All Articles By
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Book ReviewsGod’s Daring Dozen: A Minor Prophet Series
by John Brown and Brian Wright Illustrated by Lisa Flanagan 2021 / 40 pages each Christian Focus Publications Rating: GOOD/Great/Give I’ve never been a fan of…
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Adult biographiesMy Father’s Journey
by Harry Kleyn 2022, 411 pages Rating: GOOD/Great/Give A few years ago I was asked to teach a North American church history course at Covenant Canadian…
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Adult non-fictionTop 3 marriage books
Over my years in the ministry, I’ve taught many marriage preparation classes. From time to time, I’ve also counseled couples with marriage problems. In my…
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Book ReviewsIs God a Hypothesis? A critical review of Stephen Meyer’s “Return of the God Hypothesis”
Stephen C. Meyer’s Return of the God Hypothesis continues to receive accolades. Most recently, World magazine chose it as one of their 2021 books of the…
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Adult non-fictionThe Ultimate Proof of Creation: Resolving the Orgins Debate
by Jason Lisle 2009 / 254 pages Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) is an important figure from our Reformed heritage. A careful theologian with a love for…
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Adult non-fictionIn the Beginning: Listening to Genesis 1 and 2
by Cornelis Van Dam 2021 / 371 pages Dr. C. Van Dam begins his latest book by explicitly laying out his presuppositions. He’s upfront about his…
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Apologetics 101Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College
by Michael J. Kruger 2021 / 262 pages. Rating: GOOD/Great/Give From time to time I search online for “ex-Can RC.” I’m curious as to why people would…
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TheologyOn the Regulative Principle of Worship, and elements vs. circumstances
Many moons ago, in the days of Pine, Lynx and dial-up modems, there was an online discussion group known as Ref-net. I can’t say I…
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Adult non-fictionThe Pastor as Counselor: The Call for Soul Care
by David Powlison 2021 / 76 pages Some have difficulty applying adjectives like “kind” and “compassionate” to biblical counseling. But when I think of the…
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Adult non-fictionMen and Women in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction
by Kevin DeYoung 2021 / 170 pages Kevin DeYoung’s latest tackles an always timely topic. In the last few years, the “women in office” issue…
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Adult non-fictionThe Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman 2020 / 425 pages Carl Trueman has lost his sense of…
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TheologyHERETIC? Let’s not throw bombastic terms around glibly
I was once labeled a heretic. In fact, I’m sure it’s happened more than once. And no, it wasn’t Roman Catholics or Muslims saying this…
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Science – GeneralThe wacky wombat
Back when I was a missionary in British Columbia, we had a friend visit from Australia. I asked him, “Have you ever seen a bear…
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Book excerptsThe Accompanist as Prophet?
The following is an excerpt from Dr. Bredenhof’s new book “Aiming to Please: A Guide to Reformed Worship.” ***** If we have accompaniment, the accompanist has an…
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Apologetics 101C.S. Lewis’s Apologetics: a Reformed assessment
Many Christians admire C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) and enjoy his writings. I was introduced to C.S. Lewis through my Grade 4 teacher who read The Lion,…
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TheologyBill, and The Brothers Karamazov, on the Problem of Evil
“All right, so this passage shows Jesus’ lordship and control over all creation.” Bill glanced at his watch. It was already 3:45 and his class…
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DocumentaryMovie Review: Spirit & Truth
How does God want to be worshipped? Documentary 2019 / 87 minutes RATING: 8/10 How should we worship God? It’s one of the most important…
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Science – Creation/EvolutionI believe in theistic evolution
I recently realized I believe in/affirm theistic evolution. Depending on your perspective, have I sold out or have I finally come to my senses? Neither. …
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Book excerptsWhat a Savior! Christ on the cross intercedes for his enemies
In Dr. Wes Bredenhof’s new book “Seven Wondrous Words” (available in Canada here, and in the US here) he shares Christ’s seven final conversations or “words” from…
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MusicThat morning I listened to Kanye West
[Editor’s note: Since his startling 2019 “Jesus is King” album, Kanye West has gone back to his old ways proclaiming himself the “new Jesus” in…
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People we should knowGetting to know J.I. Packer
J.I. Packer died on July 17, 2020, at the age of 93. In this profile, which first appeared in the May 2016 issue, Dr. Bredenhof explains…
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Adult non-fictionKnow why you believe
by K. Scott Oliphint 2017 / 221 pages There’s a need for different types of books on apologetics. We need the books on theory –…
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Recent ArticlesWhy should we study Scripture together?
It’s too easy to take for granted the blessings God has heaped on us, so let’s stop for a moment and think about several of…
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Adult non-fictionOn the proper role of Government (and the footnoted Belgic Confession article 36)
A review of P.J. Hoedemaker’s Article 36 of the Belgic Confession Vindicated Against Dr. Abraham Kuyper ***** Anyone who has ever studied the Belgic Confession, even…
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Adult non-fictionThe Genesis Account: A theological, historical, and scientific commentary on Genesis 1-11
by Jonathan Sarfati 786 pages / 2015 Outside of sermon preparation, it is not often that I read a commentary from front to back. If…
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Adult non-fictionAn interview (of sorts) with “Gay Girl, Good God” author Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry is an American poet and recording artist on the Humble Beast label. Married to Preston, she is the mother of two children….
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Adult non-fictionCalvin’s Magnum Opus: a review of “Institutes of the Christian Religion”
A “magnum opus” is an author’s greatest work. When it comes to John Calvin his Institutes of the Christian Religion is one of the classics of Protestant…
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Adult non-fictionThe Story of Reality
The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important That Happens in Between by Gregory Koukl 2017 / 198 pages…
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Adult non-fictionTactics: a game plan for discussing your Christian convictions
by Greg Koukl 2009 / 208 pages What would you do? You’re in a public place and you encounter a woman with a pentagram hanging…
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NewsLeaving Frozen out in the cold?
For show biz, as elsewhere, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Hollywood stands to benefit from whatever controversy it can generate. Disney is one…
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NewsBilly Graham (1918-2018): The last of the Great Revivalists
Without a doubt, Billy Graham has had a huge role in shaping American Christianity. His death on February 21, 2018 signals the passing of an…
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AssortedGood habits help us minimize trouble…
Though his name has long escaped me, I will never forget his rage. We had just moved to a new city and my mom was looking for…
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Church historyKuyper’s legacy: for better and for worse
Abraham Kuyper left behind a lasting legacy. There is, most notably, his indispensable role in the Doleantie of 1886, in which he led an exodus…
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Church historyAbraham Kuyper: larger than life
After John Calvin, Abraham Kuyper is probably the figure who looms largest in our Reformed church history. In some ways, in his lifetime he was…
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InternetWikipedia: reader beware
I recently assigned a group of Grade 7-10 church history students a research project. I observed them as they began their work on their personal…
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Science – Creation/EvolutionThe appendix question solved
For many years, we were told that the human appendix was a leftover of our evolutionary development and the proof was in the fact that…
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NewsMedia bias and Australia’s marriage debate
This month and next Australians are being given the opportunity to have their say on same-sex “marriage.” The Liberal-National (LNP) coalition ran their election campaign…
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NewsStill want to win the lottery?
“The next Lotto 6/49 jackpot is an estimated 16 million dollars.” When you hear something like that, the temptation is to imagine how that sum…
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Book ReviewsThe Quest for Comfort: the story of the Heidelberg Catechism
by William Boekestein 2011, 32 pages, $10 US Rating: GOOD/Great/Give A while back I had the privilege of reviewing a previous children’s book by this author…
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Religion – Roman CatholicTrue and False Catholicism
“Swimming the Tiber” is a popular way of saying that a Protestant has defected to Roman Catholicism (the Tiber River flows through Rome). If you’re…
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People we should knowA couple friends you should meet: Jay Adams & D. A. Carson
It’s no secret that I love books. Here in my study I often feel like I’m surrounded by good friends. Some are old friends, centuries…