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!

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

Touching His Hem, According To Her Example, Heals Hurts

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

Touching His hem, according to her example, heals hurts.  Although this may sound like gender confusion, it’s not.  It refers to an actual event where an unnamed woman receives a supernatural healing when she touches the hem of Jesus’ robe.  … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, and forever, Bible, change, change management, Christ, Christian, Christianity, church, evidence for God, faith, good question, His story, history, In Jesus' Name I Play, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kindness, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Lord, Mark, miracles, missional, Music City, mystery, Nashville, New Testament, non-material reality, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, prayer, prayer walking, questions, religion, salvation, Savior, spiritual formation, supernatural, testimonies, tradition | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who Da Best Preacher/Bible Teacher?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

If Christ is really alive and present when we gather in His name (as the New Testament says He is) why can’t He direct a church meeting, without human programming and control?  Perhaps the answer is: We won’t let Him. … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, church structure, congregational, DeVern Fromke, devotion, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jesus Take The Wheel, movement, mysticism, non-material reality, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, voice activated, voice of God, Western religion, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Case Study — A White Homosexual, A Black Woman, An African Muslim, & A White Mistress

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

I was asked to write a diversity case study for a course I am taking.  Here it is: Sue, a black female, owns a company with 30 employees and hires Betty, a white female who has been the 2 year … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, community, conscience, courage, criticism, fear, feelings, free will, freedom, genetic tendencies, genetic tendency, good question, habit, harmful habit, hate speech, heart-felt love, ideal, idealism, inward change, judgments, justice, kindness, language, life, lifestyles, marriage, meaning, modern myths, moral principles, morality, morals, nonviolence, parable, patience, political correctness, political issue, politics, prejudice, questions, right and wrong, right conduct, self-denial, self-help, sin, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, values, wages of sin, wake-up call, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Does Western Christianity Disengage God

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

As an avid reader of church history, I’ve noticed a consistent trend in Western religion.  It seems to disengage God — treating Him as a figure to occasionally honor rather than as a living power source. Let me explain.  A … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Anabaptists, Catholic mystics, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, early church, Methodists, monastics, Moravians, Nashville, Quakers, religion, religious ceremonies, Salvationists, show and tell, spiritual, spiritual formation, the way we do church, Uncategorized, Waldensians | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Apply These Apps For Spiritual Strength

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

God’s not like a TV where you passively sit back, like a couch potato, and watch professionals put-on religious performances. He’s got more apps for you than there are for your iPhone. So listen directly to the living God.  Load … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, alternative lifestyle, apps, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, church, church roles, community, download, downloads, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, guidance, iPhone, joy, kindness, kingdom of God, love, Music City, mysticism, non-traditional church, operationg system, organic church, participatory church, patience, peace, priesthood of the believer, reality TV, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, support group, television, TV, TV network, voice activated | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Why does contemporary society approve of consensual casual-sex, but disapprove of consensual obesity?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

Why does contemporary society approve of consensual casual-sex but disapprove of consensual obesity?  (Both cause health problems and can be labeled as epidemics.)  Both result from being gone with the whim. If there can be safe casual-sex, why not safe obesity?

Posted in brainwashed, casual sex, challenges, clear conscience, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, epidemic, epidemics, ethics, fear, free will, health, lies, lifestyles, meaning, modern myths, moral principles, morality, morals, myths, obesity, popular culture, questions, right and wrong, right conduct, safe sex, self-denial, self-image, sex, sin, temptation, values, wake-up call, words | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment