Category Archives: Berry Street

What Happens Where There Is Spirit-Led Participation In A Church Service?

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

When ordinary people participate in a church service and show and tell (as led by the Spirit) what God has done in their lives, things happen: 1) The atmosphere is charged with excitement and anticipation; 2) There is a sense of awe … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, churching, flow of the Spirit, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Passive Church or Participatory Church? (Rest or Revival?)

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Steve Simms

Passive or participatory church?  Rest or revival? Is church passive or is it participatory? Is it structured or is it Spirit-led? Is it forced or is it flowing? Is it lifeless or is it lively? Is it dull or is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christianity, church structure, Music City, religion, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, TN | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Making Music With Body Parts (God’s Symphony)

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

This blog is not about finger snapping, hand clapping, knee slapping, toe tapping, and/or armpit playing.  It’s about the church, the body of Christ, functioning as God’s symphony. The New Testament teaches that the church is like a human body … Continue reading →

Posted in armpit, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, biblical Christianity, Biblical concept, church meetings, church services, clergy, conductor, finger snapping, God, God's symphony, hand clapping, instrumental, instrumental music, instruments, knee slapping, musical solo, New Testament, organic church, paralyzed, pastor, prayer, preacher, priest, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, solo, song, symphony, toe tapping | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church — A Man-Led Pulpet Show Or A Supernatural Puppet Show?

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is a like puppet show. God attempts to animate His people by releasing His Spirit through them. If they resist and/or ignore the promptings of God, not much happens — the puppets remain lifeless and blank-faced in their places. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians:14, animated, animation, anointed, anointing, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, First Century Church, God is truly among you, laying on hands, led by the Spirit, move of God, movement, Music City, platform, prayer, praying, praying community, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, prophesy, prophesying, pulpit, puppet show, puppeteer, puppets, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, secret, sermon-free, sermons, simple church, spectators, speech making, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spirituality, The Salvation Army, unbeliever, uneducated | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

What The Church Can Learn From Basketball Officials

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Steve Simms

From preschool to the NBA Playoffs — from high school to March Madness — basketball officials could serve as great examples of an alternative way for pastors to conduct church services. Rather than being the center of attention and running … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, church structure, clergy, creativity, high school basketball, innovation, Nashville adventure, Nashville events, Nashville projects, officials, organic church, participatory church, pastor, simple church, spiritual growth, spiritual innovation, spiritual leaders, spiritual life, sporting event, sports, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Step Out Of The Box — Step Into The Thrill — In Nashville

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Steve Simms

Step out of the box — step into the thrill — in Nashville! Step out and God will step in!  Step out of routine; step out of the same 0le same ole — with participatory church where ordinary people show and … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church, church meetings, religion, Tennessee, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The World’s Greatest Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Steve Simms

The World’s Greatest Valentine is regularly carried in East Nashville, Tennessee (The “Blood & Fire” Salvation Army Flag) — the red stands for the blood of Jesus; the yellow star represents the fire of the Holy Spirit; and the blue … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible reading, Biblical concept, blood and fire battle flag, blood of Jesus, Christ, Christ followers, Christianity, church, East Nashville, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, flag, holiday, holidays, holiness, Music City, New Testament, organic church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, simplicity, surrender, surrender to God, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, the Word, the world for God, the world's greatest love letter, Why be a Christian?, world's greatest, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Church flows from the Spirit; it’s not produced by a program.

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is God’s orchestra, playing His symphony, as each member focuses on, listens to, and obeys the Conductor — the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Come and experience God’s orchestra playing in Nashville every Sunday morning at 10:45 as each member … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, awe inspiring, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian values, Christianity, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, live performance, live to please God, LP Field, music, Music City, musicals, Nashville tourist attractions, order of worship, organic church, praise and worship, Ryman Auditorium, Son-shine, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual transformation, Tennessee Titans, testimonies, testimony, Titans' stadium, Uncategorized, unprogrammed church, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tag Cloud For Spirit-Led (Rather Than Human Programmed) Church . . .

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

A tag cloud is a visual representation of the frequency of the use of words (tags) to find a website (sometimes called a word cloud or a weighted list in visual form).  What words would be in a tag cloud … Continue reading →

Posted in 2 Corinthians 14:26, action packed, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible type revival, biblical, Christian organizations, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, contagion, controversial, faith-based, Holy Spirit, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, participatory church, religious ceremonies, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual innovation, supernatural, surrender to God, tag team, tags, testimonies, testimony, website | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Steve Jobs Of Religion? — Come On Church, Innovate!

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

An Eric Weiner quotation from the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, December, 2011: “We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Apple Computer, being religious, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Catherine Booth, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, creativity, East Nashville, environment, freedom, Holy Spirit, humility, improv, improvisation, insight, interactive, intuitive, Mr. Job's, Music City, non-church, open church, operating system, organic church, participatory church, questions, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, speak the truth in love, spiritual innovation, straight forward, support group, unencumbered, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments