Monthly Archives: December 2013

Christmas presents, without the Christmas Presence (Emmanuel — “God with us”), miss the whole point of Christ*mas!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Click on the link to read . . . 21 exciting blog posts about Christmas

Posted in blog, blogs about Christmas, God with us, Happy Holidays, holiday, holiday hype, Holiday season, holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' birthday, Merry Christmas, reason for living, Reason For The Season | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Church, Jesus, and the Father’s business

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Steve Simms

“I must be about my Father’s business.” –Jesus We’ve all been told to “Mind your own business,” but whose business should a church (or ministry) mind?  If a church (or ministry) is really dedicated to God, shouldn’t it operate according … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible quotes, Biblical concept, control, I must be about my Father's business", Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus quotes, Jesus' hands, Mind your own business, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville news, organic church, pastor, preacher, priest, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

“God talks” or “God talks”? (“Talks” as a noun or as a verb?)

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

What if Jesus intended church to be a community of loving believers, instead of a series of weekly lectures?  What if instead of listening to a man’s sermonic God talks, church was originally designed by Jesus for you to listen … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, God talks, grammar, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, organic church, praise and worship, religion, religious innovation, religious talks, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, Tennessee, The Voice, understanding nouns, verbs, voice of God, worship, worship center, worship gathering, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

3 Thought-provoking questions . . .

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

What if Jesus intended church to be a community of loving believers, instead of a series of weekly lectures? What if leadership is more effective by example rather than by title or office or position? Perhaps that is what God … Continue reading →

Posted in church leadership, community, pro choice, pro life, prochoice, sermon series, sermon-hearing, sermons, spiritual leaders, unborn | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Christmas Without Chirst, Treason To The Season?

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Steve Simms

Treason to the season? Since Christmas is all about Christ and His birth (and is even named after Him); and since Christ is the very reason for the season, doesn’t that mean that leaving Christ out of Christmas is treason … Continue reading →

Posted in birth of Christ, Christ, Christmas is about Jesus, Christmas shopping season, Christmas story, Christmas traditions, Happy Holidays, holidays, holy, holy season, international holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' birthday, winter holidays, Yule tide | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Holiday Season — Celebrating the glorious value of an inconvenient, out of marriage, unplanned pregnancy!

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in birth of Christ, Christ, Christmas gifts, Christmas giving, Christmas is about Jesus, Christmas story, Jesus, Jesus Christ, marriage, marriage debate, Mary mother of Jesus, Mother Mary, unplanned pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, virgin Mary | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Fresh/New/Original Christmas/Holiday Greetings

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

Do you ever get tired of the same ole Christmas/Holiday greetings?  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons’ Greetings are nice, but somehow lack the pazazz that a holiday of such significance deserves.  So here are some fresh, new and original Christmas … Continue reading →

Posted in Bethlehem, birth of Christ, birthday, Christ, Christmas greeting, Christmas is about Jesus, Christmas story, Christmas traditions, Happy Holidays, holiday, holiday hype, Holiday season, holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is alive, Jesus' name, Messiah, Reason For The Season | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Realty TV / Reality Church . . .

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

Reality church? We have reality TV that features ordinary people. So, why not reality church, where everyday people show and tell why God has done? When church is scripted, the freedom to flow in the Spirit is restricted to the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Andy Chamberlain, C. Wess Daniels, Constance M. Cherry, experiential worship, Fuller Seminary, Music City, Nashville, new kind of church, New Testament, open church, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, participation, participation in church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, passivity, pastor, popular culture, quotation, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Ryan Bolger, Ryan Flanigan, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, television, TV, TV network, William Willimon, worship, worship center, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

When church is scripted, the freedom to flow in the Spirit is restricted to the agenda. When church is spontaneous, the Holy Spirit can break out in glorious demonstrations of His power and presence.

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in church program, church programs, church services, order of worship, participation, participation in church, participatory church, scripted, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual flow, spiritual innovation, spiritual life, spiritual movement, spontaneity, worship, worship gathering | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Church isn’t lessons to be learned by lecture; but life being lived together.

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in church format, church leadership, church program, church programs, church services, lecture, led by the Spirit, lessons, life, life together, life transforming, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, non-traditional church, one another, one anothering, one anothers, simple church, speech making, speeches | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment