Category Archives: pulpit

Let Jesus have the church platform!

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Steve Simms

When Jesus isn’t allowed to have the platform someone else takes control of the meeting. Until Christians begin to let Jesus have the platform and become His daily audience, we’ll stay stuck, passively watching a pastor perform on Sunday. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus Christ, platform, pulpit, pulpit ministry, stage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Most Christians have been trained to listen to a preacher, but not trained to listen to the risen Jesus.

Posted on November 26, 2017 by Steve Simms

When I was growing up in church, I was trained to listen to a preacher, but not trained to listen to the risen Jesus. (If church doesn’t train Christians to listen to and obey the Jesus, who will?) The reality … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative to preaching, homiletics, lay preaching, Lay Witness Missions, lay witness movement, leadership training, nontraditional preaching, preaching without words, pulpit, pulpit ministry, search engine, sermons, Ted Talks, Train yourself unto godliness., Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What usually happens when Christians meet?

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Steve Simms

Here are three ways of doing church: 1) Lecture: Let me tell you what I know. 2) Facilitation: Let me fish out what a few other people know. And 3) Ekklesia: Let’s go beyond what we know & let the risen … Continue reading →

Posted in a new reformation, church order, church program, church programming, liturgy, oratory, order of worship, passivity, priesthood of the believer, pulpit, pulpit ministry, reformation, spectators, Uncategorized, universal priesthood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Heart-fire

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Steve Simms

We need God’s heart-fire! Christianity is much more than a mind informed about the Bible. It’s a heart continually ablaze with the presence of the living, risen Jesus Christ! Are you in a relationship with the living, risen Jesus? There’s nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in aflame, burning heart, Did not our hearts burn within, fan into flame the gift of God, fire in the heart, heart care, heart religion, heart strangely warmed, heart-felt, heart-felt love, hearts on fire, in a relationship, Jesus in my heart, love God with all your heart, pulpit, pulpit ministry, puppet show, puppeteer, puppets, relationship with God, spiritual relationships, the door of your heart, the heart of worship, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why doesn’t church do what the Bible says?

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Steve Simms

–My “Asking Why?” Question– The Bible plainly says it . . . So why won’t we dare to do it? “When you come together, Each of you has a hymn, Or a word of instruction, A revelation . . .” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, Beyond Church, house church, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, pulpit, revelation, Salvation Army, simple church, Tennessee, Uncategorized, When you come together | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sermons have been greatly used by God

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Steve Simms

The Protestant Reformation (which began in 1517, back in the day when the priest was the smartest person in town) made some very effective changes in the way church was done. Those changes helped to create a spiritual revolution and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1517, 500th anniversary, 95 theses, Catholic Church, Catholic mass, Catholicism, changes in worship, Christian education, church altar, denominations, Eucharist, hermeneutics, homily, illiteracy, liturgical churches, liturgy, non-liturgical, printing press, Protestant, Protestant Reformers, pulpit, pulpit ministry, Roman Catholic, sermons, the Western church, theology, types of worship, Uncategorized, Western Christianity, Western Europe, worship, worship service, worship styles, worship wars | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is a 1-Man Sermon Like A Centipede With Only One Functioning Leg?

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

A church where 1 man does all the talking is like a centipede where only one leg does all the walking.  (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, alternatives to sermons, church meetings, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, message, message in church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, preaching styles, pulpit, pulpit ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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

Can You Handle These Quotes About Church?

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

“When we do come together as His assembly, let it be that He may work as He will, and by whom He will.” –William Kelly “The Holy Spirit is the One Who should be allowed to lead the people of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, assembly, Bible, Bible concepts, Darryl M. Erkel, Jerry Trousdale, Kathleen Ward, ministers, ministry, New Testament, Old Testament, one another, one anothering, one anothers, pastor, praise and worship, prayer, preaching, pulpit, quotation, quote, Quotes, Scriptures, William Kelly, William MacDonald, worship, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

When Hearts Speak

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Steve Simms

When a mind talks theology, people hear religious ideas.  When hearts speak in the Spirit, people learn love. A heart burning for God is a gift that is caught in His presence, not something just taught from a pulpit. I … Continue reading →

Posted in God's presence, hiking, in the Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love, Love one another, perfume on Jesus' feet, pulpit, Sonbeams, Tennessee, theology, University of Tennessee Martin | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments