Blog - Page 90 of 318 - John H Armstrong

The Way of the Cross Is Dialogue

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 8th, 2012|Categories: ACT 3, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism|

Last fall I began my first ACT 3 Missional-Ecumenical Cohort Group. This group consists of fifteen men and women who are deeply committed to learning how to be practitioners of what I call missional-ecumenism. They have committed themselves to reading over 1,500 pages of printed text, meeting for four whole (long) days spread out over eight months, to small group dialogues and to interaction via social media. I have learned a whole lot more than I've taught in the past six months. I have also seen a number of things that need to be altered to make the ACT 3 Cohort Groups more effective. These students have encouraged me and helped to build a foundation for future groups. On April 17 this first class will graduate from the program. Then our second year begins in September-October. A group may be coming to a city near you.

If you would like to learn a lot more about these groups go to ACT 3 and check out the material about the groups on our home page. […]

Is John Piper's Interpretation of Tornadoes Correct?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 7th, 2012|Categories: Divine Providence, Gospel/Good News|

For the record, I have warm personal regard for Dr. John Piper. I have known him for at least 25 years. He spoke at several events for me in Wheaton and I did the same for him in Minneapolis. I respect him for his integrity, courage and godly perseverance through trials and deep challenges. I believe that he has helped multitudes discover a great and awesome God. I also believe he has impacted thousands of young Christians to grow in deeply personal ways. But I believe John does get some things wrong. I have avoided saying this in the past because I do not like to challenge the views of people that I know and love. While bloggers near and far can jump on John Piper's oft-quoted statements I am loathe to join in these criticisms precisely because of my past relationship with John. I place real value upon this past relationship with a brother in Christ even though John and I are not […]

An Invitation to the Conversation on Unity in Christ's Mission

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 6th, 2012|Categories: ACT 3, Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

Untitled from Jake Mater on Vimeo.

Unity is Neither a Means Nor an End

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 5th, 2012|Categories: Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

On the morning of 28 February, during his second day of visiting the offices of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Archbishop Rowan Williams of the Church of England addressed a round table discussion on the unity of the Christian church (02/28/12). His comments are noteworthy, at least so far as I am concerned.

The Archbishop said, “Unity is neither a means nor an end.” He told assembled staff, visitors and governing body members of the WCC and other organizations in the Ecumenical Center that, “Unity is what God has given us in the church.”

Williams also noted that the responsibility of Christians who receive the gift of unity lies in “seeking a life in which no one is without the other.” This life, “constantly moving us forward into a further truth," compels all who live within the love of God to ask the question: “Who is not yet here?”

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What Are the Real Solutions to Poverty in America?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 2nd, 2012|Categories: Poverty|

The argument about poverty and how to address it creates more debates among serious Christians than almost any concern I know. Some Christians believe the response should be to tax the rich and redistribute wealth through government safety nets and programs. Other Christians are equally convinced that such programs are not only unnecessary but downright harmful. When incentive is removed and the poor are given government aid it destroys their dignity and creates a welfare dependency that is a serious problem. So far as I can tell this debate has raged in America all my life.

In the religious world this debate plays out constantly. Jim Wallis and Sojourners focus on condemning greed and promoting social justice through government solutions. Others, including many that I am closer to in this debate, argue that income inequality is itself a form of greed. Both sides argue their point of view with conviction and sometimes their arguments become rather fierce, even mean-spirited.

In 2010 1.6 million children in the US were homeless and more than 15% […]

The Santorum Debate and the Missional Church

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00March 1st, 2012|Categories: American Evangelicalism, Missional Church, Missional-Ecumenism, Politics|

On Monday, February 27, R. Albert Mohler wrote on his blog site. www.albertmohler.com, a post titled: “The Santorum Predicament: A Sign of the Times.” It was not an endorsement of Santorum but a rational and reasonable reflection on why the media is so deeply troubled by the man’s candidacy. The bottom line, says Dr. Mohler, is that the media really believes Santorum means what he says about theology and culture and thus they are profoundly appalled by him.

Here is some of what Mohler said:

Keep in mind that Rick Santorum has said a great deal, and is still talking. In a world accustomed to bland politicians, Santorum breaks the mold. He admires conviction politicians, and he aims to be one. He speaks his mind, and then keeps on talking. On crucial issues of a moral nature, Santorum not only states his position, he explains it in detail and then goes on to present […]

The Charism of Unity

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:48-05:00February 29th, 2012|Categories: Missional-Ecumenism, Unity of the Church|

The word charis, charism and charismatic really means grace, or gift. I write and speak a great deal about Christian unity. The norm, in our time, seems to be disunity, schism and brokenness. We seem to make peace with this norm, which in reality is sin. We see very few Christians living out our Lord's call to unity. In fact the number seems so small that at times it would seem that all calls to unity are hopelessly unsound and ludicrous.

When I began to walk in this direction, one which I now call missional-ecumenism, many told me I was not only wrong but that this new way was dangerous. I was warned that I would begin to work with Christians who were unsafe, ill-taught and even dangerous to my spiritual health. Yet the more I have shared my Christian life and experience with others, across a great array of Christian expressions, the more I've experienced grace through God's gift. Unity now stands out in an entirely new light in my mind and heart.

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Is the World on a Permanent Downhill Slide?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:49-05:00February 28th, 2012|Categories: Acton Institute, America and Americanism, Politics|

Is the world on a permanent downhill slide? To listen to many Christians you would think so. During this political season you would think so even more than during other years. People, left and right, remind us daily of the dire consequences of this election and of what will happen if the wrong person, or party, is elected in November. For many you would think that America's entire future hangs in the balance. Pardon me if I am skeptical about all of this but I heard this message in 1960. I was only eleven years old. It was not true then and it is very likely not true now either. Wars followed Kennedy's election, economic cycles came and went, morals improved and declined (yes there have been ups and downs both). Over and over things went on coming and going like waves of the sea. Some things improved, some didn't. Has our culture drifted? Well, in some ways yes. Marriage is in deep trouble. But then if I was an African American I would say things have improved, at least in […]

Is It Time for an American Pope?

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:49-05:00February 27th, 2012|Categories: Roman Catholicism|

One of the most respected Vatican journalists in our time is John L. Allen. In a recent opinion article in National Catholic Reporter: The Independent News Source (online) Allen begins his February 24th editorial by writing:

As a thought exercise, ask yourself what period of time the following paragraph about the Vatican seems to reflect.

"For those who've seen the place in better days, the Vatican looks deeply troubled. In the absence of strong leadership, internal tensions seem to be bursting into view. Even at the height of his powers, the pope took scant interest in governance. As he ages and becomes more limited, a sense of drift is mounting — a conviction that hard choices must await a new day, and probably a new pontiff."

You can read the entire, and very interesting, article here.

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The Slave Haven Underground Museum

By John Armstrong|2021-07-02T06:16:49-05:00February 24th, 2012|Categories: Civil Rights, Race and Racism|

During my time @ CCT (last week) I visited the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum in downtown Memphis. The museum is a house on the former estate of Jacob Burkle. Burkle immigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1840s. He initially settled in Arkansas. In fact, the place where he settled was Stuttgart. If you guessed that this was a destination for many German immigrants you would be right. Now, the irony of this little factoid is that my mother, and her Freeman family, were all residents of Stuttgart going back to some time in the 19th century. I have childhood memories from the 1950s in Stuttgart. It was called "The Rice Growing Capital of the United States." It was also famous for duck hunting, even billing itself, if memory is right, as "The Duck Hunting Capital of the World." (Don't ask me how they got that claim.) I still remember being awakened in the early morning at the Riceland Hotel by […]