Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Too Many Surge Protectors Have Made Church Boring!

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps our contemporary church services have too many surge protectors that prevent the current of the Holy Spirit from breaking out in the meeting. When everything that happens in a church service is planned and controlled by a man, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Christianity with Power, decaff, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit flow, how to do church, led by the Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led interaction, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual innovation, spiritual power | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church — A Bottled Water Plant? or A Mighty, Whitewater River

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church — A bottled water plant? or A mighty, whitewater river? Contemporary church is too often like a bottled water plant. People sit passively, like flimsy plastic bottles in a row, hoping to receive a single squirt of water from … Continue reading →

Posted in bottled water plant, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church seating, church services, church structure, Holy Spirit, house church, How is water bottled?, institutional church, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville news, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, plastic bottles, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual church, spontaneity, spontaneous church, whitewater river | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Curriculum-Free Sunday School

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Curriculum-free Sunday school?  Yes!  Why has church bound the Bible to Sunday school curriculum booklets, when it can speak directly to & through ordinary people? For years I have led curriculum-free adult Sunday school classes.  When this concept is first … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Bible study, book, booklet, curriculum-free, Ephesians, Holy Spirit, interactive Bible class, participatory Bible study, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Sunday school classes, Sunday school ideas | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Non-Charismatic Seminary Professor Speaks Out For Participatory Church

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Charles H. Kraft, professor of anthropology and intercultural communication at Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, California speaks out for participatory church.  In in his book, Christianity With Power:  Your Worldview and Your Experience of the Supernatural, although he says that … Continue reading →

Posted in anthropology, California, Calvin, charismatic, Charles H. Kraft, Christianity with Power, Holy Spirit, intercultural communication, interpretation, Luther, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-charismatic, Pasadena, quotation, Quotations, quote, reformer, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, speaking in tongues, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Tennessee, the Reformers, worldview | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The World’s Greatest Expert

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

Paying too much attention to what men say (and preach) can distract you from what God is saying to you.  The world’s greatest expert on God is the Holy Spirit.  And He is the world’s most effective preacher/Bible teacher.  Are … Continue reading →

Posted in Allen Willemsen, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, God, God talks, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Music City, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, One At A Time Ministries, organic church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-prompted | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One-man sermons & the John the Baptist leadership principle

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Steve Simms

One-word sentences/One-man sermons. Limiting conversation to one-word sentences quenches communication. Example: Person A) Hello.  Person B) Hi.  A) Going?  B) Yes. A)  When?  B) Now.  A) Where?  B) There.   A) How?  B) Walking.  A) Good.  B) Thanks.  A) Bye.  … Continue reading →

Posted in automatic, Bible, communication, control, conversation, He must increase, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, I must decrease, John the Baptist, leaders, leadership, led by the Spirit, one word, one-word dialogue, pride, principle, Quench not the Spirit, quench the Spirit, Quotations, Quotes, sermon, sermons, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

C.H.U.R.C.H — A Poetic Acrostic

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

A poetic acrostic defining church: C — Christ-followers H — Hanging out together U — Under the influence of the Spirit, R — Responding directly to His promptings, C — Celebrating the glory of H — His holy Presence! Check … Continue reading →

Posted in acrostic, C H U R C H, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church services, church structure, definition, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, organic church, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Irrigation, Living Water & New Wineskins

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

Our dry souls need to be irrigated with much Living Water.  An effective irrigation system has many waterspouts, not just one.  God’s living water flows lavishly in church meetings when many people are free to share the living water that … Continue reading →

Posted in creativity, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, heart care, heart of worship, heart-felt, Holy Spirit, irrigation system, Jesus, Jesus Christ, no one pours new wine, preaching, preaching the Word, sermon, sermons | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Absolutely amazing special effects occur when the living, resurrected Jesus Christ is personally allowed to direct a church meeting and to speak through ordinary men and women.

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, house church, open church, participatory church, simple church, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Church — In Sync or Spontaneous?

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Steve Simms

During praise and worship an image came to my mind. I saw a group of people, all neatly facing the front of the room, sitting at banquet tables with full plates in front of them. Then I saw a man … Continue reading →

Posted in 37207, banquet, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, in unison, living God, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, not being fed in church, organic church, praise, praise and worship, praising God, program, programmed, programmed from the front, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, spiritual food, spontaneity, The Salvation Army, unprogrammed church, unrehearsed, vision, visions from God, We've always done it that way", Western religion, Western society, Western world, What is church?, what to do in Nashville, worship, worship center, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments