Category Archives: simple church

500 Years Ago Martin Luther Posted 95 Shocking Statements About Church — Here Are My 95 . . .

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed a piece of paper, listing 95 revolutionary statements, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.  This act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation of the church. Inspired by Martin Luther’s courageous act, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, blog, bold statements, Bubba Watson, burning heart, challenges, change, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, clergy, conscience, conviction of sin, courage, dancing, dancing with God, deliverance, demons, disciple making, East Nashville, family gathering, football, forgiveness, formal, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, grace, guidance, guilt, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, Heaven, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jeremy Lin, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, laymen, lecture, lifestyles, Linsanity, Martin Luther, miracles, missional, morality, morals, movement, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, quench the Spirit, recovery, reformation, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, support group, Taiwan Tebow, tears, tebow, tebowing, Tim Tebow, voice of God, wages of sin, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

What’s Needed In Contemporary Ch__ch? u r (You Are Needed To Be An Active Participant Rather Than A Spectator!))

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

If you compare contemporary church meetings with how they did church in the New Testament, you will notice that something seems to be missing nowadays.  What’s the difference between the early church and the modern-day church? Paul compares the New … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, American church, announcements, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, church, church history, church roles, church structure, community, congregational, early church, East Nashville, entertainment, hearing God, house church, human body, I Corinthians 14:26, kingdom of God, Music City, mystery, mysticism, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, prototype, religion, religious ceremonies, revival, simple church, speaking, spiritual growth, surrender to God, symphony, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hey Church, We Are Family . . . (Do We Act Like It?)

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

Perhaps the church can learn from family . . . The Bible teaches that church is family — a body of believers bound together in spiritual kinship.  Church is hearts connected in love for Christ and for one another.   The … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, children, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, community, disciple making, discipling, early church, family gathering, formal, funerals, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lecture, lesson plans, marriage, modeling, New Testament, non-traditional church, organic church, parents, participatory church, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual kinship, support group, teaching, the way we do church, thinking, tradition, unprogrammed church, weddings, Western religion, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hereeeeeeee’s Jesus!

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Steve Simms

Would you like to see God’s glory in your life and in your church?  The key is not a conference or a curriculum, not a program or a performance, not marketing or methods, not a better strategy or harder work.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christianity, church, East Nashville, Ed McMahon, glory, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Johnny Carson, miracles, Music City, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, presence of Christ, religion, simple church, spiritual growth, supernatural, The Salvation Army, The Tonight Show, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church?, What would Jesus do?, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Words

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

When I was a boy my dad had a book called:  Eloquence in Public Speaking: How To Set Your Words On Fire by Kenneth McFarland.  It was about how to put sparks in human hearts and it helped to create … Continue reading →

Posted in a hunka hunka burnin', Acts, alternative lifestyle, apologists, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, burning heart, change, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, early church, Jesus Christ, Kenneth McFarland, message, Music City, Nashville, organic church, participatory church, religion, revival, riot, simple church, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, turned the world upsidedown, witness, words on fire | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jesus Culture In Nashville — Not A Concert But A Passionate Worship Experience

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

It looked like a concert, but it wasn’t.  Several thousand people (mostly under 30) gathered last night at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville to worship with the band, Jesus Culture. With the energy of a rock … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, Belmont University, Berry Street, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christianity, concert, Curb Event Center, dancing, dancing with God, East Nashville, freedom, God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Culture, music, Music City, participatory church, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, sermon, sermons, simple church, spiritual growth, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Is The Living Christ Allowed To Lead Easter Sunday Church Services?

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

Since all Christian denominations claim and proclaim that Jesus Christ is actually risen from the dead and is still alive, shouldn’t Christ be allowed to control and direct an Easter Sunday church service?  In other words, should an Easter Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, early church, East Nashville, Easter, gifts of the Spirit, Happy Easter, hearing God, hearing Jesus, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, Jesus Christ, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, organic church, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, priesthood of the believer, religion, simple church, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What does the contemporary American church have that the early church in the Book of Acts didn’t have? Here are some possibilities . . . Christian tradition, ministries that people named with their own name, hierarchy, money, church buildings, self-confidence, freedom, one person in control of a church, denominations, laymen, the separation of life into sacred and secular, Bible schools and seminaries, conferences, religious TV networks, televangelists, tax-free status, clergy, a high level of organization, the fear of witnessing to others. Can you think of more things that we have that the early church didn’t have?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Acts, American, American church, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, clergy, denominations, early church, ekklesia, freedom, laymen, non-traditional church, organic church, religion, sacred and secular, simple church, televangelists, the way we do church, Uncategorized, values, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why have multitudes given up on church? What’s missing in our contemporary American church that the early church had in Acts? Here are some possibilities . . . Humility, brokenness, awe, tears, passion, conviction of sin, excitement, self-denial, testimonies, openness, the priesthood of the believer, repentance, persecution, confession, participation, boldness, power, deliverance, miracles, opportunities to minister to one another, healing. Can you think of more things the early church had that we seem to be lacking?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in Acts, American church, Americans, ancient history, awe, brokenness, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, conviction of sin, crying, deliverance, early church, ekklesia, forgiveness, humility, lifestyles, miracles, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, persecution, priesthood of the believer, religion, repent, repentance, self-denial, simple church, sin, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual skills, tears, the way we do church, Uncategorized, Western religion, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Wake Up Church! Present The Pervading Holy Presence!

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church consist of: A pre-arranged program or a pervading Holy Presence? A man-made message or God-breathed spiritual life? Passively watching a pastor or priest perform or people passionately pursuing God’s Presence and Person? Religious head-knowledge or radical heart-transformation? Being conformed … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, American church, Bible, bold statements, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, corrupt culture, early church, ekklesia, going viral, guts and glory, kingdom of God, lifestyles, missional, movement, mysticism, Oh my God, organic church, people of God, religion, revolution, sermon, sermons, simple church, the way we do church, Uncategorized, Viral Jesus, wake up, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments