Category Archives: house church

Should We Settle For Sunday Morning Mediocrity?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

For generations people in the Western world have settled for church as usual — Sunday morning mediocrity (SMM).  However, this has not always been the case. For the First Century believers, church was anything but mediocre.  Gathering with other followers … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, community, conviction of sin, East Nashville, ekklesia, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, filled with the Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, Nashville, non-church, normal Christianity, order of worship, participatory church, post-Christianity, religious ceremonies, service, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

The Awesome Power Of Spiritual Interaction

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

*  One of the most powerful tools for personal transformation is spiritual interaction, openly sharing your faith, spiritual experiences, struggles, and concerns with others in a loving and compassionate environment.  (I have personally seen spiritual interaction produce life-changing results both … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, addiction, addictions, Alcoholics Anonymous, Berry Street, Christ followers, Christian, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, early church, His story, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, inspiration, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, missional, move of God, movement, NA, Narcotics Anonymous, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church movement, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, pentecostals, Quakers, religious ceremonies, Revelation 12:11, revival, sermon, sermons, simple church, sobriety, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, support group, the 12 Steps, The Salvation Army, the Walk to Emmaus, tradition, Tres Dias, unprogrammed church, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

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

Can Real Love Disagree And/Or Disapprove?

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can real love disagree and/or disapprove?  Yes.  I know that it can.  If you read my blog, you know that I am willing to think in uncommon ways.  I have many ideas and some behaviors that are not commonly accepted … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, anti-war, belief, church, denominations, disapproval, disdain, ethics, faith, faith-based, free spirit, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, hate, hate speech, heretic, house church, judgments, kindness, lifestyles, moral principles, morality, morals, non-church, non-church movement, organic church, outside the box, pacifism, pacifists, participatory church, political correctness, popular culture, post-Christianity, questions, relational church, revolution, self-control, sermon, sermons, simple church, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, thinking, vegetarianism, violence, war, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 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

A Brief (Alternative) History Of Western Christianity

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

An alternative history of Western Christianity . . . The early Christians were passionate and obedient followers of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.  The government didn’t like them and put many of them to death. However, the love, lifestyle, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, alternative lifestyle, Castle Church, church, Constantine, downline, early church, ekklesia, empire, Germany, heretic, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, love, Martin Luther, mullti-level, Muslims, mystery, mysticism, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, organic church, Orthodox, political issue, politics, Protestant Reformation, reformation, religious ceremonies, religious wars, Roman Catholic, simple church, true Christian life, turned the world upsidedown, values, Western religion, Western world, What is church?, Wittenburg Door | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

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

Ideas to Tone Down the NBA, the NFL, and the Olympics

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

What if they made a new rule to tone down the Sochi Olympics by requiring all Olympic athletes to have one arm tied behind their back during competition?  Would you be okay with that? What if, in order to reduce … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, American church, basketball, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bold statements, burning heart, Christian community, Christianity, church history, church roles, church structure, current events, early church, East Nashville, England, faith-based, football, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, London, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, Olympics, open church, order of worship, participatory church, persecution, popular culture, post-Christianity, powerless, reality TV, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, repentance, revelation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, sporting event, sports, television, the way we do church, true Christian life, TV, TV network, UK, Uncategorized, Western religion, Western world, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is church an hour’s perch on a pew or an interactive search for more of God? Check out what the New Testament says about church meetings in I Corinthians 14:26.

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, American church, Bible, Biblical concept, bored in church, Christianity, church, early church, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, New Testament, perch, pew | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Alternative Names For Organic Church

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the last few years, many books have been written about organic church by people like Neil Cole, Milt Rodriguez, Tony and Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Wolfgang Simpson, Jon Zens, and many others.  I have read many of the books.  … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, faith, faith-based, flag, Frank Viola, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, James H Rutz, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jon Zens, King James Version, Milt Rodriguez, Music City, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, prayer, prayer walking, Quakers, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, sermon, sermons, show and tell, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tony and Felicity Dale, tradition, unprogrammed church, Western religion, What is church?, Wolfgang Simpson | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments