Category Archives: Western religion

Bible Belt question: “Where do you go to church?”

Posted on April 15, 2018 by Steve Simms

I grew up in the part of the United States called the Bible Belt where people in casual conversation would ask: “Where do you go to church?” Like church around the Western World, church attendance in the Bible Belt has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christian history, Christianity, church decline, church history, church of your choice, church programming, fruit of the Spirit, history, the Western church, Uncategorized, Western Europe, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

An Idea Whose Time Has Come: It’s Time For The Church To Step Up!

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Steve Simms

Open sharing and participation in church services is an idea whose time has come.  It’s time for the church to step up! *  We are living in an age when communication, entertainment,  and education is becoming more and more participatory … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, NA, Narcotics Anonymous, New Testament, time to step up, tolerance, Western religion, Western society | Tagged , , , | 2 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

Silence of the Lambs

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

In the Western church the lambs (members) are too often silent.  Ordinary believers have allowed others (the clergy) to speak for them (and often to think for them) and they have too often remained silent. We sit back and listen … Continue reading →

Posted in clergy, clergy/laity, open church, organic church, pastor, preacher, religion, religious information, religious words, TV evangelists, TV ministers, Western religion, Western society | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Why Some Christians Don’t Want To Be Called Christian

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Steve Simms

Some people of faith who follow Jesus Christ don’t want to be known by the word Christian.  They prefer other names such as Christ-follower or believer.  Why? *  Some people feel that the word Christian has been so compromised that it … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative names, being religious, belief system, believer, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, Christian values, Christianity, Christimacy, Christimate, commitment, compromise, intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, maligned, marginalized, mocked, obedience, obedience is better than sacrifice, people of faith, political correctness, political issue, political views, politicized, politics, politics and religion, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, Western religion, Western society, Western world, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Amazing Anointing of An Agendaless Assembly

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

There is an amazing anointing on an agendaless assembly.  It’s the very presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ, Himself.  The First Century Church knew this, not as a doctrine, but as a powerful reality every time they met together … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, agendaless, alternative church, assembly, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, disciple making, discipling, First Century Church, Matthew 18:20, religion, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, revival, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Western religion, Western world, What is church?, When you come together, worship | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nashville & The Coming Move Of God

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

The public forums in America and the Western world have been all but swept clean of references to God, faith, and religion.  Many are ready to label America and the West as post-Christian.  But don’t play taps yet.  God is … Continue reading →

Posted in America, boomers, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory, God, God calling, religion, society, soul, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, Western religion, Western world, young adults, youth | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Brief (Alternative) History Of Western Christianity

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

An alternative history of Western Christianity . . . The early Christians were passionate and obedient followers of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.  The government didn’t like them and put many of them to death. However, the love, lifestyle, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, alternative lifestyle, Castle Church, church, Constantine, downline, early church, ekklesia, empire, Germany, heretic, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, love, Martin Luther, mullti-level, Muslims, mystery, mysticism, non-church, non-traditional church, open church, organic church, Orthodox, political issue, politics, Protestant Reformation, reformation, religious ceremonies, religious wars, Roman Catholic, simple church, true Christian life, turned the world upsidedown, values, Western religion, Western world, What is church?, Wittenburg Door | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments