Category Archives: Western religion

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

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

Congratulations! The NFL Draft Chooses You To Be A Playmaker

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

Congratulations!  You have been chosen in the first round of the 2012 NFL (Need For Love) Draft by Jesus Christ to be a playmaker for the International Kingdom Of God.  Now, learn your playbook (the Book of Acts) and do … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 NFL Draft, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, church, first round, football, In Jesus' Name I Play, Jeremy Lin, kingdom of God, Linsanity, Music City, Nashville, National Football League, NFL, NFL Draft, playbook, playmaker, The Salvation Army, training camp, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Does a dash of devotion do a living, omnipresent God justice? Doesn’t a living, present God deserve more than that? Does He who made us not have a right to 24/7/365 devotion — to an ongoing, continual expression of our heart-felt love and adoration to Him? Paul of Tarsus put it this way: “Pray without ceasing.”

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in 24/7/365, adoration, Christian, Christianity, creation, creationism, Creator, devotion, disciple making, disciples, evidence for God, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, justice, lifestyles, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, praise and worship, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, presence of Christ, presence of God, religion, revelation, salvation, self-denial, Son-shine, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, supernatural, Western religion, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Questions A Reporter Could Ask Mitt Romney About Mormonism

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

Recently on ABC News, Mitt Romney told Diane Sawyer that he would be glad to answer questions about his Mormon faith.  Here are some questions about Mormonism that Dianne (or other reporters) could ask him: * Did your God make … Continue reading →

Posted in ABC News, American media, celestial wives, Christ, church, Creator, denominations, Diane Sawyer, having a form of godliness, interview ideas, interview questions, Mitt Romeny, Mormon faith, Mormon Temple, Mormormism, political issue, politics, politics and religion, Presidential politics, questions, race for President, religion, religious ceremonies, Romney's religion, saints, secret activities, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, tradition, Uncategorized, values, virgin Mary, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

A rock that rolled — an empty tomb — angels — a dead Man walking — Jesus risen to live forever, seeking to show Himself to you — May you have an Easter encounter with Him today; a glorious resurrection relevation. Happy Easter.

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Steve Simms
Posted in ancient history, angels, Angels We Have Heard On High, awe, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church history, dead man walking, empty tomb, glory, God, grace, history, humility, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Take The Wheel, kingdom of God, Lord, miracles, mystery, mysticism, new birth, non-material reality, presence of Christ, religion, resurrection, revelation, revolution, rock that rolled, salvation, Savior, show and tell, Son-shine, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, supernatural, surrender to God, voice of God, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

“He Rose” By The Puny “Easter” Name Is Not The Same

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Why do we hide the shocking concept of Jesus of Nazareth coming back to life never to die again, behind the weak words, “Happy Easter,” and then weaken it even more by throwing in eggs, a bunny, baskets, shopping, decorative … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, cyberworld, dead man walking, death-defeating, East Nashville, gift of God, Happy Easter, hearing God, hearing Jesus, holiday, holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, popular culture, presence of Christ, presence of God, rejecting Christ, religion, repentance, resurrection, smartphones, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, stuff, supernatural, The Salvation Army, up from the grave He arose, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 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

WWJDIYC? What would Jesus do in your church?

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

If Jesus visited the church you attend one Sunday morning, what would He do? Preach or weep? Congratulate everyone on the service or turn over tables and pews? Cast out demons or be asked to quietly leave? Sit down and talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christian, Christianity, hearing Jesus, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, presence of Christ, religion, repent, Savior, sermon, simple church, tears, the way we do church, Uncategorized, values, Western religion, WWJD? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What Western Religion And Atheism Have In Common

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

There is a popular video on youtube called:  Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus.  In its first two weeks, it has been viewed more than 17 million times.  So why would a lover of Jesus hate religion?  Perhaps it … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, anti-war, atheism, Atheists, China, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church history, communism, Crusades, Cuba, Europe, evil, hate, hate speech, hearing Jesus, history, human rights, Inquisition, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, morals, Nazis, political correctness, religion, religious wars, Richard Dawkins, Soviet Union, Uncategorized, values, war, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments