Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Was Matthias A Mistake? — The Human Need To Institutionalize Spirituality

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Was replacing Judas (who had betrayed Jesus) with Matthias a mistake?  Was it a very early example of the human desire to institutionalize church?  Perhaps. The Book of Acts begins with the resurrected Jesus spending 40 days with the apostles … Continue reading →

Posted in 120 in upper room, Acts, acts of God, Bible, choice, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, ekklesia, empty tomb, faith, fire, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's authority, God's government, Gospel, Gospels, Greek word, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heirarchy, His story, history, Holy Spirit, house church, insight, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, Judas, kingdom of God, life, lifestyle Christianity, Luke, Matthias, missional, move of God, movement, mysticism, non-church, organic church, Pentecost, pentecostals, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, revelation, revival, rivers of living water, Scriptures, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Voice, tongues of fire, tradition, unprogrammed church, voice of God, voices, What is church?, words on fire | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Taking An Amazing Flag To The Streets

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Steve Simms

The purpose of a flag is not just to be on a stage in a building but to fly outdoors over the territory that it rules.  There is an amazing, but little known flag, that has been in the forefront … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood and Fire, Catherine Booth, Christ, Christian, Christian flag, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, contemporary, conviction of sin, Coventry, Creator, drug dealers, dust bin, dustbin, East Nashville, England, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, faithfulness, fire, flag, God's authority, Gospel, Great Britain, Great Commission, hearing God, high tech, history, Holy Spirit, international movement, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, Nashville City Paper, national flags, non-church, normal Christianity, open airs, openairs, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, presence of God, prostitutes, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual warfare, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, to the streets, witness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

The Wireless Connection That Never Fails

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

“Wireless connection failed.”  Those words can be very frustrating.  Then you have to move into wireless troubleshooting and try to reconnect.  But is there a wireless connection that never fails. Yes!  The only way to break this wireless connection is … Continue reading →

Posted in apart from me you can do nothing, beeline, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, connection failed, disconnect, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, land line, organic church, out of range, presence of Christ, presence of God, reconnect, secure, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Voice, voice of God, wireless connection | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Rube Goldberg Machines Can Teach Us About Church

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Rube Goldberg machines are complex contraptions that produce a sequence of what appears to be random actions that lead to a final result.  They are fun to watch.  You can find many videos of Rube Goldberg machines on YouTube. Perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church history, church programs, church roles, church structure, East Nashville, ekklesia, good sermon, having a form of godliness, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Kevin Brockmeier, Music City, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, priesthood of the believer, relational church, religious ceremonies, Rube Goldberg, simple church, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Perhaps Church Is Much Simpler Than We Think It Is . . .

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Maybe church is much simpler than we think it is? Perhaps church is just two or there or more believers gathered under the actual leadership and direction of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ in our midst? (In Matthew 18:20, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciple making, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, Matthew 18:20, move of God, participatory church, presence of Christ, presence of God, relational church, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Video About How Church Can Be Like A Beach Party

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Beach parties are fun.  Why do people love them so much?  Perhaps there are things the church can learn from a beach party . . .

Posted in beach, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs, beach party, beach songs, Berry Street, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, faith-based, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Is the living current of Christ cruising within you, or do you have a dead battery under your hood?

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Current events:  actions or words prompted by the flow of the Holy Spirit within you.  Don’t resist and/or quench the Spirit’s current, but go with His flow. Like electricity the Spirit of God flows through conductors.  Is the living current … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, conductors, current events, dead battery, dunamis, dynamite, dynamo, electricity, faith, generator, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, inner rivers, inward change, lifestyles, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, prayer, proof of God, quench the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies, salvation, Scriptures, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, testimonies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What You Know Vs. The Love You Show

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Spiritual growth isn’t about how much information concerning God that you know.  It’s about how much of God’s love that you show and how much you allow the Holy Spirit to flow. Spiritual growth isn’t about how much theological and/or … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, alternative lifestyle, belief, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christianity, dancing with God, devotion, disciple making, discipling, facts and figures, faith, faith-based, feelings, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, glory, God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Holy Spirit, inward change, lifestyles, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, organic church, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, religion, revival, rivers of living water, salvation, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, supernatural, The Voice, thoughts, voice activated, voice of God, voices | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2 Ways Of Having Church (One Widespread & The Other Very Rare)

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Steve Simms

There are thousands of brands of Christianity (called denominations).  However, if you look closer at all the denominational and non-denominational churches in the world, there are really only two ways of having church:  1) Spectative church & 2) Interactive church. … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, brands, China, Chinese, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, denominations, East Nashville, Holy Spirit, Music City, Nashville, organic church, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Does Hierarchy Hinder God? — How To “Prepare The Way For The Lord”

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

John the Baptist came to “prepare the way for the Lord” in his generation.  I, too, would like to prepare the way for the Lord.  I want to prepare the way for God to work powerfully in my life.  And … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, Apostle Paul, Bible, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church history, church roles, church structure, clergy, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, equality, free will, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God, God's government, heirarchy, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, laity, organic church, participatory church, Paul of Tarsus, Quotations, quote, Quotes, race, relational church, simple church, unprogrammed church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments