Category Archives: sermon-hearing

2 pods about church without sermons

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Steve Simms

Here are two podcasts about how God will break out of the traditional church mold (if we let Him). He stopped the sermon. Hear how a church in Nashville, Tennessee has been meeting for 8 1/2 years without a sermon. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, alternative church, alternative to preaching, alternatives to sermons, book, bored in church, church decline, church experiment, church order, church organization, church programming, church revitalization, church sermons, church services, church without a program, churching, conversermons, house church, how to conduct a church service, how to do church, I will build my church, immunity to sermons, interactive sermons, interrupting a sermon, participatory sermons, Richard Jacobson, sermon-free church, sermon-hearing, shared sermon, Thom Schultz, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A sermon poem won’t make you know Him

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Steve Simms

A sermon meandering through your ears Won’t drive out your fears Or take away your tears. Jesus builds His body of believers, Not on outward words being heard, But on inward revelation; His presence and power Flashing “aha moments” within … Continue reading →

Posted in hearing God's voice, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, inner hearing, organic chruch, preaching without words, revelation, sermon-hearing, spiritual experiences, spiritual formation, spiritual hearing, spiritual insight, spiritual prompting, spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Better than a sermon?

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Steve Simms

What’s more effective than a sermon? Should a pastor be a sage on a stage or a guide along side? (See 1 Corinthians 14:26.) 100 sermons? We believe that instead of having people sit through 100 sermons, it’s much more … Continue reading →

Posted in 100 sermons, a sage on a stage, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, eloquence, guide by the side, Harvy Cox, immunity to sermons, Jen Halmaker, Nashville, one act of obedience, organic church, public discourse, Salvation Army, Seneca, sermon-hearing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Phantom Commandment Challenge — Church Without A 1-Man Sermon?

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Steve Simms

— The Phantom Commandment Challenge — The Phantom Commandment says: “Church shall contain a one-man sermon.” However, I can’t find it anywhere in the Bible.  Can you find the Phantom Commandment (or any statement that resembles it) in the Bible? It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Jonathan Hutton, Leonard Sweet, Meeting for Worship, ministers, ministry, one-man sermon, phantom, Quotations, Richmond P. Miller, Ryan Bolger, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, silence, silent worship, simple church, Thom Schultz | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Is it possible that there are much more effective ways for the church to preach and teach than one-man, weekly lecturing or sermonizing?

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in church sermons, interactive, interactive church, interactive learning, interactive sermons, lecture, lecture series, motivational sermons, nontraditional preaching, public speaking, pulpit ministry, Q&A, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, spectators, speech making, speeches | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nashville Sounds in Participatory Church

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

Participatory church presents the profundity and wisdom of ordinary people as they show and tell what God is doing in their lives.  Here are some Nashville sounds from an organic church in Nashville — The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center … Continue reading →

Posted in God's voice, harpists, hearing, hearing God, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, listening to the Spirit, music, Music City, organic church, participatory church, relevation, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sharing, silence, silent worship, simple church, sound of His voice | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Quotes & Notes on Spirit-Prompted Church Meetings

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Hear God where you are.  Follow Him to where He is.  D.L. Moody said:  “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.” Within every person is a spiritual cell phone … Continue reading →

Posted in Azusa Street, Bob Kuhn, C.H. Mackintosh, church services, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, D.L. Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, G. Campbell Morgan, Nashville, Nashville church, ordaination, ordained, order of worship, organic church, out of the box, outpouring of the Spirit, participation in church, participatory church, preaching, priesthood of the believer, religion, ringtone, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sermons, Tennessee, The Apostolic Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Right Way To Have Church

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is there only one, correct way of doing church?  Sometimes it seems so. For five hundred years there has basically been only one, right way of doing church. Regardless of denomination or doctrine, church has almost universally contained a central, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians:14, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, church history, communion, denominations, doctrine, doctrines, Fresh Expressions movement, homiletics, homily, house church, Lord's supper, Martyn Atkins, Methodism, Methodist church, open church, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, Protestant, pulpit, pulpit ministry, sacrament, sacraments, sermon-hearing, sermons, the right way to do church, UK, ways of doing church, worship, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Worship Wars — Make Room For Sermon-Free Church

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is There Room For Sermon-Free Church?  (Of course there is.) Worship wars, a popular name for disagreements in church about how to conduct the Sunday service, have been going on for years. But there is no need to argue. There … Continue reading →

Posted in answer to worship wars, Ben Franklin, contemporary vs. traditional, do away with the sermon, Kierkegaard, Layman's Prayer Revival, Laymen's prayer revival, laymen's prayer revival of 1857, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, preacher, preaching, Søren Kierkegaard, see a sermon, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, sharing | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church? A Preacher Performing or People Participating

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

Should there be more than one way to hold a church service? Perhaps we should allow many ways of having a church meeting; instead of the one (almost universal) way of church based on sermon-hearing. Christians invite people to church … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church meetings, church services, creating an environment, interactive church, John Heider, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, religious meetings, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, sermon-hearing, Spirit-led church, unprogrammed church, Warren Bennis | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments