Thoughts Along the Way

Thoughts on the interaction of God, people, truth, and our world

 

 Michael Armstrong

For over 28 years, I have worked in student ministry at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Working on a university campus has given me an opportunity to look at life from many different angles. I have been married to my incredible wife, Gina, for almost 30 years & have two wonderful daughters - Erin & Stacy. I have also served as a track & field official for almost 20 years, working meets from high school through masters & elite & local through international levels.

Thursday, September 2

Interesting Morsels of Knowledge ...

Here are some items I've been holding on to. I hope you find them interesting ...

Who is the highest paid athlete in history? Probably no one you would have ever guessed. Check out Diocles ...

Thought you made a mistake or your project was a failure? Maybe not. Read about the 10 Greatest Accidental Discoveries ...

See the World's Most Dangerous Roads. love to drive but I don't think I would even walk on that first one ...

posted by Mike | 9/02/2010 10:32:00 AM | 0 comments

Wednesday, September 1

Anniversary Thoughts


Today is a day that reminds me of just how good God is to me.

Today is our anniversary. In some ways it is hard to believe that Gina has been a part of my life for over 35 years and my wife for 31. But then, I can't imagine life without her. God certainly let me "out-marry" myself and gave me a wife who has been a source of encouragement, wisdom, and blessing. She is patient with my shortcomings and travel and understanding of the schedule and pace of campus ministry.

"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown." Proverbs 12:4

"Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD." Proverbs 19:14


"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Proverbs 31:10


I don't know that she ever reads this, but just in case she does: Thank you, Gina for all that you are and all that you give. I love you more than ever.

posted by Mike | 9/01/2010 10:20:00 AM | 0 comments

Monday, August 30

More Teens Becoming "Fake Christians"

Ever since I have been involved in ministry to college students - and I'm starting my 29th year - the conventional "wisdom" has stated that "85% of young people will lose their faith when they go away to college."

I'm not sure about the statistical validity of that comment, but you can't get past the fact that a majority of students drop out of active Christian involvement when they get to college. The University of Arkansas is typical of this. We sit in the "buckle of the Bible belt" and I have no doubt that at least 80-85% of our 21,000 students attended church during their high school years. But once they get to college, it would be safe to say that no more than 25% of them continue to be active in their faith.

The easiest scapegoat for this is, of course, the university environment itself. It is true that there are a lot of landmines to faith on a university of campus. But most of us who work in campus ministry know that much of the problem is present before students ever hit campus. They arrive without a vital faith in Christ or a commitment to living out their faith.

A recent article on cnn.com expands on this concept. John Blake quotes Kenda Creasy Dean, author of the new book "Almost Christian". She did considerable research on the Christian faith of teenagers. Some of her observations include:

Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls "moralistic therapeutic deism." Translation: It's a watered-down faith that portrays God as a "divine therapist" whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem.... "If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation," wrote Dean, a professor of youth and church culture at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Though three out of four American teenagers claim to be Christian, fewer than half practice their faith, only half deem it important, and most can't talk coherently about their beliefs, the study found.

So what can be done? Dean shares this interesting observation:

No matter their background, Dean says committed Christian teens share four traits: They have a personal story about God they can share, a deep connection to a faith community, a sense of purpose and a sense of hope about their future.

We, as parents and church leaders, need to do a better job of helping our teens verbalize their faith and the ways that God has influenced their lives. We need to help them build relationships within our churches. We can't let attendance at "events" take the place of face-to-face and life-on-life relationships that are built on a common commitment to Christ. And we need to continually paint for them a picture of how their lives can be eternally significant - no matter what direction they choose to go. Unfortunately there is still an attitude in many churches that the "committed" kids will attend Christian colleges. They are celebrated while those choosing other routes are often ignored.

Elizabeth Corrie, a professor at Emory University in Atlanta, adds some advice of her own.

Churches, not just parents, share some of the blame for teens' religious apathy as well, says Corrie, the Emory professor. She says pastors often preach a safe message that can bring in the largest number of congregants. The result: more people and yawning in the pews.

And what can parents do? Kenda Dean adds these thoughts:


Get "radical," Dean says. She says parents who perform one act of radical faith in front of their children convey more than a multitude of sermons and mission trips. A parent's radical act of faith could involve something as simple as spending a summer in Bolivia working on an agricultural renewal project or turning down a more lucrative job offer to stay at a struggling church, Dean says. But it's not enough to be radical -- parents must explain "this is how Christians live," she says. "If you don't say you're doing it because of your faith, kids are going to say my parents are really nice people," Dean says. "It doesn't register that faith is supposed to make you live differently unless parents help their kids connect the dots."


I know that part of my own spiritual development was watching the growing faith and changing lives of my parents - especially during my teen years. The reality of their faith and their commitment to serve was noticeable and helped to solidify my own faith.


So churches, ministers, and youth ministers, it is time to call teens to deeper community, a greater vision, and a more personal relationship with Christ. They need to be called to a faith that demands something of them and isn't just a weekly ritual.


And parents, model for your sons and daughters a faith that affects how you live and that demands something of you. If your faith is challenging and stretching you, there is a better chance that it will take root in the lives of your children.

posted by Mike | 8/30/2010 02:17:00 PM | 0 comments

Tuesday, August 17

Beloit College Mindset List for the Class of 2014

It's that time of year again. Since 1998, Beloit College has released it's "Mindset List." The list is a reminder to us of our changing world and the "cultural touchstones" that have shaped the lives of this year's entering class of college freshmen. Check out the Beloit College Mindset List for the class of 2014.


posted by Mike | 8/17/2010 05:08:00 PM | 0 comments

Tuesday, August 10

How Will You Measure Your Life?

Thanks to Matt Perman and his What's Best Next blog for pointing me toward Clayton Christensen's address to the 2010 graduating class of the Harvard Business School. He challenges the graduates of one of America's most prestigious schools to consider how their choices and life strategies will answer these three questions:

1) How can I be sure I'll be happy in my career?

2) How can I be sure that my relationships with my wife and my family become an enduring source of happiness?

3) How can I be sure I'll stay out of jail?

It is a great speech and worth your time to read and consider.

posted by Mike | 8/10/2010 02:47:00 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, August 5

America's Laziest States, or "Dear Lord, thank you again for Louisiana and Mississippi."

From the pages of BusinessWeek magazine: America's Laziest States 2010. Guess where Arkansas ranks ...

posted by Mike | 8/05/2010 01:48:00 PM | 0 comments

Monday, August 2

The Tangible Kingdom

"They said this so much better than I ever have" was a recurring thought as I read The Tangible Kingdom (Jossey-Bass, 2008) by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. I heard Halter speak at the Exponential Conference last April and resonated with his story. In this book, the authors take concepts that I have been trying to express to our staff and students and put them into clear, practical, and moving terms. They help us to look at how we, as followers of Christ, approach the world and go about the mission to which God has called us. Here are just a few thoughts to whet your appetite:

"The missional part was Jesus leaving his Father's side in the heavens and coming to us in the form of a human. The incarnational part was how he took on the flesh and lived with us. Said another way, missional sentness is focused on leaving and everything related to going, but incarnational represents how we go and what we do as we go.... Words communicate what we know; posture represents what we believe and feel. Therefore, posture is the most important part of relationship and communication. Posture shows true emotion and the intent of our heart. When we try to figure out why those outside the church aren't interested in our 'good news,' it may have nothing to do with our message, but with our nonverbals.... Posture is about helping people want to hear the truth." p. 38-39

The book goes on to talk about the posture - the attitude and habits - that we need to demonstrate as we move about in the world and seek to represent Christ in a way that draws people to him.

From my experience, there are several causes of "bad posture" among Christians. One is lives that don't demonstrate a difference because of the presence of Christ. Our lives are too much like the world's in our values and lifestyle or they can be the negative and condemning. Another cause of "bad posture" can also be our habit of slowly withdrawing from the world and those who don't share our values. We slowly remove meaningful relationships with those outside of faith. I love this sentence:

"Influence doesn't happen by extracting ourselves from the world for the sake of our values, but by bringing our values into the culture." p. 31

If you're a church leader, read The Tangible Kingdom. If you're a church planter, read The Tangible Kingdom. If you're a Christian hungering to be a part of God's mission in our world, read The Tangible Kingdom.

posted by Mike | 8/02/2010 04:49:00 PM | 0 comments

Friday, July 30

Anne Rice Quits Christianity, Part Two

Last night I wrote about Anne Rice's announcement that, though she was continuing to follow Christ, she was quitting Christianity. Part of my post admitted that many often feel frustrated with the hypocrisy of Christians, the negative stances that many Christians take, and the failures of the Church over the years. That seems to be a growing sentiment in our nation and books like unChristian document how many outside of Christianity view us as being "anti" everything. I am frustrated by that, as well, and feel that far too often the Church hinders its own cause by narrow-mindedness and a desire to pontificate rather than listen.

But the more I thought about Anne Rice's position, the more frustrated I became. She has fallen in to the trap that so many have - letting the failures of Christianity blind her to the positive things that have been done and continue to be done by the Church in our world. Schools, hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters, meal programs, HIV/AIDS programs, micro-financing agencies, agricultural programs, clean water wells, disaster relief projects, and the list goes on. Christianity and the Church give time, money, resources, etc. throughout the world to people who are and aren't Christians.

So, before you write off Christianity, look past the failures to the contributions that the Church has made. No other group of religious or non-religious people has given as much to so many. And I will continue to be a part of Christianity and the Church, in spite of its shortcomings, because it is the Body of Christ in this world and God's chosen avenue for accomplishing his purpose in our world.

posted by Mike | 7/30/2010 11:02:00 AM | 0 comments

Thursday, July 29

Anne Rice Quits Christianity

Anne Rice is best known as the author of books such as Interview with a Vampire and other vampire books. About ten years ago, she converted from her professed atheism to Christianity. Today, however, she announced via Facebook that she was quitting Christianity. In her words:

"For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.... I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen....My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become."

There are many things in this episode that hurt my heart and, I'm sure, the heart of God.

"In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life."

Her words reflect the perception that many have about Christians - that we are "anti" everything and everyone but ourselves. This is also reflected in the research behind Gabe Lyons' book, Unchristian. Much of Christianity is known more for what we oppose than for what we support. We're not known as being for the poor or the hurting or the afflicted or the disenfranchised. The sad part is that those are the ones with whom Jesus most closely identified.

"It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group."

After ten years of following Christ, this is her description of Christians. How sad that this is her experience. But I know that it is the experience of many.

It is not hard to identify with Anne Rice's frustrations. I often feel the same things regarding Christians or those who pursue agendas that seem far from Christ, his purpose, and his character. But she also misses the point.

It is OK to denounce the shortcomings of Christians. It is even alright to admit that the Church has not always been all that God intended it to be. But you cannot take Christ without his Body - the Church. Yes, we are an imperfect lot. Yes, we often show more of the works of the flesh than the fruit of the Spirit. But the Church is Christ's body in our world. It is established by him and loved by him. And we need to take our part in it and work with God to accomplish his purpose through it.

What are your thoughts as you read Anne Rice's comments?

posted by Mike | 7/29/2010 11:16:00 PM | 1 comments

Monday, July 5

Misc. Thoughts: Track, Olympics, & iPhone Worship

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday. Here are some things that I have been holding on to share with you. They may not be "deep" but they are fun to think about. I hope you enjoy ...

posted by Mike | 7/05/2010 06:08:00 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, July 1

Leadership Thoughts: Dealing with Criticism

Regardless of what level of leadership in which you serve - from the Chairman of the Board to a parent - you are going to have to deal with criticism. It come with the territory. You are not going to be able to avoid it (unless you choose not to lead), so you are going to have to deal with criticism constructively.

Of course, that is easier said than done! My natural tendency when I receive criticism is to get defensive - even when it is constructive criticism from friends. That response never helps. When I get defensive, I quit listening for what truth or helpful information there might be in the criticism and start justifying myself (at least mentally).

For example: Last week, I served as the head high jump official at the US Track and Field Championships in Des Moines. Our crew of six officials was responsible for each of the eight high jump competitions that took place during the Championships. In this size of meet, there are all kinds of people who are looking over your shoulder and evaluating the event: Meet Directors, Referees, National Technical Officials, officials working other events, media personnel, etc. And there were several who had suggestions for me about how our event should be run.

As mentioned earlier, my first response was defensiveness. My ego kicked in: "This is my event and my crew. We will do things my way." But when I was able to step away from that response and really listen to the suggestions being offered, I found that some were valuable. I listened to some of the criticism and it helped us run a better event. Other suggestions I listened to and chose not to follow. But all the suggestions were considered and evaluated.

If you are going to be effective as a leader, you are going to have to learn to do the same thing - to listen, evaluate, and choose what to keep and what to disregard. This is especially true when you are surrounded by people who are as committed to the "cause" as you are. They need to know that they are heard and their input is valuable, even if it doesn't always result in change. Ultimately, as the leader, you have to decide which suggestions to heed and which to disregard.

This is also true for those of us who are parents as our children grow into their teen years. They need to know that their concerns matter and that we will listen to them. We might not take the course of action that they would prefer, but they need to know that their voice is heard.

So when criticism comes:

* Let go of defensiveness and ego.
* Listen and learn.
* Ask yourself, "Does this criticism have validity? Does this suggestion help us to better accomplish our purpose?"
* Determine what actions, if any, you need to take and move forward.

"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." Proverbs 10:17

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted ..." Proverbs 27:6

posted by Mike | 7/01/2010 05:28:00 PM | 1 comments

Friday, June 18

Leadership Thoughts: Changing the Way Ministries Think

It's a pattern that I have often seen in our ministry:

The longer one is a Christian, the more their life gets wrapped up in Christian activities and the more their circle of friends becomes exclusively Christian.

This is the typical pattern in most churches and Christian ministries. At first glance, it seems like a positive thing. Christian activities - worship services, Bible studies, prayer groups, accountability groups, etc. - provide valuable input. Christian friends are essential for spiritual growth.

The problem is that it doesn't take long for our focus (individually and corporately) to get turned inward rather than outward. The Christian life becomes about our spiritual "needs", our preferences, our comfort, our convenience. Relationships with those who don't share our spiritual convictions are sometimes left behind. We get so busy being religious with other religious people at our religious building that we forget that God never called us to that.

I'm always intrigued (and convicted) by the fact that the people most attracted to Jesus were the least religious while the Bible scholars of the day were the one's most opposed to him. Jesus didn't fit the way they thought a godly person should live - even though he was God in the flesh!

God has called us to live and minister as Jesus did - living out the Kingdom of God wherever he has placed us. Our call isn't just to invite people to our religious activities, but to follow Jesus' example of "incarnational" ministry - living out the reality of God's Kingdom in the world in which we live and demonstrating Christ's love and values to those around us.

Our Christian culture often works against this. We want our members to come to one more meeting, take part in one more Bible study, play on our ministry softball team, and patronize our Christian businessmen. We are so busy directing people to another Christian activity that soon there is hardly time for family, let alone time to know and care for those who aren't already in the group.

Our students are starting to get the idea. We don't want them to think about having another Bible study for their Christian friends, but to think in terms of missional and incarnational communities - groups of students who are living out the Kingdom of God where they are. They are seeking ways to serve and care and model Christ's values and life in their residence halls, labs, jobs, fraternities/sororities, etc.

Here is a short video by Jeff Maguire that does a good job of communicating the concept.

posted by Mike | 6/18/2010 03:07:00 PM | 0 comments

Wednesday, June 16

Leadership Thoughts: The Importance of the First Follower

One of the areas that I enjoy studying and writing about is leadership. Ideas about leadership often show up in this blog. This video by Derek Sivers presents some ideas on leadership and the way that movements happen that stretched the way I think about these issues.

Take three minutes and watch Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy.

Here are some of the key points that he makes:

The leader must be easy to follow and clearly show a path. He must welcome those who follow and include them as important parts of the movement. It's not about the leader. It's about them and what they are doing together. Therefore leaders need to nurture those who follow, making sure the focus is on the movement and not on the leader.

The key to what happens isn't the leader. It's the first follower. He shows the way and clears the path for others. As Sivers says, "The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire."

"A movement must be public. Make sure outsiders see more than just the leader. Everyone needs to see the followers because new followers emulate followers."

Sivers closes the video with these remarks:

"Leadership is over-glorified. Yes, it started with the shirtless guy, and he'll get all the credit, but you saw what really happened:

It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader. There is no movement without the first follower. We're told that we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective. The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow."

posted by Mike | 6/16/2010 02:07:00 PM | 2 comments

Monday, May 31

A Collection of Interesting Stuff

Happy Memorial day to all. As so many already have today, I want to start by saying "thank you" to all who have served to protect our nation and the things we love. Like you, I have friends and relatives who have sacrificed greatly for the freedoms that we enjoy. So "thanks" to all who served.

Below are a few interesting websites that I have seen over the past few weeks. I thought you might enjoy at least some of them.

************

Preaching has presented their list of the 25 Most Influential Pastors of the Past 25 Years. Do you disagree with any of the selections? Who would you add that isn't listed?

Along the same line, Time Magazine has listed their 100 Most Influential People. Again - do you agree, disagree? Who did they miss?

For those who like to travel, here is a list of Eight of the Weirdest Hotels on Earth. I think the one in Chile is the one I would most like to stay in. How about you?

I have always enjoyed the movie Mystery Men. Here is a story of some folks who have moved the movie to reality.

And, finally, a story for The Chronicle of Higher Education that I find personally affirming - The Trustworthiness of Beards.

posted by Mike | 5/31/2010 03:43:00 PM | 0 comments