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!

Inneract with God!

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ in you, Comforter, coming of the Holy Spirit, devotion, dialogue, evidence for God, fellowship | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

30/11 (About 30 minutes in a secular used bookstore = 11 books about participatory church)

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Steve Simms

In September 2014, my wife and I stopped by The Book Cellar  in Crossville, Tennessee on our way to Gatlinburg.  Were were there about 30 minutes and I left with a stack of books. To my surprise, 11 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in bookstore, cell groups, Crossville, Darrell W. Robinson, Eddie Gibbs, Garrison Keillor, Gatlnburg, George Barna, Harold R. Eberle, house church, Jim Smoke, Joel Balin, Jr., Laney L. Johnson, living stones, Martin Luther King, Michael Gleason, new wineskins, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Richard Halverson, Robert & Julia Banks, simple church, Tennessee, worship, worship leader, worship styles | 6 Comments

Holy Ghost (the movie) — Live it out in church meetings!

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

“Can the Holy Spirit direct a movie? In this fast-paced documentary, Darren Wilson sets out to make a movie that is completely led by the Holy Spirit. No plan, no script, no safety net–just go wherever he feels the Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in christian movies, church, led by the Spirit, movie, movie review, organic church, participatory church, religious movies, simple church, Spirit directed, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, spiritual adventure, spiritual fire, spirituality, Wanderlust, world primer | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Let’s Get Ecclesiological And Set The World On Fire For God!

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Steve Simms

Let’s get ecclesiological — not just with talk but with how we walk out being the church! Some people think that I think too much about church, but hey, I’m an ecclesiologist and we’re really into ecclesiology. (The word “ecclesiology” comes … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church revitalization, church study, dead church walking, early church, ecclesiastical, ecclesiological, ecclesiologist, Greek, Greek language, Greek New Testament, Greek word, Harry Reeder, having a form of godliness, Matthew 18:20, Nashville church, New Testament, New Testament church, ology, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

9 Questions About Church (Ecclesiology)

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

9 quick ecclesiastical questions . . . 1) Do we want God to actually show up in church meetings? 2) Are we willing for Him to interrupt, override, and change our program, agenda, and structure? 3) What if many people … Continue reading →

Posted in church community, church experiment, church meetings, church program, church programs, church questions, ecclesiastical, ecclesiology, out of the box, religion, religious questions, socratic method, Sunday, Sunday morning, thinking, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hart Street Worship @ Trevecca University (Thursday Night Testimony Time)

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

Hart Street Annex at Trevecca Nazarene University has become the site of a contemporary, creative weekly campus worship meeting for students and others.  The meetings are based on open sharing and participation and are held every Thursday night at 7:00 … Continue reading →

Posted in ball fields, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, campus fellowship, Christian colleges, Christian spirituality, Christianity, college experiences, college students, college testimonies, contemporary Christian music, contemporary worship, Do as I have done, fellowship, Jesus statue, Jesus washing feet, map, Millennials, music, Music City, Nashville events, organic church, pictures of Trevecca, praise and worship, Salvation Army, sports, sports fields, statue, students, the heart of worship, Trevecca, Trevecca campus, Trevecca events, Trevecca map, university, youth ministry | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Life’s A Buzz

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

Life is a series of billions of moments buzzing past now, in single file, and vanishing. The future’s not here to stay. Today is tomorrow’s yesterday. There is no permanent housing. Our position is constant transition. We need God’s GPS! … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexandra Bracken, best university, Eva Burrows, GPS, greatest university, life, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, time, waiting on God, wasting time | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Safe Church — Unlocking God’s Glory!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

In the New Testament church was awesomely filled with the Presence of God.  How can the 21st Century church recover the lost combination for God’s glory in our meetings? While thinking about this, a scene suddenly came to my mind.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church community, church format, church meetings, church safe, early church, experiencing God, experiential worship, God, God's glory, how to recover a lost combination, lost combination, mysticism, New Testament, New Testament church, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, releasing God's glory, religion, safe in church, tradition, traditional church, worship, worship innovation | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

When church is honest & raw, there will be awe!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

When church is honest & raw, there will be awe!  It will be stunning. When the first Christians gathered, the Bible says: “Everyone was filled with awe” –Acts 2:43. Awe is a stirring and powerful sense of amazement, astonishment, bewilderment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, order of worship, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church, spiritual church | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Democracy, Ekklesia, & Church (It’s Greek to most of us.)

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

An ekklesia was the governing body of an ancient Greek city-state and the world’s first expression of democracy.   It was made up of all of the adult, male citizens in a particular city-state and met 40 times per year to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, ancient Greece, ancient Greek wisdom, assembly, church history, church meetings, early Christians, early church, first church, fresh expressions, Greek, Greek city state, Greek New Testament, Greek philosophy, Greek word, house church, I will build my church, Matthew, Matthew 16, messy church, movement, Nashville, Nashville church, New Testament, New Testament quote, one anothers, organic church, Roman Empire, Rome, Salvation Army, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments