Category Archives: church

What Do 21st Century Christians Need Most?

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

What do 21st Century Christians need most * teaching about Christ or * the life of Christ flowing through us? We have tried hearing lots and lots and lots of Christian teaching.  Perhaps it’s time that we let Christ directly … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, ekklesia, filled with the Spirit, Holy Spirit, order of worship, organic church, simple church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Drunk Christians?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

Some observers of the early Christians made fun of them and said:  “They have had too much wine.”  (Would you use the word “drunk” to describe a gathering of Christians, nowadays?) Here’s the response to that accusation, given by Jesus’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts 2, acts of God, alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous, alternative lifestyle, Apostle Peter, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, booze it up, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, church, church history, church meetings, drinking, DUI, Ephesus, filled with the Spirit, free spirit, good sermon, guilt, hangover, inner peace, inner rivers, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, life, lifestyle Christianity, makes change, miracles, missional, morality, morals, move of God, movement, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, new wine, Oh my God, on the web, Paul of Tarsus, peace, persecution, Peter, preaching, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, quench the Spirit, quote, Quotes, reformation, salvation, sober up, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, testimony, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Inner Peace In A Troubled World?

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can you have inner peace in a troubled world?  This video uses 4 hand signs and creative sign language to show you how. The icon in the video is from the Abbey of Gethsemani, a Trappist monastery in Kentucky where … Continue reading →

Posted in Abbey of Gethsemani, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, Christianity, church, church history, congregational, creativity, cross, deny yourself, hand signs, hearing God, hope, inner peace, inner rivers, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, miracles, monastery, monks, mystery, mysticism, new birth, peace, power of the cross, salvation, saved, Savior, silent retreat, spiritual formation, surrender to God, video, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In a country where you can get shot along with 70 others while going to a movie . . . we desperately need God.

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Steve Simms

A quotation from the ancient prophet, Isaiah: “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

Posted in Christian values, Christianity, church, comfort, compassion, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, faith, God, God-shaped vacuum, His story, injury, injustice, Isaiah, justice, Lord, meaninglessness, morality, morals, political issue, popular culture, revelation, revival, salvation, search for significance, searching for significance, sinner, soul, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, values, violence, violent streak | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Was Matthias A Mistake? — The Human Need To Institutionalize Spirituality

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Was replacing Judas (who had betrayed Jesus) with Matthias a mistake?  Was it a very early example of the human desire to institutionalize church?  Perhaps. The Book of Acts begins with the resurrected Jesus spending 40 days with the apostles … Continue reading →

Posted in 120 in upper room, Acts, acts of God, Bible, choice, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, ekklesia, empty tomb, faith, fire, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's authority, God's government, Gospel, Gospels, Greek word, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heirarchy, His story, history, Holy Spirit, house church, insight, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, Judas, kingdom of God, life, lifestyle Christianity, Luke, Matthias, missional, move of God, movement, mysticism, non-church, organic church, Pentecost, pentecostals, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, revelation, revival, rivers of living water, Scriptures, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Voice, tongues of fire, tradition, unprogrammed church, voice of God, voices, What is church?, words on fire | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Should Church Comfort Or Confront?

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church meetings comfort or confront?  Perhaps both.  Maybe church should “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” However the goal of a church meeting is not primarily to make people comfortable or to be user friendly.  The goal of … Continue reading →

Posted in afflict the comfortable, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blessed, brokenness, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, comfort, conviction, conviction of sin, cross, deny yourself, godly sorrow, hearing God, Isaiah, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, mysticism, Nashville, organic church, participatory church, Paul of Tarsus, purpose, repent, repentance, revival, revolution, salvation, self-denial, show and tell, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, those who mourn, uncomfortable, unprogrammed church, user friendly, voice of God, Woe is me | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

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

Guilt-Free Living

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

Guilt-free living is amazing . . . Knowing you are forgiven, Keeping a clean conscience, and Living in freedom from the control of cravings and compulsions. Guilt-free living comes through daily following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. “What … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, addictions, alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, boundaries, brokenness, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, clear conscience, community, conviction of sin, ethics, faith-based, forgiveness, godly sorrow, guidance, guilt, habit, healing, heart care, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, missional, moral principles, morality, morals, non-church, organic church, recovery, relational church, repent, repentance, revelation, revival, salvation, search for significance, searching for significance, shame, show and tell, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, support group, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, values | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Can Real Love Disagree And/Or Disapprove?

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can real love disagree and/or disapprove?  Yes.  I know that it can.  If you read my blog, you know that I am willing to think in uncommon ways.  I have many ideas and some behaviors that are not commonly accepted … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, anti-war, belief, church, denominations, disapproval, disdain, ethics, faith, faith-based, free spirit, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, hate, hate speech, heretic, house church, judgments, kindness, lifestyles, moral principles, morality, morals, non-church, non-church movement, organic church, outside the box, pacifism, pacifists, participatory church, political correctness, popular culture, post-Christianity, questions, relational church, revolution, self-control, sermon, sermons, simple church, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, thinking, vegetarianism, violence, war, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 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