Category Archives: spiritual awakening

A Week Of Signs In The Heavens & On Earth (February 2013)

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

Wow!  Earth saw some incredible signs and wonders this  week! * The most powerful religious man on earth had the courage to buck 700 years of tradition and obey God’s leading in his own heart, as he resigned as Pope, … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, faith, faith-based, February, February 2013, humility, ministry, miracles, miraculous, obedience, obedience is better than sacrifice, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, Roman Catholic, Russia, signs in the heavens, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, spiritual leaders, spiritual movement, spiritual power, spiritual themes, spiritual warfare, surrender, surrender to God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reader’s Digest Acknowledges Participatory Style Of First Century Christian Worship

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Contemporary society is moving toward more participation in management and meetings.  This can be seen in business management styles, the Oprah Show, and even Facebook.  However, the contemporary church seems stuck on sermons — non-participatory, one-person, lectures. However, early Christian … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, After Jesus, aristocrats, church, church history, church meetings, church program, church roles, Corinth, edification, first century, First Century Church, freedmen, hymn, hymns, Music City, Nashville, participatory church, Paul of Tarsus, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Roman, Roman Empire, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, slaves, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual awakening, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, tongues, triumph of Christianity | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Worst Religious Advice I Was Ever Given

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

The worst religious advice I was ever given came when I was a student at Memphis Theological Seminary.  A professor in a preaching class said:  “You need to spend one hour of study for every minute you preach.” Since then … Continue reading →

Posted in academics, Bible study, burning heart, change, change agent, Christ followers, Christian, epidemic, expect change commercial, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory days, God, how you catch the flu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, kingdom values, Memphis Theological Seminary, moral failure, moral foundations, morality, Music City, religious academics, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, study one hour for every minute you preach | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Technology has brought about the paperless office. Spiritual awakening will bring about the agendaless church meeting. Go agendaless — let the Spirit lead!

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

“The Salvation Army was born in the superheated fires of revival, coming into being through obedience, dedication, and holy courage. . . Holy testimonies blistered our lips and knee drills (prayer meetings) were crowded with earnest, believing prayers. That sovereign, … Continue reading →

Posted in reformation, religion, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual awakening, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Cat In The Hat Shares The Rap On His Cap

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Steve Simms

Yo! Let’s go, We gotta show A better way to pray Than sittin’ in pews Hearin’ preacha views. We got da great news! Let everybody share A prayer or a care. Take da flag Out of da bag; Blood & … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative lifestyle, belief, blood of Jesus, burning heart, celebration, change, change agent, Christ, Christ followers, Christian flag, Christian rap, Christian values, contagion, countercultural, creativity, culture, environment, evangelism, faith-based, filled with the Spirit, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, flag, floods, free spirit, holiness, holy, improv, insight, inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, move of God, music, organic church, popular culture, prayer, praying, preaching, rapping, revival, sermons, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, spiritual formation, spiritual innovation, testimonies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A New (Emergent and/or Organic) Name For Christianity: Christimacy

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

These ideas came to my mind during the praise and worship meeting at The Salvation Army Berry Street this morning.  I shared them with the believers gathered there. The one word that most describes the difference between the Old and … Continue reading →

Posted in atonement, Christ, Christ followers, Christ in you, Christ in you the hope of glory, Christian, Christian values, emergent Christianity, emergent movement, God with us, having a form of godliness, He broke down the wall of hostility, house church, intimacy, Jesus Christ, lost and restored, Love one another, move of God, movement, new birth, new creation, New Testament, Old Testament, racial reconciliation, reconciliation, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual kinship, spiritual transformation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Is America Violent & Alienated From God Like Jean Valjean In Les Misérables?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Les Misérables, the new movie musical staring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried, beautifully brings Victor Hugo’s 1862 French novel to life.  However, it made me wonder:  Is America violent and alienated from God like the main … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century, 21st Century, alternative lifestyle, Augustine, brainwashed, brainwashing, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, Christianity, conscience, conversion, convert, conviction, conviction of sin, cruel, devotion, discouragement, evangelism, faith, faith-based, faithfulness, fear, feelings, freedom, French novels, God, harmful thinking, hearing God, history, human nature, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, message, misery, moral failure, moral principles, morality, morals, movie, movie review, movies, musicals, mysticism, new birth, obedience, persecution, popular culture, prayer, relevation, religion, repentance, salvation, search for significance, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual themes, spiritual transformation, values, Victor Hugo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church — Spiritual Impartation Or Powerless Sermons?

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

Bible interpretation without spiritual impartation is a negation of Scripture.  Sermons,  without the active working of the living God, lack the life-transforming power they claim to proclaim. Our culture desperately needs the transforming impartation of spiritual power, not mere Bible … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, organic church, relevation, religion, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Are You Ready For Some Bordom Bustin’ In 2013?

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

Begin 2013 by busting out of your boredom box; rerouting the routine of your rut; surpassing the same ole, same ole! Do something new and different for the kingdom of God today. No need to repeat what isn’t working. Step … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013, biblical, Biblical concept, bored in church, boredom, Catherine Booth, cross, crucified with Christ, crucify yourself, deny yourself, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, obedience is better than sacrifice, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the world for God, theology, truth, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Church is a furnace — a gathering for igniting and spreading the contagion of spiritual fire; not an ice maker — a synchronized “service” dropping cool ideas on to cold hearts conformed to contemporary culture.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Daring deeds, not comfortable creeds!

Posted in church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, contagion, contemporary, corrupt culture, creeds, deeds, fire of the Holy Spirit, fire place, fire walk, furnace, ice maker, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment