Category Archives: participatory church

Gg Meetings Make Men (And Women) Mighty!

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Steve Simms

I walked into a God-gathering (Gg) while in college and was instantly transformed as I heard ordinary people tell about their experiences with Jesus. I have never been the same. To this day I still get tears in my eyes … Continue reading →

Posted in AA meeting, AA meetings, Berry Street, Gg, Global Foundation, Gregory Palamas, interactive, Janet Munn, Jesus Christ, Matthew 23:10, Meeting for Worship, Moravian prayer, organic church, participatory church, Quotations, Quotes, Salvation Army, teaching, the Cookery, TN, unprogrammed meetings | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is a one-man sermon like one-man soccer? (Getting a kick out of soccer.)

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Steve Simms

Getting a kick out of soccer . . . While watching a soccer (football) game, I noticed that no one person kept constant control of the soccer ball. Instead the ball was being headed, kicked, passed, run, and rolled all over the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church meetings, church program, creativity, Desmond Tutu, French horns, get a kick out of soccer, goalies, goalkeepers, interactive church, lessons from soccer, open church, organic church, participatory church, players, popularity of soccer, Richard Foster, sermon, simple church, soccer ball, soccer game, Tiffeny Milbrfett | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

To say; “It doesn’t matter how church is done,” is like saying; “It doesn’t matter how brain surgery is done.”

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Steve Simms
Posted in New Testament church, organic church, participatory church, simple church | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Origin of Obligatory Oratory in Church Meetings (Let’s Get Back To The Future)

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Steve Simms

In the new church, ordinary people (not the Apostles) spoke about Jesus wherever they went. “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Aristotle, book of Acts, Cicero, Edwin Hatch, ekklesia, participatory church, public speaking, rhetoric, Spirit-led | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Guess Who Came From Arkansas 2 Visit Nashville’s Berry Street?

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Steve Simms

A Facebook friend, William Pratt, wrote this about his visit to a participatory worship service at The Salvation Army Berry Street: Last fall my wife and I had the privilege of visiting a church in Nashville, TN on a Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, church, Nashville tourism, participatory church, visiting Nashville | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Role of The Bible In Participatory/Organic Chruch

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Steve Simms

As a pastor of a participatory (organic) church that is based on open sharing rather than on a featured sermon, people sometimes express concern to me that people are not being taught the Bible in our meetings.  This is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible quotes, Bible study, Bible teaching, how to learn the Bible, Nashville, participatory church, simple church, the Bible in organic church, written word | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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

Traditional church explains the Gospel. Participatory church enacts the Gospel.

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in be doers of the word not hearers only, doing the stuff, doing the Word, faith in action, faith without works, living it out, non-traditional church, participatory church, putting the Gospel in action | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

U Can C Christ Born & Living In Human Beings As People Share His Story In Their Story!

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Steve Simms

Christmas 2014 has become history, but His story is continual!  See Christ living in regular human beings as ordinary people share His story through their story. Encounter the eternal Word becoming flesh as everyday people enthusiastically express their experiences with … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ in you, full of grace and truth, incarnational living, John 1:14, participatory church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, the hope of glory | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pastor Challenge For 2015 (#1)

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

Pastor Challenge 2015 #1 (Please share this with your pastor and/or pastor friends.) —Every Week Let A Different Person Share A 5 to 10 Minute Salvation Testimony During Sunday Worship— * This is extremely powerful as ordinary people share from … Continue reading →

Posted in challenge to pastors, excitement in church, Jesus, multivoiced church, open mic, open sharing, participatory church, Salvation Army, salvation testimony, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments