exegesis and explanation, all pointing to Jesus Christ as the answer to all of mankind’s problems. Apologist Frank Turek, a mentor to Kirk who was with Charlie on stage when he was shot, told the crowd: “I want you to know that Charlie right now is in heaven, not because he was a great husband and father, not because he saved millions of kids out of darkness on college campuses, not because he changed minds and chased votes to save the country, not because he sacrificed himself for his Savior. Charlie Kirk is in heaven because his Savior sacrificed himself for Charlie Kirk.” The Vice President J.D. Vance, a close friend of Kirk, said, “I always felt a little uncomfortable talking about my faith in public, as much as I loved the Lord, and as much as it was an important part of my life. I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public!” Vance also reminded the audience that “It is better to be persecuted for your faith than to deny the kingship of Christ.” He quoted John 16:33: “I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” Even the President’s son, Donald Junior, who quipped that Charlie knew way more about the Bible than he did, took the Scriptures seriously in speaking about the martyrdom of Stephen in the book of Acts, pointing to the vision of Jesus standing, not sitting, at the right hand of God the Father to welcome Stephen into Heaven. Secretary of State Marco Rubio summarized the essentials of the Gospel, focusing on our sin, our salvation in Jesus Christ (through His historical and actual life, death, and resurrection), and our service and thankfulness to God for our salvation. Does that sound at all familiar to Reformed Christians? Other notable speakers with Gospel messages included podcaster Tucker Carlson, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Some of the praise heaped on Kirk bordered on deification (and sounded out of place), and President Trump could not bring himself to follow the example of forgiveness of our political foes, as illustrated by widow Erika Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband’s murderer. But overall, the nearly five-hour event was a remarkable witness to millions of the power of the Gospel message – only our Lord Jesus can redeem us from the mess of fallen mankind. If you’ve only seen clips or highlights of the funeral service, it is worthwhile to watch the whole event: you can find the complete stream below, ...

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Saturday Selections – Sept 20, 2025

Charlie Kirk one week later The link above heads to Tim Challies' collection of the week's best articles on Charlie Kirk. My favorite was by Barry York on how we should deal with the inevitable clips that will and have surfaced, where Charlie Kirk evidences less patience or less grace than was his norm. I've my own thoughts. I've got liberal social media friends who are happy to cancel Kirk for a stray word... but is it really the stray words they are bothered by? In one of their posts a reference was made to how Charlie Kirk supported the stoning of homosexuals (which Stephen King also claimed and got in trouble for). The Christian response has mostly been to protest how anyone could ever possibly think that. But the better response is, I will suggest, to double down with the Gospel truth that it isn't just homosexuals who stand condemned, but every single one of us – before our just Judge we would all be found guilty of actions that warrant not simply stoning but the lake of fire (Matthew 5:21-22). I think what actually made Kirk offensive to many is how he shared that we are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. That's offensive indeed, both to the world and to the liberal church. It is also a very needed preamble to the good news of the Gospel. Bach's music as the fingerprints of God Defending the Christian faith can sometimes be awfully simple. So here's one simple defense of the faith that amounts to an "argument from beauty." There is the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Therefore there must be a God. As philosopher Peter Kreeft notes, you either get this one or you don't. But that doesn't make it any less true. IVF may have killed more than 250 million since 1978 "In vitro fertilization is destroying hundreds of millions of human embryonic children, according to a new estimate. This further shows why pro-lifers must be as opposed to IVF as they are to abortion." To put that in some kind of context, the Encyclopædia Britannica estimates the total number of people killed in World War II, including the Jews murdered in the Holocaust, the soldiers on both sides, and the civilians too, as being between 35 million and 60 million. In other words, the IVF deaths you aren't hearing about anywhere may amount to four times the number of those killed in the biggest war ever waged. If books are too indecent to show in the paper or read out loud at meetings, what are they doing in Alberta public schools? Alberta opposition leader Naheed Nenshi has been challenged to read out loud the horrific graphic novels he is defending. Guns and statistics Statistics are said to be one of the three big classes of lies, so it should come as no surprise that government statistics often align quite closely with whatever narrative it is that they are trying to push. The FBI has reported that armed civilians stopped active shooters in just 3.7% of the time over the last 10 years. But a watchdog group says that this low number has a lot to do with how the FBI chose to tabulate the data. They counted things up quite differently, and, if you excluded shootings taking place in "gun-free zones" (where no one other than the shooter was going to have a gun), then 52.5% of these events were stopped by a civilian with a gun. That number has its own spin, but this is an important article to read to really understand the need for taking a Prov. 18:17 approach to statistics. Chris Gordon: a word to young people over the death of Charlie Kirk Too many of us actually saw Charlie Kirk die – the videos of his death, videos of people celebrating his death, videos of nihilists preaching chaos, were streamed all over the Internet. Pastor Chris Gordon begs young people to look away. We are not meant to dwell on this brutality and darkness. Look to Christ instead! Charlie Kirk picture is adapted from one by Gage Skidmore and is used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license....

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A renewed hunger for the Bible

Data from the Association of American Publishers reveals that the biggest sales increase among all categories of books being published last year in the United States was religious books – up 18.5 percent from the previous year. This comes on the heels of similar growth the previous year. Publishers Weekly asked these publishers what was driving the increase and the answer was Bibles, Bible study materials, commentaries, and devotionals. “Christianity and Scripture and the people who write from these perspectives hit people where they live” explained Shane White, divisional VP for sales at InterVarsity Press. “That's why we see the sales we see." "Whatever denomination you're in, whatever your religious background, you're engaging the Bible more now than you did 10 years ago," noted Bob Gaudet, the executive VP of marketing and publicity for Baker Publishing Group. Although there isn’t data of Bible sales in Canada, the Canadian Bible Society distributed 631,298 Bibles and pieces of Scripture in 2024, a 20.1 percent increase from the previous year, which was already 22.5 percent more than the previous year. In Isaiah 55:10-11, God reminds us that just as the rain comes down from heaven to water the earth and make it sprout, giving us both seed for sowing and bread for eating, the same is true of His Word. “It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.” Praise be to God for giving more people an appetite for the Bread of Life (John 6:35)....

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Saturday Selections – Sept 13, 2025

On the death of Charlie Kirk American Christian and conservative leader Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday. Kirk (1993-2025) wasn't as rem...
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The assassination of Charlie Kirk

A new era has been marked; Christians must tell the truth. Unsurprisingly, on September 11, 2001, I wept. I also wept, unexpectedly, on September 11,...
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Quebec to ban public prayer and advance secularism
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Were the 215 soil abnormalities actually graves? 37% of Canadians think we should just presume so.
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Saturday Selections – Sept 6, 2025

Casting Crowns' "Nobody" 'Cause I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody All about Somebody who saved my soul Ever since You rescued me, You gave my heart a song to sing I'm living for the world to see nobody but Jesus How to apologize... ... in 7 segments. It's a lesson most of us would benefit from. Students can't use ChatGPT to do their standardized tests Some provinces don't have them, and others are steering away from them. But in-person tests are the surest way to know a student is doing the work, and not some AI program. Noah's flood shows up in legends from around the world (10 minute read) "Ancient legends from various cultures around the world all point to knowledge of one cataclysmic historic event." 4 questions to effectively share the gospel Here are the 4 questions Ray Comfort uses to get a conversation going with strangers... Jeff Durbin answering "What about ectopic pregnancies?" In ectopic pregnancies, the child doesn't descend out of the fallopian tube, where if it continues to develop it could kill the mom. Acting to save the mother will result in the death of the child, but that's not the goal. And because it isn't the goal, it differs completely from abortion. ...

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Saturday Selections – Aug. 30, 2025

Great illustrations of the government's limits Big government presumes that its bureaucracy is omnicompetent, able to manage for its citizens the job market, healthcare, education, trash collection, and so much more. And in making much of its own capabilities, it diminishes its citizens – we must be incompetent if we need their active intervention in so much of our lives. So is the government omnicompetent? No, as this video demonstrates with three examples of government programs gone wrong. Were they to acknowledge their limitations, governments would then limit their own fiddling and allow more room for other sorts of "government" – including family government, Church government, and self-government – to take up more responsibility. China slaps tariff on Canadian canola after Canada imposed a tariff on Chinese EVs Canadians who want to "go green" will have to pay more to do it, since our government imposed a 100% tariff on cheap Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) last year. Does that tariff help Canadian EV production? Possibly... but only by hurting Canadian consumers in the pocketbook. And now China has hit Canadian canola with a huge 78% tariff. Might that help China's canola producers? Maybe. But only by hurting Chinese canola consumers. When tariffs beget more tariffs, the only way to stop the cycle is for one country to step back and stop. And that isn't as defeatist as it is made out to be. It is, in fact, a defense of your country's consumers, who will no longer be forced to pay the jacked-up pricing our tariffs create. Yes, ending tariffs could hurt some Canadian producers – those who can't produce goods as inexpensively as countries abroad are able to – but ending tariffs will help our consumers, who will then get more bang for their buck. Ending tariffs will also help any of our producers who use imported products. And, in this case, ending tariffs could have helped our country's canola producers escape a punitive payback by the Chinese government. Media gives big coverage to study that says climate change will cost trillions... ... but didn't give big coverage when the same study started getting questioned. Court backs Calvin U over prof fired for officiating a gay "marriage" A same-sex "marriage" is two people committing, for life, to live in rebellion against God. They are doing so to their own harm, and quite possibly their eternal destruction, should they keep to that commitment. How could this professing Christian have been confused about whether or not he should officiate such a ceremony? It'd be akin to officiating a ceremony where a pair of anorexics made a solemn vow not to eat again – why would anyone do that to them? It's good news, then, to hear that Calvin University took a stand, and the courts backed them. Trump (sort of) says, "The US should be more like Canada" Canada's federal election results have, historically, been beyond questioning. With a scrutineer from each of the major parties overlooking the ballot counts, there have been as many as four tallies to check against each other – the Elections Canada result, but then also the Liberal, Conservative, and NDP counts. But as we move to more mail-in ballots and, municipally, we bring in electronic voting, what we're left with is a system that requires more and more trust from the voters because there is less and less transparency. We have only to look south of the border to see how badly that can go. Now President Trump has made transparency an issue, with his demand for getting rid of electronic voting machines. The Prodigal - Josiah Queen Quite the peppy take on the Prodigal Son... ...

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Why join an ARPA Club?

One mom shares how signing up has helped her high schoolers stand up for others High school is busy. Course work, extracurriculars, sports, catechism classes, homework, part-time jobs, and decisions about the future make for a full schedule. Amid all this busyness and these big decisions, it would be easy enough for a student to spend too much time looking in at themselves, and not enough time looking out at those around them. But, as we know, God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves and be a light in this dark world. So, are we encouraging high schoolers to set aside time for something that isn’t about them – their job, their sports team, their education, their future – and instead engage in something that is about others? Engaging in the political sphere to defend the lives, health and wellbeing of others is a great way high schoolers can look outside of themselves and instead love others and be a light to those around them. That’s where ARPA clubs come in. ARPA clubs are groups of students dedicated to engaging with political issues from a Christian perspective and bringing a Biblical witness to their leaders and communities around them. They do activities as a club and try to get their entire school community more politically engaged. Students in an ARPA club are encouraged to sign up for ARPA Leaderboards, an online platform where they can post photos of their political action, and gain points in a friendly competition against other clubs across the country. Here’s what one parent – Meagan Vandermaarel – had to say about her experience as a parent of children in an ARPA club. Naomi: How has being part of an ARPA club benefited your children? Meagan: “In so many ways. This past year three of my children joined the TEACH Home Educators of Brant ARPA school club. “Attending the ARPA Youth Conference is a non-negotiable part of my children’s education plan and provides some great, hands-on civics education. My children come back inspired to make a difference in the community around them, more informed about what is going on locally, as well as form new friendships which continue to grow year by year. “The ARPA Leaderboards competition has provided a great platform for my children to stay informed about what bills and petitions are current, to get in touch with their local MPs in an easy-to-navigate format and stay motivated through friendly rivalry both individually and through their school groups with the weekly Leaderboards rankings.” Sign up for this year’s ARPA Youth Conference at ARPACanada.ca/event/Youth25. LORD willing, these conferences will be held in Hamilton ON, Winnipeg MB, Coaldale AB and Smithers BC this October. Naomi: Why join an ARPA club? Meagan: “It is so important for our youth to not only be aware of what is going on in the world around them, but to be given the tools and information needed so that they in turn can make a difference, even if it’s just in a small way. “Not part of a school club? Not a problem. Just get together with your homeschool group or some friends and form a new club! You just need one parent or teacher volunteer and a few motivated teens to send out emails and plan events. Some of the action items are things like: crochet a baby hat, write a postcard to an MP, host a flag display, write a letter to the editor, visit an old age home, host an ARPA merch day, send an EasyMail letter to your local representative, and lots more!” Naomi: What are the benefits? Meagan: “You will quickly find that your teenagers become well informed and politically minded about current issues. They will not only know the name of their MP but become known to their MP sometimes on a first name basis! They become motivated to make a difference and have others join them in doing so. Some may frown, but the friendly rivalry both individually and between school groups in the ARPA Leaderboards competition can foster some great motivation to get involved and make a difference. School club winners receive a trophy, t-shirts and a pizza party and individual winners are given Amazon gift cards. “Being part of an ARPA club is a great way also to instill a love for one’s country and it gives the students an opportunity in the stage that they are in right now, to not only serve their immediate community but also to make a difference in the nation at large.” Naomi: Any encouraging stories to share? Meagan: “For sure. Two of our children had the privilege of having their ‘Letter to the Editor’ published this past year in newspapers across Canada, raising awareness on elder care and MAiD for the mentally ill. “The Burlington Flag Display was a day to remember as well – heading out before the sun came up to cover the grass with 10,000 pink flags to raise awareness about female selective abortion. “Monday singsongs at the local nursing home were another great memory. The smiles on the elderly residents' faces and the joy a friendly smile and song brought to them was worth every minute. “There were also some encouraging face-to-face conversations while delivering flyers. For my daughter Mia, getting to sit in an MP’s chair at Parliament and attending the God and Government Conference in Ottawa was an experience she will never forget. Winning first place on the ARPA Leaderboards was a definite highlight to end the year off with; I mean who wouldn’t want a pizza party with Ryan and Naomi?” **** Other parents also shared their thoughts with me, saying that their children in an ARPA club: “…had their eyes opened to ways that they could have an impact or a say in how things progress here in Canada. Although it may seem like we are not making any change by putting up lawn signs, delivering flyers, donating to the local pregnancy care center, or visiting seniors in old age homes we are making others more aware of the issues (gender reassignment, euthanasia, abortion), and giving them information that they may never have thought about which in turn may make them discuss the issues with others and have a ripple effect; it was also an avenue by which we could show that we care about our neighbors and love them. Even though it was intimidating at first to meet with our MLA and MP, the students were also encouraged to know that they could share their thoughts with the actual people that are involved in lawmaking and that the MLA/MP was interested in what they had to say.” Another parent shared: “From our perspective, it makes the students more comfortable with not being ashamed to speak out on areas of concern. It also grows their leadership skills in the community and makes them feel that they are active citizens and shining the light of Christ in this dark world.” Whether it's holding a sign, handing out flyers, or speaking to a politician – it all matters. So, to all parents, consider encouraging your high schooler(s) to use their time in school well – not just for their own benefit, but rather to love others well and engage as a Christian light in the political realm. ARPA clubs across Canada kick start action on September 2, 2025. Contact [email protected] if you would like to join or start an ARPA club near you and visit Profiles.ARPACanada.ca/login to join the ARPA Leaderboards competition. Meagan Vandermaarel is the parent volunteer for the TEACH Home Educators of Brant ARPA School Club. She lives in Brantford, Ontario and is married to Brad Vandermaarel. They currently homeschool their five children, three of which are current ARPA club members. Naomi Meerstra is the Grassroots Coordinator for Ontario and Eastern Canada with ARPA Canada....

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Saturday Selections – Aug. 23, 2025

Distinguishing between Soft and Hard Christian Nationalism Because certain Reformed folk support a form of Christian Nationalism, others will be strongly against it... but what exactly is the it they are against? After all, as John Stonestreet notes in the video below, the term has a broad variety of definitions. If we were to let the Left define the term, you might hear them equate any Christian political involvement as being an attempt to bring in a theocracy that would require everyone to make the choice to either go to church or go to jail. Thinks that's an oversimplification? Just remember the women who came out to protest Canadian Reformed politician Sam Oosterhoff while wearing the red outfits from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. That book and TV series is based on a future "Christian" dystopian theocracy that perpetuates ritual rape. And what did Sam Oosterhoff do to deserve such a malicious, ridiculous protest? He's a professing Christian, and he's in politics. That's just like Atwood's dystopia, so they say. So, before you say you aren't a Christian Nationalist, you'll want to ask what definition is being used. If all that's meant is Christians acknowledging God is sovereign over the political realm too, do you want to side against that? (John Stonestreet also moderated a 90-minute debate on Christian Nationalism here.) Economic nationalism is a dead end Some Christians who reject any sort of "Christian nationalism" will rally around the notion of a Canada-first "economic nationalism." But why would nationalism be good so long as it is economically, and not religiously, motivated? I don't know the answer to that question. The linked article isn't Christian, but highlights how any sort of economic nationalism – Liberal- or Conservative-run – presupposes that whoever the Prime Minister will be, he will know better than you as a consumer what products you should buy, for what prices, and from whom. That's what tariffs, supply management, and business subsidies are about. Any sort of economic nationalism also presumes that whoever our PM will be, he will know better than you as a producer whether your business should be taxed, or whether you can be one of the lucky companies to be gifted taxpayer dollars. But history shows that top-down management of a country's economy doesn't work because no one is smart enough to know best for everyone else what they want and need. History has shown it, so this columnist didn't have to make an explicitly Christian argument to counter economic nationalism. But we didn't have to wait for the Soviet Union to fall, and for China to struggle, or for Canada to go through its own socialist doldrums to know better already. Any sort of biblical understanding of Man's fallen nature, our susceptibility to temptation, and our fallibility would have made the point already, long before we would have had to endure the painful consequences that always come with economic arrogance. That, then, is a reason not simply to reject economic nationalism, but to stop being shy about sharing God's truth. We can save our neighbors pain, both eternally and here in this life as well by sharing the truth about Man and his limitations. We do need a supreme intellect to lead us, but that will only be found in our God, not our government. Why it’s important to read bad books about bad ideas "A meme on social media quotes my colleague Glenn Sunshine as saying, 'If I had a gun with two bullets, and I was in a room with Hitler, bin Laden, and Jean Jacques Rousseau, I’d shoot Rousseau twice!' Glenn insists he never said that, but then quietly admits he wishes he had." Killing for organs - who could possibly object? When murder becomes medicine – when euthanasia is legal – then it's inevitable that the line is going to be pushed on when someone is "dead enough" for organ donation. When doctors don't think life is sacred, then what worry is there, really, if someone in a bad state has their life ended a little prematurely? The slippery slope is no fallacy when the world can't find any brakes to stop the slide. The only answer is a complete return to understanding that our lives are gifts from God, and thus not ours to dispose of as we might wish. Why Christians shouldn't use IVF "...IVF kills twice as many babies as abortion. there are a million babies aborted every year, but IVF kills almost 2 million babies a year." Jimmy Clifton's "Proof of God" An intriguing anti-evolution, pro-life song... ...

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