Author Archives: Steve Simms

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About Steve Simms

I like to look and think outside the box. In college I encountered Jesus Christ and I have been passionate about trying to get to know Him better ever since. My wife and I long to see the power and passion of the first Christ-followers come to life in our time. I have written a book about our experiences in non-traditional church, called, "Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible--Ekklesia." If you need encouragement, search for: Elephants Encouraging The Room and/or check out my Amazon author page. Thank you!

When Church Is Gone With The Wind!

The Holy Spirit is like the wind. When believers gather we can build walls to block the wind of the Spirit from blowing away our “order of worship” or we can raise sails and and let the wind of the … Continue reading

Posted in body life, body of Christ, David Walters, led by the Spirit, Sid Roth's It's Supernatural, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, spiritual streaming, The Spirit blows where it will, wind, wind of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Word, The World Cup, & CPR

Perhaps we need more on Sunday mornings than religious education and/or personal motivation. We need the inner transformation that comes from following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ together in a meeting! I read the Bible almost every day … Continue reading

Posted in Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, prayer, religious education, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, transformation, transformation movements, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Good God! We Miss The Obvious!

God’s glory is prominently posted in all parts of the physical world. Yet we ignore Him and call it evolution. God’s protection has shielded us all through many dangers, toils, and snares. Yet we ignore Him and call it luck. … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, conscience, creation, Creator, Divine creation, Divinity, DNA, God's glory, God's presence, God's protection, God's provision, God's unseen hand, God's voice, God-given, high ideals, human rights, ideals, integrity, justice, liberty, love, missing the obvious, principles, self-sacrifice, values | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Open Mic Sunday — A Church Experiment

Here is a wonderful experiment any church can try: Take just one Sunday and instead of having preaching, have an open mic service. Let anybody present share what God puts on their heart. If you have never experienced an open … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Corinthians:14, church experiment, church history, experimental church, Head, Head of the church, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit take over, Protestant Reformation, reformation, revelation | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Good news! If you let God light your fuse, you’ll loose your snooze!

Posted in humor, light your fuse, snooze alarm, snoozing, spiritual, spiritual fire, spiritual formation, spiritual prompting, spirituality, wake up, wake-up call, wisdom, witness, witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tolerance For God? Or Fire Of God?

What does this Bible verse (Hebrews 12:29) mean? “For our God is a consuming fire.” Perhaps this:  Unless there is a fire in your heart consuming self-focus and releasing a continual, all-consuming craving for Christ, you’ve stopped short of finding … Continue reading

Posted in fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fullness, God is a consuming fire., greatness of a man's power, Hebrews 12:29, outpouring of the Spirit, surrender, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quotes & Notes on Spirit-Prompted Church Meetings

Hear God where you are.  Follow Him to where He is.  D.L. Moody said:  “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.” Within every person is a spiritual cell phone … Continue reading

Posted in Azusa Street, Bob Kuhn, C.H. Mackintosh, church services, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, D.L. Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, G. Campbell Morgan, Nashville, Nashville church, ordaination, ordained, order of worship, organic church, out of the box, outpouring of the Spirit, participation in church, participatory church, preaching, priesthood of the believer, religion, ringtone, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sermons, Tennessee, The Apostolic Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

We Don’t Have To Just Watch Church — We Can Do Church!

I’ve always found sitting and watching church to be boring (whether on TV or in person). However, I’ve found being actively involved in a meeting of Christians ministering to one another as prompted by the Spirit to be one of … Continue reading

Posted in call to ministry, call to missions, call to preach, called to preach, church on television, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, EM Bounds, Graham Cray, laity, layman, laymen, Michael Kelley, Michael Marshall, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, quotation, Quotations, Quotes, TV evangelists, TV ministers, Watchman Nee, William Booth | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Amazing Process of Grace

“God loves you, but not the dumb things you do.”  (Does anyone never do dumb things?) The dumb things we think, say, or do separate us from God. But God offers us an intimate relationship with Him through the process … Continue reading

Posted in for by grace your are saved, forgiveness, gives grace to the humble, God resists the proud, God's grace, godliness, godly sorrow, grace card, grace definition, grace of God, growing in grace, growth in grace, holiness, living in grace, repent, repentance, sanctification, saved, saved by grace, sinfulness, sinner, sinning, sins, sinsanity, understanding grace, wages of sin, what is grace | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Formal Order Of Worship For First Pentecost

Order Of Worship For First Pentecost (If They Had One) Welcome & Announcements Days Of Ongoing Prayer Sudden Interruption By Sound Of Violent Wind Flames Of Fire Falling From The Ceiling On Everybody Everybody Rises And Speaks Different Languages Time … Continue reading

Posted in Christian history, church, church bulletin, church format, church program, church programs, dreams, dreams and visions, Joel, liturgies, liturgy, pentecostal experience, Peter's sermon, prophesy, prophesying, repent, repentance, this is that, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, unprogrammed church, visions, visions from God, worship planning | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments