PODCAST · religion
Reformed Podmatics
by Reformed Podmatics
Welcome to Reformed Podmatics! Hosted by Pastor Mark VanDyke and Pastor Zac Dewey of Almond Valley CRC in Ripon CA, this podcast exists to promote the vibrant, biblical, and historically informed face of Reformed theology both in our context and beyond.
Episodes
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The End of an Era - Episode 236
In the words of Porky Pig, "Th-th...that's all, folks!" After nearly 6 years, Reformed Podmatics finally comes to an end. It's been a wonderful run and we have so much to be thankful for. So in this final episode, we reflect on the wonderful fruit of this ministry, the friends we've made, and the...
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Church Planting: The What, Why, and How - Episode 235
The heartbeat of the church's mission is to worship God and to invite others to join the chorus through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Part and parcel of this endeavor, then, is church planting, the multiplication of new churches that will, in due time, become established, organized, and worshiping...
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Growing In Your Assurance of Salvation - Episode 234
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...
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The Oft-Neglected Principle of Tota Scriptura - Episode 233
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...
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Did the Roman Catholic Church Give Us the Bible? A Discussion on Sola Scriptura - Episode 232
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…
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The Reformed View of Communion - Episode 231
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…
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Creating A Healthy Culture of Welcome & Hospitality at Your Church - Episode 230
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...
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Truth & Work in the Age of AI - Episode 229
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…
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Interview on Global Christian Education with Mario Matos of EduDeo Ministries - Episode 228
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...
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How Frequently Should We Have Communion? - Episode 227
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...
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Who Am I and What Am I Doing with My Life? Interview with Justin N. Poythress - Episode 226
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...
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A Tale of Two Halftime Shows - Episode 225
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...
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The Rise & Fall of the "Young, Restless, & Reformed Movement" - Episode 224
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,...
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Satan, Sin, & Temptation - Episode 223
This week we dive into a fascinating discussion and exploration of what the Bible has to teach us about Satan, demons, sin, and temptation. A listener recently asked us whether it's true that Satan is to blame for our temptation, or whether this removes too much of the responsibility off our...
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Addressing the Overlooked Sins of Greed, Gluttony, & Grumbling - Episode 222
In the Christian life there are often sins that are overlooked, dismissed, and neglected. These exist in contrast to the ones that are far more obvious and therefore far more commonly addressed. So in an effort to discern the whole counsel of God and allow its light to pervade into every nook and...
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What Are the Best Go-To Books for New Christians? - Episode 221
A few weeks ago, a pastor friend reached out to Pastor Zac asking what his go-to book recommendations were for new Christians, and this question got him thinking. Books are an important part of discipleship for many Christians, and so in this week's episode we take some time to reflect on what...
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A Look Back at 2025: Conspiracies, Conservatives, & the Importance of Trust - Episode 220
In this first episode of 2026, we take some time to reflect on 2025 and some of the major events that transpired. We pay special attention on the recent developments within the conservative right and the fractures that have become clear in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death as a result of…
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The Real Christmas Story Vs. the Pop-Christmas Story - Episode 219
Do you know the REAL Christmas story, as opposed to the popular versions of the story we hear every year around this time? In this week's episode, we spend some time, like Mary herself, marveling at the goodness of God in the Matthew and Luke's accounts of the nativity of Christ our Lord. We get...
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The Reformed Tradition & the Church Calendar - Episode 218
While it may sound strange to many, the Reformed tradition has had a long and complicated history with regard to the use of the Church Calendar. In some corners it's been outright rejected, whereas in others it's been strongly encouraged. So given that we are currently in the season of Advent and...
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Christmas Carols: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Episode 217
It's the most wonderful time of the year! As another Christmas season has now descended upon us, we thought it would we'd get a little festive and spend this week's episode ranking our favorite (and least favorite) Christmas carols and songs. Perhaps we'll step on some toes, but more importantly…
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Ministry in Ripon California - Episode 216
In this week's episode we take a step back to ask the question, What is ministry like in Ripon, California, USA? Part of the goal of every Christian is to understand the mission field in which God has placed them, and so as pastors called to serve Almond Valley CRC in Ripon, CA, we often find...
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The Case for the 'Long Prayer' - Episode 215
Over the past few decades it has become increasingly common throughout the church to relegate the congregational prayer to being merely a segue between other more favored elements of the modern worship service. So in this week's episode, we call for a recovery of the congregational prayer, or as...
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Is Gambling A Sin? - Episode 214
Given recent headlines about the crackdown on illegal gambling in the NBA, we're betting some of you will be interested in this week's topic of discussion: is gambling permissible for the Christian? To answer this question we turn to Scripture and our Catechism for help, as we consider how...
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On Nuance, Third Way-ism, & Navigating Politically Fractious Times - Episode 213
Prompted by the recent peace agreement between Israel and Gaza—and the wide range of reactions it has sparked—this week we ask: how should Christians respond when their political “opponents” accomplish something that’s objectively good? In our polarized age, it can feel almost disloyal to…
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Escaping the Soul-Crushing Trap of Cynicism - Episode 212
As we grow and mature in our faith we can often find ourselves becoming more and more cynical of everything around us, even beginning to think of cynicism as a sign of maturity. And for those of us who have grown in our theological understanding and awareness, this can be especially true in how…
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How to Sift through the Failures of Our Faith Heroes - Episode 211
One of the perennially challenging questions we face in the Christian life is what we are supposed to do when our heroes in the faith fail theologically or ethically. As Reformed Christians, it's not uncommon to hear accusations against John Calvin for his involvement in the execution of the...
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Are Christians Allowed to Doubt? - Episode 210
This week's episode comes from a listener question regarding whether or not doubt is allowed in the Christian walk. As we get into the particulars and try to make helpful distinctions for consideration, we hope this is a thought-provoking and pastoral conversation about the very real struggles…
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Jesus, the Psalms, and Reformed Worship w/ Rev. Peter Holtvlüwer - Episode 209
In the Reformed tradition, the Psalms have always played a central role in our worship, piety, and formation. And the reason for this is simple: the Psalms are the hymnbook of Jesus Himself. Joining us week to discuss how this is the case and why this matters is Rev. Peter Holtvluwer, pastor at...
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Should Churches Have A "Ministry Year"? - Episode 208
In a spirit of semper reformanda and self-examination, this week we take some time to consider the modern church practice of thinking in terms of the "ministry year", where a congregation's programs and ministries follow the general schedule of the school year. Is this a wise or even a biblically...
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Union with Christ: The Shape and Structure of Salvation - Episode 207
As Reformed Christians, salvation is at the very heart of our tradition. But how does salvation work, and how do all the concepts (e.g., election, regeneration, justification, adoption, etc.) fit together in a coherent whole? In Reformed theology, the answer has always been the framework of…
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Food Regulations, Haircuts, and Sexual Ethics: Navigating Old Testament Ethics as the New Testament People of God - Episode 206
Are Christians "picking and choosing" which Old Testament laws we should keep and which ones no longer apply? In this episode Pastor Zac and Pastor Mark shed light on how believers have understood the civil, ceremonial, and moral laws of the Old Testament. Visit www.almondvalley.org for…
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Burial vs. Cremation - Episode 205
"Is cremation permissible for a Christian?" That's one of the more common questions a pastor will hear when facing end-of-life decisions for believers. In this episode Pastor Zac and Pastor Mark provide biblical and theological guidance for those seeking answers for this important issue. Visit...
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Covenant Theology in the Reformed Tradition - Episode 204
One of the distinctive features of the Reformed tradition is its commitment to what we call covenant theology, which is a framework of reading and understanding the Scriptures in a way that is especially attuned to the way our God relates covenantally to His people throughout the Scriptures. As...
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Caricatures & Misconceptions of the Reformed Tradition - Episode 203
If you've been a Reformed Christian for any amount of time, odds are you've probably heard some half truths about our theological tradition. The truth is, there are a lot of caricatures and misconceptions out there. Often times, these come from outside the Reformed camp, but even sometimes from...
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CRC Synod 2025 Preview - Episode 202
With the CRCNA's 2025 synod just around the corner, we take some time this week to reflect on the agenda and three of the big items on the docket: the virtual" church report, the assisted suicide report, and the overtures coming in regarding matters relating to gravamina, confessional…
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Can We Trust the Bible? - Episode 201
A perennial question in the Christian life is whether we can truly trust the Bible. With all the years that have come and gone between the original writings and now, can we really be sure the Bible hasn't just been corrupted like a long game of telephone, or twisted by this or that whim of…
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The Beauty of Reformed Theology and the CRCNA (w/ Simon Veenstra) - Episode 200
By the Lord's grace, we've reached yet another milestone here at Reformed Podmatics: episode 200! To help us celebrate we invited back an old friend of the show, Simon Veenstra, to join in for a lively convivial conversation about what it is that continues to thrill and captivate us about the...
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Why Should Lay Christians Move Beyond Spiritual Milk to Solid Food? - Episode 199
This week's episode comes from a listener question! He wrote in, wondering if many ordinary Christians may doubt whether it's really all that important to pursue progressing from spiritual milk to the solid food, thinking that maybe it's just for pastors and theology nerds to pursue deeper...
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Reset, Rejoice, and Rest: 3 Ways to Have Hope - Episode 198
With all that's going on in our world around us today, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. But for the believer, there is still hope available to us at all times. In this week's episode, Mark and Zac dig into three passages of Scripture that perennially remind us where true hope can be…
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Are We Living Through A 'Quiet Revival'? - Episode 197
Over the last few months, many have argued that Christianity is experiencing something of a "vibe shift". Just last year, Aaron Renn published a book called Life in the Negative World, arguing that the Church was living in increasingly oppositional times in the Western world. So could it be...
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A Conversation with Todd Zuidema of Dordt University - Episode 196
This week we're joined by our friend and special guest, Rev. Todd Zuidema, who serves as the Director of Church Relations at Dordt University. In this episode, we take some time to talk with Todd about Dordt University, its vision and philosophy, as well as its approach to what's been going on...
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Some Spring Reading Recommendations - Episode 195
Sometimes people may wonder what we're reading and thinking about over here at Reformed Podmatics, so this week decided to share a little bit about some recent things we've been reading, watching, and listening to. If you're looking for good books, devotionals, YouTube channels, or music to help...
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The Priesthood of All Believers: Comparing the Reformed & (Ana)Baptist Views - Episode 194
In 1 Peter 2:9 we read that the church is "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession." But what does this mean, in practice? For some, it means all believers are on the same playing field, able to preach, lead, and administer sacraments. For others, it…
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Sharing the Gospel with Family - Episode 193
For many Christians today, sharing the faith proves to be a challenge. In a divided world with deep convictions on all sides of the political and cultural spectrum, it can be hard to speak up and tell the truth. And the difficulty only increases when we consider sharing our faith with unbelieving...
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Caring for the Poor - Episode 192
While there is a lot that we get into here at Reformed Podmatics that gets us into controversial waters, one of the least controversial things in the Christian life is our duty to the poor and vulnerable in our midst. In recent decades, this has unfortunately become a political issue, like much...
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Am I (Or Is Someone I Know) Being Called to Ministry? - Episode 191
In both the Christian Reformed Church and the broader church today, there is a shortage of faithful pastors. For a multitude of reasons, many pastors have been leaving the ministry in recent years and less young people have heeded the call. So in this week's episode we want to dig into what's…
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On Listening "Enough" to Pro-LGBTQ Arguments
Over the past several years one common accusation levied against those in favor of the classical Christian view on sexuality is that there has not been enough listening, open inquiry, and dialogue. The feeling among many is that by settling the debate within the CRCNA through synod, conservatives...
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Theological Humility - Episode 189
One of the perennial needs in the Church is a strong dose of theological humility, where believers develop strong, confident convictions but without the pitfalls of hubris and pride. But the question is, in our quest for knowledge how are we to avoid becoming puffed up? This is what we aim to...
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Young Men, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Importance of Reformed Catholicity - Episode 188
In a recent article in the New York Post entitled "Young men leaving traditional churches for ‘masculine’ Orthodox Christianity in droves", journalist Ricki Schlott analyzes the growing trend among young men in Gen Z leaving Evangelicalism for the Eastern Orthodox Church. In this week's episode…
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Can People Really Change? - Episode 187
One of the great questions in life that many of us have is whether or not we can really change, and if we can, how it happens and how we can do it. In this week's episode, we dive into this subject and explore it biblically, addressing along the way how Christians believe God can (and does)…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Reformed Podmatics! Hosted by Pastor Mark VanDyke and Pastor Zac Dewey of Almond Valley CRC in Ripon CA, this podcast exists to promote the vibrant, biblical, and historically informed face of Reformed theology both in our context and beyond.
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Reformed Podmatics
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How many episodes does Reformed Podmatics have?
Reformed Podmatics currently has 233 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Reformed Podmatics about?
Welcome to Reformed Podmatics! Hosted by Pastor Mark VanDyke and Pastor Zac Dewey of Almond Valley CRC in Ripon CA, this podcast exists to promote the vibrant, biblical, and historically informed face of Reformed theology both in our context and beyond.
How often does Reformed Podmatics release new episodes?
Reformed Podmatics publishes regularly with 233 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts Reformed Podmatics?
Reformed Podmatics is created and hosted by Reformed Podmatics.
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