Category Archives: worship

The Power Of Hearing Your Name

Sometimes I tell God; “Lord, I love you,” and then I hear these words in my spirit; “I love you, Steve Simms.”  Am I crazy?  Not according to the Bible. Four different people, in chapters 9 & 10 of the … Continue reading

Posted in Acts, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, Ananias, ancient history, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, church history, conversion, Cornelius, courage, Damascus, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, Gentile, gift of God, glory, God, God's government, guidance, hate, hate speech, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jewish, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Mary Magdalene, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, Paul of Tarsus, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, repent, revelation, Roman, salvation, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, Syria, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, vision, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

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

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

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Christ in you is . . . (not the hope to cope; or the hope to just get by; or the hope to get blessed with some money; no, no). We need to realize that “Christ in you is the hope of glory!” God longs to visibly demonstrate His holy Presence and His glory in and through believers . . . if we will genuinely surrender to His will and allow ourselves to become undone before Him; if we will truly give up our plans, our programs, & our control.

Posted in acts of God, Christ, glory, holy, hope, values, worship | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Christ is visibly manifested in the church not when we merely hold meetings about Him; but when we actually encounter His Presence in our midst, individually listen to Him, and then obediently do whatever He prompts us to do in the meeting.

Posted in Christ, Christianity, church, house church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, organic church, simple church, spiritual formation, worship | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The purpose of the church is not to present people information and songs about God but to visibly manifest the power and presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.

Posted in Christianity, church, church history, church structure, house church, order of worship, organic church, simple church, spiritual, spiritual formation, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hearing God’s Voice Made Me An Agnostic

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

Proof Found For The Existence Of God

Here are some ways that God actively intervenes in my life and daily gives me proof of His reality: * He frequently wakes me up around 5:30 am with a new blog post running through my mind even though I … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Bible, blessings, blog, change, children of God, Christianity, church, courage, Creator, disciple making, God, habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, joy, life, lifestyles, miracles, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, Oh my God, Oh Sinner Man, organic church, peace, proof of God, race, racism, religion, repent, revelation, salvation, simple church, sin, slavery, soul, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, support group, The Salvation Army, thinking, thoughts, Uncategorized, values, voice activated, voice of God, voices, Western religion, What is church?, words, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Type Of Christianity That’s More Exciting Than Sports, Rock Concerts, & Parties Put Together!

For me, the most amazing book in the Bible is the book of Acts.  It is full of action and advancement of the Good News about Jesus Christ.  Acts shows the early followers of Jesus, unlike the Christians of today, … Continue reading

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, alternative lifestyle, awe, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, disciple making, discipling, early church, East Nashville, forgiveness, Great Commission, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, lifestyles, miracles, Music City, Nashville, new birth, New Testament, normal Christianity, organic church, religion, salvation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, values, voice of God, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

I Didn’t Have The Courage To Tebow — Do You?

This morning (the day of the Broncos/Patriots playoff game), I worked out at the Y in Nashville.  Afterwards I was walking around the indoor track to cool down.  I passed a large TV in the corner of the room (right … Continue reading

Posted in Broncos, Christ, Christianity, Denver Broncos, hearing God, hearing Jesus, impossible odds, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, life, lifestyles, motivation, movement, Nashville, National Football League, NFL, Oh my God, Patriots, phobic, prayer, prayer walking, reality TV, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, Super Bowl, supernatural, tebow, tebowing, television, the Y, Tim Tebow, TV, TV network, Uncategorized, University of Florida, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments