Category Archives: house church

Non-Church — Discovered In Japan & Other Places

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

I recently read about non-church when I heard about a Japanese man named Uchimura Kanzo.  He  started meeting with a group of friends in a small Christian gathering in Japan in the early 1900s where everyone was equal and everybody … Continue reading →

Posted in burning heart, China, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, congregational, East Nashville, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Japan, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, movement, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, priesthood of the believer, relational church, religion, simple church, spiritual formation, support group, the way we do church, Uncategorized, unprogrammed church, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Who Da Best Preacher/Bible Teacher?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

If Christ is really alive and present when we gather in His name (as the New Testament says He is) why can’t He direct a church meeting, without human programming and control?  Perhaps the answer is: We won’t let Him. … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, church structure, congregational, DeVern Fromke, devotion, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jesus Take The Wheel, movement, mysticism, non-material reality, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, voice activated, voice of God, Western religion, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Can The Contempory Church Say “This Is That”?

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can the contemporary church say, like Peter did in the Book of Acts, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” as we point, like Peter did, to something supernatural that God is doing in our midst? It … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, acts of God, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, church, church structure, denominations, discipling, early church, evidence for God, eyewitness, gifts of the Spirit, house church, Jerusalem, lifestyles, missional, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, New Testament, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, popular culture, priesthood of the believer, proof of God, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, relational church, religion, show and tell, speaking in tongues, spiritual growth, supernatural, testimonies, the way we do church, this is that, tradition, which was spoken by the prophet Joel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Relational Church — What A Great & Powerful Idea — Experience It For Yourself

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Steve Simms

Relational church is powerful and life changing.  It shows people that the love of God isn’t just a religious idea, but a present, almost tangible, reality. When God’s love is demonstrably present and visible in a gathering, people’s lives are … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, East Nashville, glory, hearts unfold like flowers, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, inward change, kingdom of God, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, spiritual growth, support group, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

500 Years Ago Martin Luther Posted 95 Shocking Statements About Church — Here Are My 95 . . .

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper, listing 95 revolutionary statements, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.  This act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation of the church. Inspired by Martin Luther’s courageous act, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, blog, bold statements, Bubba Watson, burning heart, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, clergy, conscience, conviction of sin, courage, dancing, dancing with God, deliverance, demons, disciple making, East Nashville, family gathering, football, forgiveness, formal, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, grace, guidance, guilt, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Heaven, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jeremy Lin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, laymen, lecture, lifestyles, Linsanity, Martin Luther, miracles, missional, morality, morals, movement, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, quench the Spirit, recovery, reformation, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, support group, Taiwan Tebow, tears, tebow, tebowing, Tim Tebow, voice of God, wages of sin, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Way To Grow Is To Go

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

People grow when they go into positive action.  If they sit still too long, they atrophy. The way to grow spiritually is to go with God’s flow — to hear and do what the Spirit of God says to you.  … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, Berry Street, celebrations, challenges, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, church structure, community, congregational, devotion, disciple making, disciples, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, people of God, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, quench the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s Needed In Contemporary Ch__ch? u r (You Are Needed To Be An Active Participant Rather Than A Spectator!))

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

If you compare contemporary church meetings with how they did church in the New Testament, you will notice that something seems to be missing nowadays.  What’s the difference between the early church and the modern-day church? Paul compares the New … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, American church, announcements, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, church, church history, church roles, church structure, community, congregational, early church, East Nashville, entertainment, hearing God, house church, human body, I Corinthians 14:26, kingdom of God, Music City, mystery, mysticism, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prototype, religion, religious ceremonies, revival, simple church, speaking, spiritual growth, surrender to God, symphony, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hey Church, We Are Family . . . (Do We Act Like It?)

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

Perhaps the church can learn from family . . . The Bible teaches that church is family — a body of believers bound together in spiritual kinship.  Church is hearts connected in love for Christ and for one another.   The … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, children, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, community, disciple making, discipling, early church, family gathering, formal, funerals, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lecture, lesson plans, marriage, modeling, New Testament, non-traditional church, organic church, parents, participatory church, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual kinship, support group, teaching, the way we do church, thinking, tradition, unprogrammed church, weddings, Western religion, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What Involves Various People Speaking But Only 1 Person Talking?

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

What involves several people speaking but only one Person talking?  A Spirit-led, participatory church meeting. It is truly amazing.  Various people spontaneously (as led by the Spirit) share words of encouragement, insights, testimonies, Scriptures, prayer requests, spiritual gifts, prayers, and … Continue reading →

Posted in American church, awe, Bible, bold statements, burning heart, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church structure, God's government, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus Christ, Methodist class meeting, Music City, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, prayer | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Hereeeeeeee’s Jesus!

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Would you like to see God’s glory in your life and in your church?  The key is not a conference or a curriculum, not a program or a performance, not marketing or methods, not a better strategy or harder work.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christianity, church, East Nashville, Ed McMahon, glory, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Johnny Carson, miracles, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, presence of Christ, religion, simple church, spiritual growth, supernatural, The Salvation Army, The Tonight Show, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church?, What would Jesus do?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments