Category Archives: preacher

Lecture-ship or discipleship?

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Steve Simms

Church has replaced discipleship with lecture-ship. But no discipleship equals no New Testament Christianity! Jesus came to give you direct access to God. You don’t need a human go-between to lecture you once a week. Jesus said to make disciples. … Continue reading →

Posted in body of Christ, Book of Revelation, casual church, cost of discipleship, disciple making, disciples, Gospel, how to be a disciple, Leonard Ravenhill, making disciples, ministers, New Testament, preach the gospel, preacher, preachers, preaching the Gospel, priest, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jesus didn’t say to follow a preacher, a program, or a curriculum. He said: “Follow Me.”

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Steve Simms

Doing my daily Bible reading, I saw Paul describe a Christ-led support group in Romans 1:11-12. He wrote: “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible one anothers, Bible teaching, church format, church program, church programming, curriculum, curriculum-free, encouragement, faith, mutual ministry, one anothers, preacher, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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

Worship Wars — Make Room For Sermon-Free Church

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is There Room For Sermon-Free Church?  (Of course there is.) Worship wars, a popular name for disagreements in church about how to conduct the Sunday service, have been going on for years. But there is no need to argue. There … Continue reading →

Posted in answer to worship wars, Ben Franklin, contemporary vs. traditional, do away with the sermon, Kierkegaard, Layman's Prayer Revival, Laymen's prayer revival, laymen's prayer revival of 1857, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, preacher, preaching, Søren Kierkegaard, see a sermon, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, sharing | Tagged , , , , , | 5 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

March Madness Style Excitement In Church

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

March Madness boring?   If basketball officials acted like pastors; personally planned and programmed each play, prompted those present when to stand and when to sit, and then presented a 30 minute talk; March Madness would be boring. I’m glad that … Continue reading →

Posted in basketball officials, basketball players, basketball plyaers, boredom, church format, church leadership, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, coaches, Jesus, Jesus Christ, ministers, Nashville, Nashville church, officials, officiating, organic church, pastor, preacher, priest, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

1 Speaking to All? Or All Speaking To All?

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church is when a group of believers gathers together around the living, resurrected Jesus Christ and focuses their attention on listening to His voice and doing whatever He tells them to do. Church is when the living Christ, in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian community, church leadership, church programs, church services, church speakers, clergy/laity, community, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, how to do church, laity, laymen, laywomen, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory sermons, praying community, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, priesthood of the believer, sermons, simple church, speaking, speaking out, voice of God, What is church?, When you come together, where two or three in My name, why go to church, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Church, Jesus, and the Father’s business

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Steve Simms

“I must be about my Father’s business.” –Jesus We’ve all been told to “Mind your own business,” but whose business should a church (or ministry) mind?  If a church (or ministry) is really dedicated to God, shouldn’t it operate according … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible quotes, Biblical concept, control, I must be about my Father's business", Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus quotes, Jesus' hands, Mind your own business, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville news, organic church, pastor, preacher, priest, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The Inner Teacher

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Listen to the Inner Teacher!  He speaks within your heart.  He is the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in your soul, the inner Light.  He is calling you to follow and obey Him daily.  Don’t refuse His call. When … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 John 2:27, anointed, anointing, Bible, Bible quotes, biblical Christianity, Biblical concept, His anointing teaches you, inner Light, inner teacher, John, New Testament, organic church, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, Salvationists, Scriptures, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, teach me and I, teacher, you don't need a man to teach you | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment