Category Archives: homily

To focus on a man’s talk (called a “sermon”) rather than on Christ’s presence is to settle for a 2nd-hand account instead of a 1st-hand experience.

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Steve Simms
Posted in alternative to preaching, alternative to sermons, church sermons, do away with the sermon, encounter with God, encountering God, experiencing God, experiencing Jesus, homiletics, homily, long-winded sermon, meeting Jesus, preaching the Gospel, preaching the Word, sermon material, sermon series, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beyond sermon-hearing to Spirit-hearing

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Steve Simms

Christ experienced is much more powerful than Christ explained. The “let the preacher do it” mentality has crippled contemporary Christianity. However, Jesus never said: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the preacher says.” (He said, “Let them hear what the … Continue reading →

Posted in art of listening, Bible reading, body of Christ, church programs, cost of discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, disciple making, discipleship, Great Commission, homiletics, homily, how the body of Christ functions, how to be a disciple, listening, listening to God, preaching, spiritual growth, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Are sermons working or just keeping up appearances?

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Steve Simms

Are sermons working or just keeping up appearances? Will a talk about religion give you the personal power to walk out your faith in daily life? * When church people recommend sleazy entertainment on social media; sermons aren’t working; * … Continue reading →

Posted in church decline, church meetings, church refugees, church services, church speakers, church teachers, homiletics, homily, house church, lecture, lecture in church, message, message in church, organic chruch, religious talks, sermon series, simple church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sermons have been greatly used by God

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Steve Simms

The Protestant Reformation (which began in 1517, back in the day when the priest was the smartest person in town) made some very effective changes in the way church was done. Those changes helped to create a spiritual revolution and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1517, 500th anniversary, 95 theses, Catholic Church, Catholic mass, Catholicism, changes in worship, Christian education, church altar, denominations, Eucharist, hermeneutics, homily, illiteracy, liturgical churches, liturgy, non-liturgical, printing press, Protestant, Protestant Reformers, pulpit, pulpit ministry, Roman Catholic, sermons, the Western church, theology, types of worship, Uncategorized, Western Christianity, Western Europe, worship, worship service, worship styles, worship wars | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Right Way To Have Church

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is there only one, correct way of doing church?  Sometimes it seems so. For five hundred years there has basically been only one, right way of doing church. Regardless of denomination or doctrine, church has almost universally contained a central, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians:14, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, church history, communion, denominations, doctrine, doctrines, Fresh Expressions movement, homiletics, homily, house church, Lord's supper, Martyn Atkins, Methodism, Methodist church, open church, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, Protestant, pulpit, pulpit ministry, sacrament, sacraments, sermon-hearing, sermons, the right way to do church, UK, ways of doing church, worship, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment