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!

Fire From God

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Unless you hear it through the Spirit, the Bible will be boring. If the Word doesn’t burn in your heart your sins won’t depart! Without a Spirit-fire, you will drown in your own desire. So how do you start a … Continue reading →

Posted in church seating, flammable, God, hdden sin, heart-felt, heart-felt love, Holy Spirit, I set myself on fire, miraculous, mysticism, nature of God, passion, passionate, release of the Spirit, relevation, religion, religious innovation, spirit fire, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual fire, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Thoughts & Quotes — Church Outside The Box

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

An open mic in church opens hearts, and allows the Holy Spirit to speak through anyone present. If the outcome hasn’t been planned ahead of time, church has all the anticipation and excitement of a championship sporting event! When we … Continue reading →

Posted in Brian Anderson, Christianity, church format, church leadership, church roles, church services, church structure, creativity, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, innovation, innovators, Myles Horton, mystery, mysticism, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, spiritual fire, spiritual flow, spiritual gifts, spiritual interaction, spiritual life, spiritual movement, spiritual power, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Enticements or Ethics / Cravings or Conscience / Passions or Principles

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Steve Simms

We live in a society that is big on enticements to follow and obey our desires, but little on ethical living — big on obeying cravings but little on following our conscience — big on surrendering to self-destructive passions, but … Continue reading →

Posted in bondage, confession of sin, conpulsions, cravings, enticements, evil, moral failure, moral foundations, moral judgment, moral laws, moral reformer, moral restraints, morals, peace, right and wrong, right conduct, right from wrong, right living, righteousness, self-control, self-discipline, self-help, self-respect, self-restraint, sexual purity, sin | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

An Anglican & A Baptist Describe Participatory Church

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Steve Simms

Anglican priest, Robert Wild, describes participatory church: “God can speak to each person through the others and guide the entire assembly toward a common mind, toward consensus.” Baptist pastor, Ed Stetzer describes participatory church: “In all of our research on … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglican priest, church format, church leader, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, consensus, Ed Stetzer, laity, layman, laymen, ministry, missional, missionary, pastor, preacher, quote, Quotes, Robert Wild, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Church of the Nazarene Leader Proclaimed Participatory Church

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

Early leader of the Church of the Nazarene, P.F. Bresee, proclaimed participatory church: “‘Pump handle’ religion has to give place to the ever-ready springing up and sending forth of testimony and praise. How often the ‘pump handle’ has to be … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, audience, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church fathers, church format, church history, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, church structure, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, history, Holy Ghost, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, participatory church, performance, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, religion, religious innovation, renewal, revival, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, spirit, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual innovation, spirituality, symphony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Baptist Pastor Promotes Participatory Church

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

I “stumbled upon” a 1971 book by a Baptist pastor that describes a participatory style church service: “One winter morning I stopped for worship at a small East Tennessee rural church . . . The singing stopped and he (the … Continue reading →

Posted in Albert McClellan, attitude, East Tennessee, festival, mystery, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, praying community, Quotations, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, shouting in church, simple church, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, weeping | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

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