Blog - Page 130 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Trained By Christians to Be Good Muslims?

By John Armstrong|2011-01-03T04:00:00-06:00January 3rd, 2011|Categories: Feminism & Women|

A good friend, with whom I have been in dialogue over my posts on sacred friendships (December 21-24), sent the following story to me. It is all too true to not be troubling if you have the eyes and ears to see and hear.

In the evangelical churches I attended growing up, traditional gender roles were portrayed, taught and even encouraged from elementary age, up. Girls do one activity, boys do another. Pointing to the actions of women in Bible stories as fodder for what “godly” women do. In youth group, boys and girls take on different roles: at events, girls prepare and serve food and do cleaning. Boys do “setup” of sound systems, chairs, electronics. Girls are complimented for having “humility” and “a servant’s heart” and boys are encouraged to be leaders.

Male sexuality is an almost-uncontrollable force that must not be tempted. Women must “avoid tempting the boys,” and in the name of modesty, take responsibility for the eyes and libidos of their male counterparts.

I never remember a pastor talking to the boys and young men about self control and respect for women. It was always […]

Ideology: The ACT 3 Weekly

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:00-05:00January 2nd, 2011|Categories: ACT 3, Ideology|

Many of you know that each week, on Monday, a weekly article which reflects on leadership, the church and Christ’s mission is sent to several thousand subscribers. This article is longer than my daily blogs. It often represents ideas I am pondering that will be turned into books as time passes and people respond. A new series begins tomorrow. If you are not a subscriber check out back issues and sign up for regular mailings at the ACT 3 website.

During the last few months of 2010 I wrote a series on the danger of ideology to the mission of the church. I am convinced that this danger is very real and very serious. But far too few of our leaders recognize it and even fewer prepare people to actually deal with it. In my final article I wrote about the danger of ideology, pro and con, in a democracy like that America. A longtime friend, who is a big supporter of me and my work, wrote the following response to this article. I share it because it shows the kind of helpful thinking […]

George Barna on Mega-Themes

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:00-05:00January 1st, 2011|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Current Affairs, Renewal, The Church|

On the first day of the New Year it is fitting to look back for one last time and then ask, “Where is the church in America at the end of the first decade of the twentieth century?” There are a number of researchers who seek to measure various trends and developments in the culture and the church. I pay close attention to these because it is my calling to do so.

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Some of Roger Nicole’s Last Written Words

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:01-05:00December 31st, 2010|Categories: Books, Feminism & Women, Personal|

Alan Johnson, my former professor and good friend, sent me an email a few weeks ago that I want to share with you. This email is related to my post of yesterday regarding the book, How I Changed My Mind About Women in Leadership (October, 2010).

Alan wrote to all twenty-one contributors to this book, minus one, the following note:

An unusual thing happened yesterday. I had informed all of you about Roger Nicole's death [1915-2010] with bittersweet thoughts a few days ago. Roger died on Saturday, December 11, 2010.

Yesterday, I received in the mail a beautifully handwritten letter from Roger that was written to me on November 22 but was sent to our old address (we moved in early September) and for some reason was delayed in reaching me. I am attaching a typed copy of his letter so that you might know how great a gift your book was to him just before the end of his mortal life. I hope it will be a blessing […]

How I Changed My Mind About Women in Leadership

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:00-05:00December 31st, 2010|Categories: Books, Feminism & Women, Personal|

When my former Wheaton College professor, Dr Alan Johnson, asked me to tell my personal story of how my mind was changed about women in leadership I hesitated at first. I did not want to take any emphasis away from missional-ecumenism by turning toward a new “hot button” issue that would give people more reasons to not deal with my big idea about the church and her mission. Contrary to the opinion of some I do not relish new controversies. But I do feel compelled to be honest about how I’ve thought through an issue when the right time comes to tell my story. After some prayer I sensed that this was the right time and context in which to tell this part of my story in 2010.

In late October the new book How I Changed My Mind About Women in Leadership: Compelling Stories from Prominent Evangelicals (Zondervan) was released. Dr. Johnson is the general editor of this lovely book. Dallas Willard writes a […]

Can You Say Roll Tide?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:01-05:00December 30th, 2010|Categories: College Football|

If you are an Alabama football fan then you know the universal password is: “Roll Tide.” Or, in the longer form, “Roll Tide, Roll” or in texting simply RTR. I had at least a half dozens friends tell me about this new ESPN commercial this week. Somehow I had missed it but I found it online this weekend. Here it is for your enjoyment, college football fan or not. I guess you have to know the culture to really appreciate the commercial. As fans get ready for the big game in the next few days this is indeed a funny clip.

For some Alabama fans there is even a crimson shirt that says: "Roll Ducks, Roll." You will not get that one unless you understand the nature of THE rivalry between Alabama and Auburn. There are some great games the next ten days or so. Roll Tide!

My Plans for Writing in 2011

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:01-05:00December 29th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Personal|

As I mentioned yesterday a major part of my role with ACT 3 is research and writing. I will spend anywhere from 4-7 hours a day on reading and writing. This includes blogs, the ACT 3 Weekly (which you can get by free subscription at www.act3online.com) and reviews and articles for other ministries, books and periodicals. But the major effort is always writing and publishing books. Several of the ACT 3 Weekly series in 2010 are being considered for book use in 2011.

The most important book question, for the past year, has been this: “What follows the publication of Your Church Is Too Small?” I would have answered, until recently, that I thought it was a book on how the Trinity impacts missional-ecumenism. This is still a book I hope to write. But recently my sense of God’s direction took a new turn in a direction that I did not see coming at all.

Right now I plan to write a narrative memoir. (This is a popular […]

2011: The Year Ahead for ACT 3

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:01-05:00December 28th, 2010|Categories: Personal|

James, most likely the half-brother of Jesus, wrote in the general epistle attributed to him:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin (NRSV, James 4:13-17).

The writer of Proverbs says our minds plan our ways but the Lord directs our steps. So it is whenever we talk about a year ahead. With this firmly planted in my heart I proceed to share something of the vision we have for ACT 3 in 2011. (There is also a special “Year-End Report” available on our web site that I encourage you to read as well: […]

The Year in Review

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:03-05:00December 27th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Personal|

I want to share a few personal things at the end of 2010. Today I want to look back over 2010 and then tomorrow take a glance forward, by faith, toward the year 2011 ahead.

“Human beings are born to trouble just as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Each year has its troubles and as we age these become more directly related to our decaying bodies. My health, at least in terms of the challenges that threaten one’s life, has been very good. I never take this for granted, especially since I know good health is here today and gone tomorrow. I see it as a stewardship, an investment from God that allows me to serve him with the gifts that I have as long as I have the strength to use them. When the time comes, and it may come at any moment, that I lose this then I will accept that as his purpose. Until then I do what I can to protect my health so […]

Thank You For Forty Years

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:03-05:00December 26th, 2010|Categories: Marriage & Family, Personal|

Forty years ago, on December 26, 1970, I married the person who has singularly done more to “raise me up” than any other individual. My wife/partner/dearest friend Anita brings such abiding joy to my life that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude to her or to adequately praise and honor her before my friends and acquaintances. There is so much that I could tell you about her that I can’t even really begin. She makes people laugh, she makes so many people know that they are loved and she is a great mother and grandmother. She encourages me, often when I am weak and need a good deal of raising up. My life has been far more rich and full because of my dear wife. When I saw this video I thought of her. Enjoy it everyone and think about those who “raise you up” this day as I celebrate my 40th anniversary with my bride today.