Category Archives: lifestyles

An Opportunity To Make A Real Difference In Nashville

Would you like to make a real difference in Nashville?  The Salvation Army has a unique ministry in East Nashville that is changing lives and helping to transform the urban neighborhood of McFerrin Park. At The Salvation Army Berry Street … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, concerned about the very poor, conversion, deliverance, disciple making, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, freedom, Holy Spirit, lifestyles, manliest city, McFerrin Park, miracles, missional, movement, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, recovery, religion, repent, repentance, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

How To Avoid Being A Spiritual Wimp (Top 10 Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord)

In today’s tremendously tempting environment, it is important not to be a spiritual wimp.  Maintaining a consistent walk with the Lord requires great spiritual strength. Here are my Top Ten Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord.  However, because this … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, books, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, compassion, conscience, disciple making, East Nashville, forgiveness, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God, guidance, guilt, guts and glory, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, morality, morals, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, New York Jets, non-material reality, non-traditional church, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, popular culture, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, proof of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, religion, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, salvation, self-help, simple church, sin, sobriety, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, tebow, tebowing, temptation, The Jesus Prayer, The Salvation Army, The Voice, Tim Tebow, Top Ten, Uncategorized, values, Viral Jesus, voice of God, Why be a Christian?, words | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Sometimes I Think I’m Very Wealthy

A few days ago I began to realize how wealthy I am.  However, it is not a wealth that Forbes magazine will recognize. Nevertheless, if the world’s billionaires knew how much peace, contentment, excitement, clear conscience, joy, and sweet, moment-by-moment companionship with … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, billionaires, Christian, Christianity, clear conscience, conscience, Forbes, Forbes magazine, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, glamorous trips, God, gratitude, hearing God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jewels, joy, lifestyles, mysticism, non-material reality, normal Christianity, peace, positive thinking, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, salvation, self-esteem, self-help, self-image, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, supernatural, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, wealth, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The face of Christ, etched behind my eyes, is the pillar of my soul.

Posted in Christ, Christian, Christianity, church, conversion, evidence for God, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Lord, Messiah, Oh my God, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, resurrection, revelation, salvation, Savior, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, supernatural, Uncategorized, Viral Jesus, voice of God, wake-up call | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Top Ten Boldest Quotations From The Book Of Acts

Would you like to read some really bold statements?  The Book of Acts is full of them.  After reading through Acts 6 times in 3 months, I have picked out my The Top Ten Boldest Quotations From The Book Of … Continue reading

Posted in Acts, bold statements, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, church history, conscience, courage, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, guilt, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, making decisions, miracles, morality, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, normal Christianity, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, Peter and John, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, repent, repentance, revelation, salvation, Sanhedrin, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, Top Ten, Uncategorized, wages of sin, What is church?, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Power Of Hearing Your Name

Sometimes I tell God; “Lord, I love you,” and then I hear these words in my spirit; “I love you, Steve Simms.”  Am I crazy?  Not according to the Bible. Four different people, in chapters 9 & 10 of the … Continue reading

Posted in Acts, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, Ananias, ancient history, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, church history, conversion, Cornelius, courage, Damascus, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, Gentile, gift of God, glory, God, God's government, guidance, hate, hate speech, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jewish, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Mary Magdalene, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, Paul of Tarsus, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, repent, revelation, Roman, salvation, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, Syria, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, vision, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

How To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day . . .

According to his own words, here’s the best way to celebrate Patrick, the mighty man of God who brought Christ to Ireland and transformed a nation: 1)  See your sins in the Light, experience godly sorrow for them, then go … Continue reading

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, ancient history, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blessings, challenges, Christ, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, college, courage, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, holy, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, house church, Ireland, lifestyles, miracles, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, participatory church, popular culture, prayer, proof of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, resurrection, salvation, Scriptures, shamrock, simple church, Spirit-led, St. Patrick's Day, tebow, tebowing, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tim Tebow, Uncategorized, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bud’s Boldly Chasing Manning, But As For Me . . .

Observing the media circus of Bud Adams & the Tennessee Titans in hot pursuit of Peyton Manning makes me wonder . . . What would it be like if a group of people in Nashville began to publicly pursue Jesus … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bud Adams, Christ, Christianity, East Nashville, football, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, media circus, Nashville, National Football League, NFL, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, Peyton Manning, popular culture, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, Super Bowl, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment