Category Archives: pulpit ministry

I want the presence and power of Jesus, not a pulpit and a platform

Posted on September 9, 2023 by Steve Simms

A pulpit controlled and dominated by one man silences the rest of the body of Christ. When ordinary Christ-followers are prompted by God’s Spirit to speak, the preacher in the pulpit too often says, “Zip it!” Words from the pulpit … Continue reading →

Posted in church organization, church reform, platform, pulpit ministry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

“Pastorized” Christianity

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Steve Simms

The pastorization of Christianity has trained many Christians to trust a pastor more than they trust the Holy Spirit. Too many Christians talk more about their pastor than they do about Jesus. Instead of leaving “the elementary teachings about Christ” … Continue reading →

Posted in call to ministry, CEO pastor, Christian ministry, ministry, mutual ministry, one man ministry, pastoring, pulpit ministry, work of the ministry | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Talkin’ from your heart ’bout Jesus is more powerful than sermon-hearing

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Steve Simms

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” What a great honor to be invited to speak for God! I believe that the Bible teaches that Christians are to gather together and learn how to minister in the Spirit, to … Continue reading →

Posted in give a witness, lay testimonies, laywitness, personal testimonies, pulpit ministry, salvation testimonies, testifying in church, testimonials, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, testimony of Jesus, Uncategorized, witnessing, word of their testimony, you shall be my witnesses | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spiritual paraplegics & pastor dependency

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Steve Simms

Instead of training and releasing people to follow and obey the living Jesus, churches tend to make people spiritual paraplegics. Perhaps sitting passively in church isn’t the kind of exercise that builds spiritual muscle. When people are made spiritually dependent on a … Continue reading →

Posted in call to ministry, growing in grace, Let go and let God, ministry, one man ministry, pastor, pastoring, pastors, pulpit ministry, purpose of a pastor, Sunday morning, Uncategorized | 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

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