Category Archives: message

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

Is a 1-Man Sermon Like A Centipede With Only One Functioning Leg?

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church where 1 man does all the talking is like a centipede where only one leg does all the walking.  (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, alternatives to sermons, church meetings, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, message, message in church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, preaching styles, pulpit, pulpit ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Full Gospel–Salvation Army Style (“Others” or Jesus–Finding Balance)

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

The Salvation Army is off the race track. Check out my new book, Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color Kind at this link. Commissioner Israel Gaither says this about it: “The racial divide in America is real and it is deep. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian history, church history, Full Gospel, Gospel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, message, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army General, Salvation Army officer | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lightning Power Released When The Pope Resigned

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

The Pope resigned and a few hours later lightning struck St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Moral of the story? When we move beyond religious tradition and obey the prompting of the Spirit in our heart, great power is released!

Posted in Catholic, Catholic mystics, lightening, meaning, message, moral, moral of the story, power, powerful, powerhouse, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, radical obedience, Roman, Roman Catholic, Rome, St. Peter's Basilica | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Church — Massaging the Mind Or Harvesting The Heart?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

Jesus taught that spiritual inspiration (revelation) is the harvest of the heart.  He said:  “Out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”  (John 7:38). The purpose of church (of believers gathering together) is to release the inner … Continue reading →

Posted in flow, flow of the Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 7:38, massage, mental messages, message, mind, opinion, organic church, out of your innermost being, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious talks, sermon, sermons, simple church, What is church?, What is the true church? | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is America Violent & Alienated From God Like Jean Valjean In Les Misérables?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Les Misérables, the new movie musical staring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried, beautifully brings Victor Hugo’s 1862 French novel to life.  However, it made me wonder:  Is America violent and alienated from God like the main … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century, 21st Century, alternative lifestyle, Augustine, brainwashed, brainwashing, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, Christianity, conscience, conversion, convert, conviction, conviction of sin, cruel, devotion, discouragement, evangelism, faith, faith-based, faithfulness, fear, feelings, freedom, French novels, God, harmful thinking, hearing God, history, human nature, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, message, misery, moral failure, moral principles, morality, morals, movie, movie review, movies, musicals, mysticism, new birth, obedience, persecution, popular culture, prayer, relevation, religion, repentance, salvation, search for significance, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual themes, spiritual transformation, values, Victor Hugo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Don’t Settle For Glee When You Can Have Worglee!

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

Don’t settle for Glee on TV, when you can have worglee in your daily life.  Worglee is anticipating and expecting good things to happen to you and to the people you love.  It’s the opposite of worry.  Although the process … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, angst, anxiety, anxious thoughts, belief, belief system, blessings, bummer, celebration, celebrations, change, change management, choice, comfort, compassion, contemplation, creativity, decision-making, discomfort, disconnect, discouragement, doubts, encouragement, experiment, faith, freedom, guidance, habit, health, health care, insight, inspiration, joy, language, lifestyles, making decisions, message, misery, motivation, revelation, security, self-image, self-talk, stop worrying, television, testimonies, testimony, thoughts, TV, values, words | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Will It Take For A Bible Type Revival To Happen In America?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

At The Salvation Army Berry Street last Sunday we passed out paper and pens and had everybody who was willing to write out a question for God and then to listen to God for His answer to their question. Then … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American, American church, American history, Americans, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible type revival, Christ followers, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church meetings, church programs, conviction of sin, devotion, die to self, disaster, disasters, disciple making, disciples, discipline, guidance, guide, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart care, inspiration, institution, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, meaninglessness, message, movement, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, participatory church, praise and worship, relevation, religion, repent, repentance, revolution, rivers of living water, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, society, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

All The World’s A Stage Showering Us With Seductive Sounds & Scenes

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

William Shakespeare wrote:  “All the world’s a stage,” yet in his day the stage was very limited.  The only way to see theatrical entertainment or to hear music was to be in person at a live performance.  Nowadays, all the … Continue reading →

Posted in All the world is a stage, anger, attitude, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Bible, brain, brainwashed, casual sex, cesorship, compassion, complacency, compliance, compromise, conscience, contemporary, corrupt culture, cravings, criticism, cultural taboos, current events, destructive actions, disapproval, disdain, dishonesty, disrespect, Do not conform, electronic media, fear, hate speech, injury, lifestyles, live performance, married sex, mature language, meaninglessness, media circus, message, mind, modern myths, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, myths, political attack ads, Quotations, quote, Quotes, rage, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, seduction, seduction of self-destruction, self-focus, self-will, spiritual warfare, television, the stage, theater, theatrical entertainment, TV, TV network, unkindness, values, video, viewer discretion advised, violence, vulgarity, warning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments