Category Archives: recovery

500 Years Ago Martin Luther Posted 95 Shocking Statements About Church — Here Are My 95 . . .

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper, listing 95 revolutionary statements, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.  This act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation of the church. Inspired by Martin Luther’s courageous act, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, blog, bold statements, Bubba Watson, burning heart, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, clergy, conscience, conviction of sin, courage, dancing, dancing with God, deliverance, demons, disciple making, East Nashville, family gathering, football, forgiveness, formal, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, grace, guidance, guilt, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Heaven, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jeremy Lin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, laymen, lecture, lifestyles, Linsanity, Martin Luther, miracles, missional, morality, morals, movement, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, quench the Spirit, recovery, reformation, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, support group, Taiwan Tebow, tears, tebow, tebowing, Tim Tebow, voice of God, wages of sin, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

An Opportunity To Make A Real Difference In Nashville

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Would you like to make a real difference in Nashville?  The Salvation Army has a unique ministry in East Nashville that is changing lives and helping to transform the urban neighborhood of McFerrin Park. At The Salvation Army Berry Street … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, concerned about the very poor, conversion, deliverance, disciple making, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, freedom, Holy Spirit, lifestyles, manliest city, McFerrin Park, miracles, missional, movement, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, recovery, religion, repent, repentance, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

How To Avoid Being A Spiritual Wimp (Top 10 Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord)

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

In today’s tremendously tempting environment, it is important not to be a spiritual wimp.  Maintaining a consistent walk with the Lord requires great spiritual strength. Here are my Top Ten Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord.  However, because this … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, books, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, compassion, conscience, disciple making, East Nashville, forgiveness, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God, guidance, guilt, guts and glory, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, morality, morals, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, New York Jets, non-material reality, non-traditional church, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, popular culture, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, proof of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, religion, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, salvation, self-help, simple church, sin, sobriety, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, tebow, tebowing, temptation, The Jesus Prayer, The Salvation Army, The Voice, Tim Tebow, Top Ten, Uncategorized, values, Viral Jesus, voice of God, Why be a Christian?, words | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Sometimes I Think I’m Very Wealthy

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

A few days ago I began to realize how wealthy I am.  However, it is not a wealth that Forbes magazine will recognize. Nevertheless, if the world’s billionaires knew how much peace, contentment, excitement, clear conscience, joy, and sweet, moment-by-moment companionship with … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, billionaires, Christian, Christianity, clear conscience, conscience, Forbes, Forbes magazine, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, glamorous trips, God, gratitude, hearing God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jewels, joy, lifestyles, mysticism, non-material reality, normal Christianity, peace, positive thinking, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, salvation, self-esteem, self-help, self-image, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, supernatural, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, wealth, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The face of Christ, etched behind my eyes, is the pillar of my soul.

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christian, Christianity, church, conversion, evidence for God, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Lord, Messiah, Oh my God, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, resurrection, revelation, salvation, Savior, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, supernatural, Uncategorized, Viral Jesus, voice of God, wake-up call | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

I Deal In Idealism (Asking “Why Not” Instead Of “Why”?)

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

I deal in idealism.  I guess this George Bernard Shaw quote (often mistakenly attributed to Robert Kennedy) says it best: “Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, compassion, conscience, consciousness, crying, deciision making, download, dream, feelings, George Bernard Shaw, guidance, hearing God, hope, human rights, ideal, idealism, meaning, moral principles, morality, morals, motivation, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, nonviolence, peace, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, revelation, Robert Kennedy, self-help, sobriety, stuff, supernatural, thoughts, trust, values, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Joy Of Judgment

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Judgment has gotten a such bad rap.  It is almost universally portrayed as a bad thing.  Even Jesus’ words; “Judge not, lest you be judged,” are falsely used in an attempt to silence all judgment and to say that every … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, books, boundaries, challenges, disciple making, fear, feelings, God, godly sorrow, guidance, guilt, harmful habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John F. Kennedy, joy, juddgment, judgments, King David, life, lifestyles, morality, morals, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, peace, popular culture, prayer, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, salvation, sobriety, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, thoughts, trust, Uncategorized, values, voice of God, wake-up call, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Dancing With God (The Holy Spirit 3-Step)

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Dancing With God (The Holy Spirit Three-Step) I am reading through the Book of Acts for the fifth time in two months and asking God to show me why the early church had so much more passion and power than … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, acts of God, angels, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Book of Revelation, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, dancing, dancing with God, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, East Nashville, evidence for God, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Heaven, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, movement, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, praise and worship, prayer, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, repent, revelation, Scriptures, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments