Category Archives: Nashville

Drunk Christians?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

Some observers of the early Christians made fun of them and said:  “They have had too much wine.”  (Would you use the word “drunk” to describe a gathering of Christians, nowadays?) Here’s the response to that accusation, given by Jesus’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts 2, acts of God, alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous, alternative lifestyle, Apostle Peter, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, booze it up, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, church, church history, church meetings, drinking, DUI, Ephesus, filled with the Spirit, free spirit, good sermon, guilt, hangover, inner peace, inner rivers, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, life, lifestyle Christianity, makes change, miracles, missional, morality, morals, move of God, movement, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, new wine, Oh my God, on the web, Paul of Tarsus, peace, persecution, Peter, preaching, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, quench the Spirit, quote, Quotes, reformation, salvation, sober up, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, testimony, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Great Restaurant (But Don’t Even Know Owner’s Views On Marriage)

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

I discovered a great restaurant 5 days ago and I have already eaten there 4 times (even though I don’t even know the owner’s views on marriage).  If you like a meat & 2 or a veggie plate (sometimes known … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, creativity, criticism, dining, East Nashville, food, happiness, happy, improv, judgment, lifestyles, Meridian Cafe, Music City, Nashville, parable, soul food, veggi plate, words | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Should Church Comfort Or Confront?

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church meetings comfort or confront?  Perhaps both.  Maybe church should “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” However the goal of a church meeting is not primarily to make people comfortable or to be user friendly.  The goal of … Continue reading →

Posted in afflict the comfortable, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blessed, brokenness, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, comfort, conviction, conviction of sin, cross, deny yourself, godly sorrow, hearing God, Isaiah, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, mysticism, Nashville, organic church, participatory church, Paul of Tarsus, purpose, repent, repentance, revival, revolution, salvation, self-denial, show and tell, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, those who mourn, uncomfortable, unprogrammed church, user friendly, voice of God, Woe is me | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

Lifestyle (Real World) Christianity

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

Lifestyle Christianity is faithful faith — faith that lives faithfully according to its values and beliefs.  Its focus is to actually follow and obey the commands of Christ rather than to merely swallow a prepackaged belief system about Him. Lifestyle … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, belief system, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church history, church programs, church roles, church structure, commands, community, confession, creeds, deeds, disciples, discipling, faith, faith-based, faithfulness, forgiveness, gifts of the Spirit, guilt, inward change, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, obedience, one anothers, organic church, peace, presence of God, real world, recovery, religious ceremonies, self-denial, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, supernatural, support group, team, values, witness | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

Taking An Amazing Flag To The Streets

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Steve Simms

The purpose of a flag is not just to be on a stage in a building but to fly outdoors over the territory that it rules.  There is an amazing, but little known flag, that has been in the forefront … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood and Fire, Catherine Booth, Christ, Christian, Christian flag, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, contemporary, conviction of sin, Coventry, Creator, drug dealers, dust bin, dustbin, East Nashville, England, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, faithfulness, fire, flag, God's authority, Gospel, Great Britain, Great Commission, hearing God, high tech, history, Holy Spirit, international movement, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, Nashville City Paper, national flags, non-church, normal Christianity, open airs, openairs, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, presence of God, prostitutes, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual warfare, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, to the streets, witness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Ideas to Tone Down the NBA, the NFL, and the Olympics

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

What if they made a new rule to tone down the Sochi Olympics by requiring all Olympic athletes to have one arm tied behind their back during competition?  Would you be okay with that? What if, in order to reduce … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, American church, basketball, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bold statements, burning heart, Christian community, Christianity, church history, church roles, church structure, current events, early church, East Nashville, England, faith-based, football, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, London, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, Olympics, open church, order of worship, participatory church, persecution, popular culture, post-Christianity, powerless, reality TV, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, repentance, revelation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, sporting event, sports, television, the way we do church, true Christian life, TV, TV network, UK, Uncategorized, Western religion, Western world, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Video About How Church Can Be Like A Beach Party

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Beach parties are fun.  Why do people love them so much?  Perhaps there are things the church can learn from a beach party . . .

Posted in beach, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs, beach party, beach songs, Berry Street, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, faith-based, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Alternative Names For Organic Church

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the last few years, many books have been written about organic church by people like Neil Cole, Milt Rodriguez, Tony and Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Wolfgang Simpson, Jon Zens, and many others.  I have read many of the books.  … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, faith, faith-based, flag, Frank Viola, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, James H Rutz, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jon Zens, King James Version, Milt Rodriguez, Music City, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, prayer, prayer walking, Quakers, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, sermon, sermons, show and tell, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tony and Felicity Dale, tradition, unprogrammed church, Western religion, What is church?, Wolfgang Simpson | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Churches Are Shrinking–Is Christianity Fading Away Or Will It Come Roaring Back In A Creative Way?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the Western world churches are shrinking.  A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that Millennials (American’s in their twenties) are increasingly turning away from religion.  More and more writers and experts are saying that America is now … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I Corinthians 14:26, McKay Bookstore, Mike Bickle, Millennials, Music City, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, post-Christianity, prototype, religion, simple church, spiritual awakening, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

God Still Makes Change That Sets The Captives Free

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Where did that strange question come from as I sat bored in church one morning?  “If you were born a Hindu, what would you be today?” Here’s my testimony.  God still makes change that sets the captives free.  Hearing God’s … Continue reading →

Posted in agnostic, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bored in church, change, change management, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, college, East Nashville, evidence for God, faith, faith-based, free spirit, freedom, gift of God, God, Hindu, history, interactive, lifestyles, makes change, miracles, mysticism, Nashville, new birth, non-traditional church, prayer, religion, revelation, salvation, Salvationists, saved, Savior, sets the captives free, simple church, soul, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, strange question, supernatural, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, trust, Why be a Christian?, witness, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment