Category Archives: church

A Nashville Dream Fulfilled After 121 Years

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Nashville is a place where people come to seek their dreams of fame and fortune in country music.  However, have you ever heard of the Nashville man who dreamed a dream that wasn’t fulfilled until 121 years after his death?  … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, John Berry McFerrin, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, religion, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, support group, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 60 Comments

Famous Harvard Grad Loves Jesus (Is This Linsanity?)

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

A famous Harvard graduate, Jeremy Lin, is openly talking about his deep faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ.  Lin is an overnight sensation, coming from an unknown point guard for the New York Knicks to suddenly becoming the biggest … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American, Asian American, basketball, bracelet, challenges, China, Chinese, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, courage, evidence for God, Harvard, hearing God, hearing Jesus, In Jesus' Name I Play, Jeremy Lin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, life, lifestyles, Linsanity, miracles, multi-racial, NBA, New York Knicks, Oh my God, Point guard, popular culture, praise and worship, public speaking, Quotations, quote, Quotes, race, religion, spiritual, spiritual formation, Taiwan Tebow, tebow, tebowing, television, Tim Tebow, TV, Uncategorized, voice of God, wake-up call | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hearing God’s Voice Made Me An Agnostic

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

I believed that I was a believer when I was an unbeliever.  What I thought I knew about God and about Christ (doctrines that I had been taught as a passive listener); I didn’t really know. So how do you … Continue reading →

Posted in agnostic, apologists, Christ, Christianity, church, conversion, East Nashville, evidence for God, gift of God, God, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Hindu, Hinduism, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, organic church, prayer, rejecting Christ, religion, revelation, salvation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, Uncategorized, University of Tennessee Martin, values, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

What If A Beach Party Was Conducted Like A Church Service?

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

On a beautiful, sunny day at the beach, would you rather:  1) Sit with a bunch of dressed up people in benches lined up in perfect rows while you formally sing Beach Boys songs together, then passively hear a less-than-exciting, … Continue reading →

Posted in beach, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs, beach party, beach songs, Christ, Christianity, church, church structure, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 14:26, joy, non-traditional church, organic church, simple church, Son-shine, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, support group, the way we do church, Uncategorized, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Powerful Words From The Book “Viral Jesus”

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are some quotations from the book, Viral Jesus — Rediscovering The Contagious Power Of The Gospel by Ross Rohde: “Read through the eyes of a modern Christian, the behavior of the believers in the Book of Acts seems a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, deciision making, disciple making, discipling, early church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, movement, Viral Jesus | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If we allowed the living God to do whatever He wants to do (this is called the kingdom of God) would He change the way we do church meetings or would He simply stick with the routine of our bulletin, “order of worship,” and program?

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in church, God, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, kingdom of God, order of worship, organic church, program, simple church, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tag-Team Church — A Nashville Prototype

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Exploring Tag-Team Church: Definition of tag-team:  Tag-team is an activity where people take turns participating as team members.  The best known use of the term tag-team is in reference to wrestling where it refers to wrestlers who fight as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church, church structure, congregational, disciple making, discipling, evidence for God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, organic church, proof of God, prototype, revelation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, voice activated, voice of God, wrestling | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Acting Out Acts — Sound Bites From The First Christians . . .

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

“Filled with awe . . .” “Filled with wonder and amazement . . .” “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” “Performing  many signs and wonders among the people.” “We must obey God … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, alternative lifestyle, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church, church history, disciple making, early church, history, house church, Music City, Nashville, normal Christianity, organic church, Quotes, repent, simple church, spiritual growth | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

What The Church Can Learn From Romney’s “Not Concerned About The Very Poor” Goof

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

Is there a lesson that the church can learn from Mitt Romney’s statement:  “I’m not concerned about the very poor,”?  Perhaps. *  The outrage that has been demonstrated by Romney’s words shows that there is a belief that the living … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church, church structure, concerned about the very poor, Creator, East Nashville, God, house church, kingdom of God, Mitt Romney, Music City, Nashville, organic church, religion, simple church, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Overcoming Boredom In Church

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is considered to be boring by many millions of people. Meanwhile, the Super Bowl is considered to be one of the most exciting annual events in the USA. Why? Let’s think about it . . . What if every … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christianity, church, church structure, East Nashville, evidence for God, glory, God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, Music City, mystery, mysticism, NFL, normal Christianity, organic church, Playoffs, popular culture, proof of God, religion, simple church, spiritual, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, Super Bowl, The Salvation Army, tradition, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments