Author Archives: Steve Simms

Unknown's avatar

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!

Early Puritans Practiced Participatory Church

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

Reading a book this morning that I “randomly” found at McKay Books Nashville, I discovered that the early Puritans believed in participatory church. How exciting! “In the conduct of worship the Separatists (early Puritans) stressed spontaneity. Following the regular sermon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, British history, Christianity, church history, Edmund S. Morgan, English, English history, history, liturgies, McKay Books, Nashville, Nashville church, participatory church, prayer, prayers, praying, prophesying, Puritan ideas, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, speech making, speeches, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, Visible Saints | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Are you a soulger? A spiritual soulger fights the inner forces of darkness by striving to keep her/his soul surrounded by God’s light.

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in darkness and light, fight the good fight of faith, forces of darkness, light, light of the world, soulger, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual training | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hear ye! Hear ye! — A God Experiment (Based on 1 Samuel 3)

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

Hear ye! Hear ye! — A God Experiment (Based on 1 Samuel 3) 1) Tell God: “Speak Lord, for I am listening.” 2) Be still and quiet for at least 1 minute, and notice the thoughts, images, and/or impressions that … Continue reading →

Posted in a God experiment, experiencing God, experiment, Hear ye, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening prayer, listening skills, prayer, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, The Voice, voice activated, voice of God, voices | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Yesterday ended last night.

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Today is a fresh, new day.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Perhaps church services could move beyond attenders silently sitting to hear sermons; and let them stand to share stories about how the living, resurrected Jesus Christ is actively working in their lives.

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in alternative to preaching, Jesus, Jesus Christ, listening, listening skills, preaching, preaching the Word, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, sermon-hearing, silence, stories, story, testimonies, testimony, witness | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

“Salvation Army Leader Carries Flag of Justice” (Nashville City Paper Article)

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

By William Williams of The Nashville City Paper (published Sunday, May 8, 2011) On a recent rainy Tuesday, Steve Simms quietly toiled as corps administrator of the Salvation Army’s Berry Street Worship Center in East Nashville’s McFerrin Park. A gray-haired, mustachioed man … Continue reading →

Posted in blood, Blood and Fire, blood and fire battle flag, blood of Jesus, flag, McFerrin Park, Music City, Nashville, Nashville news, news, prayer, praying, Stars and Stripes, witness | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Multivoiced Church — A Spiritual Sprinkler System

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Steve Simms

Perhaps a church service is like a sprinkler system on a golf course in Arizona. If only one sprinkler works and all the rest are shut down, almost all the grass dries up and withers. However, if every sprinkler shares … Continue reading →

Posted in active participants, Arizona, Berry Street, Building a Multivoiced Church, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church programs, church services, community, discipleship, golf, golf course, living water, multi-voiced church, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville news, organic church, participants, participatory church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, Sian Williams, simple church, sprinkler system, Tennessee, The Power of All, The Salvation Army, voices | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

The Salvation Army, Bill Hybles, Evangelism, & Berry Street

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Steve Simms

You can see the action of the wind in the leaves of the trees.  You can see the action of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ, when believers gather in His name and ordinary people show and tell what He has … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, books, Colorado Springs, Glen Eyrie, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Navigators, NSE, organic church, outreach, outreach ministry, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, Salvation Army, Say Something, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, Tell Them. Win Them. Establish Them., Walk Across The Room | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Credit Card Reader’s Message

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

I saw these words on a credit card reader:  “When prompted swipe card.” Perhaps a better message would be:  “When prompted obey Jesus — quench not the Spirit.” Americans and other Westerners are subjected to so many prompts:  compulsions, commercials, … Continue reading →

Posted in American, American media, American values, Americans, brainwashed, brainwashing, compulsion, consumerism, cravings, credit card, desires, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Culture, orientation, peer pressure, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, Quench not the Spirit, quench the Spirit, religion, sex, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, swipe card, Western society, Western world, when prompted, whims | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quarterback Preacher & Handoff Church

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

Is it time for a handoff or a pass to Jesus?  Football season is upon us and the quarterback’s job is to get the football to a playmaker, either by a handoff or a pass. I believe that a pastor’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Final Four, handoff, Jesus Christ, Nashville, open mic, open mike, playmaker, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sports, Super Bowl, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments