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!

Too Many Surge Protectors Have Made Church Boring!

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps our contemporary church services have too many surge protectors that prevent the current of the Holy Spirit from breaking out in the meeting. When everything that happens in a church service is planned and controlled by a man, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Christianity with Power, decaff, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit flow, how to do church, led by the Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led interaction, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual innovation, spiritual power | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

March Madness Style Excitement In Church

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

March Madness boring?   If basketball officials acted like pastors; personally planned and programmed each play, prompted those present when to stand and when to sit, and then presented a 30 minute talk; March Madness would be boring. I’m glad that … Continue reading →

Posted in basketball officials, basketball players, basketball plyaers, boredom, church format, church leadership, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, coaches, Jesus, Jesus Christ, ministers, Nashville, Nashville church, officials, officiating, organic church, pastor, preacher, priest, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church Is Like A Swiss Army Knife

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church service is like a Swiss Army Knife — full of spiritually gifted people.  It can use the same person to speak, week after week, while the others are closed down (pic 1).  Or it can allow everybody to … Continue reading →

Posted in How many blads in a Swiss Army Knife?, interactive, interactive church, interactive learning, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, non-church, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, simple church, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual giftings, spiritual gifts, spontaneous church, Uncategorized, What is a Swiss Army Knife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Rock On A Stage or Living Stones Built Into God’s House?

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Steve Simms

You can’t build something by simply setting one stone on a platform in front of a group of other stones. To build anything the stones must be assembled interactively. The same is true of living stones. “You also, like living … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Bible, Bible quotes, holy priesthood, Music City, Nashville church, New Testament, New Testament quote, organic church, participatory church, platform, priest, priesthood, rock church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, spiritual, spiritual church, spiritual sacrifices, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unicycle Church or 18 Wheeler Church

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is the most effective way to transport the Gospel to our 21st Century, participatory culture? * Clergy — Let one man do it all, like a unicycle?  (Unicycle church.) Or * Priesthood of the Believer — Let everybody participate … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, church program, church services, church speakers, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, laity, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participants, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, pastor, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, truck | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

6 Reasons Why The Civil Rights Activits Didn’t Call Their Opponents “Haters”

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

1)  To call someone a hater would have violated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s determination for the Movement to follow the spirit of the Biblical principles of love and non-violence. 2)  Blacks were clearly hated in the South so there … Continue reading →

Posted in activitists, African American experience, African Americans, biblical, Biblical principles, bigots, British Empire, British history, calling people haters, equal rights, extremist for love, freedom, hate, hate speech, haters, hatred, Jim Crow, love, Love one another, love your enemies, name calling, prejudice, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, racial reconciliation, racism, racists, The Movement | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

1 Speaking to All? Or All Speaking To All?

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church is when a group of believers gathers together around the living, resurrected Jesus Christ and focuses their attention on listening to His voice and doing whatever He tells them to do. Church is when the living Christ, in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian community, church leadership, church programs, church services, church speakers, clergy/laity, community, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, how to do church, laity, laymen, laywomen, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory sermons, praying community, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, priesthood of the believer, sermons, simple church, speaking, speaking out, voice of God, What is church?, When you come together, where two or three in My name, why go to church, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

1 Speaker Church Is Like A 1 Channel TV . . .

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

If church has the same speaker every week, it is like a TV that only gets one channel. Maybe Christian ministry would be more effective at changing lives and transforming our culture if it flowed from one ordinary believer to … Continue reading →

Posted in Behold the Lamb of God, Christian ministry, church programs, church services, clergy, clericalism, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, multi-voiced church, non-church, one anothering, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, simple church, Spirit-led, takes away the sins of the world, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

I Loved 1,400 Men At A Salvation Army ARC

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

When I was hired as the counselor/chaplain of The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Nashville in October of 2002, I had no idea that I would be working with about 1,400 men over the next 5 1/2 years … Continue reading →

Posted in cost of addiction, depression, drug abuse, freedom, heart, heart care, love, Love one another, loving men, recreational drugs, self-destruction, self-worth, selfish desires, selfishness, sex, sexual addiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Quotes From ABC’s Nashville TV Series (That Illustrate The Bible “One Anothers”)

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

Come, See God’s Amazing One-Anothers In Action! To stay consistently fired-up for Christ, you need to regularly be around a group of fired-up believers meeting in an environment where they are free to obey the New Testament “one anothers:” “encourage … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative lifestyle, alternative to preaching, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, house church, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville entertainment, Nashville news, Nashville show, Nashville times, one another, one anothering, one anothers, organic church, participatory church, participatory culture, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments