Monthly Archives: July 2026

This Surprise Wasn’t Fiction

Posted on July 31, 2026 by Steve Simms

A Great Surprise (Part 10 of “The Misunderstanding of Christianity”) After 5 1/2 years of my working at The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) and 3 years of Ernie serving as the Director of their Nashville community center, a … Continue reading →

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Find God’s Reasons for What You’re Going Through

Posted on July 30, 2026 by Steve Simms

Prayer Walking with The Salvation Army Flag (Part 9 of The Misunderstanding of Christianity) Ernie and I continued to learn, step-by-step, that the more we walk in the Spirit and let God lead us beyond the bonds of bound-up religion, … Continue reading →

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A Community of Brokenness

Posted on July 29, 2026 by Steve Simms

Stepping Into a Community of Brokenness (Part 8 — The Misunderstanding of Christianity) Like a whirlwind, I found myself in The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Nashville as the only counselor on staff. The only experience I had … Continue reading →

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If You Look Closer, It’s Easy to Trace the Tracks of My Tears

Posted on July 28, 2026 by Steve Simms

Growing in Brokenness (Part 7: The Misunderstanding of Christianity) Our volunteer ministry and start up church in the poorest area of Franklin (that we had given so much time and effort to) was being forced to close due to lack … Continue reading →

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God’s Book Never Ends — Finding True Unity

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Steve Simms

The Misunderstanding of Christianity (Part 6: Finding Unity Across Denominational and Racial Lines) Ernie, our early elementary-school-aged daughter, and I were sitting in a guest room, alone in an African American Pentecostal Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on a Saturday night. … Continue reading →

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Oh That People Would Understand Heart-to-Heart Christianity

Posted on July 26, 2026 by Steve Simms

Finding New Wineskins Beyond a Sermon-Centered Church (Part 5 — The Misunderstanding of Christianity) Abounding Grace was a growing new church with an open mic where anyone could share as they felt prompted by God’s Spirit. It was a new … Continue reading →

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Pursuing the Promise of Experiencing God

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Steve Simms

Looking For New Wineskins (The Misunderstanding of Christianity Part 4) God’s fire that I encountered in the Jesus Revolution and by spending time with radically committed Indian Christians is always burning in my heart. However, I was growing weary of … Continue reading →

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A Real Experience That Reads Like Fiction (The Misunderstanding of Christianity — Part 3: Inspired by Indian Christians)

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Steve Simms

The Misunderstanding of Christianity (Part 3: Inspired by Indian Christians) In 1984, I was a burned-out pastor on fire for Jesus, managing a small retail lumber yard in Murfreesboro, TN. Religious obligation had me faithfully attending a nondenominational, non-charismatic church. … Continue reading →

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The Misunderstanding of Christianity (Part 2: The Struggles of a Misfit Pastor)

Posted on July 23, 2026 by Steve Simms

“How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.” How hard it is to do things the way God wants to lead you instead of the way that makes you look good and feel comfortable. The Misunderstanding of Christianity … Continue reading →

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The Misunderstanding of Christianity (Part 1: The Jesus Revolution From Southern Style to Southern Cal Style)

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Steve Simms

My roommate, Jimmy Hoppers, and I showed up at a small Southern college in the fall of 1969 — the University of Tennessee Martin (UTM) in rural West Tennessee. Little did we know that it would drastically change our lives … Continue reading →

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