Category Archives: house church

PP Church — A Power House & A Pillar Of Fire

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church be more than people passively watching a program?  I found two quotations that say that church should be “a pillar of fire” and a “powerhouse.” “The Christian Church should be a pillar of fire leading the peoples of … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, ambulance corps, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, early church, East Nashville, Helen Shoemaker, history, Holy Spirit, house church, lifestyles, miracles, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, powerhouse, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, Samuel A. Eliot, simple church, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, Uncategorized, What is church?, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Happy Birthday, Berry Street!

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Steve Simms

We are celebrating our 4th birthday today at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Thank You, Lord, for 4 years of seeing You transform, disciple, and work through a diverse group of amazing people and for … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, birthday, birthday present, blessings, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, gift of God, grace, gratitude, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, joy, kingdom of God, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, participatory church, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, testimonies, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

3 Questions For The American Church

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

1:  Which set of words bests describes a typical American church service: A) Lesson, lecture, liturgy, program, study about God, sermon, ritual, religion, boring, dull, routine, passive, solemn, humanly controlled; or B) Experience, encounter, presence of God, demonstration, manifestation, awe, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, change, Christianity, church, church structure, early church, East Nashville, freedom, hearing God, house church, joy, mystery, mysticism, non-traditional church, organic church, presence of God, religion, sermon, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, tradition, Uncategorized, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Christ is visibly manifested in the church not when we merely hold meetings about Him; but when we actually encounter His Presence in our midst, individually listen to Him, and then obediently do whatever He prompts us to do in the meeting.

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christianity, church, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, organic church, simple church, spiritual formation, worship | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The purpose of the church is not to present people information and songs about God but to visibly manifest the power and presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christianity, church, church history, church structure, house church, order of worship, organic church, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Show And Tell — A Powerful Tool For Improving Your Life

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

Show and tell —  it’s not just for kindergarten and early elementary school.  It is a powerful tool for improving your life that works wonders for people of all ages. For instance, when people are stressed out, caught up in … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, addiction, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, change, China, Chinese, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, disciple making, early church, East Nashville, elementary school, freedom, guidance, harmful habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, kindergarten, lifestyles, Methodist class meeting, Music City, Narcotics Anonymous, New Testament, organic church, Overeaters Anonymous, praise and worship, Quakers, religion, Scriptures, sermons, show and tell, simple church, spiritual formation, Supreme Court, the way we do church, Uncategorized, values, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

A Nashville Dream Fulfilled After 121 Years

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Nashville is a place where people come to seek their dreams of fame and fortune in country music.  However, have you ever heard of the Nashville man who dreamed a dream that wasn’t fulfilled until 121 years after his death?  … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, John Berry McFerrin, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, religion, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, support group, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 60 Comments

Hearing God’s Voice Made Me An Agnostic

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

I believed that I was a believer when I was an unbeliever.  What I thought I knew about God and about Christ (doctrines that I had been taught as a passive listener); I didn’t really know. So how do you … Continue reading →

Posted in agnostic, apologists, Christ, Christianity, church, conversion, East Nashville, evidence for God, gift of God, God, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Hindu, Hinduism, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, organic church, prayer, rejecting Christ, religion, revelation, salvation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, Uncategorized, University of Tennessee Martin, values, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Tag-Team Church — A Nashville Prototype

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Exploring Tag-Team Church: Definition of tag-team:  Tag-team is an activity where people take turns participating as team members.  The best known use of the term tag-team is in reference to wrestling where it refers to wrestlers who fight as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church, church structure, congregational, disciple making, discipling, evidence for God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, organic church, proof of God, prototype, revelation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, voice activated, voice of God, wrestling | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Acting Out Acts — Sound Bites From The First Christians . . .

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

“Filled with awe . . .” “Filled with wonder and amazement . . .” “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” “Performing  many signs and wonders among the people.” “We must obey God … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, alternative lifestyle, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church, church history, disciple making, early church, history, house church, Music City, Nashville, normal Christianity, organic church, Quotes, repent, simple church, spiritual growth | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments