Blog - Page 126 of 318 - John H Armstrong

National Signing Day: Coach Nick Saban on College Football Recruiting

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:52-05:00February 3rd, 2011|Categories: College Football|

The University of Alabama’s head football coach Nick Saban announced on Wednesday that 14 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play football with the Crimson Tide, joining nine players who enrolled in January and will compete in spring practice later this semester.

The 23 total players, including nine mid-year enrollees, come from nine states – Alabama (7), Florida (4), Georgia (3), Ohio (2), Tennessee (2), California (1), Louisiana (1), North Carolina (1) and Mississippi (1). The Crimson Tide also went outside the United States to land defensive lineman Jesse Williams from Brisbane, Australia. There are still several more players being sought who may yet commit to Alabama, including the number one rated high school prospect in American, Jadeveon Clowney, of South Carolina. (He will announce his choice, of Alabama, South Carolina or Clemson on February 14th.)

Alabama's 2011 signing class is currently ranked first nationally by Rivals.com, third by ESPNU and sixth by Scout.com.

[…]

A Little Humor About the American Altar Call

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:52-05:00February 2nd, 2011|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Humor|

I have been deeply suspicious of the typical use of “altar calls” since I was a young child. First, every time I heard one as a five-year old kid I wanted to run forward, not walk. Who didn’t want to come to Jesus again and again? And if the word “rededication” was used then I knew I wanted to go forward. By the age of seven I wondered to myself: “What is this thing we’ve made so much out of every single Sunday morning and evening in church?” By ten I was just suspicious. All my friends had “walked the aisle” but few of them seemed all that changed. By my teen years I watched my peers who walked and wept and grew downright tired of it all. As a Baptist pastor, at age 22, I had to give an altar call every Sunday for one year. I couldn’t stand it. I am sure it showed. By the time I planted a new church, in 1972, I gave my last such appeal. I have never regretted it, not once.

Later I studied the history and theology of […]

My Highlight from the Signing Day Videos

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:52-05:00February 2nd, 2011|Categories: College Football|

When high school star Isaiah Crowell announced he was headed to Georgia I was disappointed because his choice came down to Alabama, Auburn or Georgia. But he clearly had the best plan of the day for showing his love for the Georgia Bulldogs. The only problem would have been if "little UGA" had decided to pee in the excitement during this live ESPN broadcast. A dog lover like me had to love it. He could not have brought a little Tiger or a little Elephant to the table so the dog worked just right for him.

“Help Fight Religious Leftists”

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:52-05:00February 1st, 2011|Categories: America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, Politics|

There it was, on the outside of the funding appeal letter, “Help Fight Religious Leftists from turning churches into cockpits for political mobilization.” My first response was to file the letter in the trash can by my desk. My next was to read it. Why? I once served on the board of the organization that sent this letter and these types of extremely partisan political appeals actually prompted my resignation. So, I reasoned, “See what they are telling constituents now. See if you find hope or more of the same in their present appeals for your money.”

The letter told me how three mainline denominations would claim to speak for “you” (if you are a member of one of these congregations) in 2011. How could this non-profit organization help you stop this? Here is their response: “Please join with us in the battle to ensure that our beloved churches focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are not hijacked for ultra-liberal political agendas.” So far, so good.

What follows this […]

Important News from ACT 3

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:53-05:00January 31st, 2011|Categories: ACT 3|

In our ACT 3 Year-End Report we announced a series of forums for the first Thursday each month. The next meeting was set for this Thursday evening, February 3. Please note that the Forum Series has been discontinued for the remainder of this year.

In place of these forums we are embarking upon what we believe to be a more effective strategy for reaching a wider community of church leaders. We plan to:

Utilize video conferencing and webinars in 2011. This allows John to teach effectively at less cost. Also, friends will not have to travel long distances. Watch our web site and this blog for information.

We will more intentionally partner with personal and ministry friends to come to you to teach and serve with you. We want to maximize our partnerships for mission purpose.

If you would like to host an ACT 3 meeting/event then please contact us via our Web site. If you would like to be invited to share in a video conference or webinar please let us know this as well. We believe this method better uses our […]

The Church is for the World

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:55-05:00January 30th, 2011|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Missional Church|

It seems to me that multitudes of Christians have missed the simple idea that the church exists for others. We are called to be the incarnate presence of Jesus, by the Spirit working in us as God’s people (John 20:31). This is at the very center of what it means to be missional. The church exists not for itself but for others.

A missional church is not the same as a church doing missions or programs for mission. This is one reason why the term missional is such an important theological and practical development in the 21st century. The church is made up of “sent ones” that God has designed to carry out his mission of gospel mercy and compassion in community, through shared presence. Mission is God’s before it is ever ours. The whole Bible makes this abundantly clear from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22. God is a missional God and the incarnation of Jesus of Nazareth is mission in human form. The very purpose of creation […]

The Best Mascot in College Sports?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:55-05:00January 29th, 2011|Categories: College Football|

I know, I know, I am biased to my toes. But how could columnist Todd Kaufmann rate Big Al No. 42 in the Top 50 best college mascots? Here is what Kaufmann wrote about my favorite elephant:

Big Al is a stud and we don't want to mess with elephants. They'll trample you.

That's where the elephant came from in the first place. A 1930s sportswriter heard the roar and rumble of the team taking the field and coined the term “here come the elephants.”

I mean really, which animal would you fear in a stampede? A Longhorn? A War Eagle? A Gator? I’ll take elephants and run the table. Roll Tide Roll!

And on top of that if these elephants were all decked out in bright crimson on a glorious fall day who would you fear?

Just for the record I have a signed photo of the “real Big Al” near my desk. I know it is real because I sat with Big Al’s grandma […]

50 Millions Lives Wasted

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:55-05:00January 28th, 2011|Categories: Abortion|

The National Right to Life calculates that 50 million abortions have been performed in America since the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. 38 years and 50 millions deaths. That is staggering to me. 50 millions human fetuses have been denied their most basic right, “the right to life.”

For those who do not know the history of this decision the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that something like the “right to privacy” meant the right of a mother to choose to kill her unborn child. But what is even more striking is that this right still allows unborn children to be killed who are viable outside the womb. How anyone with a moral conscience can support that kind of reasoning is still beyond me. I realize the debate comes down to the issue of when human life begins. At the same time how can anyone with a conscience not protest that a life that could survive outside the womb is being taken in the late second trimester (and all the third trimester) thus clearly a viable human person is being killed?

Congressman Paul Broun, a medical doctor from […]

Pope John XXIII: “Let Us Simply Follow Day by Day Whatever the Holy Spirit Asks of Us”

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:55-05:00January 27th, 2011|Categories: Missional-Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism, Unity of the Church|

When Pope John received the observers at Vatican II he spoke to those gathered, including both cardinals and observers from many different churches, in very plain, simple words. He said:

We do not intend to conduct a trial of the past; we do not want to prove who was right or who was wrong; the faults were on both sides. All we want to say is: Let us come together. Let us put an end to our divisions. Some people want to complicate simple matters. I want to simplify complicated ones. I don’t know where we are going. Let us simply follow day by day whatever the Holy Spirit asks of us.

Like other Christians who love the holy, catholic church and confess their faith in the whole people of God (cf. Eph. 1:19-22) I long to see the unity of his body, the church, which is “the fullness of him who fills all in all.” I dream about this quite often. Some […]

Catholics and Evangelicals in Canada to Pursue Unity

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:17:55-05:00January 26th, 2011|Categories: Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

The Catholic Church in Canada has agreed to begin a formal theological dialogue with Evangelicals.

"It's a new thing in Canada," said Margaret O'Gara, a theology professor at Toronto's University of St. Michael's College who has been involved in Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox dialogue for the past 35 years. She will be among the Catholic participants.

"We all have the expectation that this will be a personally enriching experience and that, hopefully, we will contribute to the strength of the Church in Canada," said David Freeman, who is strategic interface vice president for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada.

Freeman will be the Evangelical co-chair of the dialogue, with Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan as the Catholic co-chair. You can read more about this encouraging news at this ecumenical site. Let us pray that Christ is at the center and this process opens new doors for unity and mission in Canada.