Category Archives: Salvation Army Corps

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

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

The Marathon Of A Lifetime!

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

The St. Jude Country Music Marathon (formerly the Music City Marathon) takes place tomorrow in Nashville, Tennessee.  Many will put themselves to the test as they run, yet they find the testing to be thrilling.  They love the challenge. “The … Continue reading →

Posted in faith, faith-based, foot race, George Sheehan, glory, heartbreak hill, marathon, marathon of a lifetime, music, Music City, New Testament, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, pursuit of God, quote, Quotes, runners, running shoes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, tunes | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Anybody Up For Something Different? (A Fresh, Creative Way of Doing Church?)

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Steve Simms

No more same-ole-same-ole!  Now there is a fresh, creative way of doing church.  Hear more about it in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71qk5fb_D_o&list=UUONhZXr3obO7zERWwkBmI0Q&index=2 And then come and check it out for yourself: The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Use Words! Talk About Religion! Testify!

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is not carefully crafted and controlled ceremonies.  It is a symphony of spontaneous, heart-felt testimonies.  It’s not what we’ve planned, learned, and memorized; but what we have seen and heard! Unfortunately, the work of the living God in human … Continue reading →

Posted in If necessary use words, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, living out the Gospel, power, preach without words, preaching, preaching the Word, prompted by the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious talks, religious tradition, ritual, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, shout it from the housetops, speaking out, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, story, testimonies, testimony, TN, What I tell you in secret | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment