Category Archives: simple church

New Page Church = Purch/Participatory Church

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps it is time for the 21st Century Western church to turn the page and flip through the Bible, stopping at the one place in the New Testament where we are told how to do church:  “When you come together, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Chinua Achebe, cleansing the temple, David James Duncan, Hillary Clinton, It takes a village, kingdom of God, narrow is the way, Nashville, Nashville church, New Testament, participatory church, participatory culture, simple church, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, the Western church, Things Fall Apart | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Church — A Flow Or A Show?

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Steve Simms

Is church more of a show or more of a flow?  Wind and rivers are symbols of the Holy Spirit. The wind blows, a river flows; but the church tends to show what it knows through programs and presentations rather … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church leadership, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, flo, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, lecture, lecture series, led by the Spirit, life, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, Romans 8:14, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual flow, spiritual life, spiritual worship, TN, tree of life, tree of the knowledge of good and evil | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Has The Gospel Lost It’s Power In The 21st Century?

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Steve Simms

Has the Gospel lost its pull on people’s hearts? No, the church has lost the passion to powerfully present the Gospel. “Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5 When ordinary … Continue reading →

Posted in 70 AD, Bible, Bible quotes, Biblical concept, church format, church meetings, church programs, church services, dating the Bible, denying the power thereof, destruction of Jerusalem, Gospel of Matthew, having a form of godliness, history, organic church, Roman history, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

New Ideas, Worn Out Ideas, & Re-engineering Church

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Steve Simms

A live electric wire on the ground is not boring. It is attention grabbing, powerful, full of sparks, exciting, indescribable, and unpredictable.  A live church service of people flowing together in God’s current is the same. About God? Or by … Continue reading →

Posted in change, change agent, change management, church meetings, church services, electric wire on the ground, finish well, interactive learning, Joe Calloway, learning environment, Lennie Scott-Webber, live church, live electric wire, Model-T, organic church, quotation, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Tom Griner, worn out ideas | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

How (I Was Taught) To Act In Church

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

How I was taught to act in church:  Be quiet, sit still, behave, just listen, be passive, don’t talk, watch the preacher, be like everyone one else, don’t ask questions, only do what the program says, don’t laugh, don’t be … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible quotes, biblical, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, community, Music City, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, religious ceremonies, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Perhaps God can speak through anybody, not just a preacher!

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps we miss out on much wisdom in the average church service, because only one person is permitted to speak week after week. We can all learn from anybody; not just from experts or professionals. Maybe during a church service, … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, church programs, church services, non-church, one anothering, open church, open forum, open mic, organic church, participatory church, simple church | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

It’s Time For Interactive Church Services!

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

People living in our 21st Century culture of constant interactive media, need more than a passive, authoritarian, spectator church service.  Maybe they need engagement and participation!  Perhaps a church service needs to be more than a Sunday morning love lecture.  … Continue reading →

Posted in interactivity, love lecture, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, sermon, sermon-free, simple church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

What if Sunday morning church had less infrastructure and more networking? It could be transformed from a Sunday morning love lecture into a group of people actively living love with one another!

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in church format, church meetings, church program, church services, life, life together, one another, one anothering, open church, open forum, open sharing, participatory church, participatory sermons, share, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, spiritual formation, spiritual gifts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

PC is awesome!

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

PC (Participatory Church) is awesome! PC (Participatory Church) allows the living, resurrected Jesus Christ to actively fulfill His role as Head of the Church — not just be a figurehead. PC (Participatory Church) fulfills the words of Jesus:  “For where … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible quotes, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, participation in church, participatory church, political correctness, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

When The Nuns Came To The Salvation Army

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

My wife and I lead a participatory, sermon-free, non-traditional Salvation Army corps (church) called Berry Street Worship Center, located in a low-income neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee.  Our daughter went to high school at St. Cecilia Academy, a Catholic girls’ school … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Catholic, Catholic girls school, Catholicism, Dominican nuns, durag, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, organic church, religion, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, simple church, St. Dominic, Tennessee | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments