Category Archives: church

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

A Brief (Alternative) History Of Western Christianity

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

An alternative history of Western Christianity . . . The early Christians were passionate and obedient followers of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.  The government didn’t like them and put many of them to death. However, the love, lifestyle, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, alternative lifestyle, Castle Church, church, Constantine, downline, early church, ekklesia, empire, Germany, heretic, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, love, Martin Luther, mullti-level, Muslims, mystery, mysticism, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, organic church, Orthodox, political issue, politics, Protestant Reformation, reformation, religious ceremonies, religious wars, Roman Catholic, simple church, true Christian life, turned the world upsidedown, values, Western religion, Western world, What is church?, Wittenburg Door | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Perhaps Church Is Much Simpler Than We Think It Is . . .

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Maybe church is much simpler than we think it is? Perhaps church is just two or there or more believers gathered under the actual leadership and direction of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ in our midst? (In Matthew 18:20, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciple making, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, Matthew 18:20, move of God, participatory church, presence of Christ, presence of God, relational church, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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

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

Is church an hour’s perch on a pew or an interactive search for more of God? Check out what the New Testament says about church meetings in I Corinthians 14:26.

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, American church, Bible, Biblical concept, bored in church, Christianity, church, early church, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, New Testament, perch, pew | 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