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

by John H. Armstrong

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”Too often, these words of Jesus from John 17:20-21 seem like an unreachable ideal. But in Your Church Is Too Small, John Armstrong shows that Jesus’ vision of Christian unity is for all God’s people across social, cultural, racial, and denominational lines.“With attention to his own pilgrimage and growth in ecclesial awareness, John Armstrong explores here the evangelical heart and ecumenical breadth of churchly Christianity. I am encouraged by his explorations and commend this study to all believers who pray and labor for the unity for which our Savior prayed.” – Timothy George, senior editor, Christianity Today.“Dr. Armstrong’s irenic approach should make it easy for Christians―whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant―to engage the challenging thesis of the book, while recognizing that there remain points of doctrine between them which will require further clarification. Anyone concerned about either evangelism or Christian unity should read this book, and take seriously its call for both mission and ecumenism.” – Fr. Thomas A. Baima, Provost, University of Saint Mary of the LakeJohn Armstrong is one of those Evangelical theologians―may their tribe increase and the valley abound with their tents―who know that full obedience to Christ embraces the historical transmission through which we know him. This book refuses to scale down the bearer of that tradition―the historical church, that is―or reduce the authority of its voice. – Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon, senior editor, Touchstone “It's a must for anyone who has grown weary with Christian divisiveness and schism and longs to discover ways of strengthening the bonds that unite us in the Spirit of Christ.”– Chuck Colson

Genres: Church, Theology

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 2010

Reviews

[Bob Hayton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many today agree that the evangelical church in America has problems. It has a consumeristic mentality catering to the pervasive individualism of our society. Church programs are offered, and sermon series advertised in such a way as to get people hooked on the "brand". Surveys and market research are conducted to find people's felt needs and deliver. And with such a cheapening of church, it's no wonder that counter movements abound in Christianity these days. Emergent, post-modern, missional -- you name it, people realize the current super-sized church is high on calories and low on nutrition. Many are just abandoning the ship altogether.

One such counter movement is described by John H. Armstrong in his new book Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission is Vital to the Future of the Church (Zondervan, 2010). He contends that a twin focus on mission and unity will heal the Church's woes. He calls this missional-ecumenism.

Many of the problems Armstrong sees in today's church are problems indeed. There is a high dose of sectarianism, and a low dose of biblical community. He reacts against the prevailing consumerism in churchianity. A return to the church's "ancient/future faith" with a focus on the value of church history and an appreciation of the Apostle's creed and other universally accepted creeds, he argues, will cure these ills.

Reacting to sectarianism in today's church, Armstrong encourages a relational unity flowing from our brotherhood and shared faith in Jesus Christ. He wants us to see past our differences, but does hold that these differences matter. Denominations are not a bad thing in his view, but we should reach beyond them and see our shared unity as the "one church" following "one Lord" and sharing "one baptism" and "one faith" (Eph. 4).

I can agree to an extent with all of this. I too see John 17 and Jesus' prayer for unity as being too easily dismissed in evangelicalism today. I think we need more charity, more grace, and a greater realization of how big our agreement is if we share in the core truths of the gospel. I agree that working together with other Christians and not viewing them as the enemy positively impacts our evangelism. I even share some of Armstrong's specific criticisms of the modern church.

Where Armstrong goes wrong, in my opinion, is jumping from the "one church" ideal in the NT, to affirming that the Catholic and Orthodox churches are part of that "one church" because they affirm the Apostle's Creed. In vain did I look for any discussion of the Reformation and why Rome really isn't advocating a false gospel when they do not preach justification by faith. Instead I found statements like this:

"My understanding of biblical oneness combines two commitments that are often considered separately. the first is a commitment to work in every conceivable way to demonstrate the God-given spiritual oneness I share with other believers through our union with Christ....

"But my second commitment goes even further. Many Protestant evangelicals are satisfied with informal person-to-person expressions of oneness. Because they tend to view the church as a voluntary association, they see no need to seek unity with other churches....

"This two-commitment approach... has practical consequences for those who consider themselves evangelicals. It means I can no longer be... anti-Catholic.... With deep conviction, I am compelled to regard both Catholics and the Catholic church with love and esteem." (pg. 60-61)

"...the Western church was torn apart by the Protestant Reformation. This movement challenged the Catholic Church to renew itself but resulted in in a massive schism leading to errors on every side. Eventually, these schisms resulted in the birth of several major divisions within historic Protestantism, leading to an endless variety of new churches built around human personalities and doctrinal differences." (pg. 89)

I appreciate the exhortation to unity and the admission that people who don't think like us may well be honestly following Christ. But I think Armstrong is advocating a dangerous course when he encourages us to just view all Catholics or Orthodox adherents as genuine Christians. At this point, I need to let Armstrong explain in his own words at some length.

"Privately, I hear people ask, "Who is a real Christian?" with regard to their own family members or members of their congregations (including pastors). If a Catholic becomes an evangelical, then those who remain Catholic are viewed by the "convert" as non-Christians....

"I am wearied by this attempt to say who is and is not a real Christian... I find it destructive of everything true to Christ's teaching. During my journey to catholicity, I made a conscious choice to give up this approach. After all, if a Christian is someone who has "the Spirit of Christ," then I do not know who truly has "the Spirit of Christ." Scripture further declares, "The Lord knows those who are his" (2 Timothy 2:19).... Real conversion and true faith are God's work. And since all three of the great traditions of Christianity teach that those who share in proclamation and participation must also have explicit living faith, I began to openly encourage explicit faith rather than wage attacks on others." (pg. 150)

I can't accept Armstrong's explanation here. Certainly a glib, non-chalant condemnation of others is wrong. I also believe there are many true believers that aren't Protestant. But I believe Scripture requires us to be more discerning and careful in this matter. I don't want to publicly affirm Catholicism's dangerous teachings about the gospel and the relative emphasis on Mary, works, confession, saints and things like that. Paul's concern for unity didn't prevent him from making strong condemnations of false doctrine, just see Galatians 1.

This book will stretch you and cause you to think. And much in the book is actually helpful and good. But I would encourage only a discerning use of the book by mature Christians.

[Peter Stonecipher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful and thought-provoking introduction to one approach to ecumenism.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever struggled with this issue of unity in the visible church (or perhaps you have tried to avoid it!) then I would suggest Armstrong's book as a good starting place for discussion. The "smallness" to which Armstrong refers in his title is not about the size of the local congregation, but the narrow view of what the word "church" means. Mostly aimed at Protestants but encompassing the two other main streams of Christianity (Catholic and Orthodox), the book acts as a guide for how to think historically and Biblically about church unity.

One of the first things that struck me about this book is the personal investment of the author in this quest for unity in Christ's mission. This is not just a book of abstract theological ideas, but is grounded in Scriptural principles he lives out among Christians from various backgrounds. I found his own story mirrors my own in some ways, and appreciate that he comes from a tradition that has a high view of Scripture. Refreshingly, he seeks to restore balance between truth and unity, not favor one at the expense of the other. This is not some feel-good ecumenism of the last century, but one rooted and grounded in the historical creedal confessions of the early church.

The book is divided into three sections, covering the past (Armstrong's own personal journey and the church's historical unity), the present (where we are now and some of the reasons behind why we are so divided), and the future (some ideas on where the church is headed and a new paradigm of how we might get there). Each chapter ends with helpful questions that expand on and personalize his points rather than just rehashing them.

He begins by reminding the reader of the catholicity of the church --the quality of universality in which the church spans thousands of years and exists in all parts of the world. Sadly, this has been forgotten or ignored in many evangelical circles who believe their local, contemporary expression is the one "true" church.

According to Armstrong, the starting point for unity should be a return to classical definitions of Christianity (what has been called paleo-orthodoxy), especially as defined by the early confessions of the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds. By confessing "one holy and apostolic church," believers align themselves with the historic faith. In addition, reading the early church fathers reminds us that we face many of the same issues today, while their writings continually point us back to Scripture as the basis for unity. Another strength of the book is that it introduces the reader to theologians and thinkers from all three major Christuan traditions.

Overall, I think there is much to praise in this book and would recommend it to anyone who seeks to work harmoniously with other Christians. What I appreciate most about Armstrong's book is that it is not intended to be a 5 step "this is how to achieve unity" type of work; instead, this book is a platform on how to begin thinking about ways we can reach out to other Christ-followers in our community.

[Jared Totten · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lack of unity within Christianity—by it's broadest defintion—has long been a point of tension for believers and a point of ridicule for nonbelievers. I myself have felt this tension, and John Armstrong addresses it in Your Church Is Too Small. The divisions between Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant (and the further denominational splits therein) can feel a far cry from the unity of believers one might expect after reading through the New Testament. I speak of those three branches of Christianity because those are the groups Armstrong is addressing. Yet the simple fact is that everyone under the broad umbrella of Christianity—branch, denomination, and individual alike—must first determine what Scripture considers the true believers and the church before we can work towards unity within it.



And here, it seems, we find the sticking point for many both today and throughout Christian history. The simple definition—and Armstrong's most often used definition—of the genuine believers would be those who have trusted Christ for salvation and have received the gift, promise, and seal of the Holy Spirit. Yet, for all it's objectivity according to Scripture, those objective marks remain unseen and unavailable to us in our pursuit for unity.



He also suggests that all three branches of Christianity share a core orthodoxy, or "core truths shared by all Christians everywhere". But even here there seems to be a wide variation among the understandings and applications. Indeed, I would suggest that the divergent understandings of these core truths are actually a contributor to our lack of unity, not a step toward the solution. We are united in Christ, yet we cannot ignore doctrine or core truth because by it we learn and understand how we are united to Christ. Moreover, one cannot even communicate the Gospel absent of doctrine, core truth and orthodoxy.



If we consider the example that the apostles modeled for us, they called for and pursued unity. They seemed to encourage unity in fellowship even when there was not unanimity in beliefs. Yet at times they too disassociated from—even attacked—certain teachers and sects.



I feel Armstrong made one of his strongest points when he differentiated between unity and unanimity. While I don't have unanimity with my denomination, my church or even my pastor, there is certainly a strong sense of unity. This same unity minus unanimity would do well to grow between denominations and beyond.



So I am sympathetic to Armstrong's position in his desire for unity. I am grateful for the conversation he is engaging in. I hope this book serves to temper the backbiting, the bickering, the theological grandstanding that makes the Church look infantile in the eyes of the world. I pray Your Church Is Too Small will contribute to a stronger and more winsome—and not a watered down or compromised—Gospel.



This book was a free review copy provided by Zondervan Books.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next week, I'll be meeting with a couple pastors and friends from our little town in North Carolina. We'll be a diverse little group, but we will be exploring ways to work together in our town, to present a united witness, as well as create a network of Christians who can respond to needs and hurting people within our own community.

Now, I'm naturally a shy and retiring person. I'd rather write about this, than actually do it. What would motivate me to do this? Well, John H. Armstrong's new book, Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission is Vital to the Future of the Church, would! I didn't actually get the idea from Armstrong (I heard about a similar group in Colorado), but Armstrong confirmed my resolution, and gave me a solid kick in my sectarian, Reformed rear-end.

This a fantastic book! This week marks the official "blog tour" for the book. You can find other reviews at the Koinonia blog.

Here are some highlights:

"My thesis is simple: The road to the future must run through the past" (17). Armstrong is concerned with recovering a true sense of "catholicity," a vision we share at the Reformed Liturgical Institute.

"True Christian faith is not found in personal religious feelings but in the historical and incarnational reality of a confessing church. Therefore, if we refuse to come to grips with our past, our future will not be distinctively Christian. The result will be new forms of man-made religion that embrace recycled heresies" (18).

Armstrong chronicles his journey into greater catholicity. He stresses the theological and Biblical mandate for unity, and shows how this unity must be Trinitarian--unity in diversity. While Armstrong appreciates the aspects of the "Great Tradition" preserved in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox communions, he does not surrender Reformed distinctives.

What is most encouraging are the stories of actual churches working together in their towns, guided by a shared love of Christ, and motivated by the Spirit that brings ultimate unity (Ephesians 4:4-5).

There are many details to consider, and much more work to be done in this area. Armstrong doesn't claim to have all the answers. But, he does believe that Jesus actually wants a unified people, and he shows how this is our ultimate apologetic (Jn. 17:22-23). For this, we should all be grateful.

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

God bless John Armstrong. I've read his stuff for years, and this I think may be his best book. In this book he reveals his passion for ecumenism and the unity of Christians together. He is sick and tired, as many of us are, with the constant in-fighting that goes on in the church. As a counter-vision to the bickering sects and denominations, he insists that mutual Christian love and unity has a very real effect on the effectiveness of our evangelism, witness and mission to the world. The world looks on and sees that we hate each other and dismisses the whole church as false because Christ told us that we must be one just as He and the Father are one, "so the world may know" the truth of the Christian faith. In other words, our unity is vital to our mission in the world. The more unity and love we have with one another, the more the world looks at us and thinks, "you know, there is something to that." A much needed book, and just as good as John Frame's now long-out-of-print book Evangelical Reunion. Get it, read it.

[Clifton Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Jesus prayer in John 17 says, "that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me...", then why are there so many church splits? Does knowing the truth mean that we ought to be divisive or should God's truth humble us to pursue understanding and unity? If we care about the mission of Christ, then we would care about being ecumenical with churches that are not apart of our denomination. Most church cultures can emphasis non salvific issues to the detriment of church unity in the eyes of a watching world desperately in need of Jesus. Armstrong seek to short this out by challenging readers and pastors to practice everyday ecumenicism for the sake of more people being reached for Christ.

[Adam Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review at is on my blog in three parts
Part 1 at http://bookwi.se/your-church-is-too-s...
Part 2 at http://bookwi.se/your-church-is-too-s...
Part 3 at http://bookwi.se/your-church-is-too-s...

Short review: This is a book that anyone that is interested in the church should read. It really spends time thinking about how the church can think about itself and how to fully follow Christ, the church needs to pay attention to all of its brothers and sisters in Christ (catholic, protestant and orthodox.)

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to qualify by saying- I would have liked to give this book 5 stars, but then you would all rush out to read it and might be disappointed. That being said the topic/point of the book is a 5. But the writing bogged down a little. It was a little redundant, and not enough specific examples, or details about his own experiences.
Mainly, I think you should read it because I think "Your church is too small".

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of great points in the book. On some level this book seemed to be written more to the boomers and the builders who have created the many different arms of the church. Today's generation doesn't seem to be quite as entrenched in the schisms of the church. And yet there were some good points.

[Eric Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

See review here http://www.ecrosstexas.com/blog/2010/...