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!

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

“Senior Pastors” — Meet The Senior Pastor!

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Pastors, “Senior Pastors,” and all Christians:  Jesus is your Senior Pastor! One of my favorite Bible titles for the living, resurrected Jesus Christ is “Chief Shepherd.”  (See 1 Peter 5:4)  Our English word “pastor” is a translation of the Greek word … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Peter 5:4, Chief Shepherd, undershepherd | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Perhaps the “new normal” is nothing but, surrendering to the same old self-focus the Bible says is sin.

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in Bible, buzz words, cliches, corrupt culture, holiness, moral decision, moral failure, moral failures, moral foundations, moral judgment, moral laws, moral leaders, moral principles, moral restraints, morals, peer pressure, performance, purity, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, right from wrong, right living, righteousness, surrender | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Right Side Of History”?

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Steve Simms

Christ-followers should strive to be on the right side of His story, rather than on “the right side of history,” following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ rather than popular opinion.

Posted in change, changing society, choice, Christ followers, consensus, contemporary society, ethics, His story, history, Jesus, Jesus Christ, moral judgment, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, public opinion polls, radical Christianity, right and wrong, right conduct, right from wrong, right living, righteousness, societal, society | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

If you agree with the Bible that some human behaviors are morally wrong, it doesn’t mean that you “hate” or mistreat people who do those behaviors.

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

After I posted the title of this post as a complete post, a book by Leonard Ravenhill that I started reading more than a year ago, but never finished, caught my eye. I felt a Spirit-prompting: “Pick it up, there … Continue reading →

Posted in bacteria, Bible, chemistry, forgiveness, Ganges River, germs, guilt, judging, judgment, judgments, moral failure, moral failures, moral foundations, moral judgment, moral laws, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, right from wrong, right living, self-will, sin, sinner, sinning, sins, values | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment