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!

What’s streaming in your heart? Raw desire? Or Spiritual Fire?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

What’s streaming in your heart? Raw desire?  Or Spiritual Fire? Lust and disgust?  Or love from above? Thoughts that annoy?  Or real time joy? Spiritual blindness?  Or lovingkindness? What do you find flowing through your mind? So, what’s innernet streaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Be still and know that I am God, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, belief, belief system, Bible, Bible study, deny yourself, discipline, faith, faith in God, faith-based, feelings, heart is deceitful, heart is desperately wicked, joy, love, Love one another, love your enemies, lovingkindness, lust, Old Testament, radical obedience, searching, seduction, seduction of self-destruction, self, self-control, self-denial, self-destruction, self-discipline, self-focus, self-will, selfish desires, selfishness, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual adventure, spiritual blindness, spiritual disciplines, spiritual drunkenness, spiritual experience, spiritual fire, spiritual flow, thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Benjamin Franklin & Sermon Free Church

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

I think Benjamin Franklin would have loved sermon-free church because it gets people actively involved and transforms them from passive pew-sitters to spiritual go-getters! Ben said: “I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works. I mean real good … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, American Literature, Ben Franklin, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, Doing the most good, good sermon, good works, history, involve me and I learn, memory, Nashville, organic church, pew, prayer, praying, preacher, preaching, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teach me and I, Tennessee, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Life Is Either . . . Or . . .

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

Life is a either a spiritual fight . . . To walk in the light; To overcome the night; To avoid spite; To think and do what’s right; To remove evil’s blight; To seek supernatural insight; To find God’s delight. … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, belief system, Christian, Christianity, Diety, ethics, God, God calling, meaning, meaninglessness, moral laws, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, purpose, purpose driven, purpose of life, pursuit of God, search for significance, searching, searching for significance, spiritual adventure, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, values | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Priesthood of the Believer Church (Church Meetings Without A Dominating Leader)

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Can churches meet without one person dominating the meeting?  History says they can! When the Protestant Reformation broke with the Roman Catholic Church, one of the doctrines they embraced become known as “the priesthood of the believer.”  The Reformers acknowledged … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholicism, China, Chinese, church, church history, church in China, church leader, church meetings, Communists, holy priesthood, kingdom of priests, Laymen's prayer revival, laymen's prayer revival of 1857, Martin Luther, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, participatory church, pastor, Peter Wagner, priest, Quaker meetings, Quakers, quote, Quotes, Ray Stedman, Roman Catholic, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

The Pope & The General

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Quotations from Pope Francis of the Catholic Church and General Linda Bond of The Salvation Army: First General Bond: “A Spirit-filled Army tells the gospel story faithfully and trustingly, believing that there is power in the name of Jesus, power … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian, Christian history, church, church leader, church leadership, clergy, commitment, communion, faith, faith in God, faith-based, faithfulness, God, godliness, Holy Father, Holy see, Holy Spirit, human leadership, humility, Jesus, Jesus Christ, quote, Quotes, religion, religious information, religious talks, religious tradition, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army church, viewpoint, views, witness, word of wisdom, words | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Human Heart & Michelle Obama’s Speech In Nashville (5/18/13)

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

I heard Michelle Obama speak today in Nashville at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet School graduation. She said: “You can only find your passion by looking inside yourself and that’s hard work.” It’s the message of our society … Continue reading →

Posted in $50 billlion in office supplies stolen every year, advice, Americans, Bible, commencement address, conscience, consequences, Creator, evil, fear, God, graduation speech, heart is desperately wicked, law enforcement, laws, Martin Luther King Jr., moral principles, moral restraints, morality, punishment, respect, seduction of self-destruction, self-destruction, self-discipline, self-image, self-will, selfish desires, selfishness, slogans | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Talk Church Is Better Than Talk Radio

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

Talk church is better than talk radio.  Its talking points are about the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Sit-back-and-listen-church makes people passive.  Open line, talk church makes people powerful in God as they show and tell what God has done on … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, faith, faith in God, faith-based, great awakening, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, improv, improvisation, Jesus Christ, John Miley, led by the Spirit, listening, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-church, open church, participants, participators, participatory church, power, powerful, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, spiritual innovation, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Judgement, Guilt, Sorrow, Mercy, Forgiveness

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

Where there is no judgment; There is no mercy. Where there is no guilt; There is no grace. If you haven’t been judged guilty, There is no forgiveness. Where there is no threat of punishment, there is no justice. Where … Continue reading →

Posted in discipling, ethics, mercy, moral, moral failure, moral failures, moral foundations, moral judgment, moral laws, moral leaders, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morality-phobic, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, right from wrong, right living, righteousness, salvation, self-destruction, self-respect, self-restraint, self-will, selfish desires, selfishness, sin, sinner, sinning, sins, sorrow, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Attention America! Media Alert!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Steve Simms

Attention America: Images are influential. What you watch will: * Alter your attitude; * Brainwash your beliefs; * Create cravings: * Dictate desires; * Edge out your ethics; * Form your feelings; * Grab your gullibility; * Hold your heart; … Continue reading →

Posted in America, American, American church, American media, Americans, belief, belief system, compromise, compromised, compulsion, cravings, deceipt, deceit, deception, ethics, gullibility, moral foundations, moral laws, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, truth, TV, TV news, United States, values, video games, viewer discretion advised, viewpoint, vulgarity, warning | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Did Sermon-Free Church Begin At Pentecost?

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

Sermon-Free Church — Did It Begin At Pentecost?  Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013 On Pentecost Sunday (May 19) the church in the Western world celebrates the beginning of sermon-free church. The events are recorded in Acts, chapter 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 2013, Acts, Apostle Peter, bishops, Christ followers, church, church history, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, coming of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, New Testament, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, one anothers, open church, open mike, openairs, organic church, origin of the church, overseers, participatory church, Peter, Peter preaching on Pentecost, praise, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, preaching, preaching the Word, Roman, Roman Empire, sermon, sermon-free, sermons, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, the Western church, This was that., Western world | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments