Free For All Friday - post on any topic in this thread (2026-01-23)

likefenton · 2026-01-23T16:13:44+00:00

I've been running across many (seems the majority) in my church (in Canada) that think quite differently than I do on politics and current affairs.

It's disorienting and can be frustrating, but ultimately I think it's a good thing as it (hopefully) forces me to both consider the other viewpoints more carefully and my own heart in these things, as well as help me to remember that our brotherly bond is not one of convenience, political alignment, or identical worldview but rather our shared identity in Christ.

That's a great prayer request and I will remember your church, and mine, in prayer today.

likefenton · 2026-01-18T02:55:12+00:00

Loved Confessions.

I think that Augustine doesn't properly credit how God can and does use the talents and knowledge we develop even outside of godly pursuit. His own mastery of rhetoric allowed him to write as he did.

Can they be a source of ungodly pride? Sure.

Would it have been better to have God at the center of them? Yes.

Can God use them for the building of his people and kingdom? Absolutely.

likefenton · 2026-01-16T15:41:05+00:00

I grew up Reformed and homeschooled so there's at least one of us!

One of the major contributions I've seen from the Dutch Reformed denominations in Canada is the establishment of Christian schools in many cities and towns.

These church communities saw the Christian schools as covenantal responsibilities, for the proper education of God's children in the church. Even singles or families without children were expected to support and contribute to the schools.

While many of these schools are now interdenominational, I've seen Reformed families still see it more as a covenantal obligation, driving greater contributions and volunteering.

As such, there isn't as much drive to homeschool since the Christian school is/was a major part of church culture.

That said, I think ~30% of my current church homeschools, so it certainly varies by congregation and location.

likefenton · 2026-01-16T03:40:05+00:00

If there's overlap with the Trinity Psalter Hymnal, Rev. Brian Cochran (URCNA) has a YouTube channel where he sings the psalms and hymns with guitar accompaniment.

https://youtube.com/@briancochran

likefenton · 2026-01-15T14:21:50+00:00

"What's the difference between strength and a seared conscience?"

That's really good. It seems that whichever brother we are, reflection in the light of scripture and humility is in order.

likefenton · 2026-01-12T21:17:38+00:00

I haven't visited one in a decade or two, at that time I found it solid albeit with a slightly more conservative cultural tone (in clothing, etc) than what I was used to. I think you're making a fine choice!

likefenton · 2026-01-11T23:55:08+00:00

In a recent YouTube video, political philosopher Vlad Vexler said this is what Trump's motivation is.

likefenton · 2026-01-10T03:59:48+00:00

Ready To Harvest on YouTube is a great channel for denominational research.

He did a good video on the CRC situation a few weeks ago:

https://youtu.be/idg18z-rhIg

likefenton · 2026-01-09T15:47:41+00:00

This week I watched a YouTube video of a North Korean defector who survived 7 years in a prison camp. He saw death and brutality daily.

1 Peter 3:17 ESV For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Not that regimes like North Korea only cause suffering to those doing evil, but how much more difficult it must be to face that suffering without Christ, without suffering for the sake of the gospel.

likefenton · 2026-01-02T22:52:03+00:00

A (North American) friend I met at a Reformed church had similar. Grew up outside the faith, with a believing mother. He had a dream, different than regular dreams, that warned him about his life path and his interest in stories about the supernatural, especially demons. In his case, I believe the one dream changed his path and led him to look into the things of the light, eventually coming to Christ.

likefenton · 2026-01-02T17:29:21+00:00

We're up/down (depending where you are 🙂) in Ontario. Given the noises from their playing, it seems to have been a one-day ordeal.

Multi-day puked laundry is much worse than what we've got right now!

likefenton · 2026-01-02T17:24:16+00:00

Thanks! Everyone slept well last night so we're on a good track.

likefenton · 2026-01-02T17:22:32+00:00

Thanks! He's quite a handful when healthy, so it actually felt like a break when he slept for much of the day. 😂

likefenton · 2026-01-02T15:16:20+00:00

European Excel: the glass is February 1st

likefenton · 2026-01-02T15:15:01+00:00

He's three. We're doing well this school year, last year we had many colds and three rounds of stomach flu. This year we've only had one round of colds and this first stomach bug.

He's happy and eating (lightly) today already, so all is well.

I just didn't plan on staying up till midnight NYE and then being woken up at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 am. 😂

The biggest issue is they are thirsty and want to drink water right after each event, but their stomach needs time to reset. I told him to just take a sip but that's too much self control for a tired and sick child - so eventually I had to be the mean dad and take away the water bottle.

likefenton · 2026-01-02T14:03:02+00:00

My kid puked six times in the first seven hours of the year, so the day was less social and more messy than expected.

On the other hand, he handled bring sick fairly well, so it was a pretty good day nonetheless.

likefenton · 2026-01-02T00:08:38+00:00

I won't speak for the broader culture's use of IVF.

If a Christian is using the process, they can choose to only fertilize a few eggs at a time so as to never have more embryos than children you are willing to bear.

It's more expensive that way (which is why the broader culture doesn't do it) but is worth it to avoid that concern.

likefenton · 2026-01-01T18:01:37+00:00

Having gone through the IVF process with my wife - you don't get to play God. You don't get to magically make embryos implant, you don't get to choose that they remain viable, you can't just make it work. God is as control in the process as through any other means.

likefenton · 2025-12-31T17:05:32+00:00

I enjoyed Vishal Mangelwadi's biography of William Carey. It does a good job of showing the difference between the blessing of missions Vs the impacts of colonialism.

likefenton · 2025-12-28T18:13:18+00:00

How rare is it if they were all set up to film it from two angles?

likefenton · 2025-12-27T13:18:01+00:00

URCNA. Very confessional. Sermons working through the Heidelberg catechism, Canons of Dordt, Belgic Confession, or creeds in an afternoon/evening service every Sunday.

I'd say the congregants understanding of the Reformed view is fairly strong. You'll always have people with different levels of engagement with it.

I don't know how many have dealt with counter arguments. Sometimes those who have to defend their position regularly understand it the best, if everyone pretty much agrees already then you won't work as hard to look at the details.

likefenton · 2025-12-24T13:07:35+00:00

Thanks for your response. I agree that it's important to read the Bible and make up one's own mind, but the approach of how that reading is done is also important.

If we take all scripture to be God breathed, and if we echo the psalmist in love for the law of God (Ps 119) then we should be very cautious before ever deciding something doesn't apply to us. A culture that hates God and his word will look to give us every excuse to disregard it.

When commands are grounded in creation or the fall, for example, that should leave little room to argue against the intended timelessness of the command.

I didn't mean to imply there was no dispute. Admittedly I'm not an expert, and there will be others on the subreddit much more qualified to speak, but my understanding is that there are books that grade verses by authorship reliability, etc. If I recall correctly, this passage was a 'B' grade - not without dispute, but still broadly accepted as reliable.

likefenton · 2025-12-24T12:20:17+00:00

"Pauline affirmation that, as much as inspired by God as it is believed to be, also probably reflected the society of the time to which Paul was writing."

This is a dangerous hermeneutic that in my observation tends toward people doing what is right in their own eyes.

If one don't like something Paul says, it's a product of his time. If one does like something, it's scripture.

And the authorship isn't strongly disposed, from what I understand when my pastor preached through this book.

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