Category Archives: church history

Lifestyle (Real World) Christianity

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

Lifestyle Christianity is faithful faith — faith that lives faithfully according to its values and beliefs.  Its focus is to actually follow and obey the commands of Christ rather than to merely swallow a prepackaged belief system about Him. Lifestyle … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, belief system, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church history, church programs, church roles, church structure, commands, community, confession, creeds, deeds, disciples, discipling, faith, faith-based, faithfulness, forgiveness, gifts of the Spirit, guilt, inward change, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, obedience, one anothers, organic church, peace, presence of God, real world, recovery, religious ceremonies, self-denial, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, supernatural, support group, team, values, witness | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

Does LP Field Have A Message For Nashville? Perhaps. (New Name = Nissan Stadium)

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

Besides Tennessee Titans’ NFL games, does LP Field have a message for Nashville?  Perhaps. Since I wrote this blog post, the name LP Field has been changed to Nissan Stadium. Nisan is a Hebrew word. It is the name of the first … Continue reading →

Posted in 07/07/07, American, American church, American history, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christian organizations, church history, conviction of sin, country music, East Nashville, freedom, Grand Ole Opry House, His story, history, intercession, Jewish New Year, Jim Crow, LP Field, move of God, movement, Music City, Nisan, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, revival, Ryman Auditorium, slavery, spiritual, spiritual awakening, Tennessee Titans, The Call Nashville, The Salvation Army, Titans' stadium, Union Gospel Tabernacle | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Top Of The Pole — Nation’s Flag Or Christian Flag?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Many Christian organizations, institutions, and churches fly both a Christian flag and their nation’s flag.  Which flag should be at the top of the flag pole? As a young Boy Scout I was taught that the national flag should be … Continue reading →

Posted in answer to God, atrocities, authority, Christian, Christian history, Christian organizations, church, church history, countries, ethics, flag, flag pole, God, God's authority, honor, idolatry, Jesus is Lord, justice, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Lord, national flags, nations, never-ending, political correctness, political issue, politics, politics and religion, religious ceremonies, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

What Rube Goldberg Machines Can Teach Us About Church

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Rube Goldberg machines are complex contraptions that produce a sequence of what appears to be random actions that lead to a final result.  They are fun to watch.  You can find many videos of Rube Goldberg machines on YouTube. Perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church history, church programs, church roles, church structure, East Nashville, ekklesia, good sermon, having a form of godliness, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Kevin Brockmeier, Music City, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, priesthood of the believer, relational church, religious ceremonies, Rube Goldberg, simple church, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sermon-Free Church Spread Across America In 1857-1858

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Spirit-led, sermon-free church meetings spread across America in 1857-1858.  Jeremiah Lanphier started a prayer meeting on September 23, 1857 in New York City.  Six men showed up.  In the next few months 10,000 people began meeting daily for prayer in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, American, American church, American history, Americans, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, business men, Charles Finney, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church structure, conversion, East Nashville, ekklesia, England, good sermon, Great Britain, history, humility, interdenominational, Jeremial Lanphier, lifestyles, missional, move of God, movement, Music City, mysticism, new birth, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, participatory church, prayer, preaching, quote, Quotes, repentance, revelation, revival, salvation, sets the captives free, simple church, spiritual, spiritual awakening, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, United States | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

How Can You Heal A Broken Heart?

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

Breaking heart, what can heal you? Restore your joy, your peace? Not denial or drink or drugs, Not antidepressants or anger Or angst activity. They merely mask the misery. Only one has a proven record Of consistently healing the brokenhearted … Continue reading →

Posted in activity, alternative lifestyle, anger, angst, brokenhearted, brokenness, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian history, church history, compassion, contemplation, deny yourself, drug commercials, drugs, drunk, encouragement, faith, God, healing, history, human life, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, mask, misery, new birth, peace, poem, poetry, prayer, religion, search for significance, searching for significance, spiritual, surrender to God, testimony | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ideas to Tone Down the NBA, the NFL, and the Olympics

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

What if they made a new rule to tone down the Sochi Olympics by requiring all Olympic athletes to have one arm tied behind their back during competition?  Would you be okay with that? What if, in order to reduce … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, American church, basketball, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bold statements, burning heart, Christian community, Christianity, church history, church roles, church structure, current events, early church, East Nashville, England, faith-based, football, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, London, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, Olympics, open church, order of worship, participatory church, persecution, popular culture, post-Christianity, powerless, reality TV, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, repentance, revelation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, sporting event, sports, television, the way we do church, true Christian life, TV, TV network, UK, Uncategorized, Western religion, Western world, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Video About How Church Can Be Like A Beach Party

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Beach parties are fun.  Why do people love them so much?  Perhaps there are things the church can learn from a beach party . . .

Posted in beach, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs, beach party, beach songs, Berry Street, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, faith-based, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Alternative Names For Organic Church

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the last few years, many books have been written about organic church by people like Neil Cole, Milt Rodriguez, Tony and Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Wolfgang Simpson, Jon Zens, and many others.  I have read many of the books.  … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, faith, faith-based, flag, Frank Viola, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, James H Rutz, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jon Zens, King James Version, Milt Rodriguez, Music City, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, prayer, prayer walking, Quakers, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, sermon, sermons, show and tell, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tony and Felicity Dale, tradition, unprogrammed church, Western religion, What is church?, Wolfgang Simpson | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Churches Are Shrinking–Is Christianity Fading Away Or Will It Come Roaring Back In A Creative Way?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the Western world churches are shrinking.  A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that Millennials (American’s in their twenties) are increasingly turning away from religion.  More and more writers and experts are saying that America is now … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I Corinthians 14:26, McKay Bookstore, Mike Bickle, Millennials, Music City, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, post-Christianity, prototype, religion, simple church, spiritual awakening, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments