Insider ideas for innerpreneurs

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Steve Simms

innerpreneurs

Christ-followers need to be innerpreneurs & find fresh ways to shine God’s light. He who thinks he is an expert at Christianity, misunderstands what it is. Beginner Christ-followers just love on Jesus, experts get caught up in religion. When an expert runs a church meeting, people are quiet, afraid of being wrong. A religious authority figure is no substitute for a relationship with Jesus. Church should be like a living Savior interview, not a dead person documentary. A meeting’s never boring when Jesus is allowed to work miracles in & through ordinary people.

A group can experience God by letting ordinary people share as led by the Spirit. Maybe church, by making people passive, has created spiritual paralysis. Christ’s body should gather to minister to each other & scatter to minister to the world. Church must be more than people staring at one man talking in a pulpit.

Maybe church doesn’t need more stuffy experts, but more enthusiastic beginners. The more precise church becomes the less likely it is to open up to the Holy Spirit. Perhaps church could allow pauses so people could give feedback & share insights. Stop resisting God & let your mind & heart be gently & easily lead by the risen Jesus.

The only boss in the body of Christ is Jesus!  Perhaps pastors should train people to be dependent on God, not on a pastor! Don’t be bossed about by your feelings & whims. Make them obey Christ. May the use of force not be with you; but love for all, even your enemies! Losing is loaded with lessons. Let’s learn to live out those lessons & love people more and more!

Jesus Team Ekklesia lets you test drive Christianity before you take it home. God can speak through anybody present in a worship meeting, if we let Him. A Jesus Team meeting lets everybody speak or be silent in response to the Spirit. Let’s give Jesus the remote during worship meetings & let Him choose the channels.

We gather in a Jesus Team meeting to encounter Christ & share Him with others. In a Jesus Team meeting everyone listens to and obeys the risen Christ. A Jesus Team meeting doesn’t follow an expert or a plan. It follows the risen Jesus. A Jesus Team meeting cultivates sensitivity to the presence of Christ. A Jesus Team meeting always makes room to follow Christ in a new direction.

It doesn’t take a degree or ordination to hear God’s voice and share what you hear. No credentials are necessary to share God’s love & His word with others. Just do it! Anyone who loves Jesus can share the Gospel. Why do we keep people quiet in church? One specially ordained minister can do little. However, when everybody ministers, we can reach the world!

God can fit our hearts together like pieces of a picture puzzle beaming His glory. If your idea of church is different than a group of people staring at a man in a pulpit, you’ll love Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible available @ http://amzn.to/2hNjvtw.

Posted in alternative Christianity, alternative church, alternative to church, alternatives to sermons, Holy Spirit, innovation, ordination, preaching credentials, priesthood of all believers, Quotations, releasing creativity, religious innovation, spiritual innovation, Uncategorized, universal priesthood, worship innovation | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Self Quotes (Original Quotations)

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Steve Simms

I love to try to write something that no one has ever said before.

We don’t need to copy others. God has given each of us the gift of originality!

Don’t just absorb what others say. God wants to speak to and through you!

Ancient history is alive in me. The risen Jesus is releasing victory!

A relationship with Christ can only be experienced & lived out. It can’t be taught.

Has church made a simple relationship with Christ complicated & a big production?

There’s no substitute for being taught directly by God. Are you listening to Him?

Knowing Jesus is not like knowing mathematical formulas. It’s like knowing beauty.

May God free you from the desire to follow experts and woo you to follow Him.

To live without wonder, astonishment, & mysticism, is to miss life’s profundity.

When you surrender to the risen Jesus, strength & hope begin to surge from within.

Calling on Christ is not just the best way to die. It’s also the best way to live.

Jesus Team Ekklesia lets you test drive Christianity before you take it home with you.

You only need one other person to start a Team Jesus group. Why not try it? If 2 or more people meet in Jesus’ name, He’s present to create a Jesus Team group. What about Team Jesus!!! Everyday Christ–followers are doing amazing things!

God can fit our hearts together like the pieces of a picture puzzle beaming His glory.

When church only lets one person speak it’s like an army with only one weapon.

If church always follows the same format, it will continue to get the same results.

If we are called to be lights that transform our culture, we are falling far short.

Christ-followers need to be innerpreneurs & find fresh, creative ways to shine God’s light.

Social media gives us unlimited opportunities to share our love for Christ.

Perhaps church could make room for new possibilities–for something fresh from God.

Perhaps church has too many words and not enough action.

One man speaking without any interaction creates passive inaction.

Defining God does not equal experiencing Him.

 

 

 

Posted in Christian, church, fridge quotes, good quotes, inspiration, life, proverbs, quote, recovery quotes, religious quotes, sayings, social media, Uncategorized, wisdom, word of wisdom | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Creative thoughts for Christmas 2016

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Steve Simms

The real St. Nick would want you to focus on Christ in you, the hope of glory! Christ makes me merry! Christ isn’t just the first part of the word Christmas. He’s the fire in my soul!

Christ didn’t follow a human program 2,000 years ago. Why do we expect Him to now? Christ came to transform our lives, not to get us to sit through religious meetings. Jesus wasn’t born to give us a nice Christmas story–but to save us from our sins. (See Matthew 1:21.) Christ wasn’t born to make Dec. 25th a holiday, but to fill you with His presence.

Christmas time, without time for Christ, is a misnomer. In all your presents, don’t miss Christ’s Presence! Make your Christmas about “Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) On the day named for Christ, may you surrender control of your your life to Him. Sentimentalism is sweet, but it takes the risen Jesus to change your life.

Why celebrate the birth of the historic Jesus if we won’t obey the risen Jesus? Has what happened in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, happened in your heart? Christ’s advent was 2,000 years ago — He’s been changing lives ever since! Celebrating Christ’s birth without letting Him be born in you, misses the point. Advent was not meant to be a past event but a present reality–God with us!

Have an Xtra special holiday with the risen Christ! X out the “mas” & let Christ lead your life. Why do we have birthday parties for Jesus & act like He’s not in the room? If people gave each other gifts on my birthday, but ignored me, I wouldn’t like it. In all your presents, don’t miss Christ’s Presence! Christmas time, without time for Christ, is a misnomer. New stuff can be nice, but if that’s all you got for Christmas you came up short!

‘Tis the season to unwrap your heart and let Christ fill you with His presence! Baby Jesus can’t do much, but the living, resurrected Jesus can transform your life! The history of Christ’s birth is no substitute for surrendering to His presence. The true Christmas Clause? “God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son.”
Christ came to stay, not to show up every Christmas Day and then vanish away! On the 1st Christmas, God did amazing things through ordinary people. He still does! God wants you to be all wrapped up in the presence of Christ! Let’s go beyond celebrating the Christmas holiday to living Christ-like lives! Christmas but faintly reflects the joy of an intimate relationship with Jesus!
Christmas is 1 day of 365. A relationship with Christ is 24/7/365. Too often we put away Christ the way we put away Christmas decorations! Retailers have made their money. People have their gifts. Now what about Christ?
When we take down the tree & lights, let’s be careful not to take down Christ. Christmas is more than what comes from a store (or online retailer). Until Christ is born and lives in you, you’ve missed the real Christmas.

christmas-holiday

Posted in 'Twas the night before Christmas, Baby Jesus, Bethlehem, Christ in Christmas, Christian holidays, Christmas cards, Christmas cheer, Christmas greeting, Christmas is about Jesus, Christmas season, for the holidays, Happy Holidays, holiday greetings, holiday hype, real meaning of Christmas, Reason For The Season, Uncategorized, winter holidays | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learn to whitewater raft on Holy Spirit rivers

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Steve Simms

the-spirit-contemporary

Jesus said: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” This book is about learning how to whitewater raft on the rivers of the Holy Spirit.

Leon Fontaine boldly proclaims “It’s time that we stop living boring, safe little Christian lives.” The Spirit Contemporary Life can help you step beyond church as usual into the exciting lifestyle of following and obeying the risen Jesus in the person of the Holy Spirit. To emphasize that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a force, Fontaine drops the traditional “the” always refers to Him as “Holy Spirit” in the book.

Fontaine states that this book is “not just about putting a new face on Christianity; it’s about getting back to the basics of what Christianity was always meant to be and then presenting that reality to the world.” He practically explains the New Testament concept of hearing and obeying Holy Spirit in such a simple way that any Christ-follower can learn to do it. He says: “With Holy Spirit, ordinary people can do extraordinary things . . . The answer lies with allowing Holy Spirit to work through you in a contemporary way in the context of your normal, everyday life. And it can happen so naturally.”

Fontaine calls us to radically change our approach to Christianity. He says: “Refusing to change when change is necessary is one of the most destructive things you can do.” And he reminds us: “There will be times of discomfort as you walk in step with Holy Spirit.” He asks us: “Are you willing to let go of the holy cow of ‘the way we’ve always done it’ and let Holy Spirit guide you into truth?” He advises us: “When you feel a leading from Holy Spirit, simply share it in a natural way.”

Here’s more practical advice from The Spirit Contemporary Life: “You can become adept at sensing when Holy Spirit is speaking to you. All it takes is a bit of practice. Holy Spirit is a person. You get to know Him the same way you get to know anyone. Talk to Him. Ask His opinion. Tell Him how you feel. Ask for help. Then pause to listen so you can have a dialogue, not a monologue. He will communicate with you.”

Fontaine ends the book by applying the concepts of The Spirit Contemporary Life to Christian community. He says that the body of Christ “is meant to be a group of people working together to train and support one another so they can learn to know God better and serve Him more effectively. ” Fontaine says that leaders in the body “need to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. That means showing them how to sense and release God’s power into situations.” He goes on to say: “When clergy are the stars of the show, the message they convey is that they are special somehow” and that this exalting of “clergy” makes it harder “for our churches to become Spirit Contemporary.” He states: “If we create church services that are just theatrical productions . . . we set people up for failure.”

If you want to learn how to flow in the Spirit as an individual, this is the book for you. (If you want to learn to flow in the Spirit as a church, check out the book Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia.)

whitewater

“I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.”

 

Posted in body of Christ, Christian spirituality, Christianity, clergy, clergy/laity, Ephesians 4:12, hearing God, hearing the Holy Spirit, hearing the Spirit, Holy Spirit a person, how the body of Christ functions, how to grow spiritually, John 7:38, rivers of living water, spiritual adventure, spiritual church, spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mobilizing For His Mission

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Steve Simms

Team Jesus is missional — #thewholeworldmobilizing. The way to grow in Christ is to go into action for Christ. Team Jesus trains and mobilizes everybody (not just preachers) to login to Jesus-wifi. In Team Jesus, everyone gets online with Christ & then does what He tells them to. When we set aside our programs & let the risen Jesus, Himself, lead us, He will mobilize all God’s people in amazing ways!

hand

Let’s mobilize Team Jesus to transform our neighborhood, our city, our country, & the world!

The risen Jesus is the Team Owner, General Manager, and Head Coach of Team Jesus. Team Jesus doesn’t put on a performance; it surrenders to Christ’s presence.

Team Jesus is “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” Team Jesus is “filled with knowledge & competent to instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14) Christ working in & through the Jesus Team is “the hope of glory!”

The Jesus Team is a Christ-led support group. It’s a forum for Him to speak through and use anybody He wants to. In Team Jesus, ordinary people are eloquent.

Try Team Jesus @ The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville, TN. Berry Street visitors are always amazed how Jesus can lead a meeting all by Himself. The early Salvation Army was an invigoration & reformation of Team Jesus. Let’s do it again in our day! Read more about Team Jesus here.

 

Posted in call to missions, Christian ministry, evangelism, man with a mission, ministry, mission field, missionary, missions, outreach, outreach ministry, Uncategorized, work of the ministry, youth ministry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hope for disillusioned church goers . . .

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Steve Simms
To disillusioned church goers
Longing for a home and
Feeling like the road is closed,
Trapped in a religious system
Of controlling words about God,
The good news cries out:
“Jesus is alive and
Wants to be your guide;
Step out of the norm
And follow Him now.
His still, small voice
Will lead you well!
Move beyond church as usual
To the Jesus team and
Experience the body of Christ
(The Greek New Testament
Concept of ekklesia)
Working as one, like fingers on a hand,
All being directed by the living Head.”
030

When the road to your spiritual home seems closed, the book “Beyond Church” can show you the way.

Available in Kindle or paperback @ this link.
Posted in Beyond Church, Christian poetry, church poems, ekklesia, Greek word, hope, hope of glory, house church, more than church, poem, religious poetry, simple church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Cowboy in a Red Kettle / A Titan’s “one explanation”

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Steve Simms

“There is one explanation for why that ball went in and it’s because it was the Lord’s will for it to go in. Glory to God. What a day. You could give me 10 kicks from there and I don’t know if I could make one, honestly, in the weather and the cold and just kicking a frozen football.” –Ryan Succop after kicking the game winning field goal in the Tennessee Titans / Kansas City Chiefs game.

On the same day a Dallas Cowboy, Ezekiel Elliott jumped into a huge Salvation Army Red Kettle after running for a touchdown. Elliott said: “In warmups I saw it sitting there right by the end zone and I was like, man somebody’s got to jump in there. So I just had to do it.”

Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, said: “The Salvation Army should give him the highest award.” As a Salvation Army officer, I agree. The name Ezekiel in Hebrew means God strengthens. Thank you, Ezekiel Elliott, for bringing national attention to our Kettles and strengthening our efforts to show people the love of God!

Both Ezekiel Elliott and Ryan Succop saw their opportunity to be used by God and jumped right into it! Perhaps you and I should do the same!

 

 

Posted in Cowboys, Dallas, Ezekiel, football, National Football League, professional football, quote, Red Kettle, Red Kettle Campaign, Tennessee, Titans, titansonline.com, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Teamwork With Jesus

Posted on December 18, 2016 by Steve Simms

“On this rock (of supernatural revelation), I will build My team.” –Jesus

“Go and make disciples (build Jesus Teams) of all nations.” –Jesus

There are no bench warmers on the Jesus Team.

Team Jesus meets in a new, old fashioned way (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Jesus Team members are transparent. You can see Christ living in them!

The Jesus Team doesn’t doubt. They know Christ has a great thing going!

The Jesus Team doesn’t play games. It changes lives, heals hurts & sets people free!

Team Jesus transforms everyday people into game changers!

Join the Jesus Team — daily follow and obey Coach Jesus!

Find a Jesus Team where people are free to challenge & inspire one another.

Team Jesus shares leadership. The New Testament refers to plural leadership, not singular.

Theology is a road map. Team Jesus helps us follow the map to the living Christ.

Team Jesus goes beyond telling people what to do, to showing them how to do it and then allowing them to do it!

The Jesus Team trains people, it doesn’t entertain people.

Team Jesus pursues God’s vision and avoids division.

In Team Jesus people feel safe to share their struggles and their short comings.

The Jesus Team is a collaborative group, interacting and working together to grow strong in Christ and demonstrate His love.

Without teamwork, the Jesus Team is an oxymoron.

The Jesus Team overflows with honest communication, loving conversation, and heart-felt community.

Team Jesus is built on interpersonal bonding with the risen Christ and with one another.

If you are a member of the Jesus Team, get off the pew and play your part!

The success of Team Jesus depends on how well people pull together to obey the risen Christ.

Posted in Christian community, church collaboration, church teams, collaborative learning, community, facilitating, facilitation, facilitator, mutual ministry, one another, Team Jesus, The Jesus Team, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Radical statements about the team Jesus builds

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Steve Simms

In the first century, Jesus built a team that “turned the world upside down.” In the twenty-first century, He wants to do it again! Why did Jesus build a team of disciples? Because teamwork makes the Gospel work! It’s amazing what Team Jesus can do, when nobody cares who gets the credit. A small Jesus Team can be more effective than a big religious organization.

Team Jesus is about group effort: “When you come together each one of you has . . .”(See 1 Corinthians 14:26.) The Jesus Team chooses teamwork over one man’s ego. A Jesus Team learns to depend on Christ working in and through one another.  The strength of the Jesus Team lives in each member; not just in 1 ordained member.

No one person or organization has ownership or exclusive claim to Team Jesus! The Jesus Team lets the risen Jesus lead us. It’s not under mere human control. Team Jesus meets together to work together, not to watch someone else work. There is no teamwork when individuals are reduced to mere spectators.

Team Jesus, working together, empowers ordinary people with extraordinary results. Members of Team Jesus lay down their personal desires for the good of the team!  No individual can play a Jesus symphony. It takes a whole orchestra! Team Jesus carries each other’s burdens and shares one another’s joys!

Team Jesus is a group of people all obeying one Savior! Team Jesus sees every individual as a valuable carrier of insight and inspiration. Team Jesus doesn’t belittle people who think and/or act out of the box. Working together in Team Jesus, you always have others standing with you! The Jesus Team empowers people with boldness. It doesn’t make them passive.

There’s no harmony if only 1 person is allowed to make a sound & the rest are silenced.  Silence isn’t always golden. The Jesus Team tries to avoid required silence because making people sit quietly and listen sometimes quenches the Holy Spirit.Team Jesus goes beyond individual performance, releasing the gifts of all.

No one man is as capable as a Jesus Team hearing & obeying Christ together. One man alone can be pretty dense, but bringing our insights together wisdom soars. Team Jesus multiplies effectiveness by opening the meeting up to everyone’s input. Preaching isn’t a solo sport, even if you’re called “the preacher.”

It’s easy to make church a one-man performance. It’s hard to be a Jesus-team! Team Jesus has never been tried and found to fail, however, we have seldom tried it.

Jesus team.jpg

Experience a Jesus Team @ The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207 on Sundays @ 10:45 am. Read about Jesus teams @ this link.

Posted in a new reformation, alternative church, alternative lifestyle, alternative to church, alternative to preaching, proverbs, quotation, quote, Quotes, radical, radical Christianity, radical love, radical obedience, radical reformation, sayings, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beyond church to Team Jesus!

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Steve Simms

For Team Jesus, everyday is gameday! Are you a player on Team Jesus or a spectator on the sideline? Let’s meet to all collaborate with Christ, not to be a passive audience.  There is no “me,” “my,” and “I” in Team Jesus! Listening to a sermon we can do little. Ministering one another we can do much! No preacher’s as wise as all the members of a congregation. Let the members speak. In Team Jesus, no single player is bigger than any other player!

Team Jesus is a community where the least are considered the greatest. Individuals get off track. Team Jesus balances each other out. Team Jesus holds each other mutually accountable to live Christ-like lives.

team-jesus

Alone we’re one Christ-follower. Obeying Jesus together we’re the body of Christ. Coming together to hear a talk is easy. Christ calls us to meet together as a team! Revival transforms a church from an audience into a high-performing team. Maybe church could let people talk to each other, instead of 1 man talking at them. The Jesus Team needs team players; not one man shows!

Churches are good teams on paper, but the game is played by loving one another. A team won’t work well when only one member can speak and the rest must be silent. (A term paper with only 1 source gets an F. Perhaps church needs more than 1 source.) Perhaps it’s time for pastors to make church less “me” and more “we.”

The Jesus Team meets to root for each other and watch each other grow in Christ. Team Jesus isn’t one person doing all the talking. It’s everybody obeying Jesus. Team Jesus loves, teaches, ministers to, supports, and encourages one another. The Jesus team learns from each other’s experiences, wisdom, & words.

To get back on your feet, turn your back on self and pursue the risen Christ! Team Jesus is called to put fire in people’s souls, not just words in their minds. Effective Christian leaders don’t produce passive followers. They make more leaders. Are you a playmaker on the Jesus Team? What are you doing to make Team Jesus powerful in your city?

Here are two ways to learn more about Team Jesus: 1) Get the book Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia available in paperback or Kindle at this link; and 2) Visit The Salvation Army Berry Street on Sundays at 10:45 am., 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee 37207.

Posted in Beyond Church, body of Christ, East Nashville, ekklesia, Friends meeting, Friends' worship, house church, how the body of Christ functions, Nashville, organic chruch, proverbs, Quaker meetings, Quaker worship, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, sayings, simple church, Uncategorized, unprogrammed, unprogrammed meeting, wisdom, word of wisdom, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment