Blog - Page 10 of 318 - John H Armstrong

A Swedish House Church Movement of Revival

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:14-05:00May 5th, 2016|Categories: Charismatic Christianity, Church History, Pietism, Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, Renewal, Spirituality, The Church|

Pietism produced many expressions and forms. In the end, Pietism was a rival/renewal movement in the centuries following the Reformed and Lutheran Reformations of the sixteenth century. I personally believe the post-Reformation produced a new type of scholasticism that help to reduce the flame of reformation to a flicker. Pietism is quite often seen by modern Reformed and Lutheran confessional adherents as a bad development. If you believe in church renewal and the work of the Spirit you should rethink this idea.

Was Pietism an Expression of an Early Pentecostal Movement?

By John Armstrong|2016-04-29T17:40:06-05:00May 4th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Charismatic Christianity, Pietism, Renewal, Spirituality, The Church|

The Assemblies of God maintains an official heritage center called the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC) in Springfield, Missouri. Dr. Darrin Rodgers is the director of the Flower Center. In this video he addresses the important question of the relationship of the Pentecostal renewal in the last century with the movement of Pietism in the post-Reformation era. It strikes me that honest historical research, which is not built on anti-Pentecostalism, cannot help but draw the conclusions that Dr. Rodgers makes in this helpful video.

The ACT3 Cohort Group Begins Monday, May 23

By John Armstrong|2016-04-29T17:39:25-05:00May 3rd, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Discipleship, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

On Monday, May 23, the next ACT3 Cohort begins in Carol Stream, IL. We meet in the beautiful garden room at Windsor Park on Rt. 64.

If you are interested in being a participant in this dynamic group you need to decide in the next ten days or so. This will be the best multi-denominational and multi-ethnic group I’ve had in the four-plus years we’ve trained leaders in this context. Remember, this is NOT for clergy only at all. In fact, most of those who come to the Cohorts are not clergy. Contact me directly with any questions.

If the price tag is too steep please let me know your need as I am seeking scholarship monies for all who have genuine need.

ACT3 Monday Evening Forum

By John Armstrong|2016-04-29T17:43:31-05:00May 2nd, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism, Theology, Unity of the Church|

The first ACT3 Monday Evening Forum of 2016 takes place this evening at 7:00 p.m. My guest is Dr. Jon Nilson, professor of theology emeritus at Loyola University in Chicago. The topic is:

“Good Theology Must Be Ecumenical: Why & How?”
Dr. Jon Nilson in dialogue with Dr. John H. Armstrong

We begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. We meet at Lutheran Church of the Master, 580 Kuhn Road, Carol Stream, IL 60188. There is no charge and no registration. Please come and share your questions with us all. There will be no audio or video taping. I do not have the resources to do this well and no one to help me do it.

Does What We Sing Matter to the Faith of the Church?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:14-05:00April 28th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, American Evangelicalism, Liturgy, Music, Personal, Prayer, Protestantism, Renewal, Spirituality|

Since the 1970s we have had a raging debate about singing and music in the church. This debate has often come down to “traditional” music, or (old) hymns, versus “modern,” or popular music. The real truth is that the great influence on church music has been a combination of the charismatic influence, much of which is good in directing our hearts to God in personal praise, and the popular songs of television and pop-culture. This “performance” music is not good, at least in my view. Why?

People do not participate in “praying twice” (St. Augustine) as much as they watch and observe and see a professional production of varying quality. On contrast, pietism went right to the heart of people when they sang their faith. What happens if we cease to express our communion in the common faith in deep and thoughtful ways?

Martin Marty on the Roots of Pietism

By John Armstrong|2016-04-26T09:37:43-05:00April 27th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Church History, Protestantism, Renewal, Spirituality, The Church|

The famous church historian Martin Marty is part of a new series on pietism. This short clip is well worth watching. Marty “nails it” when it comes to what was lacking in the early Lutheran Reformation and the doctrinal emphasis that followed.

Are You Ready to Become an Empowered Missional-Ecumenist?

By John Armstrong|2016-04-09T11:16:17-05:00April 13th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, Theology, Unity of the Church|

Since 2013, I have trained almost fifty people in how to become bold risk-takers for unity in Christ’s mission. In addition, I have taught about 10-15 graduate students. The number is not large but the impact can be immense if the Holy Spirit uses this experience to ignite a fire in his people. I am persuaded that great things do not generally come in huge events but in small groups.

I hope many who watch this video will consider becoming such a risk-taker for unity. The need is obvious and the time is now.

A Week of Major Surprises and a Profound Challenge

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:14-05:00February 8th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Personal|

Last week became the kind of week that we all think about if, sometimes for only a fleeting moment, if we are honest. Yet we all hope that we will never face a big medical challenge. But one way or the other, unless we die a sudden death, we will all face major medical issues that will challenge us to the core of our being. I faced my first such crisis at age six. I spent two weeks away from home at the Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital. It seems like a blur sixty years later. It was during this time that the presence of God became so real in my life that I shall never forget it after six decades. Now I face a new challenge.

This Thursday, February 11, I will undergo open heart surgery at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield (IL). (CDH is a Northwestern University Hospital.) This news came as a complete surprise to me last Monday, February 1. Once again I am praying that God meets me in a new and deeply […]

The 110th Birthday of One of the Greatest Christians of the Last Century

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:15-05:00February 4th, 2016|Categories: America and Americanism, American Evangelicalism, Church Tradition, Current Affairs, Israel, Lordship of Christ, The Church, The Future|

Today, February 4, is the 110th birthday of the German pastor, theologian and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. When I arrived at Wheaton College, as a transfer student in January of 1969, one of the first great joys I experienced was finding the story of Bonhoeffer for the first time. The classic book, The Cost of Discipleship, was my introduction. Later I read his prison papers, a few of his works on ethics and a lot of biography. I did not understand this theology then, and still do not fully understand it now, but I knew greatness and humility when I saw it. Bonhoeffer was truly a great Christian! But here is the point often missed – he was not a “safe” Christian. Anyone who reads him soon realizes that Bonhoeffer was not a typical pastor.

Too few of us have read Bonhoeffer and fewer still have grasped his importance, especially to the modern West. (The popular biography of him a few years ago was helpful in some respects but it also gave some distorted images and caused […]

National Workshop on Christian Unity

By John Armstrong|2016-02-04T17:38:10-06:00February 4th, 2016|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

The registration for the National Workshop on Christian Unity is now open. The meeting is in Louisville, April 18-21. I hope many friends will join us for this year’s event. Here is the link to register: National Workshop/Network Registration is now OPEN