Category Archives: open church

Religion/Grace/Church Without Laymen

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

Religion asks: “What’s the least I can do and still go to Heaven?” —Recipients of grace ask: “What’s the most I can do to love, honor, serve, and obey the One who died on the Cross to save me from … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, cross, equality, going to Heaven, grace, grace card, grace definition, grace of God, inequality, lay speakers, lay testimonies, layman, laymen, laywomen, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, royal priesthood, simple church, sin, Spirit prompting | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Is a 1-Man Sermon Like A Centipede With Only One Functioning Leg?

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church where 1 man does all the talking is like a centipede where only one leg does all the walking.  (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, alternatives to sermons, church meetings, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, message, message in church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, preaching styles, pulpit, pulpit ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Leaf Blower Church

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

Leaf Blower Church Here’s my view of a church meeting: We are all leaves who want to line up in nice, neat rows, And appoint a Pastor Leaf to preach to us. However, God wants to blow on each of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participants, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, preacher, preaching, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, sharing, sharing Christ, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-led interaction, Spirit-prompted, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

When we have a conversation with a friend or family member, we don’t want every word to be scripted. We want a two-way conversation that is spontaneous and from the heart. Why should church be any different?

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Church Desperately Needs The Energy Of The Holy Spirit’s Synergy

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Steve Simms

When God’s people come together to be led by the voice of the Spirit in their hearts, a synergy of God’s inner energy is released, His power and love flow among them as various individuals obey His promptings and it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians:14, Bible concepts, Bible quotes, church leadership, church program, church programs, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, living water, Matthew 18:20, open church, open mic, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, presence of Christ, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, quotation, Quotations, quote, release of the Spirit, religion, rivers of living water, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Participatory Pentecost

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

The first Pentecost was participatory as the power and presence of the Holy Spirit fell on all the people present in the place and they all spoke up and praised God as prompted by the Spirit. Pentecost was not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 2, Bible, Bible quotes, biblical Christianity, book of Acts, founder, General William Booth, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, organic church, pentecostal experience, pentecostals, people of faith, people of God, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Send the fire, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-led interaction, Spirit-prompted, tongues, tongues of fire, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Should Church Meetings Be Choreographed?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

We think of surrendering to the Holy Spirit as an individual thing, but perhaps it is also something that we need to do when we meet together as a church. Perhaps we need to yield our program and our agenda … Continue reading →

Posted in church leader, church leadership, church program, church programs, church roles, house church, how to do church, how to get involved in church, open church, order of worship, organic church, scholarship, simple church, worship, worship gathering, worship innovation, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Right Way To Have Church

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is there only one, correct way of doing church?  Sometimes it seems so. For five hundred years there has basically been only one, right way of doing church. Regardless of denomination or doctrine, church has almost universally contained a central, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians:14, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, church history, communion, denominations, doctrine, doctrines, Fresh Expressions movement, homiletics, homily, house church, Lord's supper, Martyn Atkins, Methodism, Methodist church, open church, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, Protestant, pulpit, pulpit ministry, sacrament, sacraments, sermon-hearing, sermons, the right way to do church, UK, ways of doing church, worship, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Did modern innovations in churches create worship wars?

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church innovation has become widespread & refreshing! Guess what is my favorite church innovation. Over the past generation or two, the way of having church in our society has changed a lot as we have seen new ideas creatively introduced … Continue reading →

Posted in Bob Rognlien, changes in worship, church meetings, church program, church seating, church services, church speakers, competition, conflict, contemporary Christian music, contemporary church, contemporary society, controversy, debate, definition, experiential worship, house church, how to do church, hymn, hymns, innovation, lip syncing, open church, open sharing, organic church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, pew, Power Point, powerpoint, quotation, Quotations, quote, raising hands, simple church, worship, worship dancing, worship drama, worship gathering, worship innovation, worship leader, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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