Category Archives: order of worship

Who Da Best Preacher/Bible Teacher?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

If Christ is really alive and present when we gather in His name (as the New Testament says He is) why can’t He direct a church meeting, without human programming and control?  Perhaps the answer is: We won’t let Him. … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, church structure, congregational, DeVern Fromke, devotion, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jesus Take The Wheel, movement, mysticism, non-material reality, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, voice activated, voice of God, Western religion, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Can The Contempory Church Say “This Is That”?

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can the contemporary church say, like Peter did in the Book of Acts, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” as we point, like Peter did, to something supernatural that God is doing in our midst? It … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, acts of God, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, church, church structure, denominations, discipling, early church, evidence for God, eyewitness, gifts of the Spirit, house church, Jerusalem, lifestyles, missional, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, New Testament, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, popular culture, priesthood of the believer, proof of God, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, relational church, religion, show and tell, speaking in tongues, spiritual growth, supernatural, testimonies, the way we do church, this is that, tradition, which was spoken by the prophet Joel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Relational Church — What A Great & Powerful Idea — Experience It For Yourself

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Steve Simms

Relational church is powerful and life changing.  It shows people that the love of God isn’t just a religious idea, but a present, almost tangible, reality. When God’s love is demonstrably present and visible in a gathering, people’s lives are … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, East Nashville, glory, hearts unfold like flowers, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, inward change, kingdom of God, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, spiritual growth, support group, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

500 Years Ago Martin Luther Posted 95 Shocking Statements About Church — Here Are My 95 . . .

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper, listing 95 revolutionary statements, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.  This act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation of the church. Inspired by Martin Luther’s courageous act, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, blog, bold statements, Bubba Watson, burning heart, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, clergy, conscience, conviction of sin, courage, dancing, dancing with God, deliverance, demons, disciple making, East Nashville, family gathering, football, forgiveness, formal, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, grace, guidance, guilt, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Heaven, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jeremy Lin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, laymen, lecture, lifestyles, Linsanity, Martin Luther, miracles, missional, morality, morals, movement, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, quench the Spirit, recovery, reformation, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, support group, Taiwan Tebow, tears, tebow, tebowing, Tim Tebow, voice of God, wages of sin, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Way To Grow Is To Go

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

People grow when they go into positive action.  If they sit still too long, they atrophy. The way to grow spiritually is to go with God’s flow — to hear and do what the Spirit of God says to you.  … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, Berry Street, celebrations, challenges, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church roles, church structure, community, congregational, devotion, disciple making, disciples, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, people of God, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, quench the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s Needed In Contemporary Ch__ch? u r (You Are Needed To Be An Active Participant Rather Than A Spectator!))

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

If you compare contemporary church meetings with how they did church in the New Testament, you will notice that something seems to be missing nowadays.  What’s the difference between the early church and the modern-day church? Paul compares the New … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, American church, announcements, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, church, church history, church roles, church structure, community, congregational, early church, East Nashville, entertainment, hearing God, house church, human body, I Corinthians 14:26, kingdom of God, Music City, mystery, mysticism, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prototype, religion, religious ceremonies, revival, simple church, speaking, spiritual growth, surrender to God, symphony, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why have multitudes given up on church? What’s missing in our contemporary American church that the early church had in Acts? Here are some possibilities . . . Humility, brokenness, awe, tears, passion, conviction of sin, excitement, self-denial, testimonies, openness, the priesthood of the believer, repentance, persecution, confession, participation, boldness, power, deliverance, miracles, opportunities to minister to one another, healing. Can you think of more things the early church had that we seem to be lacking?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Acts, American church, Americans, ancient history, awe, brokenness, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, conviction of sin, crying, deliverance, early church, ekklesia, forgiveness, humility, lifestyles, miracles, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, persecution, priesthood of the believer, religion, repent, repentance, self-denial, simple church, sin, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual skills, tears, the way we do church, Uncategorized, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

What’s the purpose of a church meeting? According to the New Testament the goal of a church meeting is not to listen to a featured preacher, but to bring together a group of hungry seekers who support, challenge, and share God’s love with one another. (See I Corinthians 14:26)

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

Experience I Corinthians 14 26 in action (“26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.”) at The Salvation Army … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, congregational, early church, East Nashville, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, religion, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment