Category Archives: Salvation Army church

Church Piano or Piano Church?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is like a piano.  Here is a piano lesson for the church. A piano has 88 keys, 52 white & 36 black. But what if 87 keys are stuck and only one key is free to make a sound? … Continue reading →

Posted in black keys, church format, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, Holy Spirit, How many keys on a piano?, keys, music, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville events, non-church, non-traditional church, piano keys, piano lessons, religion, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, The Salvation Army, tickle the ivories, white keys | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Real Church = The Real God, Real Power, His Real Presence Through Real People

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

Do we go to church to be taught a religious lesson . . . or to encounter and surrender to God’s presence?  A listening mind can learn lessons about God; but it takes a hungry heart to head wholeheartedly into … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Apostle Paul, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, first time visitor, glory, glory of God, holiness, Isaiah, lecture, listening, O taste and see that the Lord is good, organic church, organization, presence of Christ, presence of God, psalm, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, tears, The Salvation Army, why go to church | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Baptist Pastor Promotes Participatory Church

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

I “stumbled upon” a 1971 book by a Baptist pastor that describes a participatory style church service: “One winter morning I stopped for worship at a small East Tennessee rural church . . . The singing stopped and he (the … Continue reading →

Posted in Albert McClellan, attitude, East Tennessee, festival, mystery, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, praying community, Quotations, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, shouting in church, simple church, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, weeping | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Benjamin Franklin & Sermon Free Church

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

I think Benjamin Franklin would have loved sermon-free church because it gets people actively involved and transforms them from passive pew-sitters to spiritual go-getters! Ben said: “I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works. I mean real good … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, American Literature, Ben Franklin, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, Doing the most good, good sermon, good works, history, involve me and I learn, memory, Nashville, organic church, pew, prayer, praying, preacher, preaching, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teach me and I, Tennessee, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Pope & The General

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

Quotations from Pope Francis of the Catholic Church and General Linda Bond of The Salvation Army: First General Bond: “A Spirit-filled Army tells the gospel story faithfully and trustingly, believing that there is power in the name of Jesus, power … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian, Christian history, church, church leader, church leadership, clergy, commitment, communion, faith, faith in God, faith-based, faithfulness, God, godliness, Holy Father, Holy see, Holy Spirit, human leadership, humility, Jesus, Jesus Christ, quote, Quotes, religion, religious information, religious talks, religious tradition, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army church, viewpoint, views, witness, word of wisdom, words | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Talk Church Is Better Than Talk Radio

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

Talk church is better than talk radio.  Its talking points are about the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Sit-back-and-listen-church makes people passive.  Open line, talk church makes people powerful in God as they show and tell what God has done on … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, faith, faith in God, faith-based, great awakening, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, improv, improvisation, Jesus Christ, John Miley, led by the Spirit, listening, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-church, open church, participants, participators, participatory church, power, powerful, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, spiritual innovation, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sermon-Free Church Rocked The Early Methodists

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

The early Methodists practiced a type of sermon-free church known as class meetings.  These were weekly, participatory meetings where every person present was given the opportunity to talk about their life with God.  The first Methodist class meeting was started … Continue reading →

Posted in bear one another's burdens, Christian experience, Christianity, church, Frederick William Briggs, John Bate, John Berry McFerrin, John Wesley, Kevin Watson, Methodism, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Quotations, quote, renewal, revival, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, spiritual life, spiritual movement, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Problems Of Unrestrained Pleasure-Seeking

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

Watch the TV news and observe a fact: Without self-restraint human nature produces all sorts of evil: meanness, disrespect, bullying, abuse, violence, rage, arrogance, injustice, deceit, self-destruction, vulgarity, hatred, cruelty, fraud. Unrestrained human nature destabilizes society and eventually leads to … Continue reading →

Posted in abuse, America, American, church, cruelty, deceit, fraud, hate, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, oppression, pleasure-seeking, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, self-control, self-destruction, self-discipline, self-inflicted, self-produced, self-respect, self-restraint, TV, TV network, TV news, violence, violence in society, violent streak | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Release or Re-Leash?

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

Release of the Spirit — or — Re-leash of the Spirit? Have you ever noticed that whenever there is a release of the Holy Spirit, the human tendency is to re-leash Him and get church back under human control and … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church leader, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, God on a leash, hymn, hymns, I Corinthians 14:26, instruction, interpretation, interpretation of tongues, leash, participants, participators, participatory church, release of the Spirit, relevation, religion, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, speaking in tongues, spectators, spirit, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, spiritual interaction, spiritual life, spiritual movement, The Salvation Army, theology, tongues | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

17 Benefits Of Prayer Walking

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

Prayer walking with The Salvation Army Flag does many things: 1) It increases the amount of intercessory prayer for your neighborhood; 2) It helps you to understand the needs in your neighborhood; 3) It increases your love for the people … Continue reading →

Posted in aggressive Christianity, book of Joshua, fear, fear of man, God, Holy Spirit, intercession, intercessory prayer, overcoming fear, pray for one another, prayer, prayer without ceasing, praying, praying community, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual battle, spiritual warfare, team, territory, The Salvation Flag | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments