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!

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

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church “Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard “The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, Christian community, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, doctrine, dogma, eloquence, lecture, life, lifestyle Christianity, non-traditional church, nonconforming, obedience, open church, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preach without words, preacher, preaching, professors, quotation, quote, Quotes, reasoning, religion, religious academics, religious tradition, Søren Kierkegaard, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teaching, witnesses | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Noah — Rock Stars, Wickedness, Flooding, Abortion, The “Curse Of Ham,” & Monotheism

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

Noah is a 21st Century Hollywood movie directed by Darren Aronofsky and staring Russell Crowe.  It is an entertaining and gripping story.  I desperately needed to go to the bathroom (after seeing all that water) but I choose to sit, glued … Continue reading →

Posted in abortion, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, creation, creationism, Creator, Curse of Ham, evil, good and evil, Ham, Hollywood, Japheth, judging, judgment, judgments, monotheism, Noah's ark, Row vs. Wade, sin, sinner, sinning, the flood, unbiblical, Watchers, wickedness | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

God’s Not Dead!

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

God’s not dead.  What would happen if a group of believers would begin to gather, not merely to sing and hear a presentation about Christ, but to cultivate,  surrender to, and obey Christ’s actual presence among them?  When church presents … Continue reading →

Posted in mystery, presence of Christ, presence of God, real presence, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, worship, worship gathering | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Church is Like Breathing (& Other Free Flowing Ideas)

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church meeting is like breathing: 1) Someone can program and control it; or 2) People can let go and let it flow. What would happen if a group of believers would begin to gather, not merely to sing and … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative lifestyle, American church, American values, church programs, experiencing God, experiential worship, experimental church, faith, faith in God, faith-based, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, freedom, God, God's presence, improv, improvisation, innovation, inspiration, led by the Spirit, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Accidental Complexity?

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Steve Simms

Did time and chance alone produce the incredible complexity of human life? * Psychological complexity; * Mental/intellectual complexity; * Body complexity; * Organ complexity; * Cellular complexity; * Chemical complexity; * Atom complexity; * Sub-atomic complexity; * All working together … Continue reading →

Posted in atoms, cells, cellular, complexity of life, creationism, Creator, development of life, emotions, evolution of life, evolutionary process, human body, human life, human nature, human organs, human psyche, humanity, living organisms, mind, organs, source of life, spirituality, subatomic, thinking | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Simple church is a group of people passionately pursuing God, each person hearing and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ and fulfilling the New Testament “one another” commands.

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, non-church, non-traditional church, organic church, real presence, religion, resurrection | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

To ignore belief in God is to choose to be ignorant of one of the most important factors of human history.

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in agnostic, agnosticism, atheism, belief, belief system, faith, faith in God, faith-based, God, spiritual, spiritual discovery, spirituality, study of God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Years of studying church history have shown me that during times of great spiritual awakening, church meetings are more about experiencing and obeying a Presence, than about sitting and listening to a program.

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christ in you, Christ's presence, church, church program, church programs, God's presence, great awakening, history, move of God, movement, non-church, non-liturgical, normal Christianity, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual experience, spiritual gifts, spiritual movement, spiritual transformation, spiritual worship, spirituality, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment