Category Archives: church leadership

Your Church Has Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, & Teachers

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Every church is full of gifts that God has given — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (see Eph. 4:11). There is not just one pastor in a church and none of the other gifts.  There are many of these … Continue reading →

Posted in church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church services, clergy/laity, Ephesians 4:11, evangelism, finding your gift, gifts, gifts to the church, giving, living out your faith, ministry, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, organic church, participation, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, sent ones, simple church, spiritual gifts, you can all prophesy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Church is not for sponges; it’s for sparks!

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

You are not simply a sponge, supposed to sit in a “service” and silently soak up a preacher’s ideas. You are someone who has spiritual insight to share.  Church is not for sponges, it’s for sparks! Our desire at The … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church fire, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, church structure, Little Rock, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, order of worship, organic church, simple church, sparks, sponges, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“The Christmas Candle” Confirms The Concept Of Sermon-Free Church

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

The new movie The Christmas Candle is an amazing confirmation of The Salvation Army Berry Street’s participatory worship where everyday people show and tell what God has done.  I’ve been writing and posting, on my blog and on Facebook, for … Continue reading →

Posted in angels, angels watching over you, burning heart, Christmas candles, church, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church services, cynicism, demonstrations of the Spirit, glory, glory of God, interrupting a sermon, interrupting in church, miracles, miraculous, Music City, Nashville, Nashville charity, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, testifying, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Sunday soliloquy may satisfy some, but I love to hear God’s Heavenly harmony as ordinary people, led by the Spirit, let their voices blend as they testify and God’s glory fills a church meeting.

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in church format, church leadership, church meetings, church services, church structure, glory, glory of God, God's glory, heavenly harmony, order of worship, organic church, Sunday soliloquy, testifying, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Would God Tell A Preacher To Stop Preaching?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

I love to preach, however a few years ago God told me to stop preaching and instead,  to let ordinary believers show and tell what God has done! So I stopped, yet still I greatly miss it.  By the time … Continue reading →

Posted in by the word of their testimony, church format, church leader, church leadership, church program, church services, dream, homiletics, ministers, ministry, motivational speaker, oratory, pastor, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, prompting of the Spirit, public speaking, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army officer, teaching, testimonies in church, testimony | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Making Peace — Words To Wake Up The 21st Century Church

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Steve Simms

I was given a book, Making Peace, (published by Moody Publishers) by my leaders in The Salvation Army.  Once I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down and read through it at one time. The book is bold, … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, clergy/laity, Jim Van Yperen, Mood Press, Moody Press, Moody Publishers, order of worship, organic church, priesthood of the believer, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

C.H.U.R.C.H — A Poetic Acrostic

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

A poetic acrostic defining church: C — Christ-followers H — Hanging out together U — Under the influence of the Spirit, R — Responding directly to His promptings, C — Celebrating the glory of H — His holy Presence! Check … Continue reading →

Posted in acrostic, C H U R C H, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church services, church structure, definition, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, organic church, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Dorothy In Oz, Wheels, Soul Train, TEAM, Yall, Lights, & A Quiz (Examples/Metaphors of Participatory Church)

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Steve Simms

Some metaphors for participatory church: Experiencing participatory church at Berry Street is like Dorothy stepping into a world of living color when she enters the land of Oz in “The Wizard of Oz.” Church is often like a unicycle, focused … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, big wheel, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church organizational chart, church program, church programs, church quiz, church roles, church services, Dorothy Wizard of Oz, New Testament, plural for you, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, soul, soul train, Southern English, team, Team Church, Tennessee, Together Everyone Accomplishes More, unicycle, yall | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Church Ledership — Hierarchy or Humility?

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

Should leadership in the church be based on hierarchy or humility?   Well, according to Jesus leadership is not established by human authority, official position, titles, rank, strength, or hierarchy; but by humility, service, weakness, brokenness before God, and submission … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church leadership, church meetings, church organizational chart, church programs, church roles, denominations, do it, facebook, God resists the proud, God's authority, have mercy on me a sinner, hymn, hymns, ministers, ministry, Mother Mary, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, pastor, Quench not the Spirit, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, theology, web, website | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

What The Church Can Learn From A Muppet Movie

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

One animated Muppet with all the other Muppets immobile and neatly placed in rows, would not make much of a Muppet movie. Instead, all the Muppets need to be animated and participating interactively with one another. No one Muppet dominates … Continue reading →

Posted in animated, animation, Berry Street, Bible, Bible concepts, church format, church leadership, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, faith, faith in God, faith-based, freedom, Nashville, Nashville church, open mic, open mike, organic church, participation, participatory church, puppets, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, soul, speaking, speaking out, spiritual formation, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment