Category Archives: Renewal

Is the “Dark Night” of Christianity in the West Inevitable?

Posted on May 23, 2013 by John Armstrong

Are we living in a “dark night” for Christianity in the West? The church, and culture shaping Christian influences, have both been losing ground since the late 1950s. The only people who seem unaware of this are Christians of my … Continue reading →

Posted in ACT 3, Church History, Culture, Current Affairs, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 1 Comment

The National Workshop on Christian Unity

Posted on April 16, 2013 by John Armstrong

Last week I attended the National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU) in Columbus, Ohio. The NWCU exists for “Equipping Church Leaders in the Quest for Christian Unity.” Until the fall of 2012, when my friend Fr. Tom Ryan, C.S.P., invited … Continue reading →

Posted in ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, Protestantism, Renewal, Roman Catholicism, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church | 1 Comment

Living and Ancient-Future Faith in Babylon (5)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by John Armstrong

The words of Jeremiah 29:6 are rather shocking if you get the context and historical moment right. God is telling his people that they will be in this state for a long time thus they should become active in the … Continue reading →

Posted in America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Biblical Theology, Church History, Church Tradition, Culture, Current Affairs, Kingdom of God, Lordship of Christ, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 8 Comments

Living an Ancient-Future Faith in Exile (4)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by John Armstrong

Before I proceed with my response to the question of living in exile I would like for you to read Jeremiah 29:1–23. Please pay very careful attention to the italicized portions of the text that I have added. 1 These are … Continue reading →

Posted in America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Biblical Theology, Church History, Church Tradition, Culture, Current Affairs, Kingdom of God, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 3 Comments

Living an Ancient-Future Faith in Exile (3)

Posted on February 20, 2013 by John Armstrong

Conservative evangelical leaders are generally comfortable discussing doctrine and faith. Most evangelical pastors were taught to expound the Scripture in their formal education. This is our strength, generally speaking, even though I do not think we realize some of our … Continue reading →

Posted in American Evangelicalism, Biblical Theology, Church History, Church Tradition, Culture, Current Affairs, Discipleship, Kingdom of God, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 3 Comments

How to Criticize the Culture – Living an Ancient-Future Faith in Exile (2)

Posted on February 19, 2013 by John Armstrong

Is our response as Christians, living in Babylon culturally, to drop out of all attempts to shape and form a new and better culture? Should we “shake the dust off our feet” and move on. Or should we deduce that … Continue reading →

Posted in American Evangelicalism, Biblical Theology, Culture, Current Affairs, Kingdom of God, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 12 Comments

Living an Ancient-Future Faith in Exile (1)

Posted on February 18, 2013 by John Armstrong

Over the last several weeks I’ve tried to lay out a call to the church, and to leaders of the church, that would summon us to courage and clarity with regard to our role in the world of our time. … Continue reading →

Posted in American Evangelicalism, Biblical Theology, Church History, Culture, Kingdom of God, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Renewal, The Church | 10 Comments

Why I Celebrate Lent

Posted on February 14, 2013 by John Armstrong

For those readers who do not practice Lent, and I am sure there are a few, bear with me while I tell you why I do. First, what is Lent? The word “Lent” means “spring” and comes from the Middle … Continue reading →

Posted in Church Tradition, Forgiveness, Gospel/Good News, Liturgy, Personal, Renewal, Spirituality, The Church | 9 Comments

Living as Aliens in Post-Christendom Culture (5)

Posted on January 18, 2013 by John Armstrong

Christian sociologist James Davison Hunter has written one of the most important studies of what it means to be faithfully present in the modern, increasingly post-Christendom world that I have been describing over the last two weeks. His magisterial book, … Continue reading →

Posted in America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Christ/Christology, Culture, Current Affairs, Emergent Church, Ideology, Lordship of Christ, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Politics, Postmodernity, Renewal, The Church, The Future | 3 Comments

Living as Aliens in a Post-Christendom Culture (2)

Posted on January 15, 2013 by John Armstrong

If living the Christian life as “aliens” really describes Christian community/church then we can understand why we are a “colony of heaven” in a “strange” land. The biblical portrait of the Christian church is one in which the church “exists … Continue reading →

Posted in America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Culture, Current Affairs, Discipleship, Emergent Church, Faith, Ideology, Kingdom of God, Lordship of Christ, Love, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Politics, Religion, Renewal, The Christian Minister/Ministry, The Church, The Future | 9 Comments