Monthly Archives: September 2014

Soccer church? Or American football church?

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

  American football style church = the quarterback (pastor) is responsible for getting the ball (the Gospel) to others. Soccer style church = any player can move the ball and/or pass it to others.

Posted in church community, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, interactive church, interactive learning, interactive sermons, interactivity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, pastor, quarterback, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Real War is Spiritual (Not Physical) Warfare

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

In all of the clamor for war and more war, we need to boldly take up the weapons of spiritual warfare and confront the powers of spiritual darkness like never before –confessing our sins, repenting, fasting, praying, humbling ourselves, forgiving … Continue reading →

Posted in prayer walking, prayer walking with The Salvation Army Flag, praying, spiritual authority, spiritual power, spiritual weapons | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Religion/Grace/Church Without Laymen

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

Religion asks: “What’s the least I can do and still go to Heaven?” —Recipients of grace ask: “What’s the most I can do to love, honor, serve, and obey the One who died on the Cross to save me from … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, cross, equality, going to Heaven, grace, grace card, grace definition, grace of God, inequality, lay speakers, lay testimonies, layman, laymen, laywomen, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, royal priesthood, simple church, sin, Spirit prompting | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

American Oxymoron, ISIS Videos, Prenatal Dismemberment

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

1 observation, 2 questions, and a Mother Teresa quotation: An American oxymoron:  Our society advocates both prenatal care and prenatal killing. If ISIS made and posted a video of a pro-choice, prenatal dismemberment, would that shock people enough to cause them to … Continue reading →

Posted in American, injustice, insight, Iraq, ISIS video, justice, observation, peace, questioning, questions, quotation, Quotations, quote, right to choose, right to life, rights, war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christaholics Out Of The Closet, Shouting It From The Housetops

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

What if salvation isn’t an emotional experience with God at an altar?  What if it isn’t choosing to respond to an altar call and/or repeating a prayer that someone else feeds you the words? What if , instead, salvation is an ongoing, … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, Catherine Booth, Christaholic, COC, early Christians, early church, founding of the church, Galilee, Jerusalem, out of the closet, prayer, Quotations, quote, Quotes, renewal, revival, salvation, Salvation Army, Salvationism, Salvationists, shout it from the housetops, Son of Man, thrust the truth, what does it mean to be saved | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Did Catherine Booth encourage Quaker-style meetings?

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

For almost 7 years, we at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville, TN have (instead of a 1-man sermon) been having participatory, Quaker-style, Sunday morning worship meetings where everyday people show and tell what God has done. … Continue reading →

Posted in aggressive Christianity, Friends meeting, Friends' worship, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville streets, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, Quaker light, Quaker worship, Quotations, quote, street talk | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The world’s most exciting sport!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Steve Simms

What is the most challenging and exciting sport in the world? –Playing follow the leader with the living, resurrected Jesus Christ! However, it’s not the world’s most popular sport.  Most people haven’t even heard about it. People have heard about … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 9:24, 21st Century, Apostle Paul, Bible, challenging, Christianity, everyone who competes in the games, follow the leader, Paul of Tarsus, red letter, spiritual exercises, sport, world's most exciting sport | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Miracle Sign On A Coke Can

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

I saw a miracle sign on a Coke can! Last week I got a phone call saying that my mother, who is in a nursing home, needs to be on hospice care. When I hung up I was strongly feeling … Continue reading →

Posted in comfort, comfort for grief, death and dying, Diet Coke, God, God is able, God talks, God with us, God's presence, God's voice, grief, hearing God, losing a loved one, Mom, sickness, sign from God | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

1 Man Can’t Reflect The Body Of Christ — It Takes A Village

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

1 man can’t reflect the body of Christ.  That takes a village. Christ-followers are puzzle pieces, each picturing a particular part of Christ. When a group gathers and each person present is allowed to openly participate and share his/her part, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Head of the church, participatory church, Protestant, Protestant Reformation, Team Church, telling their stories, testifying, the pope, the Western church, think outside the bun, types of church, unprogrammed church, unscripted church, ways of doing church, Western Christianity, Western religion, Western society, What is the true church?, why go to church, worship, worship service, you can all prophesy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The ebola outbreak and the ISIS crisis are shouting out: “Now is the time to GET RIGHT WITH GOD!”

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in current events, ebola outbreak, ebola virus, health, health care, radical Islam, terrorism, West Africa | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment