Category Archives: clericalism

How many heads does the body of Christ have?

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Steve Simms

How many heads does the body of Christ (the church) have? While praying I had a vision in my mind’s eye. I saw Christ standing facing me. However, His head was hanging off to His side. In place of His … Continue reading →

Posted in catacombs, CEOs, clericalism, dreams and visions, Easter, I must decrease, John the Baptist, kingdom of God, organic church, visions from God | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Religion/Grace/Church Without Laymen

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

Religion asks: “What’s the least I can do and still go to Heaven?” —Recipients of grace ask: “What’s the most I can do to love, honor, serve, and obey the One who died on the Cross to save me from … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, cross, equality, going to Heaven, grace, grace card, grace definition, grace of God, inequality, lay speakers, lay testimonies, layman, laymen, laywomen, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, royal priesthood, simple church, sin, Spirit prompting | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Is a 1-Man Sermon Like A Centipede With Only One Functioning Leg?

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church where 1 man does all the talking is like a centipede where only one leg does all the walking.  (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, alternatives to sermons, church meetings, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, message, message in church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, preaching styles, pulpit, pulpit ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Quotes & Notes on Spirit-Prompted Church Meetings

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Hear God where you are.  Follow Him to where He is.  D.L. Moody said:  “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.” Within every person is a spiritual cell phone … Continue reading →

Posted in Azusa Street, Bob Kuhn, C.H. Mackintosh, church services, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, D.L. Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, G. Campbell Morgan, Nashville, Nashville church, ordaination, ordained, order of worship, organic church, out of the box, outpouring of the Spirit, participation in church, participatory church, preaching, priesthood of the believer, religion, ringtone, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sermons, Tennessee, The Apostolic Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

We Don’t Have To Just Watch Church — We Can Do Church!

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Steve Simms

I’ve always found sitting and watching church to be boring (whether on TV or in person). However, I’ve found being actively involved in a meeting of Christians ministering to one another as prompted by the Spirit to be one of … Continue reading →

Posted in call to ministry, call to missions, call to preach, called to preach, church on television, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, EM Bounds, Graham Cray, laity, layman, laymen, Michael Kelley, Michael Marshall, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, quotation, Quotations, Quotes, TV evangelists, TV ministers, Watchman Nee, William Booth | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Beyond Spectatorship To Discipleship

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Steve Simms

Every Christ-follower is called to preach. Every believer is a minister ordained by God. The clergy/laity concept is not in the New Testament. Instead all believers are expected to minister to one another, to openly testify about their faith, and … Continue reading →

Posted in André Cox, called to preach, calling, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, layman, laymen, laymen preaching, laywomen, ministers, ministry, ordaination, ordained, priest, priesthood of the believer, Protestant, Protestant Reformation, quotation, Quotations, quote, salvation war, universal priesthood | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church “Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard “The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, Christian community, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, doctrine, dogma, eloquence, lecture, life, lifestyle Christianity, non-traditional church, nonconforming, obedience, open church, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preach without words, preacher, preaching, professors, quotation, quote, Quotes, reasoning, religion, religious academics, religious tradition, Søren Kierkegaard, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teaching, witnesses | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Unicycle Church or 18 Wheeler Church

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is the most effective way to transport the Gospel to our 21st Century, participatory culture? * Clergy — Let one man do it all, like a unicycle?  (Unicycle church.) Or * Priesthood of the Believer — Let everybody participate … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, church program, church services, church speakers, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, laity, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participants, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, pastor, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, truck | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

1 Speaker Church Is Like A 1 Channel TV . . .

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

If church has the same speaker every week, it is like a TV that only gets one channel. Maybe Christian ministry would be more effective at changing lives and transforming our culture if it flowed from one ordinary believer to … Continue reading →

Posted in Behold the Lamb of God, Christian ministry, church programs, church services, clergy, clericalism, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, multi-voiced church, non-church, one anothering, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, simple church, Spirit-led, takes away the sins of the world, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Quotes From ABC’s Nashville TV Series (That Illustrate The Bible “One Anothers”)

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

Come, See God’s Amazing One-Anothers In Action! To stay consistently fired-up for Christ, you need to regularly be around a group of fired-up believers meeting in an environment where they are free to obey the New Testament “one anothers:” “encourage … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative lifestyle, alternative to preaching, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, house church, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville entertainment, Nashville news, Nashville show, Nashville times, one another, one anothering, one anothers, organic church, participatory church, participatory culture, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments