Category Archives: Quakers

Cereal, cars, & church alternatives . . .

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

If for many centuries, almost everyone in the world who ate breakfast always had some brand of cereal, we would think it strange if a few people started talking and writing about having pancakes for breakfast. Breakfast cereal eaters might … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Beyond Church, change in church, change management, changes in worship, ekklesia, fresh expressions, house church, lay testimonies, messy church, nontraditional church, personal testimonies, Quakers, salvation testimonies, simple church, Spirit-led, Uncategorized, unprogrammed meetings | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

16 16s for 2016 (keys to a great year)

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Steve Simms

#2016 — Even when you don’t feel like you are trending, you can still have a great year! A sixteen quotation — Be enthusiastic about the new year! “If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, … Continue reading →

Posted in a new reformation, Bible, Bible quotes, George Fox, John 3:16, Martin Luther, Matthew 16, Protestant Reformation, Protestant Reformers, proverbs, Quaker, Quakers, reformation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Presenting God’s Presence–Putting the living Christ on the podium!

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Steve Simms

A simple script for an amazing church service: –“Please welcome our speaker, the living, resurrected Jesus Christ!” (Applause, then one person after another stands up and talks freely from the heart as they are internally prompted by Jesus.) Have we … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 2:4, church program, church programming, church services, church structure, church without a program, Crazy Love, demonstration of the Spirit's power, enticing words of man's wisdom, John 2:5, John Wilber, Keith Saylor, programmed, purpose of church, Quaker meetings, Quaker worship, Quakerism, Quakers, speaking from the heart, speaking in church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, unprogrammed, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meeting, Whatever He says to you do it | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How’s your Christ-connection?

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Steve Simms

How’s your Christ-connection? 1) Is Christ freely flowing from your heart like “rivers of living water”? 2) Is Christ continually showing in your lifestyle — in the things you say and do? 3) Are you growing closer and more obedient … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 John 1:7, connecting with Christ, George Fox, God's fire, I will build my church, Matthew 16:18, New Testament, Quakers, Quotations, Send the fire, spiritual growth, spiritual healing, walk in the light | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Problem In Participatory/Organic Church — Someone Repeatedly Talking Too Much

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Steve Simms

One potential problem in participatory church is one person taking too much time by repeatedly talking too much and drawing attention to herself/himself.  This can be a major distraction in a meeting and can hinder what God wants to do. … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends meeting, Friends' worship, guidelines, open church, open mic, order of worship, participatory culture, Quaker meetings, Quaker worship, Quakerism, Quakers, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, simple church, steps to, testifying, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, unprogrammed church, unprogrammed meeting | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

How To Make Church Exciting: Let God Run It!

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Steve Simms

Too many people find church boring.  But, hey, it’s not their fault.  It is not people’s responsibility to sit in a boring church service and make themselves excited.  Christianity, the most exciting facts in the world, should never be presented … Continue reading →

Posted in bumper sticker, Christian, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, class meetings, Friends, Jesus Take The Wheel, Layman's Prayer Revival, Let go and let God, Max Lucado, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, presence of Christ, presence of God, programmed, programmed from the front, programming, purpose of church, Quaker meetings, Quakers, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, The Christmas Candle | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Better Caught Than Taught

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Steve Simms

Open sharing and testimonies in a church service create a spiritual contagion that spreads from heart-to-heart, igniting passionate love for the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ (like the early Pentecostals used to say) is more caught than taught. … Continue reading →

Posted in better caught than taught, Friends, Friends meeting, Friends' worship, go tell it on the mountain, Nashville, Nashville church, one another, one anothering, pentecostals, pursuit of God, Quaker meetings, Quakers, sage on the stage, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, spiritual church, spiritual hunger, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Quaker Style Meetings In The Salvation Army

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

The early Quakers believed that the living, resurrected Jesus was present with them when they met together in His name and that He, Himself, could lead the meeting without the need for a human leader or a human program. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, church format, church programs, church services, denominations, Friends meeting, George Fox, God with us, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, nineteenth century, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quakers, quotation, Quotations, Quotes, real presence, Richard Munn, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army General, Salvationism, Salvationists, Society of Friends, W.T. Stead, Wilfred Kitching, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Priesthood of the Believer Church (Church Meetings Without A Dominating Leader)

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Can churches meet without one person dominating the meeting?  History says they can! When the Protestant Reformation broke with the Roman Catholic Church, one of the doctrines they embraced become known as “the priesthood of the believer.”  The Reformers acknowledged … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholicism, China, Chinese, church, church history, church in China, church leader, church meetings, Communists, holy priesthood, kingdom of priests, Laymen's prayer revival, laymen's prayer revival of 1857, Martin Luther, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, participatory church, pastor, Peter Wagner, priest, Quaker meetings, Quakers, quote, Quotes, Ray Stedman, Roman Catholic, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

Sermon-free church will irrigate your dry soul, flooding your heart with the power and presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ as everyday people, led by the Spirit, show and tell what God has done.

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

The Methodists used to practice sermon-free church. Sermon-Free church broke out across American in the late 1850s. The Quakers practiced sermon-free church. A prayer for sermon-free church from the late 1800s is being answered in Nashville.

Posted in church, church format, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, churching, Methodism, Methodists, Nashville, Nashville church, preaching, Quakers, sermon, sermon series, sermons, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment