Category Archives: simple church

Zip Line To God

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Participatory church is a zip line to God.  (So don’t sit in the tree; step out and soar in the Spirit.) “Our faith should not be in the sermon, it should be in the Holy Spirit Himself.” ~Martyn Lloyd-Jones “Being … Continue reading →

Posted in A. M. Renwick, Chistopher W. Goff, clergy, clergy/laity, Heidi Baker, James Stewart, John Drane, laity, laymen, laywomen, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Michael Clark, organic church, priesthood of the believer, quotation, Quotations, quote, simple church, The Silencing of the Lambs, Thomas W. Hudgins | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

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

Weather Station Church / Disappointment With Church / Children In Church

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

A weather station doesn’t try to program, direct, or control the weather. Rather it closely observes and interacts with the weather and then reports on and responds to it. What if a church didn’t try to program, direct, or control its worship … Continue reading →

Posted in can children hear God, children in church, East Nashville, fearfully and wonderfully made, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, listening, listening prayer, listening skills, listening to God, listening to the Spirit, Music City, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville news, Nashville projects, Nashville times, Nashville tourist attractions, organic church, participatory church, revelation, simple church, summer camp, summer day camp, teaching children | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Participatory Pentecost

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

The first Pentecost was participatory as the power and presence of the Holy Spirit fell on all the people present in the place and they all spoke up and praised God as prompted by the Spirit. Pentecost was not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 2, Bible, Bible quotes, biblical Christianity, book of Acts, founder, General William Booth, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, organic church, pentecostal experience, pentecostals, people of faith, people of God, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Send the fire, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-led interaction, Spirit-prompted, tongues, tongues of fire, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Should Church Meetings Be Choreographed?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

We think of surrendering to the Holy Spirit as an individual thing, but perhaps it is also something that we need to do when we meet together as a church. Perhaps we need to yield our program and our agenda … Continue reading →

Posted in church leader, church leadership, church program, church programs, church roles, house church, how to do church, how to get involved in church, open church, order of worship, organic church, scholarship, simple church, worship, worship gathering, worship innovation, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Did modern innovations in churches create worship wars?

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church innovation has become widespread & refreshing! Guess what is my favorite church innovation. Over the past generation or two, the way of having church in our society has changed a lot as we have seen new ideas creatively introduced … Continue reading →

Posted in Bob Rognlien, changes in worship, church meetings, church program, church seating, church services, church speakers, competition, conflict, contemporary Christian music, contemporary church, contemporary society, controversy, debate, definition, experiential worship, house church, how to do church, hymn, hymns, innovation, lip syncing, open church, open sharing, organic church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, pew, Power Point, powerpoint, quotation, Quotations, quote, raising hands, simple church, worship, worship dancing, worship drama, worship gathering, worship innovation, worship leader, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kingdom-Come, King-God-Ruled Meetings

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Steve Simms

Through out the night I was thinking about “the Kingdom of God.” A kingdom is where a king rules, so the Kingdom of God is where God, Himself rules. God’s rule doesn’t happen much on Earth, because of man’s rebellion. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christopher Gorton, church, Matthew 18:20, Matthew 6:33, order of worship, organic church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious tradition, righteousness, Roman Empire, Roman history, Romans 14:17, seek ye first, simple church, the Kingdom of God is at hand, Whatever He says to you | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Broom Church or Single Straw Sermons

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is more effective at releasing the Holy Spirit’s power and presence — broom church or single straw sermons? All our focus on one straw can’t sweep a floor clean; but many straws, led together as a broom, can transform … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, church structure, house church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, sweeping, worship, worship center, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The NFL Draft

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps the church can learn from the NFL Draft! The NFL Draft is not looking for passive spectators to sit around and listen to the coach every week; but for game-changers who get off the bench and make plays!  (To … Continue reading →

Posted in Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participators, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Will We Let God Drive His Car? (Oops, I Mean Church?)

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

If someone had the only keys to your car and they always drove your car and sometimes let you ride along with them, but they wouldn’t let you drive, direct, control, or steer your very own car; would you like … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, organic church, religion, simple church, spiritual | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment