October – December 2010

Volume 11, No. 3

Viewpoint
ACT 3 is a ministry to equip leaders for unity in Christ’s mission.
www.act3online.com • www.johnharmstrong.com

The ACT 3 Vision Grows and Develops

Prayer Notes John H. Armstrong

• Please take the schedule and pray for

The vision of ACT 3 grew and developed over the course of my lifetime. I have
John and Tom for their public events, documented something of this story in Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ’s
speaking and wider ministry to the Mission Is Vital to the Future of the Church (Zondervan, 2010). It can also be seen in our 30-
public. minute video which is online and available on a free DVD.
• Pray for Tom and John as they meet I want to summarize my vision so that my friends can understand the pulse of this
with various leaders to “listen” and
unusual, Spirit-directed mission.
ask, “How is the Holy Spirit guiding us
and the work of ACT 3 in the coming During college I experienced a season of campus revival (February, 1970). I then began
years?” graduate study and became a church planter when church planting was just beginning
• Pray for Tom as he coaches leaders to gain prominence in the North American church. In 1976 I came back to Wheaton
and serves on several missional-
ecumenical boards and ministries.
Pray for his preaching in chapel at Continued on page 2
O’Hare Airport. Pray for his wife Joan
and two daughters, Ashley and Chloe.
• Pray for John as he tries to research
and write each day. He writes a 1,200-
word article each week and five to
seven blogs ranging from 300-800
words. A new book is in the works
but little has been done on actual
writing. Pray he can begin and make
great progress this fall/winter.
• Pray for John’s continued strength
and for Anita and the Armstrong’s
two children, Matt and Stacy, and
their mates, Adriana and Jason.
• Pray for both John and Tom as they
seek to minister effectively to their
own neighborhoods.
• Pray that Tom and John will sense
the breeze of the Spirit in their sails
as they seek to understand what the
Holy Spirit is saying to them about
ACT 3 and how to glorify God with
this mission for the whole church. Abbie, John’s granddaughter, helping people buy books at the March event.
The book is dedicated to Abbie. Insert: John signing his book.

Equipping Leaders for Unity in Christ’s Mission

 The ACT 3 Vision Grows and Develops continued from page 1

and ended up “re-planting” a church after
it was broken by division in 1978-79.
From there I began to envision a way to
get pastors together for regular prayer,
conversation and shared ministry (1981).
These groups were called Whitefield
Ministerial Fellowships. Several still exist
without relationship to me.
In 1991 I sensed God calling me to
devote more time to renewing the
church. By early 1992 I left my sixteen-
year pastorate and, on faith, launched this
mission. In the early years I spoke at many
conferences and large churches but my
vision was still growing into maturity. I
longed to see renewal, but I also began
to understand that such a renewal
needed a new shape. I saw this renewal
as “ancient-future” in its orientation. I also
saw that both the primacy of Scripture
and the indispensable significance of
Christian tradition could work side-by-
side in helping the church engage in the
missional mandate of Jesus to live as a
“sent community” (John 20:21). All of this
came to bear on my vision for renewal
in the twenty-first century, a century of
post-Christendom.
Transitioning from a medium-sized
mission—directly focused on my writing,
speaking at conferences and preaching
at large churches—to a mission laser-
focused on “equipping leaders for unity
in Christ’s mission” presented some real
challenges. Here are only a few:
1. How do you help people grasp that
the old paradigm of Christendom
(and denominations) is dying and the
future of the church will/must be very
different from the past?
2. How do you teach leaders to exegete
Scripture and culture in new ways that
center on narrative and right-brain
creativity while at the same time they
remain faithful to classical Christianity?
3. How do you build partnerships with
leaders, churches and missions that
share a view of mission and unity
working closely together in order
to form a powerful new (ancient)
apologetic that we discover in John
17:20−23?
4. How can we find the necessary
financial support for ACT 3 since it is a
decentralized organization and intends
to remain lean and totally committed
to spreading this viral idea about the
future? We do not need huge sums of
money but we need faithful “pioneers”
who will invest in helping us move
forward to unexplored territory while
the “settlers” wait behind to figure out
what is happening.
5. Can real life leaders be equipped
through coaching and mentoring to
become the leaders of church next?
Sixteen months ago a good friend,
Rich McDaniel, asked if he could read my
book in manuscript. When he finished
he wrote me a few days later to ask
how he could get more involved in this
vision. I began to meet with Rich when
he could get to Chicago. He told me that
he believed there was a lot more in this
book’s message than most would grasp,
but that a few divinely-chosen leaders
would grasp the “big idea” of my message
and want to act upon it. He then asked if
I was ready to respond to a divinely given
opportunity. I honestly said, “No.” We have
no money, I have very little energy and I
have no one to carry this vision with me
in the day-to-day work.
Fast forward to April, 2010. Tom Burns,
whose biography is in this issue of

N
ow the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we Viewpoint, read my book and met me at
Moody Church at a Whitefield Fellowship.
let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we
A conversation began. A coach, and
shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always has highly-trained Christian leader, was in the
existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind process of being called to serve with me.
We had no money but God had our man.
of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and
I had very little faith but God was in this
the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in process, again doing the utterly surprising
order to spread to other men the kind of life He has—by what I call “good things I have seen over a lifetime. ACT
3 clearly had a future. It seems that this
infection.” Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of
future will be nothing like what I had in
becoming a Christian is simply nothing else. mind in 1991, yet in every conceivable
Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis way it is precisely what was in my heart
all the way back in the revival of 1970. Soli
Deo Gloria.

2 Viewpoint • October – December 2010


All growth in the
spiritual life is connected
with a clearer insight
into what Jesus is to us.
The more I realize that
Christ must be all to me
and in me and that all
in Christ is for me, the
more I learn to live the
true life of faith, which in
dying to self lives wholly
in Christ. The Christian
life is no longer the vain
struggle to live right,
but resting in Christ and
finding in Him as our
life, to fight and gain the
victory of faith.
–Andrew Murray
Equipping Leaders for Unity in Christ’s Mission
A Financial Update
Like most small missions we have experienced a significant loss of income during the
recession. We have all learned to live with considerably less income. We have adjusted
expenses and events to be as low cost as possible and we have cut back on producing
things we cannot afford. This effort has extended from cutting the smallest expenses to
shopping vigorously for the lowest price. We know many of you have experienced the
same challenge.
What we need more than ever are faithful, regular donors. Our donors give from $10
a month to $500 a month. Most give $25, $50 and $100 a month. Some give gifts of $500
or $1,000 once or twice a year, but larger gifts are almost unheard of most months of the
year.
The very best way that you can help us is by using our secure Web site donation
feature. We had some problems in the past but we have solved them and this feature
works very well and is totally secure. Consider using it at: www.act3online.com.
If you still prefer giving by check, make it out to ACT 3 and mail to: P. O. Box 88216,
Carol Stream, IL 60188.
We are truly grateful for every donor and every friend who prays for us. Please help
us “equip leaders for unity in Christ’s mission.” We believe this vision is essential to renewal
in our time and that the seed we sow now will bear a harvest, very likely long beyond
our respective lifetimes.
Opportunities to Volunteer
We can use volunteers to help us with our various events. We need people to help set
up, serve, etc. We need you to help us invite others to share in these small events. We
also need a few Web helpers who could serve us in several ways. Contact Tom Burns
at: tomburns@ymail.com if you are interested.
ACT 3 Leaders Luncheon Forum
Jordan Ballor, research fellow at the You are welcome to
Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, come but it helps
Michigan, will speak at our final ACT us a great deal if
3 Forum for 2010. He will address you register since
the topic: “Ecumenical Babel: we must plan for a
How Ideology Destroys Biblical catered meal. The
Ecumenism” at St. Paul United cost is $15 if you
Jordan Ballor
Church of Christ in Bloomingdale can afford it. Sign
at 11:45 a.m. This event is designed up at www.act3online.com or by calling
for both pastors and other leaders. 630-221-1817.
3
 Upcoming Events

The times and locations of these various

events can be found at www.act3online.com
Tom Burns: Our New Executive Director
and registration for those events marked with
an asterisk (*) can be completed online or by
calling 630-221-1817 during business hours. ACT 3 is pleased to introduce to our pastor, Dr. Hutz Hertzberg, now senior
friends Tom Burns, our new executive associate pastor at Moody Church.) Tom
october 17 director. Tom’s story will be told more in is active in the Barrington Area Ministerial
Trinity Lutheran Church the months ahead but we want you to Association and Christ Together, a
Worship at 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Findlay, Ohio get to know a little about him. missional network of churches in Lake
Tom lives in suburban Chicago, in Lake County, Illinois. Tom serves as Vice
october 18
Barrington. After a 30-year career in the Chair of the Board of Directors for Love
Annual Ritz Lecture Series
10:00 a.m. − 5:30 p.m. computer and the telecommunications INC (In the Name of Christ) Southwest
Winebrenner Theological Seminary industries, including serving as Vice Lake County (IL): “Bringing Churches
Findlay, Ohio
President with Ameritech and two Together—Helping People in Need.”
October 21 internet “dot com” startups, Tom began Tom’s commitment to serve ACT 3
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John a “second half” of kingdom service. In allows him to work in partnership with
7:00 p.m. − 8:30 p.m.
St. Paul United Church of Christ January 2004, he left the corporate world a mission that perfectly expresses what
118 S. First Street • Bloomingdale, IL
and entered Trinity Evangelical Divinity he was already attempting to do when
OCTOBER 26 School, receiving the Master of Divinity he met John in May: “Equipping leaders
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John degree in 2006. Tom was sure that God for unity in Christ’s mission.” Tom says he
2:30 p.m. − 4:00 p.m.
had not called him to a more traditional was doing three things in his day-to-day
Coffee at Starbucks
1681 S. IL Rt. 59 • Bartlett, IL pastoral role and thus continued to mission and all three fit perfectly with
explore several avenues of service over the ACT 3 vision. Our board agreed and
November 1*
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John the past three years. invited Tom to serve on the ACT 3 team
7:00 p.m. − 8:30 p.m. After completing his Master of Divinity this summer. One of the more amazing
St. Paul United Church of Christ
118 S. First Street • Bloomingdale, IL
Tom became a Christian Leadership parts of tis story is that we have no salary
Coach, working with Christian business to offer Tom, but he felt called to serve
November 3* executives and church leaders. In and will wait on the Lord’s provision as he
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John
7:00 p.m. − 8:30 p.m.
addition, he became a missional church leads us.
Lutheran Church of the Master planter in his neighborhood and also Tom and his wife Joan have two
580 Kuhn Road • Carol Stream, IL
serves as Chaplain at O’Hare Airport daughters – Ashley, a junior at Hope
November 5* Chapel. (The chapel program at O’Hare College and Chloe, a senior at Barrington
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John is overseen by John’s former assistant High School.
2:30 p.m. − 4:00 p.m.
Coffee at Caribou
3689 Main Street Commons • St. Charles, IL
(Across from Charlestown Mall)

November 9*
ACT 3 Luncheon Forum
“Ecumenical Babel: How Ideology
Destroys Biblical Ecumenism”
Jordan Ballor, Research Fellow, Acton Institute
St. Paul United Church of Christ
118 S. First Street • Bloomingdale, IL

November 16*
ACT 3 Vision: Tom Burns & John
11:45 a.m. − 1:00 p.m.
South Holland, IL

december 13–15
Biblical Theological Seminary
Monday Luncheon & Teaching
Hatfield, PA Left to right: Chloe, Joan, Tom and Ashley Burns