Category Archives: church format

Safe Church — Unlocking God’s Glory!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

In the New Testament church was awesomely filled with the Presence of God.  How can the 21st Century church recover the lost combination for God’s glory in our meetings? While thinking about this, a scene suddenly came to my mind.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church community, church format, church meetings, church safe, early church, experiencing God, experiential worship, God, God's glory, how to recover a lost combination, lost combination, mysticism, New Testament, New Testament church, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, releasing God's glory, religion, safe in church, tradition, traditional church, worship, worship innovation | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The audience of One — (Who should be on the church platform?)

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

The audience of One!  Most churches have a platform or stage that lifts one person (or a few people) above the rest of the people and creates the atmosphere of an audience watching a performance.   However, the New Testament … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, audience, church architecture, church format, church furniture, church leadership, church meetings, church programs, church seating, New Testament, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, stage | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Formal Order Of Worship For First Pentecost

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

Order Of Worship For First Pentecost (If They Had One) Welcome & Announcements Days Of Ongoing Prayer Sudden Interruption By Sound Of Violent Wind Flames Of Fire Falling From The Ceiling On Everybody Everybody Rises And Speaks Different Languages Time … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian history, church, church bulletin, church format, church program, church programs, dreams, dreams and visions, Joel, liturgies, liturgy, pentecostal experience, Peter's sermon, prophesy, prophesying, repent, repentance, this is that, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, unprogrammed church, visions, visions from God, worship planning | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Broom Church or Single Straw Sermons

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is more effective at releasing the Holy Spirit’s power and presence — broom church or single straw sermons? All our focus on one straw can’t sweep a floor clean; but many straws, led together as a broom, can transform … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, church structure, house church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, sweeping, worship, worship center, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Simple Church & Everyday People

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

Everyday people are eloquent when they are allowed in church to express their heart-felt excitement about and experiences with the everlasting God! Simple Church” — To encourage the congregation to listen to Jesus and then allow them to say and … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church speakers, one another, one anothering, one anothers, open church, open sharing, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, witness, witnesses | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

No man ever steps into the same organic church meeting twice!

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

No man ever steps into the same organic church meeting twice, for it’s not the same meeting and he’s not the same man. The Holy Spirit’s leading is always fresh, alive, creative, life-changing, and renewing! Many churches use the same … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church structure, Give a man a fish and you feed him, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, house church, how to grow spiritually, led by the Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, Nashville charity, Nashville church, No man ever steps into the same river twice, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, Quench not the Spirit, Quotations, Quotes, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sayings, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, What is church?, wisdom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Genuine Seeker-Friendly Church Is Simple (Organic)

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

What is seeker-friendly church?  Here are some ideas: Spiritual seekers are desperate for God. Therefore the seeker-sensitive church surrenders to and demonstrates the actual presence of the living God (rather than providing religious entertainment and a motivational speech). Spiritual seekers … Continue reading →

Posted in attractional, church format, church history, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, churching, freedom, freedom from sin, house church, how to do church, one another, open church, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, seeker model, seeker-church, seeker-driven, seeker-oriented, simple church, simplicity, sin, spirituality, unchurched | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Participatory Church (acrostic)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

PARTICIPATORY CHURCH (acrostic) P–People A–Attentively R–Responding T–To God’s I–Inner C–Callings I–In order to P–Participate A–Actively T–Together, O–Obeying God’s R–Righteous Y–Yearnings. C–Christ H–Having U–Unhindered & R–Real C–Control in H–His hands. Experience participatory church at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, churching, house church, how to do church, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville tourist attractions, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, sermon-free, tag team church, Team Church, Tennessee, the heart of worship, worship center, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church “Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard “The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, Christian community, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, doctrine, dogma, eloquence, lecture, life, lifestyle Christianity, non-traditional church, nonconforming, obedience, open church, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preach without words, preacher, preaching, professors, quotation, quote, Quotes, reasoning, religion, religious academics, religious tradition, Søren Kierkegaard, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teaching, witnesses | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Beyond Leadership To Overseership

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Steve Simms

The Bible refers to overseers in the body of Christ but never calls them leaders. “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach . . .” –1 Timothy … Continue reading →

Posted in basketball, basketball officials, bishops, Christ followers, Christianity, church format, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church organizational chart, church overseers, church program, church programs, church roles, church structure, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit flow, leading others, New Testament, organic church, overseers, oversight, prompting of the Spirit, Quench not the Spirit, quench the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments