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!

Self-focus blurs your perspective and leaves you living in a lonely haze. God-focus gives clear insight and brings joy and delight into view.

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in God, self-denial | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why do people in America frequently kill groups of strangers?

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

Why do people in America frequently kill groups of strangers? President Obama said: “We’ve become numb to this.” Perhaps it is time that we wake ourselves up to some of the possible reasons for such home grown terrorism: 1) Calling … Continue reading →

Posted in abortion, causes of violence, ethics, Franklin regional High School, High school stabbing, Judeo-Christian, killing, mass shootings, meaninglessness, media, media circus, moral foundations, moral laws, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, sex, sex objects, sexually confused, television, Ten Commandments, terrorism, Thou shall not, tolerance, TV | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Sense of Noah & The Flood

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Steve Simms

To understand Noah (the man, not the movie) we need to Noah (know a) few things about humanity’s rebellion: 1) The earliest humans (and all the rest of us) decided that we know what is best for us and that we don’t … Continue reading →

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St. Francis Practiced Participatory Church

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

A 14th Century book about St. Francis of Assisi describes participatory church.  According to the book The Little Flowers of St. Francis, Francis was meeting with a group of his followers and told one of them “to open his mouth … Continue reading →

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God’s Waves / God’s Surf

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Steve Simms

God’s waves Breaking in my heart, Surround my brokenness With His healing Presence. God’s surf soaks my soul with His forgiveness, love, and peace.

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A word that inspires imagination paints a thousand pictures.

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Steve Simms

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a word may also be worth a thousand pictures.  A word that inspires imagination paints a thousand pictures.

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U-Share Church (U2U rather than Pastor2Pew)

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

U-Share church (not U-Haul) flows from U2U rather than from Pastor2Pew.  Here’s an example of U-Share church: When the Communists took over China in 1948 there were only about 2.5 million Christians (of all denominations) in China. In an attempt … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, Christianity, church history, church in China, church meetings, organic church, participatory church, participatory culture, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Few Quotes From Neil Cole’s “Primal Fire”

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

A few quotations from Neil Cole’s book, “Primal Fire” “I’ve longed to live the sort of life I read about in the book of Acts.” “I want to be part of an unstoppable Jesus movement in our day–a wildfire of … Continue reading →

Posted in God, God's fire, God's voice, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, organic church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How To Have Genuine Revival & Spiritual Awakening

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

How to Prepare The Way of The Lord (And Make Room For Revival & Spiritual Awakening in Your Life And in Your Church) 1) Get tradition out of the way. (“You nullify the word of God by your tradition.” –Jesus.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical concept, deny yourself, God resists the proud, God's power, God's presence, grace, grace of God, heart, heart care, humility, iniquities, iniquity, Jesus, Jesus is alive, Jesus Movement, Nashville, Prepare the way of the Lord, quotation, quote, Quotes, revival history, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, take up your cross, tradition | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Participatory Church (acrostic)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

PARTICIPATORY CHURCH (acrostic) P–People A–Attentively R–Responding T–To God’s I–Inner C–Callings I–In order to P–Participate A–Actively T–Together, O–Obeying God’s R–Righteous Y–Yearnings. C–Christ H–Having U–Unhindered & R–Real C–Control in H–His hands. Experience participatory church at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, churching, house church, how to do church, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville tourist attractions, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, sermon-free, tag team church, Team Church, Tennessee, the heart of worship, worship center, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments