Monthly Archives: March 2012

What’s the purpose of a church meeting? According to the New Testament the goal of a church meeting is not to listen to a featured preacher, but to bring together a group of hungry seekers who support, challenge, and share God’s love with one another. (See I Corinthians 14:26)

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

Experience I Corinthians 14 26 in action (“26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.”) at The Salvation Army … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, congregational, early church, East Nashville, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Power Of Hearing Your Name

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

Sometimes I tell God; “Lord, I love you,” and then I hear these words in my spirit; “I love you, Steve Simms.”  Am I crazy?  Not according to the Bible. Four different people, in chapters 9 & 10 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, Ananias, ancient history, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, church history, conversion, Cornelius, courage, Damascus, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, Gentile, gift of God, glory, God, God's government, guidance, hate, hate speech, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jewish, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Mary Magdalene, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, Paul of Tarsus, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, repent, revelation, Roman, salvation, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, Syria, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, vision, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

How To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day . . .

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

According to his own words, here’s the best way to celebrate Patrick, the mighty man of God who brought Christ to Ireland and transformed a nation: 1)  See your sins in the Light, experience godly sorrow for them, then go … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, ancient history, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blessings, challenges, Christ, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, college, courage, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, holy, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, house church, Ireland, lifestyles, miracles, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, participatory church, popular culture, prayer, proof of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, resurrection, salvation, Scriptures, shamrock, simple church, Spirit-led, St. Patrick's Day, tebow, tebowing, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tim Tebow, Uncategorized, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I Deal In Idealism (Asking “Why Not” Instead Of “Why”?)

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

I deal in idealism.  I guess this George Bernard Shaw quote (often mistakenly attributed to Robert Kennedy) says it best: “Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, compassion, conscience, consciousness, crying, deciision making, download, dream, feelings, George Bernard Shaw, guidance, hearing God, hope, human rights, ideal, idealism, meaning, moral principles, morality, morals, motivation, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, nonviolence, peace, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, revelation, Robert Kennedy, self-help, sobriety, stuff, supernatural, thoughts, trust, values, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Bud’s Boldly Chasing Manning, But As For Me . . .

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

Observing the media circus of Bud Adams & the Tennessee Titans in hot pursuit of Peyton Manning makes me wonder . . . What would it be like if a group of people in Nashville began to publicly pursue Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bud Adams, Christ, Christianity, East Nashville, football, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, media circus, Nashville, National Football League, NFL, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, Peyton Manning, popular culture, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, Super Bowl, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Drenched With God / Soaked With HIs Presence

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you . . .”  As I read those words yesterday morning, the picture of a man drenched with water popped into my mind.  I’ve always thought about the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, acts of God, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church history, early church, evidence for God, General Linda Bond, gifts of the Spirit, glory, God, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, kingdom of God, movement, mystery, mysticism, New Testament, normal Christianity, Oh my God, organic church, powerhouse, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, religion, revelation, sermons, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Salvation Army, tradition, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

WWJDIYC? What would Jesus do in your church?

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

If Jesus visited the church you attend one Sunday morning, what would He do? Preach or weep? Congratulate everyone on the service or turn over tables and pews? Cast out demons or be asked to quietly leave? Sit down and talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christian, Christianity, hearing Jesus, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, presence of Christ, religion, repent, Savior, sermon, simple church, tears, the way we do church, Uncategorized, values, Western religion, WWJD? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

PP Church — A Power House & A Pillar Of Fire

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church be more than people passively watching a program?  I found two quotations that say that church should be “a pillar of fire” and a “powerhouse.” “The Christian Church should be a pillar of fire leading the peoples of … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, ambulance corps, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, early church, East Nashville, Helen Shoemaker, history, Holy Spirit, house church, lifestyles, miracles, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, powerhouse, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, Samuel A. Eliot, simple church, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, Uncategorized, What is church?, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments