One of the perennial conundrums many Christians face is regarding the assurance of their salvation. In the Reformed tradition, it regularly comes up in the form of questions about God's providence and election; How can I be sure that God chose me? It’s a tricky doctrine, but an important one for the spiritual health, wellbeing, and sanctification of the believer. So in this week's episode, we dive into Scripture and our Reformed confessions to take a look at how we can grow in assurance of salvation.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

In last week's episode we covered the Reformation principle of sola Scriptura, and so in this week's installment we thought it would be good to cover the complementary principle known as tota Scriptura, which is the conviction that the whole of Scripture is inspired, good, and profitable for the Christian. 

We also drop some very important news about the future of the show, so make sure to tune in and get the scoop in this week's episode.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

One of the perennial points of discussion between Roman Catholics and Protestants is the role and authority of Scripture and tradition in the Christian life, and for good reason. Many Roman Catholic apologists today will argue that sola Scriptura is untenable because it was the Church that created the Scripture, and not the other way. So in this week's episode we aim to explain what sola Scriptura is, what is isn't, and how it stands up to Roman and Orthodox objections.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

With Holy Week upon us, we thought it would be wonderful to take a few moments reflecting on the Reformed view of Communion and how it compares to the views of Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and modern Evangelicalism. As you celebrate the Eucharist this week, we hope this episode is a helpful way of deepening your participation in this sacrament. 

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

One of the most important questions each local congregation can ask itself is, Do we have a healthy culture of greeting and hospitality that will remove barriers and foster fellowship with newcomers and new members? In this week's episode, we dive into how having a good theology of greeting ought to radically reorient our attention away from being inwardly focused and insular to being outwardly focused and hospitable. Whether you're a church leader or just a member, we all have an important part to play in making sure our churches rightly reflect our hospitable and gracious God.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

A long time has passed since our first episode on AI back in November of 2023, so we thought it would be good to revisit this topic. But rather than covering the topic from a general perspective, this time around we focus specifically on two new angles: how AI has disintegrated our ability to trust what we're told is true, and how it impacts the way we approach our work and vocations. We hope this will be a thought-provoking conversation about this timely topic.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

As an extension of our Neo-Calvinist roots, one of the great the convictions of the Christian Reformed tradition globally is its commitment to the importance of Christ-centered education, and how such education brings transformation and renewal to its local communities. In this week's episode we had the pleasure of sitting down - virtually, of course - with Mario Matos, who serves as the International Partnership Director of EduDeo Ministries, a global Reformed Christian education ministry that seeks to provide resources and training for Christ-centered schools all over the majority world. In the episode we discuss the roots of the Christian Reformed Church of the Dominican Republic and the ways in which God is using EduDeo to bring about gospel-centered community transformation all around Latin America, east Asia, and Africa. If you have a heart for missions and/or Christian education, this is definitely the episode for you!

Visit www.EduDeo.com for more information about this ministry as well as ways you or your church may get involved in supporting their work.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

One of the perennial discussions in the Reformed tradition is over the frequency with which we ought to observe and partake in the Lord's Supper together. In the history of the CRC, it was common to partake quarterly and on Good Friday. But the growing trend today in the Reformed and Presbyterian churches seems to be going the other direction, toward weekly celebration. In this week's episode we aim to mine the Scriptures and the Reformed tradition's great luminaries to show that while there is no express command, there does seem to be a general push for more frequency rather than less.

The article we mention in the episode from Resurrection OPC in Matthews, NC can be found here: https://www.rpcmatthews.org/articles/reformed-theologians-on-the-frequency-of-communion-past-amp-present

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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 were blessed with the opportunity to sit down with Justin N. Poythress, pastor of All Saints Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Meridian, ID, about his upcoming book Who Am I and What Am I Doing with My Life?, set for release on April 1st from the Good Book Company. 

In this conversation we dive into the contents of Justin's book as he helps guide through the fundamental questions of identity, the self, and understanding who we are in Christ. 

For a discount code to Justin's book available for pre-order, you can subscribe to blog at justinpoythress.com.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

This past week marked the annual observance of America's most important religious, er, national holiday: the NFL Super Bowl. As per usual, there was no shortage of controversy surrounding the halftime show, this year hosted by an artist named Bad Bunny. But this year there was not one but two halftime shows, with the other pitched the "All-American Halftime Show", which aimed at being a celebration of "American culture, freedom, and faith." Sifting through all the noise, we thought we'd add our thoughts about what all of this says for American Christians, and how we might, as Reformed Christians, seek to avoid populist Evangelicalism. 

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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 traveling back in time to examine the so-called Young, Restless, and Reformed movement, analyzing its roots, its rise to prominence in the evangelical world in the 2000s, and its subsequent decline in the mid-2010s. Through it all we explore the real strengths of the movement, alongside a sober analysis of the genuine weaknesses and valid criticisms. For anyone who lived through it, this may be an intriguing walk down memory lane. For others, it may be merely a cautionary tale. But for all, we hope it's a thoughtful analysis of a movement that profoundly impacted evangelicalism in the early years of the 21st century.

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

Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.