Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Two 19th Century Women Promoted Participatory Church

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Steve Simms

These two 19th Century women promoted participatory church: Florence Booth of The Salvation Army said:  “The greatest care is needed that a sense of the value of testimony should be preserved throughout The Army. Salvationism is neither comforting nor complete … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th Century, church history, converts, Ellen G. White, Florence Booth, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army women, Salvationism, sermon, sermons, Seventh Day Adventists, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Let God’s Fire Be 0% Contained (Not 100% Contained)

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

0% contained? *The goal for a wildfire is that it be 100% contained — full containment.   *God’s goal for His fire is that it be 0% contained — complete uncontainment. (To quote Paul of Tarsus, “Quench not the Spirit.”) … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% contained, 24/7/365, ablaze, burning desire, burning heart, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fired up, flames, get fired-up, glory of God, goals, God's fire, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Paul of Tarsus, Pentecost, Quench not the Spirit, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, revival, spirit fire, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, stir up the gift, tongues of fire, uncontained | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

12 B&Bs of PC (Benefits & Blessings of Participatory Church)

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

12 (B&Bs) Benefits & Blessings of (PC) Participatory church: 1) is exciting and never the same ole, same ole.  It breaks the boredom cycle of customary church. 2) releases the living, resurrected Jesus Christ and allows Him to personally direct … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, accountability, Bible, boredom, Christ, Christian organizations, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, commandments, commands, community, customary, customs, faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Nashville, Nashville church, New Testament, non-church, non-traditional church, one another, one anothers, participators, participatory church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Credit Card Reader’s Message

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

I saw these words on a credit card reader:  “When prompted swipe card.” Perhaps a better message would be:  “When prompted obey Jesus — quench not the Spirit.” Americans and other Westerners are subjected to so many prompts:  compulsions, commercials, … Continue reading →

Posted in American, American media, American values, Americans, brainwashed, brainwashing, compulsion, consumerism, cravings, credit card, desires, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Culture, orientation, peer pressure, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, Quench not the Spirit, quench the Spirit, religion, sex, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, swipe card, Western society, Western world, when prompted, whims | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

See The Holy Spirit Work A Room!

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Steve Simms

The Holy Spirit can work a room, moving from person to person, lighting faces and enlightening hearts and minds.  That’s what He wants to do when we Christians gather for worship.  All we have to do is loosen up our … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, church history, church meetings, Hell, Holy Spirit, how to, how to work a room, Nashville, not called did you say?, organic church, Protestant Reformation, Quench not the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, revival, sinner, sins, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, spiritual movement, The Salvation Army, work a room | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Church — Spiritual Training Camp? Or Spectator Religion?

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

Like an NFL Training Camp, church should be hands-on training — not passive lecture. Through rigorous involvement and interaction, church should train believers in the spiritual skills and attitudes necessary to make a powerful, victorious, and godly impact in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bishop Charles H. Mason, COGIC, dodge ball, game of life, God, God calling, God experiment, God is truly among you, God with us, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, lecture, NFL, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, prompting of the Spirit, quotation, quote, Quotes, science, science lab, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-prompted, spiritual athletes, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, Train yourself unto godliness., training camp, voice of God | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Perhaps A Pastor Should Oversee, Not Direct Church Services

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Steve Simms

–“Overseer” — that’s how the word for Christian leader is translated in some versions of the New Testament.  That translation fits Jesus’ command that leaders be “servants.” –A great example of an overseer is a basketball or football official.  He/she … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, agendaless, agendaless church, basketball officials, Bible, boundaries, Christianity, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church overseers, church roles, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, football officials, God's authority, God's government, hearing the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, impact of church, Jesus, kingdom of God, leaders, leadership, led by the Spirit, Music City, order of worship, organic church, oversight, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Sunday Holy Spirit Science Lab?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Perhaps a church service could be like a high school science lab where ordinary people experiment with hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit.  What would happen if people showed up for Sunday church ready to share with and minister to … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, experiencing God, experiment, experimental church, Holy Spirit, organic church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, science, scientific model, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, service, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual formation, spiritual gifts, The Salvation Army, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

God’s voice is heard in humble, human hearts.

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

God’s voice is not heard through hype, hoopla, or hierarchy; it is heard in humble, human hearts.  In the Bible, church is not a preplanned program, but God’s powerful presence being poured out on people! (See Acts 2).  When believers … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church leader, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, God, God calling, God's voice, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Salvation Army church, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, voice of God | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

My Favorite Prayer

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

Famous prayers include:  the Lord’s Prayer, the Serenity Prayer, the Prayer of St. Francis, Jesus’ Prayer On The Cross, the Sinner’s Prayer, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, and The Jesus Prayer. Once the Tennessean asked me what is … Continue reading →

Posted in forgive them for they know not what they do, Holy Spirit, Jesus' prayer on the cross, list, Lord's Prayer, Now I lay me down to sleep, pray for one another, prayer list, Prayer of St. Francis, praying in the Spirit, praying in tongues, Serenity Prayer, Sinner's Prayer, speaking in tongues, spirit, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spiritual skills, supernatural praying, Tennessean, The Jesus Prayer, unknown tongues | Tagged , , | 3 Comments