Category Archives: presence of Christ

The Next Time Someone Says “C.I.B.” Check This Out . . .

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

The next time someone says; “Church is boring,” bring them to 225 Berry Street in Nashville, 37207.  They will change their mind. *  There’s no sermon to fall asleep in . . . Instead people excitedly and spontaneously show and … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bulletin, change, change management, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, faith, faith-based, free will, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, giving, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, movement, mystery, mysticism, non-church, normal Christianity, offering, organic church, participatory church, podium, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, pulpit, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, supernatural | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Olympics — Thoughts For Spiritual Athletes

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Life’s not about achievement.  It’s not about how many medals you (or your country) win.  Life’s about aligning yourself to God and to His will. That’s what matters most in the long haul. “If Christians were putting into their spiritual … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 9:25, 1 Timothy 4:7, alternative lifestyle, ancient Olympics, asceticism, ascetics, athletes, attitude, belief, belief system, burning heart, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, courage, disciple making, discipline, discipling, glory, God, godliness, guilt, guts and glory, I Corinthians 9:25, I Timothy 4:7, idealism, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is Lord, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Lord, monastery, monastics, mystery, mysticism, Olympic athletes, Olympic medals, prayer, presence of Christ, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious ceremonies, right conduct, sacrifice, saved, Savior, self-discipline, self-help, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, tebow, tebowing, training, Warren Wiersbe, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Was Matthias A Mistake? — The Human Need To Institutionalize Spirituality

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Was replacing Judas (who had betrayed Jesus) with Matthias a mistake?  Was it a very early example of the human desire to institutionalize church?  Perhaps. The Book of Acts begins with the resurrected Jesus spending 40 days with the apostles … Continue reading →

Posted in 120 in upper room, Acts, acts of God, Bible, choice, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, ekklesia, empty tomb, faith, fire, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's authority, God's government, Gospel, Gospels, Greek word, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heirarchy, His story, history, Holy Spirit, house church, insight, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, Judas, kingdom of God, life, lifestyle Christianity, Luke, Matthias, missional, move of God, movement, mysticism, non-church, organic church, Pentecost, pentecostals, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, revelation, revival, rivers of living water, Scriptures, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Voice, tongues of fire, tradition, unprogrammed church, voice of God, voices, What is church?, words on fire | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The Wireless Connection That Never Fails

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

“Wireless connection failed.”  Those words can be very frustrating.  Then you have to move into wireless troubleshooting and try to reconnect.  But is there a wireless connection that never fails. Yes!  The only way to break this wireless connection is … Continue reading →

Posted in apart from me you can do nothing, beeline, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, connection failed, disconnect, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, land line, organic church, out of range, presence of Christ, presence of God, reconnect, secure, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Voice, voice of God, wireless connection | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Perhaps Church Is Much Simpler Than We Think It Is . . .

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Maybe church is much simpler than we think it is? Perhaps church is just two or there or more believers gathered under the actual leadership and direction of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ in our midst? (In Matthew 18:20, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciple making, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, Matthew 18:20, move of God, participatory church, presence of Christ, presence of God, relational church, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

When God talks and you don’t listen, does that mean that God’s not talking to you?

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

When God talks And you don’t listen, Does that mean that God’s not talking to you?

Posted in belief, Biblical concept, Christianity, deny God, evidence for God, faith, faith-based, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God, God-shaped vacuum, godly sorrow, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, mystery, Oh my God, poem, praise and worship, prayer, prayer without ceasing, presence of Christ, presence of God, proof of God, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, still small voice, The Voice, voice of God, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

An Ancient Way To Change Your Life (Almost Unknown In The 21st Century)

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

There is an ancient way to change your life that was first developed and used in the Middle East in the early Fourth Century.  It produced amazing results and helped to start a movement in the Roman Empire and beyond. … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church history, early church, faith, faith-based, God, habit, hearing Jesus, His story, history, inner rivers, insight, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, monastics, mysticism, non-church movement, non-material reality, Orthodox, Philokalia, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, religious ceremonies, self-control, self-denial, self-esteem, self-help, self-image, self-will, sin, sinner, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, The Jesus Prayer, the way of the pilgrim | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What You Know Vs. The Love You Show

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Spiritual growth isn’t about how much information concerning God that you know.  It’s about how much of God’s love that you show and how much you allow the Holy Spirit to flow. Spiritual growth isn’t about how much theological and/or … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, alternative lifestyle, belief, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christianity, dancing with God, devotion, disciple making, discipling, facts and figures, faith, faith-based, feelings, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, glory, God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Holy Spirit, inward change, lifestyles, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, organic church, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, religion, revival, rivers of living water, salvation, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, supernatural, The Voice, thoughts, voice activated, voice of God, voices | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Do You Know God?

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Do you know God?  Not religion or church or the Bible or prayer or worship or doctrine or Footprints In The Sand; but is the Creator, Himself, real and alive in your heart? Are you captivated by God’s majesty and … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, beauty, belief, Bible, burning heart, Catholic mystics, Christian, Christianity, church, clear conscience, confession, contemplation, conversion, conviction of sin, Creator, dancing with God, devotion, evidence for God, faith, faith-based, gift of God, God, God-shaped vacuum, good question, good sermon, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, inner rivers, insight, inward change, life, lifestyles, majesty, mystery, mysticism, Oh my God, peace, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, revelation, self-denial, sermon, sermons, sin, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, still small voice, The Voice, words on fire | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Why Be Prejudice Against Prayer (Or Against Praying People)?

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Even if you don’t believe in (and/or don’t like) prayer, there is no reason to be prejudice against prayer or against people who pray.  Why?  Because . . . 1)  The vast majority of people who tell you they are … Continue reading →

Posted in acts of God, adoration, alternative lifestyle, American, Americans, anthropologist, belief, Brandeis University, Christian, Christianity, church, faith, faith-based, feelings, interview, joy, lifestyles, love, mystery, non-material reality, Of Two Minds, popular culture, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, presence of Christ, presence of God, psychology, religion, soul, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, supernatural, surrender to God, T.M. Luhrmann, tension, The Jesus Prayer, The Voice, tolerance | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments