Category Archives: non-liturgical

Jesus came to revitalize us; not to ritualize us!

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Steve Simms

Jesus came to revitalize, revolutionize, and radicalize us, not to systematize, traditionalize, and ritualize us. The risen Jesus is radical, but church tries to make Him liturgical. Church programs are a poor substitute for the living presence of Christ and His … Continue reading →

Posted in google, Jesus is the way, liturgy, non-liturgical, Paul of Tarsus, Sigmond Freud, spectators, the way the truth the life, the way we do church, transformation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sermons have been greatly used by God

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Steve Simms

The Protestant Reformation (which began in 1517, back in the day when the priest was the smartest person in town) made some very effective changes in the way church was done. Those changes helped to create a spiritual revolution and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1517, 500th anniversary, 95 theses, Catholic Church, Catholic mass, Catholicism, changes in worship, Christian education, church altar, denominations, Eucharist, hermeneutics, homily, illiteracy, liturgical churches, liturgy, non-liturgical, printing press, Protestant, Protestant Reformers, pulpit, pulpit ministry, Roman Catholic, sermons, the Western church, theology, types of worship, Uncategorized, Western Christianity, Western Europe, worship, worship service, worship styles, worship wars | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Years of studying church history have shown me that during times of great spiritual awakening, church meetings are more about experiencing and obeying a Presence, than about sitting and listening to a program.

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christ in you, Christ's presence, church, church program, church programs, God's presence, great awakening, history, move of God, movement, non-church, non-liturgical, normal Christianity, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual experience, spiritual gifts, spiritual movement, spiritual transformation, spiritual worship, spirituality, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Church Is Like A Swiss Army Knife

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church service is like a Swiss Army Knife — full of spiritually gifted people.  It can use the same person to speak, week after week, while the others are closed down (pic 1).  Or it can allow everybody to … Continue reading →

Posted in How many blads in a Swiss Army Knife?, interactive, interactive church, interactive learning, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, non-church, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, simple church, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual giftings, spiritual gifts, spontaneous church, Uncategorized, What is a Swiss Army Knife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s Time For Interactive Church Services!

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

People living in our 21st Century culture of constant interactive media, need more than a passive, authoritarian, spectator church service.  Maybe they need engagement and participation!  Perhaps a church service needs to be more than a Sunday morning love lecture.  … Continue reading →

Posted in interactivity, love lecture, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, sermon, sermon-free, simple church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Do You Ever Get The Hear-Another-Sermon-Blues?

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

Do you ever get the hear-another-sermon-blues?  Well, don’t fret.  I can’t find the word “sermon” in the Bible.  Can you? When you regularly share with others about what God is saying to you and about what He is doing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, blues, Darryl M. Erke, Ernest F. Scott, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Right To Speak Out (In Church)

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

Perhaps it’s time for church members (according to 1 Corinthians 14:26) to revive their right to speak out in church services.

Posted in church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, non-church, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, open mike, order of worship, organic church, participants, participators, participatory church, religious ceremonies, rights, share, sharing, simple church, simplicity, speaking, speaking out, speech making, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Did Sermon-Free Church Begin At Pentecost?

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

Sermon-Free Church — Did It Begin At Pentecost?  Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013 On Pentecost Sunday (May 19) the church in the Western world celebrates the beginning of sermon-free church. The events are recorded in Acts, chapter 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 2013, Acts, Apostle Peter, bishops, Christ followers, church, church history, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, coming of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, New Testament, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, one anothers, open church, open mike, openairs, organic church, origin of the church, overseers, participatory church, Peter, Peter preaching on Pentecost, praise, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, preaching, preaching the Word, Roman, Roman Empire, sermon, sermon-free, sermons, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, the Western church, This was that., Western world | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Holy Spirit Surfing–A Fresh Wave Of Churching

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Steve Simms

Holy Spirit surfing is a fresh, creative way of doing church — an innovative style of churching.  However, it’s not new — it was written about in the New Testament (see 1 Corinthians 14:26) and was the common practice of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church structure, churching, contemporary churches, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, liturgical churches, morphed, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, new wave, non-liturgical, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, Protestant, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, religious innovation, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual waves, The Salvation Army, wave of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments