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!

A Key To Spiritual Awakening . . .

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

A key to a Christian spiritual awakening (revival)  in the 21st Century: No lording over others. Christian leaders are servants, not bosses. Their job is to help release the living Word of God in and through other believers, and not … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bosses, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, community, disciple making, East Nashville, equality, freedom, kingdom of God, leaders, lifestyles, Lord, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, relational church, religion, revival, servants, show and tell, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“The Four Points” Of The Great Welsh Revival

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

One of the greatest Christian spiritual awakenings in history began in Wales in 1904 and shook the world.  It was based on what became known as “The Four Points,” originally taught by Evan Roberts and became known as the Welsh … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, brokenness, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, conscience, contemplation, conviction of sin, East Nashville, forgiveness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, life, Music City, mysticism, organic church, reformation, relational church, religion, revival, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, unforgiveness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Did I See A Miracle Last Night? You Decide.

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Steve Simms

Last night I was in a home group of 9 adults (who I don’t know very well) who met to share, sing, support one another, and pray as led by the Spirit.  As someone was praying an image came into … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, Bible, Biblical concept, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church structure, community, confession, congregational, disciple making, ekklesia, forgiveness, freedom, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, life, miracles, movement, non-church movement, non-material reality, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, participatory church, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, relational church, religion, repent, repentance, revelation, revival, show and tell, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, supernatural, support group, surrender to God, the cross, the way we do church, vision, voice of God, wages of sin, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Are You Living With Bloodsucking Leeches?

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

A man saw a guy with leeches on his neck and said to him:  “Hey, you’ve got leeches on your neck and need to get them off.” The guy with the bloodsucking leeches snapped back:  “Who are you to criticize … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, attitude, change, change management, Charles Spurgeon, clear conscience, compassion, complacency, compromise, confession, conscience, conversion, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, criticism, deliverance, guilt, habit, harmful habit, judgments, lifestyles, love, morality, morals, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, repent, repentance, temptation, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, unhappiness, wages of sin, wake-up call, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Getting Away From Church Is Not Easy In The Bible Belt

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church (although many polls have shown it to be in decline in America) still has quite the presence in the Bible Belt where church buildings abound on prominent real estate.  However, if you try hard, you can avoid religious buildings … Continue reading →

Posted in American, American church, Americans, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, kingdom of God, life, organic church, religion, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cravings Can Capture & Control Your Life

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Unrestrained desire can dominate and defeat you.  Cravings can capture and control your life. Yet our society teaches us to surrender to desires, cravings, compulsions, and whims:  “If you feel like doing something, go for it, and don’t listen to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, alternative lifestyle, casual sex, challenges, Christian, Christianity, Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt, complacency, conscience, conviction of sin, country music, cravings, feelings, free will, freedom, guidance, guilt, habit, harmful habit, inward change, John Piper, John Ruskin, lifestyles, morality, morals, peacetime, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, reformation, repent, repentance, self-will, shame, sin, sobriety, society, spiritual formation, thoughts, tolerance, true Christian life, violent streak, war, White Eagle, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

In This Busy World, Perhaps We Need To SLO Down . . .

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

In this busy world, perhaps we need to SLO down. S — Stop. L — Listen to God. O — Obey what He says.

Posted in alternative lifestyle, awe, contemplation, devotion, evidence for God, faith, faithfulness, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, godly sorrow, gratitude, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, humility, joy, kingdom of God, lifestyles, mystery, mysticism, peace, prayer, priesthood of the believer, proof of God, religion, repent, repentance, salvation, simple church, spiritual disciplines, The Voice, Uncategorized, voice activated, voice of God, voices, wake-up call, Who dat talkin? | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Go Beyond Facebook With Heartbook

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

Facebook stock IPO is for sale.  It is amazing what social media has done.  But what about spiritual media? Log on to heartbook — God’s spiritual media. Click the box that says:  “Keep me logged in.” The password is Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in abolitionists, alternative lifestyle, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, facebook, God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, In Jesus' Name I Play, IPO, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, prayer, prayer without ceasing, priesthood of the believer, religion, revelation, salvation, self-denial, social media, Son-shine, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual kinship, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, stock | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Non-Church — Discovered In Japan & Other Places

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

I recently read about non-church when I heard about a Japanese man named Uchimura Kanzo.  He  started meeting with a group of friends in a small Christian gathering in Japan in the early 1900s where everyone was equal and everybody … Continue reading →

Posted in burning heart, China, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, congregational, East Nashville, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Japan, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, movement, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, priesthood of the believer, relational church, religion, simple church, spiritual formation, support group, the way we do church, Uncategorized, unprogrammed church, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

My Way Or The Most High’s Way?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

Two highways, different directions:  Should I choose my way which is based on my wants, my feelings, my viewpoints, and/or my cravings?  Or should I choose the Most High’s way that requires me to live above the fog of self-focus, … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Bible, choice, Christian history, Christianity, conscience, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, cravings, deliverance, dishonesty, ethics, faithfulness, feelings, free will, freedom, godly sorrow, guidance, habit, harmful habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, human life, insight, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, making decisions, modern myths, morality, morals, normal Christianity, Oh my God, presence of Christ, presence of God, pro choice, questions, recovery, religion, right and wrong, self-denial, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, thinking, thoughts, tradition, Uncategorized, values, voice of God, wages of sin | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments