CHAT With The Author: John Armstrong, "Tear Down These Walls"
Interview by Phil Miglioratti • The http://Reimagine.Network
1. John, what compelled you to revision "Your Church Is Too Small" into "Tear Down These Walls" ... from "Why Unity in Christ's Mission Is Vital to the Future of the Church" to "Following Jesus Into Deeper Unity"?
JOHN>>> My earlier book came out of a long, slow journey into a desert experience where I often felt alone. This 13-year period became a time of trusting God alone. I learned more actively into what He called me to be. On March 26, 2012, my desert became a life filled with renewed opportunity for a wider, and far more delightful, ministry. I completely rewrote my earlier book to reflect this journey and to include the stories I’ve learned since I wrote in 2010. I just stress this is a NEW book.
2. How can I, as an individual, call the Church into deeper unity?
JOHN>>> By becoming more deeply involved with persons in relationship that leads to true friendship. Friendship must not be for utilitarian purposes or for my vision but as an end in knowing God and loving as he commanded me. Keys to calling the church are a robust vision of mission, a commitment to John 17:21-23 and prayer focused on oneness in the triune God.
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Tear Down These Walls
CLICK HERE tore-order the book
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My Podcast with John on Church Unity
My Endorsement of "Tear Down These Walls!"
John Armstrong's Commentary
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3. What can be accomplished by a group of cohorts (small group, study class, ministry team)?
JOHN>>> Groups are really the key. And groups that are trained, in a context of friendship and sharing life together, are the best. Small groups for the sake of small groups do not do this. The goal is not us but God’s glory revealed in Jesus who prayed for us to be ONE.
4. What counsel/challenge would you give to congregational leaders, regardless of their tradition, to help them respond to the call to follow Jesus into deeper unity?
JOHN>>> I would urge them to pray and read. This book is a place to begin, not the end. Ideas abound in my story and some will fit certain readers I am sure. Get to know the church better, all of it, learn from other traditions than your own and prayer for those not like you in your doctrine.
5. John, please write a prayer we can pray in agreement with you and each other that will invite/implore the Spirit to empower us, the Church, to tear down the walls that divide us...
JOHN>>> Blessed Holy Spirit, refresh us in the abounding love of Jesus, and lead us to know by deep experience the Father as our Abba. Take us in our brokenness and healing to other disciples who will hear us and love us so that we might together share the love of Christ so that non-believers will know the Father sent the Son because He loves the whole world.
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ALSO by John Armstrong
Costly Love
You may surmise that the topic of love has been both analyzed and overly sentimentalized, thus concluding that this book might be redundant or irrelevant. It is neither.
Costly Love is a daring challenge to receive God’s love again; to live out his love in our 24/7 experience.
Costly Love is a cry for the church, and all who know Christ’s love personally, to radically reset love as the core apologetic to a culture adrift in search of truth. Read John’s message as if the future of the church depends upon it. I think it does!
Rev. Phil Miglioratti
Pray.Network • The Reimagine.Network
New Commentary from John Armstrong - -
With the significant rise of new Covid-19 infections life is once again rapidly changing. The more I watch these tragic stories of suffering and death, the more clearly I see the impact of our religious and cultural division. However we measure church growth the simple fact is this – churches and denominations are rapidly decaying and dying in the United States. Religion has been marginalized and the result its even further division. Tribalism will not work any longer but many will die seeking to prop it up as the way to face the future.
In my estimation the church is tragically missing a great moment to prayerfully pursue serious missional-ecumenism. Many who have already read my book in electronic form, prior to its release this week, tell me they see a glimmer of new hope in this story and vision of life together. I pray this will be so.
This month Tear Down These Walls has finally been published. You can order it from all the major online sources. The best place to get a copy (or copies) is from the publisher. They offer a large discount for sixty days (August-September). Order at:
https://wipfandstock.com/9781725298071/tear-down-these-walls/
Be sure to use the promo code UNITY when you check out.
Pax Christi,
John
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New commentary to challenge you to apply Romans 12:2
to your corporate ministry perspective.
Question -
John, many have given you feedback that "Tear Down These Walls" is timed perfectly to meet the great challenge to the Church in our time in American history. Why do you think they are responding that way?
Response -
The deepening divisions we see in our culture are not going to be solved except in communities where people find ways to live together in peace and justice. The church should have a major role to play in this renewal but we must we humbly repent of our myriad divisions and seek peace with God and one another. This begins when we tear down our walls and build bridges for true relational love. Paul gives this principle in Ephesians 4:1-7: "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
If we have one Lord and one faith then we must “make every effort” to find and keep our inherent unity. It seems clear to me that most of our efforts to reach our neighbors will increasingly fail until we get this right. Our love must exceed our divisions.
John H. Armstrong
>>>Read the "Chat WIth The Author" of "Tear Down These Walls"
>>>Discount code for "Tear Down These Walls: Following Jesus into Deeper Unit"
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"All things are possible to him who believes . . . they are less difficult for him who hopes . . . more easy for him who loves, and still more easy for him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues." Brother Lawrence