Category Archives: revival

Why put Jesus in a box?

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Steve Simms

  Jesus is no Jack-in-the-box, alive one day and in the tomb the next. He’s not supposed to be preached about on Sunday and then shut up in a box for the rest of the week. Religion tries to turn … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, ekklesia, Friends, He is risen, Jesus, living stones, prophecy, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, revival, risen, spiritual formation, spirituality, timeline, Uncategorized, unfriend | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Icons transport me beyond church

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Steve Simms

Icons in my favorite church building transport me beyond church. It’s an Orthodox church near Franklin, Tennessee. Icons are images dedicated, set apart, and anointed to reflect the glory of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Icons, unlike ordinary religious art, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ the Head of the church, Christian history, church, church government, church in decline, Eastern Orthodox churches, ekklesia, Greek Orthodox Church, move of God, organic church, organized religion, Pentecost, revival, revival history, spiritual awakening, Tennessee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

God dropped two burning books in my lap.

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Steve Simms

A retired Nazarene preacher called me and wanted to donate his personal library of 9 big boxes of books. How could I say no? So this week I picked up two of those hundreds of books. Bang! They shook my … Continue reading →

Posted in Beyond Church, Bible type revival, Christian books, ekklesia, house church, Is the church failing?, Let The Church Be The Church, Martin Lloyd-Jones, organic church, Raymond C. Ortlund, revival, revival fires, simple church, spiritual awakening, Steve Simms, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Riding the tide of God’s grace (an acrostic)

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Steve Simms

-An acrostic for GRACE– Gathering Reciprocally As Christ’s Ekklesia –Grace releases revival and spiritual awakening by allowing us the blood-bought privilege to ride the tide of Christ’s amazing presence. It allows us to freely experience His mercy, forgiveness, and love, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Beyond Church, Bible one anothers, blood of Jesus, ekklesia, forgiveness, mercy, New Testament, revival, spiritual awakening, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

I want God to ignite my words with a match made in Heaven so that they burn in the heart of everyone who reads them or hears them, making them a furnace that spreads God’s warmth and light around the world.

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Steve Simms

“And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” –Luke 24:32

Posted in Let the words of my mouth, Luke 24:32, power of words, revival, set your words on fire, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Does AA Have Something That Churches Need?

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Steve Simms

Does AA have something that churches need? Perhaps. Why should AA have all the good participatory meetings? –Alcoholics Anonymous has proven that meetings based on open sharing and participation are powerful tools that set people free! They just celebrated their … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, free, gladiators, happy, Joyous, organic church, participatory church, revival | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Most Amazing Thing In The World

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Steve Simms

What is the most amazing thing in the world? To be aware of God’s presence is to be filled with wonder and amazement. Nothing can compare with His splendor! God’s presence is the most amazing thing in the world! The … Continue reading →

Posted in fear of God, God's splendor, revival, seeking God, sermon topics, spiritual awakening, where is God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Put Prayer Back In Schools? (How About Back In Church Services?)

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Steve Simms

For decades believers have debated and argued about prayer in schools.  We have been offended by public prayer being removed from public schools. We, people of faith, don’t like limits on prayer in schools. But what about our self-imposed limits … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Murray, Armin Gesswein, book of Acts, D.A.Carson, E.M. Bounds, J. Edwin Orr, Jack Taylor, Matthew Henry, Music City, Nashville, organic church, Quotations, revival, Salvation Army, Samuel Chadwick, Worship City | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Humility or Human Hotshots? (Who is the celebrity in church?)

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Steve Simms

God is looking for humility, not human hotshots with big names. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” When we glory in, focus on, and/or follow exalted people, when we attach men’s names to the work of … Continue reading →

Posted in 2 Chronicles 16:9, Bible quotes, celebrities, church, ego in church, eyes of the Lord, God resists the proud, God's glory, Isaiah 42:8, James 4:6, Lord it over, Luke 22:25, Mark 10:42, Matthew 20:25, naming ministries after yourself, revival, self-exaltation | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

“God is continually calling us outside of our boxes.” –Nashville’s Most Unusual Church

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Steve Simms

Answer the call — experience community — at The Salvation Army Berry Street! –“God is continually calling us out of our boxes . . . To meet another person outside of our boxes is to experience genuine community.” —James C. … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Christian community, community organizer, gifts of the Spirit, organic church, revival, Salvation Army church, worship | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments