Thoughts Along the Way

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

 

 Michael Armstrong

For over 27 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.

Friday, July 3

Erin's Wedding


Our summer of weddings is half way over. Last Saturday, Erin became Mrs. Rick Merrill in a beautiful outdoor ceremony on the hottest day of the summer. Though we sweat through the ceremony and the reception, it was a beautiful and joyous time with lots of family and friends from around the country.

Erin is the oldest of our two daughters - 26 and an RN at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. She is personable and caring, always willing to laugh and help. She has the perfect demeanor for a nurse and is great at her job (as the hospital where she works has realized). Rick loves her greatly (how could he not) and is attentive to her. He is working construction while taking college classes at night to finish his degree. I respect the way he is working hard to improve himself and their future. I also appreciate his efforts in his spiritual life over the past year and a half. Though he didn't grow up active in church, he has been attending church and a small group with Erin. When his class schedule interfered with his ability to be in the small group, he took the initiative to get the group time changed so that he could be a part of it.

We are happy for them. Please say a pray on their behalf as they start their lives together. And pray for Gina and I, too, as both of our daughters get married this summer and will soon be located several hours away from us. As Bob Dylan would say, "The times they are a changin."

posted by Michael T | 7/03/2009 03:00:00 PM | 0 comments

Monday, June 22

Spiritual Jazz

I'm attending a conference on spiritual formation this week. It is sponsored by Renovare', an organization founded by Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and others to teach and provide resources to churches, ministries, and individuals regarding spiritual disciplines and spiritual formation. I've chosen to be here as a part of my sabbatical - finding ways to enhance my personal spiritual formation and my ability to lead others in their development.

The main sessions feature some of the best contemporary writers in the area of spiritual formation: Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, John Ortberg, and others. Some are more dynamic speakers than others, but all have great content and the ability to help you think about issues from new perspectives.

Maybe my favorite session so far was a workshop called "Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith." It was led by Robert Gelinas, a pastor from Denver who recently wrote a book called Finding the Groove. I've not read the book, but the content of the workshop really resonated with me for a couple of reasons.

The is that I'm a jazz fan. I love listening to Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Count Basie, WyntonMarsalis, and others. I love the improvisation of jazz, how jazz musicians can take a basic melody and make it their own while staying in the framework of the key and ensemble. I love the way members of a good jazz band respond to one another and take turns passing the lead from person to person. There is structure, there is freedom, there is community, and there is individuality within jazz.

The other reason I resonated with the workshop is that I feel those things are often missing in the pre-packaged, program-oriented life of the church. We are often more like a marching band - straight lines, matching uniforms, and whole sections playing the identical notes while marching to make prescribed formations. We try to fit everyone into that framework, specifying how a Christian looks, thinks, acts, etc. There is often no room for improvisation or individuality. No freedom to express ones own creativity or the unique strengths we bring to the table.

These ideas are going to be bouncing around in my brain for a while and you'll be reading more about them, I'm sure. But I like the image of spiritual jazz.

posted by Michael T | 6/22/2009 11:09:00 PM | 1 comments

Sunday, June 21

An Athlete to Cheer For


One of the great things about being closely involved with track and field is not just the chance to get to know some outstanding athletes, but some incredible people. The sport is filled with men and women of great character. Unfortunately, most folks in the US - including sports fans - don't know much about our track and field athletes. They couldn't tell you who the stars are track and field (except for maybe an Olympic year) or who are the people of character (except for the occasional athlete caught using performance enhancing drugs). Though I could give you a whole list of great people worth your attention and applause, I want to highlight one for you. Bryan Clay.

You might recognize the name. After all, he won the Olympic gold medal last year in the decathlon. He has been on the Wheaties box. On Letterman and Leno and Oprah. Though I have officiated Bryan a few times, I don't know him well. But I do respect him. Not only as an athlete (and the decathlon is a great test of an athlete's strength, speed, and mental toughness), but also as a man of character and values. Here is a quote for a recent interview in the July addition of Track and Field News:

"I look at what I've accomplished and my goal always has been to create a platform to go out and relate the Kingdom of God.

I always tell people, 'I accomplished what I have on the track because I was a champion in life first.' It wasn't the other way around. I was able to do what I've done on the track because I took care of my responsibilities spiritually and also with my family. I give 100% to those areas. If I do that, it frees me - mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually - to give 100% to track and field.

I also believe you have to have balance. I always say my priorities are God first, family second and track third. That's my motto.

When I can put God first, it gives me the parameters, the focus, everything I need to make my family happy. Being the father and husband I need to be, making them happy, that allows me the freedom emotionally and physically to give 100% to the sport. If I have distractions in those other areas, then I can't give track 100%. So the priorities are very important and I really try to live my life by them."

So when you watch the US Championships this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (and you need to watch them), be sure and cheer for Bryan Clay. You can even follow him on Twitter: @bryanclay.

posted by Michael T | 6/21/2009 10:15:00 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, June 4

Retreating in Indiana


I'm spending a few days this week in Indiana at our annual retreat for campus ministers. Since 1983, we have been meeting at the Canyon Inn in McCormick's Creek State Park. It's a beautiful park with lots of trees and trails.

But the best part each year is just being with a group of folks who share a common passion for God's Kingdom and reaching college students. We are here from Florida to Wisconsin to worship, encourage one another, and prepare for future ministry. This year's speaker is Al Hirsch, one of the leading author's on missional church strategy - basically approaching our community as a mission field and building our ministry in a way that communicates with those who don't know Christ as opposed to building a ministry and expecting those who aren't Christians to adapt to us. He's doing a great job of helping us to think in creative ways about our culture and our ministries.

But I do feel a little old. I'm one of about six here who have been doing campus ministry for 20 years or more. There are more than that here who weren't born when I started in campus ministry! But there is a lot of enthusiasm, passion, and potential. The future looks good.

posted by Michael T | 6/04/2009 02:16:00 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, May 28

The Passing of a World Changer


Dr. Ralph Winter passed away a few days ago at the age of 84. Most people, even most who are deeply committed to Christ and his work in our world, won't recognize his name - even though Time named him as one of the 25 most influential Christians in the US just five years ago.

Dr. Winter spent his life as a missionary, a missions professor, and a "mission engineer." His wisdom and insights literally changed the way much of Christendom engaged in the work of cross-cultural ministry. In 1974, he introduced the concept of "unreached people groups" that changed the way people looked at the world. Throughout his ministry, he encouraged collaboration and cooperation among Christian groups to accomplish greater things for the glory of God. This is best seen in the US Center for World Mission, the organization that he established in Pasadena, CA as a hub of mission activity, research, strategy, and sending. Dr. Winter also developed Perspectives on the World Christian Movement - a college-level course on missions that has been taught to thousands of Christians in hundreds of locations across the US.

As with many Christian leaders today, I have been influenced by Dr. Winter's vision and insight and efforts. I have taken the Perspectives course and was stretched and encouraged by it. But I also had a couple of occasions to meet Dr. Winter and spend some time with him - listening to him teach, asking him questions, sitting at his feet. In both instances, his insights into Scripture and into our world changed the way I looked at our God, our mission, and my life and ministry.

Though we will mourn Ralph Winter's passing, the Kingdom of God is larger and more diverse because of his ministry and vision. In my mind, he was one of a handful of the most influential and important Christian leaders of the last fifty years.

You can read Dr. Winter's obituary here and John Piper's tribute to him (with a four minute video of Dr. Winter) here.

posted by Michael T | 5/28/2009 09:22:00 PM | 0 comments

Monday, May 4

Communicating with Restraint

"A man of knowledge uses words with restraint ..."
Proverbs 17:27


Those of us who are called to ministry are in the "communication business" in one form or another. I speak in front of large and small groups a few times every week, plus spend a few hours talking with folks one-on-one. And being in the "communication business", I find myself observing communicators. What makes them effective? What are the obstacles to effective communication?

Though I could write a long time on this, I just wanted to mention some things that I have noticed in others (and in me):

1. It is easy for those who speak to groups on a regular basis to think that they always have to say something, ignoring James' admonition to be "quick to hear, slow to speak."

2. The more comfortable one becomes in speaking to groups, the easier it is to talk more. A beginning preacher may struggle to put together a 15 minute talk. But before long, he will be struggling to keep a talk under 40 minutes.

3. Often a longer talk masks imprecision of thought. We exchange precision of thought and clarity of speech for more words. Saying more doesn't always mean that someone knows more. It just may mean that they don't know what they want to say or what they are talking about!

In light of those things, here are a couple of websites that I've come to enjoy because their purpose is to encourage clarity of expression in a minimum of words. Both are exercises in clarity of thought and expression. The first is One Sentence. (I learned about this site from a tweet posted by @mrskutcher.) The other is Six Sentences.

Another form of creative communication is poetry. I have never been disciplined enough to be a poet and I marvel at those who are gifted and committed to the art form. Here is a poem recently posted by a campus ministry friend of mine - Jim Schmotzer of Bellingham, WA. We also share a common love for baseball.

posted by Michael T | 5/04/2009 05:25:00 PM | 0 comments

Friday, April 24

I have a few minutes before I head to the track at the 100th Drake Relays, so I thought I would just post a few interesting items I have seen online over the past few weeks. Nothing too spiritual, but I hope you find them interesting ...

Here are some great photos of the Mall Vault we did in Des Moines on Wednesday night (courtesy of the Des Moines Register) ...

This is Tom Yarbrough's website. Tom was a student at the UofA and in ConC a few years back. I bought his music. Really good stuff ...

A list of the Top Ten "sporting gestures". Of course, it is in a British publication so far too many have to do with soccer and cricket ...

Odd body facts explained. Enough said ...

And, finally, if you didn't have enough to worry about with the economy and all - watch out for those killer Komodo Dragons ...

posted by Michael T | 4/24/2009 09:18:00 AM | 0 comments

Monday, April 13

Old Friends ... Priceless


Through our high school years, you could usually find the four of us together. Michael, Craig, Allen, and Mike. If we weren't playing on one of the Tiger athletic teams, we were playing penny-ante poker or cruising up and down National Avenue and playing the game "What would you do if ...?" There wasn't much else for high school guys to do in Fort Scott, KS back in the day.

It doesn't feel like it has been almost 32 years since the class of 1977 graduated. But it has. Two of us are over 50 and the other two will be soon. Over those years, life has taken the four of us in several different directions and over some rocky roads. There have been a lot of good choices, and some bad ones. We have buried parents. Some have buried children.

But after all of these years, we are still good friends. Last Friday, we got together for the Royals home opener in Kansas City and had a great time. We all have other friends, newer friends, and maybe even closer friends at this point in our lives. But we don't have friends who have the history that this group does - who know us and our histories, where we come from and where we have been. The relationships picked up where they were over 30 years ago. Some of the old stories came out, but it's more than that. We know that, after all of these years, if we need someone we are all just a phone call away and would do almost anything for each other.

Treasure your old friends. And if you haven't talked to them in a while, give them a call. They are a gift from God. I know that mine are.

posted by Michael T | 4/13/2009 05:50:00 PM | 0 comments

Friday, April 3

Always Being Prepared ...

"... always being prepared ..."
I Peter 3:15

Be prepared in season and out of season. When it is convenient and when it is not. When I am tired and when I am rested. When I am "on duty" and when I am "off." When I have another agenda and when I don't.

Be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have. To step through an open door. To share the Good News of Jesus. To pray for someone who is hurting. To serve someone who has a need. To say a word of encouragement. To share a word of instruction. To listen to someone tell their story. To set aside my agenda for a greater purpose. To hear the voice of God. To say "yes" to prayer. To say "no" to sin.

But I am far too often not prepared. I am often self-absorbed. I am often tired. I am often lazy. I am often unaware. I am often calloused of heart. I am often distracted. I am often disobedient. I am often sinful.

May I always be prepared for everything to which my Father calls me.

posted by Michael T | 4/03/2009 09:24:00 AM | 1 comments

Sunday, March 29

Setting the Compass

This is an expanded version of an article I posted on Crux - a blog for those in campus ministry.


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I'm a collector, of sorts. I collect compasses. It's not a very big collection. I only have about six of them. And though some of them look pretty cool, none of them are too expensive. But I do like compasses. I have a couple setting on my desk at the office. I have one on my desk at home. I have others sitting at various spots throughout the house.


A compass is all about direction. It's not so much about where you are at this moment in time, but about the direction in which you are heading to get to the place where you want to be. I need that reminder. In a world ruled by full inboxes, crowded calendars, and over-flowing "to-do" lists, it is easy to lose sight of where you want to be and wander from the direction that will get you there.


The longer I am in campus ministry, the more convinced I am that destination and direction are vital. One reason is that they can keep us from the comparison game: Is my ministry as big, as cool, or as effective as another? Many of us will never have large ministries with hundreds of people in attendance. But effectiveness in ministry isn't always determined by numbers. Though healthy ministries usually grow, there are many factors that influence the size of a ministry. A clear sense of destination and direction will help us focus on that to which God has called us.


Destination and direction are also more important than what is happening at any given time or in any specific year. If you have been in ministry very long at all, you have experienced the cyclical nature of the work. Some years you grow and some years you don't. Some years your leaders step up and do a great job and some years they get distracted or lazy. Some years you baptize people by the dozens and some years it seems that all the students you share the Gospel with have hearts of stone. Some years you will feel like you have this whole thing figured out and you should write a book about how to really do ministry. Some years you write about a half dozen different letters of resignation. But if I am more about destination and direction rather than the success or failure of the moment, I am better able to navigate the roller-coaster of ministry. I will be able to say "no" to the temptation to re-invent the wheel every year, trying to find the right formula. I will be able to express a clear and compelling vision of the purpose and progress of our ministry. And that vision will help me communicate to students, supporters, and potential supporters what the end goal is and how we are going to get there.


So how are you in defining the destination and direction of your ministry and casting a clear and compelling vision of it? What is the primary purpose of your ministry? Can you state it in a sentence that will excite and stir the imagination? If you fulfill God's vision for your ministry, what will that look like? What strategies will help you reach your destination? Are the programs and activities you are now doing moving you in the right direction? How will you know if you reach your destination? How will you know if you accomplish your purpose? What kind of qualities will let you know that you are fulfilling the mission to which God has called you?


So set your destination toward God's vision and purpose for your ministry. Keep moving in that direction.


And maybe put a compass on your desk.

posted by Michael T | 3/29/2009 09:46:00 PM | 0 comments

Monday, March 23

Interesting News on Religious Life in America

Interesting data from the Ivy Jungle Report:


Less Religious in America: A widely reported study by Trinity College (Connecticut) shows the US becoming less religious with 15% of Americans reporting no religious affiliation. Those without religion are the only group to have gained numbers in every state in the union. For the last 20 years, the percentage of Americans who consider themselves Christians has continued to drop. Denominational affiliation has taken an even greater hit. Now more than 8 million Christians claim to be non-denominational; up from 194,000 in 1990. The decline of religion can also be seen in the fact that 27% of the interviewees did not expect to have a religious funeral and 30% said their wedding was not a religious service. (collegenews.com March 12, 2009)

Creating Their Own Religion: A recent Barna update shows that Americans are more likely to create their own religious beliefs than follow an established set of beliefs from a church or denomination. By a margin of 3 to 1, (76% to 24%) respondents said they choose from a blend of ideas to describe their faith. This often leads to contradictory positions. 82% of those under 25 take this approach. Among "born again" Christians, 61% say they do so. (Barna Update 1/26/2009 quoted in Mission America Update February 2009)

Paths to Eternal Life: 65% of all Christians say there are multiple paths to eternal life. According to the Pew forum survey, a majority of Christians believe other religions such as Judaism, Islam, or no religion at all can lead to salvation. (Christian Post December 08 quoted in Mission America Update February 2009)

posted by Michael T | 3/23/2009 08:50:00 PM | 0 comments

Saturday, March 21

25 Years of Spring Break Trips


I'm home and my suitcase is unpacked from another Spring Break Mission Trip. From the first Christ on Campus trip in March of 1985, we have taken at least one Spring Break trip every year for the past 25 years. This was at least our 13th trip to Vida Nueva Ministries in Piedras Negras, Mexico.

This year's trip provided some unusual difficulties - especially a US State Department warning against traveling to Mexico! The University of Arkansas "helped" our cause by forwarding that to UofA students. All of that prompted some understandable parental concern. But after reading the warnings and talking with friends in Piedras Negras, we were confident that we were not taking any undue risks. The decision, however, did prompt some coverage by the local newspaper.

So why go? Is the cost, effort, inconvenience, and occasional risk worth it? Here are some of the reasons we feel these trips are important:

1. Some admittedly inexperienced help to the mission. Though we can't always accomplish much, we can provide manpower to advance some projects.

2. Some personal experience with an impoverished culture. Though Piedras Negras is in much better economic shape than it was fifteen or twenty years ago (thanks to NAFTA), as soon as you cross the border you realize that things are completely different than in the US. Driving through the outskirts of town to the ministry site provided a first-hand glimpse of life in poverty. Even though it is a short glimpse, and not close to what much of the world endures, it does begin to open the eyes of students to those in need and allows them to evaluate their standard of living.

3. Extended time away to focus on God and what he is saying to us. The highlight of this trip was the nightly times of worship and the devotions that students shared at lunch and each night. Removed from the distractions of classes, work, facebook, and television, we were better able to worship and listen and share and refresh ourselves spiritually, even while we were wearing ourselves out physically.

Most of the time, we breeze through our daily life and weekly worship and Bible study times without much thought. We don't reflect and we don't apply. We just go. We are most open to what God is saying and doing when we are taken out of our usual context and begin to look and listen in fresh ways.

These trips provide those opportunities. Over the past 25 years, students have been touched by God in dramatic ways. Some have accepted Christ. Some have changed their career goals. Some have gone into ministry or missions. Some have made choices to sacrificially use their resources to care for those in need and advance the work of Christ.

Students this week made some significant decisions that will affect their lives and the Kingdom of God for years to come. That's why we go. That's why we will continue to go.

posted by Michael T | 3/21/2009 11:18:00 PM | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 17

After ten years away ...

This week I'm back in Vida Nueva Ministries in Piedras Negras, Mexico for Spring Break. I first brought students here in 1987 when there was nothing but an empty field. We came back every year through 1999, digging and building and loving the people and the work they were doing.
But for a number of reasons, this is the first year we have been back since 1999. And so much has changed: more buildings, more children, a clinic, a school. But every where I turn on the campus, there are memories. Those who made decisions for Christ while we were here. Those whose hearts were opened to ministry and missions while we were here. Those who served with us here as students and are now with the Lord.
This year's group got here with some fear and trepidation. The US State Department didn't make it easy by posting a travel alert for Mexico. The University didn't help by forwarding it to our students. I dealt with several phone calls and emails from concerned parents (and understandably so). But we are in a safe place with people I trust completely. And God is blessing the trip. The weather has been great. The group has worked hard and have a great time together. This is the 25th year I've led a Spring Break mission trip and I can promise you that those aren't always the case.
Keep praying for us. Pray for our safe travel. Pray for the work of Jair and Norma Castillo and Vida Nueva Ministries. And pray for God to work in the hearts of our students as he has done in this place so many times in the past.

posted by Michael T | 3/17/2009 11:01:00 PM | 1 comments

Thursday, March 12

Making the Cut

I always hated those days when my girls were in junior high and high school. There may be no more "cruel" process than how most schools handle cheerleader and pom squad tryouts. The winners (and losers) were revealed on a list posted on the gym door for all to see. I can still remember the faces of those crushed by not being chosen - some of them year after year. Most of the time by girls made it. But not every time. And my heart hurt for their broken ones.

The daughter of a friend of mine experienced that last week. She had worked hard for years as a dancer to make her college's dance squad. And she is a great dancer - one of the best in the state. She had worked hard to be in the best possible condition. Everything was geared for success. But her name wasn't on the list.

While that drama was being played out last weekend, a series of Last Chance track meets were held around the nation. They serve one purpose - to give track and field athletes one last chance to qualify for the limited number of spots at this weekend's NCAA Indoor Championships at Texas A&M. They do the best they can, wait to see how everyone else does, and then wait some more to see who makes the cut and whose names are on the list. When the list came out on Monday, many discovered that their best wasn't good enough. They weren't on it. Some missed the cut by one-hundredth of a second or one centimeter.

These kinds of things make me appreciative of the grace of God all the more. No limited number of winners. No missing it by just a little. Because it isn't about how good I am or how perfect I become. It is about how perfect Jesus was and his death for me. It isn't about pleasing a God who is looking to only accept a few but about drawing near to a God who desires none to perish and all to be saved. Christianity isn't about what I do to be perfect, but about what Christ has done for me. It is about the grace of God expressed to us in Jesus. It is about my trust and faith in him, my obedient submission to him.

There is no cut to make. Just a gift to accept.

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

I'm not going to take my computer with me over Spring Break, so there probably won't be a blog post for a week or so. But I will be posting to Twitter, so look for me there!

posted by Michael T | 3/12/2009 07:56:00 AM | 0 comments