Category Archives: unprogrammed church

1 Man Can’t Reflect The Body Of Christ — It Takes A Village

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Steve Simms

1 man can’t reflect the body of Christ.  That takes a village. Christ-followers are puzzle pieces, each picturing a particular part of Christ. When a group gathers and each person present is allowed to openly participate and share his/her part, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Head of the church, participatory church, Protestant, Protestant Reformation, Team Church, telling their stories, testifying, the pope, the Western church, think outside the bun, types of church, unprogrammed church, unscripted church, ways of doing church, Western Christianity, Western religion, Western society, What is the true church?, why go to church, worship, worship service, you can all prophesy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Band Of The Unplanned — Can You Hear It Calling?

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

God is looking for the band of the unplanned — agendaless bands of spiritual brothers and sisters who gather together to let Him lead and prompt them. The band of the unplanned: 1) Banishes boredom by breaking our mold. 2) Steps beyond … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, breaking the mold, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville events, Nashville news, Nashville streets, Nashville think tank, Nashville times, Nashville tourist attractions, Salvation Army, Salvation Army Berry Street, Salvationism, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, unplanned church, unprogrammed church, unrehearsed | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Hang & Praise Church

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

What is hang and praise church?  Hang-and-praise church is hanging out with a group of Christ-followers and sharing His praises with one another through song, stories, and Scriptures! It is based on this description of how Jesus’ earliest disciples met: … Continue reading →

Posted in casual church, East Nashville, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, simple church, unprogrammed church, unscripted church | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

When we have a conversation with a friend or family member, we don’t want every word to be scripted. We want a two-way conversation that is spontaneous and from the heart. Why should church be any different?

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Formal Order Of Worship For First Pentecost

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

Order Of Worship For First Pentecost (If They Had One) Welcome & Announcements Days Of Ongoing Prayer Sudden Interruption By Sound Of Violent Wind Flames Of Fire Falling From The Ceiling On Everybody Everybody Rises And Speaks Different Languages Time … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian history, church, church bulletin, church format, church program, church programs, dreams, dreams and visions, Joel, liturgies, liturgy, pentecostal experience, Peter's sermon, prophesy, prophesying, repent, repentance, this is that, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, unprogrammed church, visions, visions from God, worship planning | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Church? A Preacher Performing or People Participating

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

Should there be more than one way to hold a church service? Perhaps we should allow many ways of having a church meeting; instead of the one (almost universal) way of church based on sermon-hearing. Christians invite people to church … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church meetings, church services, creating an environment, interactive church, John Heider, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, religious meetings, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, sermon-hearing, Spirit-led church, unprogrammed church, Warren Bennis | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Do Preplanned Church Programs “Ruin It” For People

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

If you tell people the storyline and outcome of a movie before they see it, many people will say that you have ruined it for them. They don’t want to know what happens in a movie before they see it. … Continue reading →

Posted in brackets, champions, church leadership, church meetings, movie, movies, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, NCAA championship, predicting the NCAA tournament, ruin it, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, service, simple church, sporting event, sports, unprogrammed church, wait and see, why go to church, worship, worship gathering, worship service, worship styles | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Dangerous 21st Century Needs Spiritual Trailblazers

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

The way ahead in the 21st Century is no yellow brick road. It is a dangerous wilderness and we Christ-followers need to cast aside our comfort zone, come out of our church customs, and cut a new trail — following … Continue reading →

Posted in Adam S. McHugh, church, Gideon, John the Baptist, open church, order of worship, organic church, overseer, overseers, oversight, politics, politics and religion, quotation, quote, Quotes, Solomon, unpredictable, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Church — In Sync or Spontaneous?

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Steve Simms

During praise and worship an image came to my mind. I saw a group of people, all neatly facing the front of the room, sitting at banquet tables with full plates in front of them. Then I saw a man … Continue reading →

Posted in 37207, banquet, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, in unison, living God, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville events, not being fed in church, organic church, praise, praise and worship, praising God, program, programmed, programmed from the front, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, spiritual food, spontaneity, The Salvation Army, unprogrammed church, unrehearsed, vision, visions from God, We've always done it that way", Western religion, Western society, Western world, What is church?, what to do in Nashville, worship, worship center, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sunday Holy Spirit Science Lab?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Perhaps a church service could be like a high school science lab where ordinary people experiment with hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit.  What would happen if people showed up for Sunday church ready to share with and minister to … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, experiencing God, experiment, experimental church, Holy Spirit, organic church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, science, scientific model, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, service, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual formation, spiritual gifts, The Salvation Army, unprogrammed church | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments