Category Archives: ekklesia

Christ called audibles are transformational

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Steve Simms

An audible is when a quarterback in football calls out a change in the programmed play right before the ball is snapped. Perhaps churches should let the living, resurrected Jesus be our quarterback and call out audibles during worship meetings. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, art of listening, audible, calling audibles, changing plays, church programming, decline of the church, ekklesia, Elizabeth George, house church, inner listening, John 2:5, Kristian Goldmund Aumann, line of scrimmage, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, listening to the Spirit, organic church, Quaker worship, Quotations, silence, simple church, spiritual listening, Uncategorized, Whatever He says to you do it | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Salvation Army “War Cry” Review of “Beyond Church”

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Steve Simms

War Cry, the national magazine of The Salvation Army USA wrote: Beyond Church Takes You Past Sunday Worship Have you ever wanted something more in life? Something more than religion? More than ‘church as usual?” In the Western world, traditional church is … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative Christianity, alternative church, ancient Greeks, Beyond Church, ekklesia, Greek city-states, Greek history, Greek language, organic chruch, practical religion, religion, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Stephen Court, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Spontaneous vs. Spiritaneous

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

To be spontaneous is be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing to act on an inner impulse or inclination, without planning or external stimulus. To be Spiritaneous is to be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Beyond Church, church decline, Dones, ekklesia, Friends' worship, nones, nontraditional church, people leaving church, Quaker worship, Romans 8:14, sermon, spontaneous church, Uncategorized, unconventional worship, unprogrammed, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meeting, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church programs or ekklesia fire?

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

Question: What would happen if church meetings were built on people stepping out in faith and sharing from their heart — instead of being built on people passively watching a highly programmed presentation? Answer: God’s fire would fall and His … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, body of Christ, church bulletin, church programs, ekklesia, holiness, lyrics, priest, purity, royal priesthood, Salvation Army, song, spiritual warfare, Uncategorized, universal priesthood, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Letting church cruise on Christ-contol

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Steve Simms

Across the USA church is in decline. Perhaps it is time to set church on Christ-control and let Jesus freely cruise trough the meeting. There’s nothing like a Christ-led gathering when we put aside human agendas and control and simply let … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative to church, Christ control, church meetings, church services, churching, contemporary church, ekklesia, Greek city-states, house church, House of Prayer, how to do church, open church, open forum, praise and worship, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, town meeting, Uncategorized, When you come together, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There’s no room for bullying in democracy (or church)

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

Want to go beyond the bullying and 1-man control that can be common in church? There’s no room for bullying in democracy or in church! –Modern democracy depends on decisions developed by deliberation, diplomacy, and consensus; not on the dictatorship … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, American values, ancient Greeks, back to church, Berry Street, church, community, control, control in church, controlling pastors, dictatorship, ekklesia, English, government, Greek city-states, Greek history, Greek New Testament, house church, I will build my church, love, making church more participatory, Nashville, On this rock I will build My church, organic chruch, participatory church, participatory culture, recovery groups, Salvation Army, simple church, support group, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Trek Beyond: (Back To The Original Star Trek)

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Steve Simms

We’re Trekkies and Trekkers who are following the inner Star. We’re trekking beyond the bounds — outside the ordinary; over and above assumptions; out of the reach of routine; out of range of religion; past human performance and control. Like the original … Continue reading →

Posted in beam me up, Beyond Church, book, books, Dones, ekklesia, enterprise, highly illogical, live long and prosper, lost, lost episode, organic chruch, resistance is futile, Salvation Army, Star Fleet Mannual, Starfleet, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We desperately need heavenly politics

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Steve Simms

Forget Trump and Hillary–America desperately needs the living, resurrected Jesus. Here’s my paraphrase of Jesus’ words in Matthew 3:2: “Line up your attitude, thoughts, words, and actions with God and His will (rather than with your feelings, desires, compulsions, and … Continue reading →

Posted in American church, casting your vote, church, city council meeting, ekklesia, Heaven, kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven, kingdom values, organic church, politics and religion, presidential candidates 2016, Presidential politics, repent, repentance, the Kingdom of God is at hand, Uncategorized, violence, violence in society, will be done on earth as it is in Heaven | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are you light-hearted?

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Steve Simms

Christ-followers are Called to be light-hearted, Full of inner brightness, Radiating love, hope, and joy, Shinning like beacons in the night. However, too often our hearts Have absorbed the darkness Of our distressed and discouraged world. Rather than dancing lights, … Continue reading →

Posted in #Boundless2015, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Beyond Church, Bible, body of Christ, burning heart, Christ, Christian community, church, darkness and light, ekklesia, faith, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, heart-felt, heart-felt love, heart-felt worship, I saw the light, Jesus in my heart, light, light hearted, light of Christ, light of the world, light shinning in darkness, New Testament, night stalkers, organic chruch, Quaker light, shine the light, shined in our hearts, speaking from the heart, spiritual darkness, the light came on, Uncategorized, walk in the light, you are the light | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are Christians playing with a full deck — ekklesia?

Posted on April 30, 2016 by Steve Simms

Is the traditional concept of church short of God’s full deck — the Greek New testament idea of ekklesia? Is ekklesia God’s trump card that empowers Christ-followers to dynamically connect with the living, resurrected Jesus and with one another? A … Continue reading →

Posted in Beyond Church, Bible quotes, Bible verses, called out ones, decrees, demonstrations of the Spirit, Dones, ekklesia, Greek, Greek city state, Greek New Testament, Heaven, house church, nones, on earth as it is in heaven, organic chruch, simple church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment