Category Archives: Nashville

From The Ice Bucket Challenge to The Salvation Army Flag-Prayer-Walk Challenge

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is everywhere, raising amazing awareness and tons of money for ALS.  Perhaps it is time for another challenge. #icebucketchallenge Introducing The Flag-Prayer-Walk Challenge.  We challenge you to go for … Continue reading →

Posted in bucket challenge, Christian flag, ice water, icebucketchallenge, Nashville, prayer, prayer walking, prayer walking with The Salvation Army Flag, publicity, Salvation Army Nashville, trends | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” to Love, Peace, & Joy

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Steve Simms

In a world filled with violence, disrespect, hatred, and meanness, the movie, The Hundred-Foot Journey, beautifully illustrates the fact that reaching out in friendship to people you feel threatened by can be inspiring, healing, and transformational.  It vividly portrays the evil of violence and prejudice … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlotte Le Bon, Helen Mirren, Juliet Blake, Manish Daval, movie review, Nashville, Nashville church, novels, Om Puri, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, Richard C. Morais, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Nashville, Steven Spielberg | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

TN Commissioner of Agriculture, Cotton Ivy, at a Pentecostal Church

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

Cotton Ivy was the Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of Tennessee from 1989-1995.  The building in the picture is named after him:  the L.H. “Cotton” Ivy Laboratory at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Once when I was a … Continue reading →

Posted in baptism, Bible, Bible quotes, bruise Satan under your feet, Commissioner of Agriculture, devil, Kennett, L.H. Cotton Ivy, Missouri, Nashville, Pentecostal church, pentecostal experience, Pentecostal worship, pentecostals, Pentecostialism, run with the bulls, the God of peace, University of Tennessee Martin, water baptism | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

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

The Word, The World Cup, & CPR

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps we need more on Sunday mornings than religious education and/or personal motivation. We need the inner transformation that comes from following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ together in a meeting! I read the Bible almost every day … Continue reading →

Posted in Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, prayer, religious education, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, transformation, transformation movements, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quotes & Notes on Spirit-Prompted Church Meetings

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Hear God where you are.  Follow Him to where He is.  D.L. Moody said:  “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.” Within every person is a spiritual cell phone … Continue reading →

Posted in Azusa Street, Bob Kuhn, C.H. Mackintosh, church services, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, D.L. Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, G. Campbell Morgan, Nashville, Nashville church, ordaination, ordained, order of worship, organic church, out of the box, outpouring of the Spirit, participation in church, participatory church, preaching, priesthood of the believer, religion, ringtone, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sermons, Tennessee, The Apostolic Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 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

Karaoke Spoken From The Heart (Lay Witness Missions)

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

Before people in the USA sang karaoke, they spoke it spontaneously, from the heart as they told how the living, resurrected Jesus Christ had changed their life.  It was called Lay Witness Missions.  This spoken karaoke began in United Methodist … Continue reading →

Posted in a shout out, Ben Johnson, can I get a witness, Christian history, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, evangelism, evangelistic meetings, Frank Billman, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lay evangelist, lay speakers, lay testimonies, lay witness coordinator, lay witness movement, lay witness team, layman, laymen, laywomen, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, religious karaoke, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, sharing, sharing Christ, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, spiritual experiences, spiritual karaoke, spoken karaoke, team, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, witness, witnesses, witnessing, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Church? A Preacher Performing or People Participating

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

Should there be more than one way to hold a church service? Perhaps we should allow many ways of having a church meeting; instead of the one (almost universal) way of church based on sermon-hearing. Christians invite people to church … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church meetings, church services, creating an environment, interactive church, John Heider, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, religious meetings, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, sermon-hearing, Spirit-led church, unprogrammed church, Warren Bennis | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The NFL Draft

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps the church can learn from the NFL Draft! The NFL Draft is not looking for passive spectators to sit around and listen to the coach every week; but for game-changers who get off the bench and make plays!  (To … Continue reading →

Posted in Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participators, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment