Category Archives: ekklesia

416 unprogrammed worship meetings @ Berry Street

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

I am amazed and deeply moved to be a part of celebrating 416 unprogrammed worship gatherings at The Salvation Army Berry Street this Sunday! What a joy it has been to go beyond church with so many dear brothers and sisters … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, East Nashville, ekklesia, house church, open church, participatory church, simple church, Tennessee, Uncategorized, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meetings, worship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Icons transport me beyond church

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Steve Simms

Icons in my favorite church building transport me beyond church. It’s an Orthodox church near Franklin, Tennessee. Icons are images dedicated, set apart, and anointed to reflect the glory of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Icons, unlike ordinary religious art, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ the Head of the church, Christian history, church, church government, church in decline, Eastern Orthodox churches, ekklesia, Greek Orthodox Church, move of God, organic church, organized religion, Pentecost, revival, revival history, spiritual awakening, Tennessee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Come & hear the #risen Jesus (#relentless)

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Steve Simms

Come and hear the living Jesus Calling out to one and all. Come and hear the risen Jesus, Let Him be your all in all. Can you hear His call? Can you hear His call? Christ is with His ekklesia … Continue reading →

Posted in Beyond Church, ekklesia, General Frederic Coutts, house church, more than church, organic chruch, Salvation Army, simple church, Uncategorized, You Wont Relent | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Race To Ekklesia . . .

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Steve Simms

Race to Ekklesia . . . Ekklesia goes beyond race, Loving with the eyes of grace, Finding the glory of God in each face, As ordinary people from “every kindred and every tribe” Are free to open up and share … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazing Grace, Berry Street, Beyond Church, black lives matter, book, ekklesia, grace, injustice, institutional racism, justice, movie, Nashville, Nashville churches, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

It doesn’t take an Einstein to experience ekklesia

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

You don’t have to be an Einstein to experience ekklesia. Ekklesia is: Two or more Christ-followers meeting under Christ’s control! –E = MC2– [E (ekklesia) = M (meeting under) C (Christ’s control) 2 (two or more Christ-followers)] We 21st Century … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, awe in church, Berry Street, curiosity, ekklesia, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, mystery, Nashville, organic church, Salvation Army, simple church, the Pilgrims, two or three in My name, Uncategorized, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Beyond predictable religion to unpredictable, untamed ekklesia (quotes)

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Steve Simms

Church is caught in continual predictability, perpetually presenting the same basic program week after week. That’s one reasons millions of people are leaving church and calling themselves “Dones.” However, the Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia is never the same from … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Catholic mass, Chet Akins, church, country music, ekklesia, Eleanor Roosevelt, Francesca Battistelli, Frans de Waal, George R.R. Martin, Gordon Parks, Greek New Testament, house church, James Dashner, James Woods, Jesus Christ, Leo F. Buscaglia, Mark Batterson, Nashville, New Testament, organic chruch, Pope Francis, R.T. Kendall, Ralph Abernathy, simple church, Skye Jethani, T.F. Hodge, Uncategorized, unpredictable | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I’m a good person,” is a stealth oxymoron

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Steve Simms

Are you a “good person”? According to Jesus the phrase, “I’m a good person,” is a stealth oxymoron. Jesus said; “No one is good–except God alone.” (Mark 10:18) In fact, Jesus calls 3 groups of people “evil” or “wicked:” 1) His … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14, all have sinned, Beyond Church, Bible, ekklesia, evil, good person, greed, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judge, judge not, judgment, Luke, Mark, New Testament, oxymoron, Pharisees, problem of evil, Savior, sin, sinfulness, source of evil, there is none righteous, Uncategorized, wickedness, worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cereal, cars, & church alternatives . . .

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

If for many centuries, almost everyone in the world who ate breakfast always had some brand of cereal, we would think it strange if a few people started talking and writing about having pancakes for breakfast. Breakfast cereal eaters might … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Beyond Church, change in church, change management, changes in worship, ekklesia, fresh expressions, house church, lay testimonies, messy church, nontraditional church, personal testimonies, Quakers, salvation testimonies, simple church, Spirit-led, Uncategorized, unprogrammed meetings | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

God dropped two burning books in my lap.

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Steve Simms

A retired Nazarene preacher called me and wanted to donate his personal library of 9 big boxes of books. How could I say no? So this week I picked up two of those hundreds of books. Bang! They shook my … Continue reading →

Posted in Beyond Church, Bible type revival, Christian books, ekklesia, house church, Is the church failing?, Let The Church Be The Church, Martin Lloyd-Jones, organic church, Raymond C. Ortlund, revival, revival fires, simple church, spiritual awakening, Steve Simms, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Church = Audience? Or Team?

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Steve Simms

Is a church service with only one speaker like a band with only one instrument? (That’s an oxymoron, isn’t it?) Jesus said: “New wine must be poured into new wine skins.” If we want the new wine of the Holy Spirit, perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, agreeing in prayer, audience, Beyond Church, binding and loosing, Christian community, ekklesia, Greek city-states, Greek word for, house church, Matthew 18:20, organic chruch, simple church, team, the lost of the Bible, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments