Category Archives: When you come together

Christ’s lights should have every bulb burning (not just one)

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Steve Simms

Too often church services are like a string of Christmas tree lights with only one bulb burning, which our 21st Century interactive, participatory culture often finds boring. (That may be why so many people are “Dones” — done with church.) … Continue reading →

Posted in back to the Bible, Bible, Christmas lights, church services, ekklesia, Holiday lights, Matthew 16:18, Nashville, organic church, When you come together, worship, Yule tide | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Christ-followers come together in ekklesia . . .

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Steve Simms

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the ekklesias (gatherings of those who are called out to be Christ-followers).” –Jesus (Revelation 2:7,11, & 29.) According to Jesus: 1) The Holy Spirit speaks to ekklesias. 2) When … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, ekklesia, God gathering, he who has ears to hear, let him hear, organic church, revelation, simple church, what the Spirit is saying, When you come together | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Spiritual Leadership Doesn’t “Lord It Over”

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Steve Simms

Jesus came to establish spiritual leadership in His church that is based on humble example, godly character, and personal power; not on human control, institutional authority, or positional power. Jesus wants his leaders to facilitate His meetings, not to dominate … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:4, Bible quotes, Christian leadership, demonstration of the Spirit's power, doers of the word, each one has a psalm, God-gatherings, James 1:22, Matthew 20:25, not hearers only, not with enticing words of men's wisdom, Paul of Tarsus, Quotes, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Petition 4 Holy-Spirit-Led Intuition! (Let’s Re-Intuitionize Church Meetings!)

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Steve Simms

Should We Re-Intuitionize Church Meetings? –Jesus established the church on Spirit-intuition. When Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah), Jesus said: “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” And Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in as many as are led by the Spirit, Bible quotations, Dean Koontz, early church, hearers only, Matthew 16:18, Nashville, On this rock I will build My church, organic church, seeker sensitive church, simple church, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

From “Attending Church” to “Doing Church” to “Being the Church . . .”

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Steve Simms

Some people say that we don’t need to go to church.  We need “to be the church.” To “be the church” implies action rather than passive watching. But before we can get up the courage to “be the church” in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, attending church, church attendance, going to church, New Testament church, obeying the Spirit, Spirit-led, When you come together | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Live from the empty tomb, it’s Jesus Christ!

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Steve Simms

Live from the empty tomb, it’s Jesus Christ!  Is Jesus in the room or in the tomb? When Christ-followers gather in His name, the living, resurrected Jesus is in the room. We can 1) talk about Him like He’s still … Continue reading →

Posted in church, church meetings, church services, gathering, He is risen, He lives, He rose, He's alive, Head of the church, how to celebrate Easter, obey God rather than men, obeying Jesus, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual church, Uncategorized, When you come together, worship, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Years of studying church history have shown me that during times of great spiritual awakening, church meetings are more about experiencing and obeying a Presence, than about sitting and listening to a program.

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christ in you, Christ's presence, church, church program, church programs, God's presence, great awakening, history, move of God, movement, non-church, non-liturgical, normal Christianity, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual experience, spiritual gifts, spiritual movement, spiritual transformation, spiritual worship, spirituality, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

1 Speaking to All? Or All Speaking To All?

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church is when a group of believers gathers together around the living, resurrected Jesus Christ and focuses their attention on listening to His voice and doing whatever He tells them to do. Church is when the living Christ, in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian community, church leadership, church programs, church services, church speakers, clergy/laity, community, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, how to do church, laity, laymen, laywomen, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory sermons, praying community, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, priesthood of the believer, sermons, simple church, speaking, speaking out, voice of God, What is church?, When you come together, where two or three in My name, why go to church, worship, worship service | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

An interview with Paul of Tarsus

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

(An interview with Paul of Tarsus based on 1 Corinthians chapter 14.) Me: “So, Paul, who can prophesy?” Paul: “You can all prophesy.” Me: “What happens if everybody prophesies?” Paul: “If an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 21st Century, church meetings, church programs, church services, church structure, convicted of sin, God, God demonstrations, God experiment, God is really among you, God with us, hymn, judging, judgment, one anothering, one anothers, organic church, participation, participatory church, participatory sermons, Paul of Tarsus, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, prophesying, prophet, prophets, public speaking, public worship, quotation, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relevation, religion, revelation, secrets, secrets of your heart, sin, What is church?, When you come together, worship, worship center, worship gathering, you can all prophesy | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Radical (Back To The Roots) Church Is . . .

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is a living message: *Christ alive from the dead; * actually present with us when we gather in His name; * personally directing the meeting and leading various people to share testimonies, gifts of the Spirit, Scriptures, prayers, etc. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, alternative church, alternative lifestyle, Emmanuel, faith, faith-based, family gathering, God with us, healing, intimacy, kingdom of God, National Football League, NFL, NFL Playoffs, recovery, religion, religious ceremonies, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Scriptures, sermons, simple church, sold out, spiritual healing, surrender, surrender to God, unprogrammed church, What is church?, When you come together, witness | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments