Category Archives: organic church

How can we see the invisible Christ? (The answer is blowing in the wind.)

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Steve Simms

The invisible working of the living God in human hearts becomes clearly visible when ordinary people are permitted in a church meeting, to show and tell what God has done. It’s an amazing thing to see! (This experience should definitely … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Jesus Christ, John 3:8, organic church, Quench not the Spirit, seeing the invisible, spiritual leadings, the wind blows where it will, what to put on a bucket list | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Worship? In mind and in method? Or in spirit and in truth? (Like an altar call.)

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Steve Simms

Worship?  In mind and in method?  Or in spirit and in truth? In Western Christianity, we’ve been trained to worship in mind and in method.  We’re taught to sit in a tightly programmed service (a method) and hear a talk … Continue reading →

Posted in church, John 4:24, organic church, Spirit-led, types of worship, Western Christianity, worship styles | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Power of Spirit-Led Potluck!

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Steve Simms

The Power Of Potluck! I love a spiritual potluck Where everybody’s free to share something — A prayer, a Scripture, an insight, A short teaching, a prayer request — (Without any one person having to do it all) And it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Christianity, church potluck, Nashville, organic church, potluck, Salvation Army, simple church, spiritual formation, spiritual potluck, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Petition 4 Holy-Spirit-Led Intuition! (Let’s Re-Intuitionize Church Meetings!)

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Steve Simms

Should We Re-Intuitionize Church Meetings? –Jesus established the church on Spirit-intuition. When Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah), Jesus said: “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” And Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in as many as are led by the Spirit, Bible quotations, Dean Koontz, early church, hearers only, Matthew 16:18, Nashville, On this rock I will build My church, organic church, seeker sensitive church, simple church, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Better than a sermon?

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Steve Simms

What’s more effective than a sermon? Should a pastor be a sage on a stage or a guide along side? (See 1 Corinthians 14:26.) 100 sermons? We believe that instead of having people sit through 100 sermons, it’s much more … Continue reading →

Posted in 100 sermons, a sage on a stage, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, eloquence, guide by the side, Harvy Cox, immunity to sermons, Jen Halmaker, Nashville, one act of obedience, organic church, public discourse, Salvation Army, Seneca, sermon-hearing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church services–a steel rod or modeling clay?

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Steve Simms

Traditional church is often programmed like a steel rod (unbendable). However, participatory church meetings, like modeling clay, can be changed on the spot, by the living God, into one-of-a-kind works of art. Behold God’s animation — His claymation!  Watch an … Continue reading →

Posted in Nashville, organic church, Quaker worship, Salvation Army, simple church, steel rod, Tennessee, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Writer Describes Hart Street Worship @ Nashville’s Trevecca Nazarene University

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Steve Simms

Hart Street Worship is a weekly campus meeting at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville that is based on open sharing and testimonies, much like a support group.  Last semester a writer named Jakob Esaw visited us one Thursday night and wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in campus fellowship, DishMag.com, Hart Street Worship, Jakob Esaw, Matthew 18:20, organic church, testimonies, youth ministry | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Church — Educational or Mystical?

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Steve Simms

Historically church has been seen as educational –communicating concepts about God (especially since the Protestant Reformation). –Biblically church is seen as a mystical portal — presenting the actual presence of the living Christ. (“Where two or three gather in my … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian community, Christian education, Christian mysticism, Christian spirituality, Matthew 18:20, Nashville, organic church, Salvation Army, Tom Robbins, Where two are three are gathered | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“God is continually calling us outside of our boxes.” –Nashville’s Most Unusual Church

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Steve Simms

Answer the call — experience community — at The Salvation Army Berry Street! –“God is continually calling us out of our boxes . . . To meet another person outside of our boxes is to experience genuine community.” —James C. … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Christian community, community organizer, gifts of the Spirit, organic church, revival, Salvation Army church, worship | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Magnificence of Mutual Ministry

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Steve Simms

Mutual ministry is the shared, non-hierarchical, back and forth (one to another) ministry between the people in a church.  It’s a beautiful thing to behold, but it is very rare, almost unknown. However, mutual ministry is biblical.  The New Testament … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, clergy, Episcopal church, heresies, James C. Fenhagen, laity, Lutheran church, organic church, participatory church, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments