Category Archives: sermon-hearing

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church “Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard “The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. … Continue reading →

Posted in acting, Christian community, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, doctrine, dogma, eloquence, lecture, life, lifestyle Christianity, non-traditional church, nonconforming, obedience, open church, oratory, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, preach without words, preacher, preaching, professors, quotation, quote, Quotes, reasoning, religion, religious academics, religious tradition, Søren Kierkegaard, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teaching, witnesses | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

“God talks” or “God talks”? (“Talks” as a noun or as a verb?)

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

What if Jesus intended church to be a community of loving believers, instead of a series of weekly lectures?  What if instead of listening to a man’s sermonic God talks, church was originally designed by Jesus for you to listen … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, God talks, grammar, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, organic church, praise and worship, religion, religious innovation, religious talks, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, Tennessee, The Voice, understanding nouns, verbs, voice of God, worship, worship center, worship gathering, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

3 Thought-provoking questions . . .

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

What if Jesus intended church to be a community of loving believers, instead of a series of weekly lectures? What if leadership is more effective by example rather than by title or office or position? Perhaps that is what God … Continue reading →

Posted in church leadership, community, pro choice, pro life, prochoice, sermon series, sermon-hearing, sermons, spiritual leaders, unborn | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Inner Teacher

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Listen to the Inner Teacher!  He speaks within your heart.  He is the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in your soul, the inner Light.  He is calling you to follow and obey Him daily.  Don’t refuse His call. When … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 John 2:27, anointed, anointing, Bible, Bible quotes, biblical Christianity, Biblical concept, His anointing teaches you, inner Light, inner teacher, John, New Testament, organic church, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, Salvationists, Scriptures, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, teach me and I, teacher, you don't need a man to teach you | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Ever Get The Hear-Another-Sermon-Blues?

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

Do you ever get the hear-another-sermon-blues?  Well, don’t fret.  I can’t find the word “sermon” in the Bible.  Can you? When you regularly share with others about what God is saying to you and about what He is doing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, blues, Darryl M. Erke, Ernest F. Scott, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

“The Christmas Candle” Confirms The Concept Of Sermon-Free Church

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

The new movie The Christmas Candle is an amazing confirmation of The Salvation Army Berry Street’s participatory worship where everyday people show and tell what God has done.  I’ve been writing and posting, on my blog and on Facebook, for … Continue reading →

Posted in angels, angels watching over you, burning heart, Christmas candles, church, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, church services, cynicism, demonstrations of the Spirit, glory, glory of God, interrupting a sermon, interrupting in church, miracles, miraculous, Music City, Nashville, Nashville charity, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, testifying, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Conversermons — Spirit-Led Conversations About God

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

The concept of conversermons is based on the idea that you can hear talk after talk about God; but you will never really know Him until you experience Him for yourself.  Transformation is more important than theology. Rather than a … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, church services, conversermons, internet, Louis L'Amour, participatory church, participatory sermons, preach without words, preacher, preaching the Word, quotation, quote, Quotes, radio, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, spiritual formation, TV, Yaholo Hoyt | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Early Puritans Practiced Participatory Church

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Steve Simms

Reading a book this morning that I “randomly” found at McKay Books Nashville, I discovered that the early Puritans believed in participatory church. How exciting! “In the conduct of worship the Separatists (early Puritans) stressed spontaneity. Following the regular sermon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, British history, Christianity, church history, Edmund S. Morgan, English, English history, history, liturgies, McKay Books, Nashville, Nashville church, participatory church, prayer, prayers, praying, prophesying, Puritan ideas, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, speech making, speeches, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, Visible Saints | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Perhaps church services could move beyond attenders silently sitting to hear sermons; and let them stand to share stories about how the living, resurrected Jesus Christ is actively working in their lives.

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in alternative to preaching, Jesus, Jesus Christ, listening, listening skills, preaching, preaching the Word, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, sermon-hearing, silence, stories, story, testimonies, testimony, witness | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Multivoiced Church — A Spiritual Sprinkler System

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Steve Simms

Perhaps a church service is like a sprinkler system on a golf course in Arizona. If only one sprinkler works and all the rest are shut down, almost all the grass dries up and withers. However, if every sprinkler shares … Continue reading →

Posted in active participants, Arizona, Berry Street, Building a Multivoiced Church, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church programs, church services, community, discipleship, golf, golf course, living water, multi-voiced church, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville news, organic church, participants, participatory church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, Sian Williams, simple church, sprinkler system, Tennessee, The Power of All, The Salvation Army, voices | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments