Category Archives: simple church

A First Time Visitor Writes About The Salvation Army Berry Street

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

–A First Time Visitor Last Sunday Talks About His Berry St. Experience!— “We were blessed to attend Berry Street Salvation Army. This is a church which operates totally at the Holy Spirits bidding. We experienced an overwhelming ministry of love … Continue reading →

Posted in participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments

Live Like Hell? Or March Into Hell For A Heavenly Cause?

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

Why live like Hell when you can have a life of peace, joy, love and contentment? When the inner me runs wild, I become my enemy.  When I let Christ control me, I experience His glory.  Activism can sometimes change … Continue reading →

Posted in business speakers, Don Quixote, impossible dream lyrics, injustice, justice, management consultants, Nashville, open church, open mic, open mic church, participation, participatory church, right conduct, right living, righteousness, Salvation Army, self-destruction, self-hate, self-surrender, simple church, the impossible dream, we have seen the enemy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reality Church

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Steve Simms

Reality church!  Forget about reality TV: Experience reality church, where everyday people show and tell what God has done. “Why watch reality TV when I can just open my blinds and look out my window to all the reality I … Continue reading →

Posted in Jarod Kintz, Looking unto Jesus, Naveen Andrews, open church, open mic church, organic church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Berry Street, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, screenwriters, simple church, television | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

America has lots of talk radio — perhaps we need talk church!

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

If people are not allowed to talk about Jesus in church meetings how will they get the courage and confidence to talk about Jesus in secular settings? I don’t need to hear another talk about God in church.  I’ve heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, BNA, East Nashville, multi-racial, multi-racial church, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, non-church, open church, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, simple church, Spirit directed, Spirit prompting, Trevecca, Trevecca Nazarene University | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Soccer church? Or American football church?

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

  American football style church = the quarterback (pastor) is responsible for getting the ball (the Gospel) to others. Soccer style church = any player can move the ball and/or pass it to others.

Posted in church community, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, interactive church, interactive learning, interactive sermons, interactivity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, participatory sermons, pastor, quarterback, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Religion/Grace/Church Without Laymen

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve Simms

Religion asks: “What’s the least I can do and still go to Heaven?” —Recipients of grace ask: “What’s the most I can do to love, honor, serve, and obey the One who died on the Cross to save me from … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, cross, equality, going to Heaven, grace, grace card, grace definition, grace of God, inequality, lay speakers, lay testimonies, layman, laymen, laywomen, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, royal priesthood, simple church, sin, Spirit prompting | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Man Up! (Participatory/Organic Church Reaches Men!)

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Steve Simms

“The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. This gender gap shows up in all age categories.” –Churchformen.com.  Why does church in the U.S. not reach more men? “Men are hard-wired for risk taking—particularly young … Continue reading →

Posted in attracting men, BNA, churchformen, David Murrow, fresh expressions, marketing to men, men in chuch, men in church, messy church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, organic church, participation, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, reaching men, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Preaching In My Dreams–Boy, I Miss It! (A Nashville Story)

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

I miss preaching . . . I woke up this morning dreaming that I was preaching. Although I haven’t preached a “traditional” sermon in several years, I really miss it. When I preach, I feel the Holy Spirit surging through … Continue reading →

Posted in BNA, Christian conferences, fresh expressions, Fresh Expressions movement, messy church, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, open forum, open mic, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, religion, renewal, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Spirit-Led Church–Where Ordinary People Are The Playmakers

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

Go with the best flows! –Life’s a flow show — currents streaming in us and around us — rivers flow, sap flows, blood flows, thoughts flow, emotions flow, time flows, information flows. But not all flows are equal — love … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, fans, organic church, participatory church, playmaker, questions, rivers of living water, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvation Army officer, simple church, spectators, Spirit directed, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, spiritual flow, sports fans | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

30/11 (About 30 minutes in a secular used bookstore = 11 books about participatory church)

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Steve Simms

In September 2014, my wife and I stopped by The Book Cellar  in Crossville, Tennessee on our way to Gatlinburg.  Were were there about 30 minutes and I left with a stack of books. To my surprise, 11 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in bookstore, cell groups, Crossville, Darrell W. Robinson, Eddie Gibbs, Garrison Keillor, Gatlnburg, George Barna, Harold R. Eberle, house church, Jim Smoke, Joel Balin, Jr., Laney L. Johnson, living stones, Martin Luther King, Michael Gleason, new wineskins, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Richard Halverson, Robert & Julia Banks, simple church, Tennessee, worship, worship leader, worship styles | 6 Comments