Blog - Page 160 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Conscientious Objection to War

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:10-05:00March 14th, 2010|Categories: Ethics, The War on Terrorism|

The history of Christian response to war and service in military combat is one filled with twists and turns. Every person must realize, if they exercise a modicum of thought, that this issue is deeply painful and troubling. Early Christians did not always serve in the military, though Roman soldiers were numbered among converts to the faith. Most of what we know about the early church suggests that, at least generally, Christians did not serve in the military. Over time the church developed what is called a “Just War Doctrine.” This doctrine is rather complex and has been carefully thought out over the course of centuries. But this doctrine is not of one type or expression. There are variations within it and every single Christian should think carefully about what they believe and why.

Modern complexities often create new challenges to traditional just war thinking. I have retained a modified just war position but I admit it is sometimes […]

Hope for Church Leadership

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:10-05:00March 13th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Evangelism, Missional Church|

I do not generally blog about events that are not related to ACT 3 or I would be able to do nothing but promote events. In this case I am announcing an event because I plan to attend and believe it is something that is so consistent with the vision I have for “equipping leaders for unity in Christ’s mission” that I want everyone, at least in the Chicago area, to be aware of this valuable training opportunity. I refer to: Creating and Weathering the Storm: Hope for Church Leadership.

This is an equipping event sponsored by the Synod of Mid-America and the Classis of Chicago of the Reformed Church in America. Leadership teams will learn what it means to create a storm – why that is good – and to weather it. Through it all there is hope for leadership! This title seemed appropriate to the planning team […]

How Do We Answer Young Post-modern Skeptics?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:10-05:00March 12th, 2010|Categories: Apologetics, Evangelism, Postmodernity|

A friend of mine recently sent me a statement posted by a college student on Facebook about his view of Christianity. My friend was initially appalled by the remarks this young skeptic made but after looking at this a bit more carefully he said that he began to think this kind of response from the young skeptic represented the harsh reality of much of the message that modern day evangelical Christianity has presented concerning the salient points of our faith. My Christian friend wrote on his Facebook page: “My sense is that if we are primarily about doctrinal precepts then maybe this young person is right. If, on the other hand, we are about being living and acting and serving ‘the least of these’ in the same manner as Jesus and empowered by his Spirit, then it is much harder to reject compassion, love, and hope. ‘They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love . . .’ as the chorus goes.”

My older and wiser friend included the student's statement when he wrote to […]

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:10-05:00March 11th, 2010|Categories: Current Affairs|

You know the saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” I cannot think of a childhood saying that is more untrue. Words can and do hurt you. They crush the spirit, destroy hope, break down health and undermine grace. Words matter and any Christian ought to know that God considers their words very important since he revealed so much about how we use them in Holy Scripture. (cf. James 3:1-12 for starters.)

I thought about this recently when I read about the flap over President Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, calling some fellow Democrats “f—ing retards.” Beside the fact that this merely proves what we already knew about Rahm Emanuel’s infamous tongue. [In an earlier version of this post I wrote that Emanuel was an Orthodox Christian but I was rightly corrected. He is part of a Jewish congregation in Chicago. I think I confused Emanuel with our former governor, now indicted […]

The Great Sex-Ed Debate and Why It Misses the Point

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:10-05:00March 10th, 2010|Categories: Culture, Sexuality|

New York Times conservative columnist Russ Douthat recently reported that liberals were delighted that the teen birth rates rose in 2008. Why would they care? Well, 2008 was the last year of the Bush presidency and, after fifteen years of the teen birth rate declining, 2008 saw it rise thus it has been proven (so far as liberals are concerned) that President Bush’s $100 million-a-year abstinence-based sex-education policy failed.

Russ Douthat, one of those rare conservative writers who knows what is right when he sees it and says so whether his political kin like it or not, recently weighed in on this liberal response. I believe Douthat is right when he suggests that the real truth here is that the abstinence programs favored by social conservatives, and the “contraceptive-oriented” programs favored by liberals, both failed. (I am aware that some social conservatives have a stronger view of how to actually teach abstinence in the public schools but […]

Making a Feature Film with Hope

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:11-05:00March 9th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Film, Personal|

Yesterday I wrote about film making and the presence of Christians working in this medium. I had some positive and negative things to say about evangelical attempts to make feature films. I would like to tell you more about how my friends at Intrigue Films view this and why I identify with their efforts so deeply.

Intrigue Films was birthed out of the conversion of several friends of mine in Phoenix, Arizona. These guys made the video of The ACT 3 Story which you can see on our Web site. They have also made a new feature film (without a title at this moment) that I had a role in as a minister counseling the lead actor.

I will tell you more about this film in a moment but first I want to tell you about my experience with […]

Do Christians Have a Place in Feature Films?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:11-05:00March 8th, 2010|Categories: ACT 3, Film, Personal|

Readers know that I have a real love for film. In recent years I have studied film and watched more than my share of feature films. I wrote a few weeks ago about a seminar ACT 3 hosted in San Clemente for film makers, script writers, actors and producers. That event was attended by only ten but this was about what we wanted in the first place. My goal was a small intimate group of earnest young Christians who love film and who are devoted to making and marketing feature films with a Christian worldview.

Our special guest teacher was Brian Godawa (photo of him teaching our group), who is the author of the two best books I can recommend to you on film and worldview.: Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment and Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story and Imagination. We enjoyed a lot […]

It's Time for the Oscars

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:11-05:00March 7th, 2010|Categories: Film|

Movie fans, even those like me who dislike a lot about Hollywood culture and lifestyle, generally pay attention to the Oscars. We are particularly interested in things like “Best Picture,” “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” etc. I do not usually watch the whole show, but I do pay some attention, and I always want to know what movie was deemed the “Best Picture of the Year” by the Academy. The Oscars will be presented in prime time tonight.

“Avatar” will win the best picture or I will be shocked at the Academy. I have been shocked before but this would be a huge surprise. The surprise movie might really be “The Hurt Locker” if any film is to knock off “Avatar” as the surprise film of the year. It was interesting to see that the British Academy actually gave the best film award to “The Hurt Locker.” I am less certain […]

The Sounds of Baseball and Spring

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:11-05:00March 6th, 2010|Categories: Baseball, Personal|

I have spent the last few days in Florida and have a few more to enjoy. This has become an annual ritual designed to recharge my batteries and to rest. I usually come with my daughter and son-in-law and this year we are enjoying five Atlanta Braves spring training games. I have to admit nothing gets me ready for the summer, after way too much cold and snow in Chicago, like a week in Florida. This year is no different. All baseball fans know that in the spring everyone looks like a winner. I think the Braves have improved a bit, but the Phillies will still be hard to pass in the National League East this year. One can always dream when he is in Florida, and not one game for real has been played yet.

This year I am enjoying this time away because a dear friend made it possible. I do not have the monetary means to […]

Evolution, Science and the Constant Warfare in Evangelical Churches

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:19:11-05:00March 5th, 2010|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Science|

For well over a hundred and forty years the church has waged an all-out battle against the idea of evolution. Some of this battle has been important in terms of protecting the centrality of God as the creator. A lot of it has been harmful to the cause of Christ and to the pursuit of truth. Witness the way many non-Christians actually think about Christians and science. No matter what you think about evolution itself you easily get my point. We look silly and foolish to millions of people. The question is simple: “Is this offense that we often give really necessary to our communication of the good news?”

One of the saddest things I have seen, for over forty years of public ministry, is the way anyone who believes in the idea of evolution is completely repudiated by large segments of the evangelical church. This simply should not be the case. A better grasp of the science, and the theology, of this whole debate would go a long way.

It has always interested me that […]