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Steady As She Goes: Faithful Politics Across a Lifetime
Christians have outlasted the Roman Empire, the culture wars, and every
What Does Proactive Political Discipleship Look Like in the Local Church?
The church that waits until election season to address politics will always be playing catch-up. Here's what proactive political discipleship looks like, and why it matters…
What Does Political Exhaustion Reveal About Our Theology?
Most Christians think political exhaustion is a media problem. Dr. Alan Strange thinks it's a theology problem, and the cure isn't less news, it's a better eschatology.
Pastoring a Politically Exhausted Church
Churches were never meant to be political parties. But somewhere along the way, voting records became a test of gospel faithfulness, and Sunday mornings turned into…
Growth, Challenges, and the Road Ahead for the URCNA
The URCNA faces questions that will define its future: Can it plant churches beyond its ethnic roots? Will younger generations value hard-won confessional commitments? And…
Why Pastors Should Encourage Young Men to Relocate for Seminary
The young man who could shepherd churches for the next forty years might be sitting in your congregation right now, waiting for someone to see what he cannot see in himself.…
What Makes a Church Confessionally Reformed? The Theological Identity of the URCNA
From examining ministers on 16th-century confessions to requiring systematic preaching through the Heidelberg Catechism, the URCNA's commitments reveal how doctrine shapes…
From Crisis to Federation: The Birth of the URCNA
What began with a single letter from an Illinois consistory in 1986 became a decade-long journey through conferences, controversies, and careful deliberation, culminating in a…
The Theological Crisis in the CRC: Understanding the Roots of the URCNA
The debate over women's ordination didn't split the Christian Reformed Church; it was just the symptom that exposed a decades-long erosion of biblical authority that had been…
Catechism Preaching: Faithful Exposition for the Church Today
The church is never strong when it's doctrinally dumb—but too often, catechism preaching has been reduced to cold lectures or five-minute decorations tacked onto unrelated…
Advent Thoughts for Our Time
Dr. Alan Strange confronts a dangerous trend in American Christianity: the fusion of gospel truth with political ideology—and why Charlie Kirk's assassination reveals how…
What's Happening to Pastoral Leadership Part 2
Dr. J. Mark Beach warns that a generation of pastors is being stripped of their biblical calling and shoved to the sidelines—turned into hired servants who must stay in their…
The Seminary Decision: Student Perspectives on Theological Education at Mid-America
What makes a seminary worth the investment of your calling, your time, and your formative years, and why do students at Mid-America say they found the answer to that question here?
What's Happening to Pastoral Leadership?
This article examines Peter's leadership in Acts 5 to argue that pastors must be servant-leaders who courageously shepherd their flocks toward Christlike maturity, rather than…
The Peril of Familiarity: Reclaiming Awe in Our Theological Journey
In a recent chapel meditation, Rev. Paul Ipema challenged students and pastors alike to guard against treating God’s truth as mere academic material. Drawing on Psalm 145 and…
John Calvin Part 1: The Reluctant Reformer, the Relentless Theologian
What happens when a brilliant young scholar, destined for a quiet life of study, is thrust into the center of a theological revolution? This article traces the early life,…
Revelation and Redemptive History: A Theological Case for Cessationism
Are spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues meant to be a normal part of the Christian life, or were they signs of something far greater and unrepeatable? This article…
Wrestling with Righteousness: A Reformed Response to Federal Vision Theology
What happens when well-meaning theology unintentionally redefines the gospel itself? This adapted podcast episode on the critique of Federal Vision theology explores how…
The Children Also: Baptism, Covenant, and the Household of Faith
Should baptism be reserved only for those who can profess faith, or does God's covenant promise extend even to infants? This repurposed podcast article (originally featuring…
Reflections on Christian Nationalism
Is Christian nationalism the bold solution young Christians have been waiting for, or a dangerous confusion of the gospel with political power? This analysis cuts through the…
What Is Federal Vision? A Look Into One of the Most Disputed Movements in Reformed Theology
What happens when a movement tries to restore assurance, covenant, and the sacraments, but ends up redefining the gospel itself? In this deep dive into Federal Vision…
The Far-Reaching Impact of Mid-America's Ministerial Apprenticeship Program
From Washington to Ontario, Mid-America’s Ministerial Apprenticeship Program is equipping future pastors to serve churches across North America. Discover how our students are…
Walking Beside the Called: Forming Ministers Through the Ministerial Apprenticeship Program
Discover how Mid-America Reformed Seminary’s Ministerial Apprenticeship Program is shaping future pastors through hands-on mentorship, real-life ministry, and deep pastoral…
In-Person Theological Education
Alumnus Ryan Swale writes about how residential seminary education is essential for true spiritual and pastoral formation, and why online learning can’t fully replace the…
Grounded in Grace: Finding Assurance in God's Word
In a world where faith often feels fragile and assurance elusive, many believers quietly ask, “Can I be sure?” This blog explores how the promises of God, not our feelings,…
Faith in the Public Square: Why Common Grace Still Matters
In this final article on common grace, we examine its contentious history within the Christian Reformed Church, engage with contemporary scholarly reassessments, and consider…
The Common Grace Controversy of 1924: Theological Tension and the Birth of a Denomination
The 1924 Common Grace Controversy represents one of the most significant theological disputes in American Reformed history. What began as an intellectual disagreement over…
Common Grace: Understanding an Often Misunderstood Doctrine
This article examines the Reformed doctrine of common grace—God's unmerited favor shown to all people, which restrains evil and enables good in society regardless of faith,…
Forming Faithful Shepherds: The Core of Mid-America's M.Div. Program
In this article, we explore several cornerstone courses of our M.Div. program that shape servants of Christ who are prepared to lead with biblical wisdom and pastoral sensitivity.
The Ministry of Presence: Understanding Pastoral Visitation in Hospitals and Nursing Homes
This blog explores 2001 MARS graduate Rev. Harold Miller's insights on pastoral visitation to hospitals and nursing homes. He highlights both its theological significance and…
Mid-America Fits the Bill
Dr. Alan Strange makes the case for Mid-America Reformed Seminary as the premier choice for pastoral training. He highlights the seminary’s strong theological curriculum,…
The Cleansing Blood and Indwelling Spirit: A Pastor’s Reflection
Alumnus and Pastor Richard Zekveld explores how the Holy Spirit functions as the vital connection between believers and Christ by weaving together biblical wisdom and pastoral…
Christian Nationalism: Is There a Better Way?
Amid the growing debate over Christian nationalism, Dr. Alan Strange challenges believers to consider whether the Reformed confessions already provide a sufficient framework…
Doug Wilson, Christian Nationalism, and the Theonomic Debate
This article critically examines Douglas Wilson's approach to Christian nationalism, its theonomic foundations, and its implications for Reformed and evangelical traditions.
The Contemporary Debate on Christian Nationalism: Engaging Stephen Wolfe's Vision Through Historical Context
This blog critically examines Stephen Wolfe's vision of Christian nationalism by exploring its roots in historical Reformed theology and highlighting the need for contemporary…
Christian Nationalism: Analyzing the Debate
This article examines the ongoing debate surrounding Christian nationalism, analyzing its definitions, theological implications, and historical pitfalls. Dr. Alan Strange…
The Importance of Reformed Theological Foundations for Effective Ministry
Mid-America Reformed Seminary prepares students for effective, Christ-centered ministry by grounding them in Scripture, celebrating the Reformed tradition, and providing…
The Importance of Seminary Education
Dr. Alan Strange emphasizes the importance of seminary education for ministers in Reformed and Presbyterian traditions, explaining that seminaries provide necessary biblical,…
How Beautiful are the Feet of Those Who Preach Good News
Dr. Cornelis Venema discusses the importance of evangelism and preaching the gospel, focusing on Romans 10:14-15 and emphasizing the Seminary's mission to equip students to…
Catechism Preaching: Cherished Legacy, Contemporary Necessity
Rev. Paul Ipema elaborates on the biblical and historical precedent for catechism in Reformed churches.
Then & Now: Reflections on My Service at Mid-America Reformed Seminary
Dr. Cornelis P. Venema reflects on his 36 years of service at Mid-America Reformed Seminary, recounting how he was initially reluctant to leave pastoral ministry to teach at…
You are the Salt of the Earth
Dr. Venema reflects on Jesus' metaphor of believers being
Christian Nationalism
Dr. Strange discusses the phenomenon of
Imitating the Incarnation?
Dr. Venema discusses how, although we must be wary of viewing the gospel message moralistically, the apostle Paul does encourage believers to imitate Christ's incarnation and…
Stewards of the Gospel
Dr. Venema discusses the role of ministers as stewards and servants of Christ entrusted with preaching the gospel, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness to this calling.
The Church Protected as She Witnesses to the Nations
Dr. Cornelis Venema elaborates on the Church's role on this side of eternity as she witnesses in a hostile world and yet is protected by her Lord.
Counting Our Days Until We Go Home
Dr. Cornelis Venema reflects on the awareness of the brevity of our lives, which compels us to pray that our days should be fruitful in service to the Lord.
Bold as a Lion: Comments on Mark 14:43-52
Dr. Eric Watkins elaborates on how Christians can be as bold as lions in a world of strife and uncertainty.
The Church Protected in the Wilderness by Her Triumphant King
Dr. Cornelis Venema reflects on Revelation 12:1-6 in a Christmas meditation, focusing on the birth of Christ, who was born to save His people, triumph over and crush the head…
The Kind of Seminary President We Need
During the early stages of its work, the Presidential Search Committee asked Dr. Cornelis Venema to provide them with his “Reflections on the Position by the Current…
Creation as God's Temple
Rev. Mark Vander Hart details the redemptive-historical significance of the disappearance of the temple and how we, as temples of the Holy Spirit, function today in our…
Answering Objections to Catechism Preaching Part 4
In this final installment on our series of answering objections to catechism preaching, the late P.Y. De Jong answers one final charge: Have the Reformed churches made…
The Seven Deadly Sins and a Sin-Sick Culture
In waging the battle of the Christian life knowledge of the seven deadly sins helps us to see where and how the devil gains footholds in our lives to bring us into misery. Dr.…
Answering Objections to Catechism Preaching Part 3
The late P.Y. De Jong continues answering objections to catechetical preaching, this time responding to the charge that the words of men are being substituted for the word of…
Answering Objections to Catechism Preaching Part 2
The late P.Y. De Jong continues his assessment of catechetical preaching, making a case for such even in such times when Reformed ministers no longer believe what the…
Answering Objections to Catechism Preaching Part 1
In 1986, the late Reformed scholar and Mid-America professor, P.Y. De Jong, wrote in the Mid-America Journal of Theology on catechetical preaching. Here he begins answering…
The Real Presence of Christ in Preaching: Further Questions and Clarifications
Dr. J. Mark Beach continues his examination of Martin Luther and John Calvin's proposal that Christ is present in the preaching of the Word. If preaching is the Word of God,…
Luther and Calvin on the Real Presence of Christ in Preaching
Dr. J. Mark Beach examines what is meant when the Reformers, particularly Calvin and Luther, claimed that Christ is present in the preaching of the Word.
The Old Testament: A Field Manual for World Missions
Rev. Mark Vander Hart describes the Old Testament as God's field manual for evangelism and world missions.
By His Spirit and Word
Dr. Cornelis Venema reflects on the centrality of Christ in the building up of his church through missions and evangelism.
Mary's Place in the Christmas Story
Dr. Cornelis Venema elaborates on the role of Mary in the Christmas story and of her being
Spirituality of the Church
Dr. Alan Strange, Professor of Church History, takes us through the doctrine of the spirituality of the Church as it was articulated throughout church history, beginning with…
Introducing the Center for Missions and Evangelism
Dr. Eric Watkins introduces the new Center for Missions and Evangelism.
Surviving the Polarization Pandemic
Dr. Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief of WORLD Magazine, offers a healthy perspective on how Christians should interact with the headlines today.
A Field Hand in God's Harvest Field
The term Paul uses for ministers was originally used for those who wait upon tables, providing those whom they serve with food that they neither produced nor prepared. By…
Breaking Down the Dividing Wall of Hostility
Unlike the Old Testament temple where there was a wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles, the New Testament temple is a community of those who have been reconciled to…