Category Archives: Why be a Christian?

What’s More Exciting Than March Madness?

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

If you think that the Kentucky & Louisville and the Ohio State & Kansas games in this year’s college basketball Final Four are going to be exciting tomorrow night, here’s some great news for you. Church can be even more … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, religion, organic church, Jesus Christ, house church, The Salvation Army, What is church?, church history, simple church, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, Christian history, alternative lifestyle, college, college students, disciple making, National Football League, Berry Street, Jesus, East Nashville, I Corinthians 14:26, church, Why be a Christian?, spiritual growth, spiritual formation, conversion, improv, congregational, church structure, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Tim Tebow, tebowing, tebowing.com, tebow, the way we do church, Jeremy Lin, NBA, In Jesus' Name I Play, Taiwan Tebow, show and tell, presence of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, disciples, participatory church, presence of God, Christian, Christian community, ekklesia, Christ-centered, Olympics, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, Kansas, college basketball, Final Four, NCAA, March Madness, NHL, sporting event | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How To Avoid Being A Spiritual Wimp (Top 10 Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord)

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

In today’s tremendously tempting environment, it is important not to be a spiritual wimp.  Maintaining a consistent walk with the Lord requires great spiritual strength. Here are my Top Ten Ways To Grow Strong In The Lord.  However, because this … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, lifestyles, God, religion, self-help, Nashville, organic church, Jesus Christ, popular culture, Quotations, Quotes, Bible, Top Ten, The Salvation Army, prayer, mysticism, books, kingdom of God, life, Holy Spirit, simple church, recovery, Berry Street Worship Center, salvation, Christianity, spiritual, alternative lifestyle, morality, morals, disciple making, Berry Street, Music City, Jesus, praise and worship, forgiveness, sin, East Nashville, proof of God, words, church, values, sobriety, repent, Why be a Christian?, conscience, guidance, non-material reality, guilt, spiritual growth, guts and glory, New Testament, spiritual skills, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, Apostle Paul, hearing God, hearing Jesus, voice of God, Tim Tebow, tebowing, tebow, quote, The Voice, gift of God, non-traditional church, Viral Jesus, presence of Christ, right and wrong, right conduct, gifts of the Spirit, outreach ministry, participatory church, presence of God, Spirit-led, compassion, Christian, spiritual combat, Christian community, repentance, temptation, speaking in tongues, The Jesus Prayer, New York Jets | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Sometimes I Think I’m Very Wealthy

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

A few days ago I began to realize how wealthy I am.  However, it is not a wealth that Forbes magazine will recognize. Nevertheless, if the world’s billionaires knew how much peace, contentment, excitement, clear conscience, joy, and sweet, moment-by-moment companionship with … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, lifestyles, God, religion, self-help, Jesus Christ, self-esteem, self-image, thoughts, thinking, mysticism, positive thinking, recovery, peace, salvation, Christianity, spiritual, alternative lifestyle, Jesus, supernatural, joy, Why be a Christian?, conscience, non-material reality, spiritual growth, gratitude, spiritual formation, hearing God, normal Christianity, gift of God, presence of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, presence of God, Spirit-led, Christian, Forbes, Forbes magazine, wealth, billionaires, clear conscience, glamorous trips, jewels | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Top Ten Boldest Quotations From The Book Of Acts

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Steve Simms

Would you like to read some really bold statements?  The Book of Acts is full of them.  After reading through Acts 6 times in 3 months, I have picked out my The Top Ten Boldest Quotations From The Book Of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, history, lifestyles, religion, organic church, Jesus Christ, Quotations, Quotes, Top Ten, What is church?, prayer, mysticism, kingdom of God, church history, Holy Spirit, simple church, salvation, Christian history, revelation, morality, Jesus, sin, repent, Acts, Why be a Christian?, conscience, non-material reality, guilt, courage, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, miracles, mystery, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, normal Christianity, quote, wages of sin, surrender to God, presence of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, presence of God, Spirit-led, making decisions, Christian, spiritual combat, Christian community, God's government, bold statements, Peter and John, Sanhedrin, repentance | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

PP Church — A Power House & A Pillar Of Fire

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church be more than people passively watching a program?  I found two quotations that say that church should be “a pillar of fire” and a “powerhouse.” “The Christian Church should be a pillar of fire leading the peoples of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, history, lifestyles, religion, Nashville, organic church, Quotations, Quotes, house church, Bible, The Salvation Army, What is church?, church history, Holy Spirit, simple church, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, Christian history, Berry Street, Music City, East Nashville, church, Acts, supernatural, Why be a Christian?, New Testament, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, tradition, miracles, early church, normal Christianity, quote, the way we do church, order of worship, American church, Christian, powerhouse, ambulance corps, Helen Shoemaker, Samuel A. Eliot, spiritual combat | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hearing God’s Voice Made Me An Agnostic

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

I believed that I was a believer when I was an unbeliever.  What I thought I knew about God and about Christ (doctrines that I had been taught as a passive listener); I didn’t really know. So how do you … Continue reading →

Posted in agnostic, apologists, Christ, Christianity, church, conversion, East Nashville, evidence for God, gift of God, God, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Hindu, Hinduism, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, lifestyles, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, organic church, prayer, rejecting Christ, religion, revelation, salvation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, tradition, Uncategorized, University of Tennessee Martin, values, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

What If A Beach Party Was Conducted Like A Church Service?

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Steve Simms

On a beautiful, sunny day at the beach, would you rather:  1) Sit with a bunch of dressed up people in benches lined up in perfect rows while you formally sing Beach Boys songs together, then passively hear a less-than-exciting, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, organic church, Holy Spirit, simple church, Christianity, I Corinthians 14:26, church, support group, joy, Why be a Christian?, spiritual growth, spiritual formation, Christ, church structure, hearing God, hearing Jesus, non-traditional church, the way we do church, beach, beach party, Son-shine, beach songs, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Voice! Hearing It Transforms Your Life

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Have you heard The Voice? The Prince of Peace said: “My sheep hear My Voice.” Listen . . . Hearing Jesus Personally speak to you Is life transforming. I once asked God why He spoke to people in Bible times … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, lifestyles, religion, Nashville, organic church, Quotations, Quotes, The Salvation Army, prayer, mysticism, Holy Spirit, simple church, Berry Street Worship Center, salvation, spiritual, alternative lifestyle, voice activated, Berry Street, Music City, East Nashville, proof of God, awe, Why be a Christian?, guidance, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, miracles, Angels We Have Heard On High, mystery, hearing God, hearing Jesus, voices, voice of God, normal Christianity, quote, evidence for God, acts of God, The Voice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Most Significant Big Bang

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

What was the most significant Big Bang In the history of the universe? The sound of the hammer Driving the nails Into the hands and feet Of the Son of God! Bang . . . Bang . . . Bang … Continue reading →

Posted in big bang, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, Creator, God, Gospels, hearing Jesus, history of the universe, Jesus, Jesus Christ, miracles, mystery, mysticism, new birth, Oh my God, religion, salvation, Savior, spiritual, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, supernatural, Why be a Christian?, WWJD? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments