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Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ’s Mission is Vital to the Future of the Church

By: John H. Armstrong; ISBN – 978-0-310-32114-9   Zondervan Publishing

FUTURE (Part 3) “The Missional-Ecumenical Movement”

John Armstrong begins this concluding section of Your Church is Too Small by discussing the nature and definition of the “True Church.” He also poses the question whether the “True Church” exists at all. The answer, he says, is “yes;” the True Church does exist… it is God’s community of people on earth. Quoting Paul, he writes: “This ideal church is made up of all people everywhere ‘who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.’”

Personally, I agree with Armstrong that we need an objective starting point if we are to work toward a believable, Biblical, and sustainable unity in the Church. He says the great problem with the famous dictum: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, freedom; and in all things charity” there still remains that one Christian’s non-essential is another’s essential. How true, but we must still find a grounding point or points to proceed on the path toward Biblical (Love) unity. He cites Lesslie Newbigin’s convicting remarks below:

“The world will always, consciously or unconsciously, judge what the church says by what it is. They will interpret the printed epistle by the living epistle.” (p.139)

I continue to wrestle with and process the thinking in this final section, especially chapter fifteen. I’m not sure I fully understand the subtle nuances and intricacies of what Dr. Armstrong purports with regard to “fruit inspection” and determining “who is a real Christian.” As I said, I’m still processing this chapter (and likely, will be doing so for some time), so I don’t have a lot to speak on it at this juncture. I will say that some of the questions I am sorting through regard church discipline, “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” “wheat and tares,” and whether or not (and how) “judgment and/or fruit inspection” precludes discipline…there are more questions, but these are dominating my thoughts rather prominently at the moment. Suffice it to say, this is a very thought-provoking chapter; at least it is for me.

Chapters sixteen through eighteen discuss the missional-ecumenical paradigm that Armstrong hints at throughout the book. It is here that he really spends some time and focus developing the heart of his passion; additionally, he shares his mentors and some of the more significant influences that have helped him formulate this missional-ecumenical paradigm.

I mentioned that I first became aware of Your Church is Too Small from a review by Michael Bird on the euangelion blog site. He brings to light a repeated point and call by Armstrong to return to paleo-orthodoxy as a springboard toward unity. I think Michael Bird captured this call very well, so rather than repeat it myself I will share his thoughts here. Michael writes the following:

A recurring theme is that unity is important for our mission and also the necessity of returning to our ancient roots. Armstrong’s recipe for trying to achieve that is sevenfold: (1) Cultivating a commitment to restore the sacraments; (2) increasing our appetite to know more about the ancient church; (3) express love for the whole church and desire to see the church become one; (4) blend practices of worship, devotion, and prayer from all three streams of the Church (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant); (5) increase interest in integrating more liturgical depth and structure with spontaneity and freedom in the Holy Spirit; (6) provide greater involvement in signs and symbols of worship such as crosses, banners, and clerical vestments; and (7) continue a commitment to personal salvation, solid biblical teaching, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

I was greatly inspired by the examples and resultant fruit that was shared by communities that are practicing this spirit of missional-ecumenism. Personally, I long for this type of community. I stand in the camp with those who agree that One Church is what the Lord has intended for His people.

The final chapter is Armstrong’s concluding thoughts and prayer for the Church. I not only agree with his thesis, but have been refreshed and inspired to press on in pursuit of the vision. As I said in my opening statement, I believe this is a very important book. It raises many questions (some of which I am still working through myself), and prompts us to do some serious examination of our own hearts and ambition. I am reminded of something I read from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book Life Together where he proposes that many of us (Christians) are in love with our own version of God’s Church…we fight tooth and nail for it, but our version is not the Vision of God for His Church (my paraphrase). We build idols from our beliefs and destroy each other in the process of worshiping those beliefs over the God whom we claim to be serving. I am thankful for this book. I am sure I will be referring to it and the well-documented resources and bibliography. I think it should be read by pastors and lay leaders alike. Armstrong includes a few discussion questions at the end of each chapter that are helpful to kick-off  conversations if a group or leadership team wanted to read the book together.

Disturb us, Lord… disturb us from our idols and disturb us from being idle. Disturb us, O Lord, indeed.

A Link to many more reviews of Your Church is Too Small

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As I spend time in Scripture reading and prayerful meditation this morning, I am moved to pray for Haiti this passage from the writings of the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 62). God has promised healing and blessing to the nations from Abraham through Messiah Jesus. May it be so for our brothers and sisters in Haiti as the world watches. Spirit of the Most High God, help us to be revealing Light to the world for the glory of Your Name and Kingdom. Amen.

¹ Because I love Zion (Haiti),
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem (Haiti),
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
² The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth.
³ The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
a splendid crown in the hand of God.
⁴ Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”
or “The Desolate Land.”
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,”
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.
⁵ Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem (Haiti),
just as a young man commits himself to his bride.
Then God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

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I begin with part one of my Reveille series although it might serve more as an extended introduction; I’m calling it part one anyway. Please feel free to share comments in the comments section of this post or you can send them to me through email. I am interested in any thoughts, comments, and discussion.

“Lord, make me see thy glory in every place.”
— Michelangelo

“Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I accomplish.”
— Michelangelo

I continue to sense a discontent in my spirit. I am not downcast, I am not discouraged, but I am not satisfied. I read the pages of God’s Word and see people invited into something miraculous and divine and I want it. I sense the Spirit of God alive in me; hungering for community with similarly awakened souls. I feel the unction and commission of God to spread this Good News; that God has invited us to share His Spirit…He desires to dwell within us, and give us resurrected life in the present and in the now. I speak these words to people today and hear them affirm the words, but discern doubt in their heart. While this may sound judgmental, I am inclined to examine the fruit…and where there is none or there is little, I question the veracity of the root system and the soil of that individual’s life.

I am determined to live the life taught in the gospels. I am determined to build upon the foundations and teaching of the apostle-disciples and I will not be quieted. A curious phenomenon has emerged during this season of my life; when I talk or share my thoughts about this brooding of my spirit, the most common response from others is to encourage me or try to “fix” me. The problem is I don’t see myself as the one needing “fixed” or “encouraged.” You see, I know it is God, The Holy Spirit, who has “broken” me and I don’t want this brokenness to be fixed. God has placed a hunger for Himself in my soul and nothing less than overflowing portions of HIM satisfies. For this reason, I am mystified when I encounter others who profess love for and relationship with Jesus, but seek their satisfaction from worldly endeavors. I don’t get it.

I know the call to follow Christ is one that demands everything. I know that once we have given our life to Christ, we are given to the mission of Christ. Therefore, any agenda other than the mission of God is anti-Christ (see Matthew 12:30).

I am just ending a 60-day meditation in the Gospel of Matthew. Some things I take away from it are (1) the incredible life that Jesus offers to us; both on this earth and in this physical life and the immortal-eternal life spent (physically) with Him in the new heaven and new earth, and (2) the incredibly narrow path and high bar that life calls us to be accountable to until Christ returns or our physical life ends.

Highlighting the fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins to teach the precepts of His Kingdom; for living now and tomorrow-eternal. I believe, in my own words, the Beatitudes, which depict true followers of Christ, can be summarized as follows:

1. True disciples are dependent upon God
2. True disciples are discontent with the sin nature
3. True disciples are confident in their Christian position
4. True disciples  desire to reconcile and restore God’s Kingdom
5. True disciples are compassionate, patient, forgiving, and merciful
6. True disciples are innocent and childlike in their purity of heart, not cynical, skeptical, doubting, flippant, and/or selfish
7. True disciples are “reconcilers” (and this should not be confused with compromiser)
8. True disciples willingly release their rights and/or lives for the sake of and salvation of others

Indeed, Jesus raises the bar for those who answer the call to “follow him.” Jesus makes it very clear (Matthew 5:13-16) that our Christian faith and our ability to reflect the image of God (Imago Dei) is a non-negotiable. Jesus says we will truly reflect His glory, or we will be “thrown out.” He says our acts of mercy, justice, healing, and righteousness should illuminate our world (community). He goes on to make clear (Matthew 5:17-20) that we “do not misunderstand why he has come…” Jesus says; “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Ouch. If these words do not convey accurately his intent; I find these closing words difficult to argue with; “You are to be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

I have been reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians and from the prophet Jeremiah this morning. The following passages captured my attention:

Colossians chapter one –

• vs 1: “…chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.”
• vs 6: “This good news is bearing fruit everywhere changing lives…”
• vs 9-10: “…God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.”
• vs 25: “God has given me the responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming His entire message to you…”
• vs 27: “The message; CHRIST LIVES IN YOU!”
• vs 28: “…so we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect (mature) in their relationship to Christ.”
• vs 29: “That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.”

Jeremiah chapter one –

• vs 7: “You must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you…”
• vs 9-10: “Look I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”
• vs 17: “…Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

I do not know what this next season is on the horizon and I’m not sure when it will fully break into the “now,” but I am very aware that God has been stirring me for a long time and the next season will bring change. I vow faithfulness to Jesus, my Savior, my God. I know, in my heart, I trust Him implicitly.

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
— Michelangelo

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Book: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 0785213066

It didn’t take me very long to get sucked into Don Miller’s latest “story.” While I’m well aware of the human condition and the journey with Jesus being a messy proposition at times (ok, most of the time), I’m not real keen on the whole idea of “messy spirituality” being the norm. After reading Blue Like Jazz, also by Don Miller, I was left with the feeling that a messy spirituality was the glorified path of a disciple of Christ. I liked the book well enough, but something about the impression it left me about my faith just didn’t sit well or feel right to me. Maybe I’m wrong, but that was my experience. Fast forward to present day; I started A Million Miles in a Thousand Years with an unbiased attitude, or so I thought. The first few chapters seemed like a Blue redux to me, but my impressions were soon to change. My sense of, and engagement with, the story was “full on” by page 38 and I was hooked for the rest of the ride.

Throughout my review and read of A Million Miles, I’ve kept a paper with great quotes from the book; that paper is now very full of quotes and page references now. Don Miller does a masterful job of intertwining several stories within the telling of one. I don’t know how much I may have read into the story, but I was tracking several thoughts and experiences (including my own story and experience) throughout the majority of the book. I don’t know if this will be the impression of anyone else reading the book, but once I got past my initial doubts (and yes, bias) A Million Miles flat-out owned me. It was a quick read at two-hundred fifty pages, but not “light” of content. There is a lot of depth to the book and it all but forces introspection and heart examination; where are you and what is your story within The Story?

I hesitate at printing quotes for a review; I know publishers and publicists don’t particularly like that, but suffice it to say I will be quoting some of this book in private conversations and there will be a few that make it into my teaching sessions…(Don, I’ll be sure to credit you).  I don’t think I would be cheating to spell out a few chapter titles though, so let your imagination run with these: Writing the World, You’ll be Different at the End, A Character is What He Does, Listen to Your Writer…and these are just from the first two parts of the book (there are five parts).

This is a story about learning the art of story to retell a story; in the process of all this…a bigger story begins to be understood…The Story…HIS Story. There is a lot going on in A Million Miles…a lot. There’s much to be gleaned for the observant reader and/or a great story for the casual reader. I consider a win-win for either or both. Final Answer? I walked away a little disturbed from Blue Like Jazz; I leave A Million Miles challenged, inspired, encouraged, and ready to get my story on.

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O my Strength, to you I sing praises,  for you, O God, are my refuge,  the God who shows me unfailing love. By Your hand may the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us and the way of God direct us. May the hand of God protect us and the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Let us not cling to fleeting things, which slip away and depart, but to those which are enduring and immovable. May we all attain them through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, for ever and ever. For the Word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything He does. [Amen] Prayer compilation: John Chrysostom, St. Patrick, Psalm 32, 33, 59

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We started a new teaching series to push us through the summer. The series is titled “The 10 Most Important Things.” Last week was the introduction to the series and this week I had the privilege of the “first…most important thing.” The title of my sermon was There Can Be Only One — My text was from Exodus 20:3 and the audio file follows along with the sermon manuscript, bullet outline, and small group discussion questions. I would love to hear feedback.

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I had not seen this video yet…thanks and HT to my friend Mark P. for pointing it out to me.

I’m hoping that the vehicle of mainstream media and the current stage that Mr. Allen is on will be a wonderful platform to extol and exalt the glory of Jesus Christ. Congrats to Kris and best of luck in your new career…keep Jesus first!

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CMS at the Chapel (Crosspoint) Buffalo, NY

CMS is the Christian Music Summit and consists of training workshops, seminars, worship sessions, exhibitors and more! We went last year with several members of our Praise & Worship Band/Team and were blessed beyond description. Not only was the event itself a joyful time, the takeaway for information and inspiration to develop our talent, gifts, and skills for our Lord’s service was huge! I really think everyone on our team who attended last year was made better because of their attendance. So…we’re going again! The conference (summit) is this coming Friday and Saturday and I can’t wait! Woo – Hoo!!!! More info in the link above and the video below. Peace!

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The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

“In times of persecution, theoretical Christianity will collapse.” Brennan Manning

I really liked this book. It was a very quick read, but deeply spiritual in content…don’t let the size of the book or the speed of reading it fool you for a minute. Brennan’s got the gloves off in this one and I feel like I have a couple of “shiners” after reading it (Probably exactly what I needed). At the same time that it was convicting to me, I found it delightfully affirming and I come away encouraged and invigorated to press on in the ministry and teaching that I feel God as called me to.

I’m not going to give you any summary or synopsis; instead, I’m going to say here’s another that’d be good to add to your library. I’ll shoot you a few quotes from between the covers and let you decide, but after reading the quotes that follow I’m sure you’ll be looking for a copy.

“I was speaking to the Navigators not long ago and they asked, ‘Do you have a word for us?’ I said, Yes I do. Instead of being identified as a community that memorizes Scripture, why not be identified as a community of professional lovers that cause people to say ‘How they love one another!’ Why do we judge Jesus’ criterion for authentic discipleship irrelevant? Jesus said the world is going to recognize you as His by only one sign: the way you are with one another on the street every day. You are going to leave people feeling a little better or a little worse. You’re going to affirm them or deprive them, but there’ll be no neutral exchange. If we as a Christian community took seriously the sign of our love for Jesus is our love for one another, I am convinced it would change the world. We’re denying to the world the one witness Jesus asked for: Love one another as I’ve loved you. (John 15:12)”

Here’s another: Read the rest of this entry »

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What does it mean to “walk with GOD?” What is the impact of God indwelling the heart of a man? What does it mean to reflect the image of God? How does this all measure out from a three-in-one God? If the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ and Christ dwells in me…what does that mean and what does it look like?

A devotional thought

We are Imago Dei aka Image of God

(We are created in the image of God) Genesis 1:27

Jesus said; “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father…” (John 14:9)

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. (Colossians 2:9) And the incredible thing about this…is Jesus dwells within us!

Jesus said; “the Father is in me and I am in the Father…I in them and you in me” (John 17:18-23)

John 17:18-23 ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  ¹⁹ And for their sake I consecrate myself,¹ that they also may be sanctified² in truth.  ²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,  ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  ²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,  ²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Jesus said it is better that he left us so he could dwell within us… The crazy thing about this is that I have often thought how cool it would be to walk with Jesus; I suppose that reveals my (lack of) understanding of what it means to be filled with the Living God. “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7)

Jesus said; “I will never leave you…I will never forsake you…” (John 14:16; Hebrews 13:5)

What more can we ask for?

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

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