Category Archives: order of worship

Genuine Seeker-Friendly Church Is Simple (Organic)

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

What is seeker-friendly church?  Here are some ideas: Spiritual seekers are desperate for God. Therefore the seeker-sensitive church surrenders to and demonstrates the actual presence of the living God (rather than providing religious entertainment and a motivational speech). Spiritual seekers … Continue reading →

Posted in attractional, church format, church history, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, churching, freedom, freedom from sin, house church, how to do church, one another, open church, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, seeker model, seeker-church, seeker-driven, seeker-oriented, simple church, simplicity, sin, spirituality, unchurched | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Who’s Smarter Than A Preacher?

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Steve Simms

Who’s smarter than a 5th grader?  Oops, I mean than a preacher?  Everybody together being led one by one, by the Holy Spirit, to share their wisdom with each other. Traditionally only one person is allowed to do all the … Continue reading →

Posted in multi-voiced church, Nashville charity, Nashville church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, simple church, spiritual adventure, support group, wisdom, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Participatory Church (acrostic)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

PARTICIPATORY CHURCH (acrostic) P–People A–Attentively R–Responding T–To God’s I–Inner C–Callings I–In order to P–Participate A–Actively T–Together, O–Obeying God’s R–Righteous Y–Yearnings. C–Christ H–Having U–Unhindered & R–Real C–Control in H–His hands. Experience participatory church at The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, churching, house church, how to do church, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville tourist attractions, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, sermon-free, tag team church, Team Church, Tennessee, the heart of worship, worship center, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church “Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard “The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, Christian community, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, doctrine, dogma, eloquence, lecture, life, lifestyle Christianity, non-traditional church, nonconforming, obedience, open church, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preach without words, preacher, preaching, professors, quotation, quote, Quotes, reasoning, religion, religious academics, religious tradition, Søren Kierkegaard, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teaching, witnesses | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Dezoc And Roll With The Rock

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

Many people refuse God because they can’t see Him and they rob themselves of life’s most amazing experiences! What would it look like If God ran loose Flowing filter-free From heart to heart? Perhaps church isn’t really People in pews … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, experiencing God, experiential worship, getiting out of the boat, Nashville, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, Salvation Army, walking on water | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unicycle Church or 18 Wheeler Church

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is the most effective way to transport the Gospel to our 21st Century, participatory culture? * Clergy — Let one man do it all, like a unicycle?  (Unicycle church.) Or * Priesthood of the Believer — Let everybody participate … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, church program, church services, church speakers, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, laity, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participants, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, pastor, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, truck | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Jesus Is Alive & Active in the 21st Century — Church Can Catch Him Like A Sail Catching The Wind

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

When the leaves and small limbs of a tree are all leaning in the same direction, you know that something invisible is going on — the wind is blowing the tree.  That’s what happens at The Salvation Army Berry Street.  … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, how to do church, How to raise a sail, meeting in His name, ordaination, order of worship, organic church, relational church, release of the Spirit, relevation, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Scriptures, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual church, ways of doing church, why go to church, worship, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Church — Getting Christ To Flow Out Of Ordinary Believers

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

If, as the New Testament says, Christ is living in believers, why don’t church services focus on how to get Christ to flow out of ordinary believers; rather than spending so much time and effort trying to get religious teachings … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, how to do church, new kind of church, New Testament, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, role of Christ in church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, ways of doing church | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Can A Church Meeting Be Full Of Awe?

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Steve Simms

In the Bible, early church meetings are described with these words: “everyone was filled with awe.” Awe is an overwhelming feeling of amazement, wonder, and respect. When was the last time you felt awe in a church service?  So how … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, awe inspiring, awesome, Christ's presence, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 18:20, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, open church, open forum, open mic, open sharing, order of worship, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Tennessee, there am I in the midst of them, where two or three in My name | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Realty TV / Reality Church . . .

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

Reality church? We have reality TV that features ordinary people. So, why not reality church, where everyday people show and tell why God has done? When church is scripted, the freedom to flow in the Spirit is restricted to the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Andy Chamberlain, C. Wess Daniels, Constance M. Cherry, experiential worship, Fuller Seminary, Music City, Nashville, new kind of church, New Testament, open church, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, participation, participation in church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, passivity, pastor, popular culture, quotation, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Ryan Bolger, Ryan Flanigan, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, television, TV, TV network, William Willimon, worship, worship center, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments