Category Archives: Nashville charity

America has lots of talk radio — perhaps we need talk church!

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

If people are not allowed to talk about Jesus in church meetings how will they get the courage and confidence to talk about Jesus in secular settings? I don’t need to hear another talk about God in church.  I’ve heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, BNA, East Nashville, multi-racial, multi-racial church, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, non-church, open church, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, simple church, Spirit directed, Spirit prompting, Trevecca, Trevecca Nazarene University | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Man Up! (Participatory/Organic Church Reaches Men!)

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Steve Simms

“The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories.” –Churchformen.com.  Why does church in the U.S. not reach more men? “Men are hard-wired for risk taking—particularly young … Continue reading →

Posted in attracting men, BNA, churchformen, David Murrow, fresh expressions, marketing to men, men in chuch, men in church, messy church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, organic church, participation, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, reaching men, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Preaching In My Dreams–Boy, I Miss It! (A Nashville Story)

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

I miss preaching . . . I woke up this morning dreaming that I was preaching. Although I haven’t preached a “traditional” sermon in several years, I really miss it. When I preach, I feel the Holy Spirit surging through … Continue reading →

Posted in BNA, Christian conferences, fresh expressions, Fresh Expressions movement, messy church, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, open forum, open mic, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, religion, renewal, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

When church is honest & raw, there will be awe!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

When church is honest & raw, there will be awe!  It will be stunning. When the first Christians gathered, the Bible says: “Everyone was filled with awe” –Acts 2:43. Awe is a stirring and powerful sense of amazement, astonishment, bewilderment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, order of worship, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church, spiritual church | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

How to create community in church

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

When many speak and share in a meeting, community comes forth. Church is called to be community, not an audience. In a traditional church service, there is one person speaking on the platform and everybody else is in the audience … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians:14, 21st Century, ancient ruins, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church community, early Christians, early church, early Salvation Army, East Nashville, ekklesia, how to create community, Isaiah, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville think tank, Nashville tourist attractions, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Ross Parsley, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Flag, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

East Nashville Fire, Spiritual Fire, & Buffalo Statues

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

A fire started at this site in 1916 that left 3,000 people in East Nashville homeless. Every time I am by here I pray that God will send His supernatural fire to East Nashville and so impact the lives of … Continue reading →

Posted in battle flag, Blood and Fire, buffalo statues, East Nashville, East Nashville Fire, history, homelessness, McFerrin Park, move of God, movement, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville news, Nashville streets, Nashville times, Nashville tourist attractions, prayer walking, prayer walking with The Salvation Army Flag, prayers, praying, praying community, renewal, revival, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Flag, salvation war, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, Tsunami Of The Spirit | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Faithworks — Blowing In The Wind Of The Spirit

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

Faithworks are like the wind and the Holy Spirit!  When the wind blows, all the tree leaves are blowing in the wind (not just one leaf, while the other leaves stay stationary).  When the Spirit moves in a church meeting, all … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Chief Shepherd, East Nashville, faith, faith in God, faith-based, faithworks, Holy Spirit like wind, Master Pastor, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville fireworks, Nashville streets, Nashville tourist attractions, organic church, piano keys, playing the piano, release of the Spirit, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sheep, simple church, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, spiritual flow, spiritual worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weather Station Church / Disappointment With Church / Children In Church

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

A weather station doesn’t try to program, direct, or control the weather. Rather it closely observes and interacts with the weather and then reports on and responds to it. What if a church didn’t try to program, direct, or control its worship … Continue reading →

Posted in can children hear God, children in church, East Nashville, fearfully and wonderfully made, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, listening to the Spirit, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville news, Nashville projects, Nashville times, Nashville tourist attractions, organic church, participatory church, revelation, simple church, summer camp, summer day camp, teaching children | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nashville’s Hands-On, Science-Lab Style, Doer Church

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Doer church? What if a church gathered to let people be doers — to let them hear what the Spirit is saying to them and then actually do it? “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (James 1:22). … Continue reading →

Posted in be doers of the word, East Nashville, McFerrin Park, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, not hearers only, organic church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Tennessee | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Have We Silenced God’s Lambs (Keeping Them Silent With Preaching)?

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

Have we silenced God’s lambs with a gag rule for church?  Perhaps. I believe that many people have powerful messages from God burning in their heart, but they are too intimidated to share them because: 1) They are never given … Continue reading →

Posted in lay preaching, laymen preaching, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville charity, participation, participation in church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, shared sermon, speaking up, Who can preach? | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments