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!

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church is doing daring deeds; not contentment with comfortable creeds.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is Christ indwelling, not institutional selling — His holy Presence, not human hype. Church is not laid back religion; but dynamic interaction with the living God! Come and do daring deeds with us As we come together in Jesus’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christian, Christian community, church, church meetings, church program, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, spiritual athletes, spiritual disciplines, spiritual skills | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church is a furnace — a gathering for igniting and spreading the contagion of spiritual fire; not an ice maker — a synchronized “service” dropping cool ideas on to cold hearts conformed to contemporary culture.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Daring deeds, not comfortable creeds!

Posted in church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, contagion, contemporary, corrupt culture, creeds, deeds, fire of the Holy Spirit, fire place, fire walk, furnace, ice maker, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nashville & The Coming Move Of God

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

The public forums in America and the Western world have been all but swept clean of references to God, faith, and religion.  Many are ready to label America and the West as post-Christian.  But don’t play taps yet.  God is … Continue reading →

Posted in America, boomers, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory, God, God calling, religion, society, soul, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, Western religion, Western world, young adults, youth | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

“¿Mas O Menos?” (More or Less?) And Christmas

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

¿Mas o menos? is Spanish for:  More or less? So Christmas means Christmore. And Christmenos means Christless. Which for you this holiday season?  Christmas or Christmenos?

Posted in Christ-centered, Christian, Christianity, Christmas carols, Christmas Eve, Christmas gifts, Christmas shopping, Christmas shopping season, Christmenos, Happy Holidays, holiday, holidays, menos, more or less, Reason For The Season | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Religion Is Ritual — Faith Is Fire (How John Wesley Caught On Fire For God))

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Religion is routine ritual, faith is flaming fire.  “I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.”  –John Wesley The fire that burned in John Wesley sparked the Holiness Movement that changed nations and led to many … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, change, Christ, Christianity, conversion, convert, conviction, denominations, doubts, England, English, evil, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fuel, God, godliness, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, holy, I set myself on fire, inner peace, inner rivers, intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Nazarene, pentecostals, recovery, red hot, relevation, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, saved, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Optimize Your Faith With Participatory Church

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Faith can be enhanced or it can be diminished.  It is the responsibility of each individual to cultivate, nourish, and grow her/his faith or to allow it to wither away and possibly die.  Jesus illustrated this principle in the Parable … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, corps, encouragement, faith, faith-based, followers of Christ, freedom, honesty, Houston, improv, improvisation, insight, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, spiritual athletes, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual training, spiritual warfare, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Why does a society that prides itself on tolerance and the accepting of diversity into the mainstream; marginalize the praying community?

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

Why does a society that prides itself on tolerance and the accepting of diversity into the mainstream; marginalize the praying community?  

Posted in acceptance, alternative lifestyle, attitude, boundaries, brainwashed, brainwashing, change, choice, comment, community, compassion, compromise, confession, conscience, controversial, controversy, convenience, conviction, criticism, current events, deception, denial, hate, hate speech, human nature, human rights, hypocrisy, insight, lifestyles, mystery, persecution, philosophical, philosophy, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, prayers don't get past the ceiling, praying, praying community, praying in tongues, reasoning, revelation, societal, society | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quantum Church Is A Leap Into Another Form Of Reality

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Quantum church, like quantum mechanics, is a leap into another form of reality.  Quantum physics studies the subatomic world of infinitesimally small particles and waves. The subatomic, quantum world operates differently than the world of clearly defined matter that we … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, angels, belief system, Bible, Biblical concept, brokenness, Catherine Booth, Catholic mystics, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, devotion, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, guidance, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, inner peace, insight, inspiration, interactive, international movement, invisible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyles, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, nature of God, non-church movement, non-material reality, non-traditional church, order of worship, particles, quantum mechanics, Quantum physics, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, relevation, religion, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, revelation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, self-denial, sharing, simple church, soul, soul food, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual warfare, spooky action, subatomic, submission, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, The Voice, Uncategorized, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Characteristics Of Compromised Christianity

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Christianity is a challenging faith — a heavenly vision, a high calling — beckoning men and women to live life at a higher level than that of merely satisfying their cravings, compulsions, and self-interest. However, rising above our baser nature … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, church, church history, church program, church programs, compromise, conformed, convenience, convert, corrupt culture, criticism, culture, disciples, discipline, followers of Christ, idealism, immaturity, insight, instant oatmeal, institution, intimidation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, minute rice, mission field, missional, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, race, racism, reformation, regulations, religious ceremonies, religious relic, religious tradition, rules, service, spiritual warfare | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments