Blog - Page 21 of 318 - John H Armstrong

Matt Maher on Christian Unity

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00February 5th, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Music, My Christian Unity Story, Personal, Roman Catholicism, The Church, Unity of the Church|

Matt Maher is a twice Grammy-nominated Christian musician. He was a finalist for both an album and a single in 2014 and is once again a finalist in 2015. He is one of the most talented original artists that I have had the privilege of knowing as a Christian friend.

Matt is a life-long devout Catholic and a deep friend of Christian unity. He sings to audiences of young Catholics and evangelicals all over America. Both are drawn to the man and his music for good reason. His songs honor Christ and the faith of serious Christians. He is not a divider but uniter. I am honored to be Matt’s friend and hope that you too will enjoy his comments today on the power and importance of Christian unity.

A Response to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from a Friend

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00February 4th, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Current Affairs, Missional-Ecumenism, My Christian Unity Story, Personal, Roman Catholicism, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

Father John Crossin is a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Director of the USCCB’s Office for Ecumenical Dialogue. He speaks with EWTN News Nightly on the significance of ecumenical outreach. Fr. Crossin is a man that I also call “friend.” He has honored me, prayed with and for me, and also worked with me in recent years. He is the leading Catholic officer for ecumenism in the U.S. Here you can see his heart and vision very clearly. The “humility” of the church is an idea that we all need to acknowledge and work toward together. Notice his strong word regarding Christian Churches Together the U.S. I make mention of CCTUS in the penultimate chapter in my book, Your Church Is Too Small. Fr. Crossin has read the book and commended it to friends. Pray for our brother as he impacts Catholics across America.

The Way of Jesus Beyond Doctrinal Propositions: Living the Love and Unity of Christ

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00February 3rd, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Church History, Church Tradition, Jesus, Love, Missional-Ecumenism, Philosophy, Renewal, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service that I wrote about yesterday included a warm and deeply thoughtful sermon by Fr. George Byron Koch, pastor of Resurrection Church (Anglican), West Chicago, IL. Fr. Koch is the new chairman of the ACT3 Network board and a very dear friend. He is also a great writer and preacher. His sermon in the Christian Unity service was one of the best calls to our unity in Christ I have heard in a long time.

https://soundcloud.com/act3network/the-way-of-jesus-beyond-doctrinal-propositions-to-living-the-love-and-unity-of-christ

George Byron Koch is the author of What We Believe and Why (Byron Arts, Northwoods, IL, 2012), a magnificently readable and insightful study of Christian faith and practice. Two particular insights undergird this book: (1) The Christian faith has been torn from its Jewish roots, and; (2) The influence of philosophy on the church has divided it again and again, creating extremely deleterious consequences for Christ’s mission. I not only share George Koch’s view I believe you will hear both aspects of it clearly in this […]

A Service of Prayer for Christian Unity

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00February 2nd, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

The global Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is held annually in January. It has taken place for well over one hundred years. Many countries have such gatherings. This year the liturgy was created by the ecumenical movement in Brazil. One of the major Chicago area gatherings for unity was hosted by my home congregation in Carol Stream, Lutheran Church of the Master, and co-sponsored by the Focolare Movement in Chicago and ACT3 Network. The evening of Saturday, January 24, was one of the more spiritually moving ecumenical gatherings that I have participated in personally. We drew Christians from many churches and traditions. And we were international and multi-ethnic as well. The leaders were both Catholic and Protestant. The stories shared, the sermon given, the Scriptures read and the hymns sung were all done so well by so many people. And after the service people lingered for more than an hour to get to know one another. One of the great outcomes of such a gathering is deep friendship.

We made the decision to not record […]

A Special Season in the Desert – A Journey into Deeper Ecumenism (4)

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00February 1st, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Current Affairs, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, Renewal, Roman Catholicism, The Christian Minister/Ministry, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

While I was composing my first three blogs about my “season” in the desert (Phoenix) I mentioned my encounters with the movements of the Holy Spirit through some of the more miraculous gifting that are rejected by some Protestant conservatives. Ironically I came across this amazing quotation from St. Thomas Aquinas, universally recognized as one of the greatest minds and theologians of the Christian Church. Said Aquinas, in Book 1:

This wonderful conversion of the world to the Christian faith is the clearest witness of the signs given in the past; so that it is not necessary that they should be further repeated, since they appear most clearly in their effect. For it would be truly more wonderful than all signs if the world had been led by simple and humble men to believe such lofty truths, to accomplish such difficult actions, and to have such high hopes. Yet it is also a fact that, even in our own time, God does not cease to work miracles through His saints for the confirmation of the faith.

It […]

A Special Season in the Desert – A Journey into Deeper Ecumenism (3)

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00January 28th, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Discipleship, Faith, Love, Missional-Ecumenism, My Christian Unity Story, Personal, Prayer, Renewal, Spirituality, The Church, Unity of the Church|

What God gave to me in the late 1990s, and into the early years of this present century, was a settled assurance that he would go with me into a desert. There I would feel abandoned at times but he would always be with me. In the desert he would provide for me, heal me, teach me and prepare me for a very different future. Though I did not know what that future would look like precisely what was revealed to me was that when he placed me in my new role I would have power and true freedom to exalt him openly. I had no idea what this meant in my wildest dreams. I did know, beyond any doubt in my soul, that this new mission was “from the Lord” and that every blessing would be his alone. One year I preached twice all year, at least in Sunday services. When my wife asked me this question, about how many times I had preached in a certain year, I was stunned to answer her since I […]

A Special Season in the Desert – A Journey Into Deeper Ecumenism (2)

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:43-05:00January 27th, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, American Evangelicalism, Missional-Ecumenism, My Christian Unity Story, Personal, Renewal, Roman Catholicism, Spirituality, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

My Saturday evening story of Christian unity, that I wrote about yesterday, was connected with two ministries I partnered with for several days: CRM and the City of the Lord. The City of the Lord has centers in Tempe (Phoenix), Los Angeles, San Diego and Monterey Bay. My new friend Peter Poppleton leads the City of the Lord community in Tempe. (Photo of Peter at the right.) Their weekly events are characterized by charismatic praise & worship; i.e. by growth in and exercise of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word “charism,”as most of you will know, means “gift.” The word “charismatic” signifies the use of a gift or gifts. The services at the City of the Lord often see the conversion of hearts, inner healing, physical healing, and words of prophecy, among other gifts that the Holy Spirit imparts within the community. The traditional seven marks (gifts) of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, fortitude, understanding, piety, counsel and fear of the Lord) are actively sought and developed in this community through prayer and instruction. Likewise, […]

A Special Season in the Desert – A Journey into Deeper Ecumenism (1)

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:13:44-05:00January 26th, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Business, Discipleship, Evangelism, Love, Missional-Ecumenism, Personal, Renewal, Roman Catholicism, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

The mission of ACT3 takes me to many cities and communities, to meet with leaders in private as well as large and small groups of earnest Christians from many churches. Some of my most enjoyable work is building relationships with some of the most interesting and mission-focused leaders that I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing my life-journey with as partners. Such was the case again because of a visit to the Phoenix area, January 16-21. Over the next few days I plan to share this mission with friends by means of these blogs. I ask you to share in the joy of what Christ is doing and to pray for me as I seek to be faithful to God’s John 17 call upon my life.

On Saturday, January 17, I spoke at a Phoenix-area John 17 Movement meeting hosted by Catholic Renewal Ministries of the Diocese of Phoenix. Catholic Renewal Ministries (CRM) is a ministry organization that provides a variety of services to parishes and prayer groups across the Phoenix diocese, including: seminars, retreats, conferences, healing masses, praise nights and other devotional resources. CRM can best be […]

Rev. Ian Simkins on Christian Unity and Why It Maters (2)

By John Armstrong|2015-01-23T16:25:33-06:00January 22nd, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, My Christian Unity Story, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

Yesterday I published the first of two video interviews ACT3 did with Rev. Ian Simkins about Christian unity and why it matters. This is a wonderful testimony to the power of God in unity and to what this important vision means for the whole church. Ian speaks as a thoughtful Christian minister and as a board member for ACT3 Network.

Rev. Ian Simkins on Christian Unity and Why It Matters (1)

By John Armstrong|2015-01-23T16:25:33-06:00January 21st, 2015|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, My Christian Unity Story, The Church, The Future, Unity of the Church|

ACT3 Network is a mission committed to “empowering leaders and churches for unity in Christ’s mission.” It is led by a board made up of thirteen people. We are Catholic and Protestant, male and female, minister and non-minister, younger and older. One of our fine young board members is Rev. Ian Simkins, pastor of the non-denominational Poplar Creek Church in Bartlett, Illinois. Our videographer sat down with Ian a few months ago and asked him to talk about unity and his vision of the church as one. You will see and hear this vision of John 17:21 here. This is the first of two videos that he gave to us. I think you will find it deeply encouraging and hopeful. The second video will appear tomorrow.