Blog - Page 146 of 318 - John H Armstrong

John Calvin at 500 Years Plus

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00August 4th, 2010|Categories: Church History, Personal, Reformed Christianity|

Some of you are aware that John Calvin was born 500 years ago last year. Around the world various groups celebrated Calvin’s life and contribution to the church at the 500th anniversary of his birth. One major project, to give you just a worthwhile example, can be seen here. The always useful Meeter Center at Calvin College, also did a big celebration in relationship to the Calvin anniversary and there is a load of great information is here. And news information on Calvin from the World Alliance of Reformed Church can be found here, the site of the World Council of Churches.

As many of you know I am a minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America (RCA) I am quite directly and personally an heir of John Calvin’s 16th century legacy. The RCA still uses the three-forms of unity; e.g. The Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of the Synod of Dordt and the Belgic Confession, […]

The Congress of the United States: Things Are Not What They Seem

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00August 3rd, 2010|Categories: America and Americanism, Politics|

I am a huge fan of every documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has ever made, with perhaps one or two exceptions. His series on Baseball is the best way I know to understand the game, fan or no-fan. In fact, Baseball is one of the best ways I know to understand an important part of American social history. His award-winning eleven-part series on the Civil War is by far the best historical presentation of this era ever put on film. Every American should see it at least once in their lifetime. Other Ken Burns film series are good but these two long ones are his classics. His 90-minute documentary titled America: The Congress is too short but for what it does accomplish it does with incredible insight and real entertainment at the same time. One reviewer has referred to Congress as "the closest thing to a National Temple." Burns’ documentary is a history of that temple, the United States Congress, i.e. […]

The Church: Universal or Local?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00August 2nd, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

One of the more confusing debates about the church is how we define it in terms of its catholicity, or universality. During the Reformation Protestants wanted to make a distinction about the church as God saw it and the church as we saw it. I think this was both necessary and biblical but the result has been a major misunderstanding about the church, especially among evangelical Protestants who are not rooted deeply enough in incarnation in their ecclesiology.

I once heard a friend say that no one could gather an invisible church so the idea must have very little meaning in terms of how the New Testament speaks about the church. This is true. When New Testament writers talk about the church they are almost always (but not entirely) speaking about a congregation in a locally gathered context; e.g. the church in Ephesus, the church in Rome, etc. Paul wrote letters to these churches, not for a […]

"I Am a Recovering Pharisee"

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00August 1st, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Personal, Renewal, The Christian Minister/Ministry|

One of the seminaries that I have long admired and loved is Trinity School for Ministry in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Ambridge) Trinity was born in the renewal movement of the 60s and 70s. Leaders in that movement saw the need for a place to train its future leaders founded upon the authority of the Bible, trusting the leading of the Spirit, and working to know Christ and make Him known. However, the Episcopal Church was then seriously discussing closing some seminaries – founding another one was clearly a step in faith.

In 1975, a retired Australian missionary bishop answered a call from members of the Fellowship of Witness, came to the Pittsburgh area, and set up an office in his home, using his garage for the library. Alfred Stanway, bishop of Central Tanganyika from 1951 to 1971, had been recommended by John Stott, James I. Packer, and other evangelical leaders for his vision of renewal and his extraordinary ability to translate his vision into a lively Christian body. He called John Rodgers, a professor and chaplain at Virginia Theological Seminary, to be the senior professor. […]

A Wise Email from a Christian Friend on My Recent Posts

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00July 31st, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Personal|

During the last four days several friends have written to me privately about the Ergun Caner controversy and my three posts. One friend, who has been deeply involved in sorting out a major battle revolving around the ministry that he serves, wrote a letter that I think is extremely useful. I have removed all personal references in order to avoid a new fire and spread gossip. This battle, which many would know about if I revealed the content, has also been largely conducted via the Internet. Thus my friend’s insights come from real first hand experience of the very thing I wrote about. Here is his letter (with some highlighting from me for emphasis):

Dear John,

I have followed the Caner mess a little. It does seem that he overstated his resume and perhaps invented some window dressing; not good things. However, the criticism easily gets carried away on the Internet and in other places. You are right about the permanent damage caused by gossip and slander and the fact that the whole matter does little good for anyone involved. I doubt if Caner […]

A Further Response to the Ergun Caner Controversy

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:33-05:00July 30th, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Current Affairs|

On the three previous three days I have published blogs on the danger of gossip and slander. Had I not cited a particular name, and a present controversy, the content of what I wrote stands true. My mistake was to think out loud about a controversy that I clearly had not examined below the surface. My goal was clearly stated and seems to have been missed. I was warning about the dangers of gossip and slander and how the Internet encourages this to happen without accountability. I openly admitted that I had no horse in this race (debate) and no deep, first-hand knowledge of the facts. My obvious problem is that my comments were perceived to be a defense of Ergun Caner (photo left). I clearly missed the mark here.

After I began to read the various comments I went back and read what I wrote. I noted how some took a few of my words out of their context. Some got this and […]

Slander: One of the Most Devastating Sins in the Church

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:34-05:00July 29th, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Current Affairs, Personal, The Church, Web/Tech|

While Christians currently debate a host of ethical issues that are very important to the life and well-being of the church I fear that too few of us are willing to actually address a sin that destroys the work of the Spirit as fast, if not faster, than almost any other sin. I refer to the sin of slander.

Slander, as I wrote two days ago, is false and malicious talk about others. Gossip may selectively use information, even truth, to just chatter and talk too much. This is bad enough, as we saw yesterday. But slander is much worse. It plunges straight ahead knowing full-well that the facts have been carelessly used or altered to suit the opinions and views of those committing the sin. Slander is listed in Mark 7:21-23 as one of those sins that comes from deep inside the human heart. It comes out of the “heart” and is “vile.” There are thirteen things listed […]

Every Idle Word

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:34-05:00July 28th, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Current Affairs, Ethics, Personal, Web/Tech|

I confess that the words of our Lord in Matthew 12:36-37 have long sent chills down my spine. Most of you have read them: “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you” (NLT).

I think it is imperative that we get the sense of this text right. The traditional translation of the word “idle” should be challenged. The impression is that all random remarks will be judged and (this is what sends chills down our spine) if we are guilty there is no hope for us. If this were correct then no one would be justified on the last day. A truer explanation is that the phrase here means “every deedless word.” Matthew 7:22-23 has already told us that we will give an account for all our deeds. Thus it seems to me Jesus is saying that […]

Slander, Gossip and the Internet

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:34-05:00July 27th, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Ethics, Love, Personal, Web/Tech|

I was recently forwarded a statement written by Dr. Norman L. Geisler (photo left) in defense of Dr. Ergun Caner, the dean at Liberty University. Caner has been a major target of accusations about lying, and thus deceiving the public, for some months. The story of these accusations against Canter, and the school’s response to them, has been a feature of major news sources as well as fodder for massive Internet discussion. What made reading this defense so interesting for me is the following:

1. I have no “horse” in this race. I do not know Ergun Caner or any of those who have attacked him regarding lies and deceptions about his Muslim past or his wider life experience in general. The link above will provide you with the entire list of accusations.

2. I am not a friend of either Ergun Caner or Norman Geisler. […]

My Three Conversions

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:18:34-05:00July 26th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

Conversion is variously described in the Bible. Many, like me, grew up in a tradition that stressed a single conversion as necessary for the beginning of the Christian life. Everyone, much like the Apostle Paul, needs to undergo a “conversion” or change in the direction of their life. There are a number of problems with this way of thinking. For one, how and when does a child undergo (in most cases) such a clear-cut experience? Certainly, no child has lived a wicked, persecuting life railing against Jesus as Paul did before he met Christ on the road to Damascus. Yet, I do recall my first conversion. I was only a few weeks from my seventh birthday and I had a lot of questions about heaven, hell and eternal life. I repented of my sins, as much as I understood repentance in my childlike way, and asked Jesus to save me. My wife did not have […]