Category Archives: nontraditional church

Traditions Can Be Traps

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Steve Simms

Exchange your self-focus and religion for a Spirit-led relationship with Christ. Powerful results come from ongoing obedient surrender to God the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8 and Galatians 5:22-23) Weak results come from religious self-effort. The Bible is God’s lens. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Spirit, nontraditional church, religious tradition, traditional church | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A preacher’s tweak once a week isn’t enough

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Steve Simms

Christianity has to be more than a preacher’s little tweak once a week. All Christians (not just one per church) are called and ordained to preach the Gospel–to tell people the good news about Christ! The traditional church  service typically doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in fanfare, Holy Spirit, house church, hype, institutional church, non-traditional church, nontraditional church, organic church, organic church blogs, Uncategorized, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What happened to The Salvation Army Berry Street?

Posted on October 14, 2017 by Steve Simms

Numerous people have asked Ernie (my wife) and me what happened to Berry Street and why we are no longer there. If you have read some of my blog posts, then you already know a lot about The Salvation Army Berry … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult Rehabilitation Center, alternative church, ARC, church, ekklesia, nontraditional church, organic chruch, Salvation Army, Salvation Army ARC, Salvation Army Berry Street, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Flag, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvation army officers, Salvation Army soldiers, simple church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Release God’s showers through everyday people!

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Steve Simms

Here’s why we need to go beyond church as usual! The shower head in this picture has 42 nozzles. If we block 41 of them, we won’t get much of a shower. Now think of a church service with 42 … Continue reading →

Posted in agendaless church, Beyond Church, boredom in church, casual church, church community, church decline, church for the unchurched, church in decline, church organization, church programs, church reform, done with church, Jesus untangled, non-church, nontraditional church, Quaker meetings, Uncategorized, unprogrammed, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meeting | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We cry out to dry bones, “Come alive!”

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Steve Simms

Church is no place for passivity! Biblically it’s a gathering for interactive, Christ-led involvement. (See 1 Corinthians 14:26 and http://amzn.to/2dvrvlz.) Far too many people believe that occasionally attending a highly structured and tightly controlled church service is Christianity. However, the 50+ … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, a new reformation, Berry Street, Bible type revival, church, house church, nontraditional church, organic chruch, revival, revival center, revival in Nashville, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, spiritual formation, spiritual revolution, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

If the Gaylord Opryland donkey could talk

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Steve Simms

(Get your copy here.) If the donkey in Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee could talk he might say . . .

Posted in advice, Beyond Church, creativity, Dones, house church, ideas, nones, nontraditional church, Quotations, Quotes, simple church, suggestions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spontaneous vs. Spiritaneous

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

To be spontaneous is be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing to act on an inner impulse or inclination, without planning or external stimulus. To be Spiritaneous is to be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Beyond Church, church decline, Dones, ekklesia, Friends' worship, nones, nontraditional church, people leaving church, Quaker worship, Romans 8:14, sermon, spontaneous church, Uncategorized, unconventional worship, unprogrammed, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meeting, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cereal, cars, & church alternatives . . .

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

If for many centuries, almost everyone in the world who ate breakfast always had some brand of cereal, we would think it strange if a few people started talking and writing about having pancakes for breakfast. Breakfast cereal eaters might … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Beyond Church, change in church, change management, changes in worship, ekklesia, fresh expressions, house church, lay testimonies, messy church, nontraditional church, personal testimonies, Quakers, salvation testimonies, simple church, Spirit-led, Uncategorized, unprogrammed meetings | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Holy Spirit–teaching topic or Teacher?

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Steve Simms

Church makes the Holy Spirit a teaching topic (a preaching point). Ekklesia makes the Holy Spirit the Teacher who releases revelation and spiritual gifts through ordinary people in the meeting. Church has made the Holy Spirit a lesson to learn by … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible quotes, body life, church programming, ekklesia, gifts of the Spirit, Joe Saxton, nontraditional church, one another, organic church, Quench not the Spirit, Quotes, Spirit-led, spiritual gifts, taught by the Spirit, the Spirit will teach you, traditional church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

If God was a dog . . .

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Steve Simms

If God was a dog in church . . . –Traditional church would put the dog in a cage, cover the cage with a blanket, and then have someone give a talk about the dog. –Participatory church would let the … Continue reading →

Posted in dog in church, dog spelled backwards, God spelled backwards, If God was a dog, nontraditional church | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments