I can’t find “leadership” in the Bible . . .

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Steve Simms

Why isn’t the word “leadership” in the Bible?
There is so much Christian teaching about “leadership.” However, I can’t even find the terms “leadership” or “leader” in the New Testament.
–Instead of “leadership,” there are 4 references to being “led by the Spirit” — 2 refer to Jesus and 2 to refer those of us who are Christ-followers.

ledership

So what’s that mean? Perhaps we should be leders (people whose focus is on allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit) rather than leaders (people whose focus is on getting others to follow them).  As true leders follow and obey the living, resurrected Jesus Christ, others see Christ living in and through them and become inspired to follow the risen Christ for themselves.

When we try to influence people to follow us, it is so easy to move into subtle manipulation and control (and we often don’t even know we are doing it). Many times I’ve had people tell me (sometimes in tears) how much they have been hurt by church leaders.

However, when we simply follow the risen Jesus, He, Himself will attract others as they see His light shining in our thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds. Perhaps it it time to shift from leadership teaching in the body of Christ, into ledership teaching — training people to hear Jesus on their own and then follow and obey Him. The New Testament calls that role an “overseer.”

For a book on ledership check out Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia.

 

 

Posted in as many as are led by the Spirit, Bible, body of Christ, Christian leadership, flowing in the Spirit, How to be led by the Spirit, leading of the Spirit, let him hear what the Spirit says, New Testament, obeying the Spirit, prompted by the Spirit, Quench not the Spirit, release of the Spirit, Romans 8:14, Spirit directed, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Destiny Day Of Divine Doings @ Opryland Hotel?

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Steve Simms

Yesterday felt like a day of destiny full of Spirit-arranged encounters. Let me start with the afternoon.

Author/blogger Thom Schultz, who was in Nashville for Proclaim 16, the National Religious Broadcasters convention being held at Opryland Hotel had invited me to meet him at the hotel so that he could interview me for a podcast about my new book, Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia.  I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to get to the hotel an hour early and walk around and see who God would lead me to.

As I walked around the hotel, I felt rather silly. It was mid afternoon and not much seemed to be going on. I wasn’t registered for Proclaim 16 so I couldn’t go into their area of the hotel. So I just wandered.

After about 15 minutes of wondering why I was there, I saw Henry Coles, a pastor friend and TV preacher who I hadn’t seen in more than a decade. We chatted and caught up with each other. I was amazed to see him and that encouraged me.

As I continued to wander I came across Eric Metaxas (author of a recent biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer) interviewing Pat Boone in a hallway. As the interview ended and people gathered around Pat Boone, I approached Eric and gave him a copy of Beyond Church. He asked me several questions about it and said he would read it.

I continued walking and in a couple of minutes I saw a man in a Salvation Army uniform. It was Frank Duracher, who is the assistant editor of War Cry, the national magazine of The Salvation Army USA. I got to visit with Frank and give him a copy of Beyond Church. He asked me to sign it for him and said he would read it and consider writing a book review about it.

A few minutes later I ran into David and Peggy Fitzpatrick, who used to pastor a church my wife and I attended for a few years — a church that had an open mic. It was great to see them again after 10 or more years.

Finally I met Thom Schultz and he took me to his room, introduced me to his wife, and interviewed me for a 30 minute podcast that will be posted soon on his blog, Holy Soup. It was an amazing afternoon of divine encounters.

Earlier in the morning my day had even started with an amazing encounter. The Holy Spirit quickened me to pick up a book I have never read before and I found these two quotes about ekklesia (the lost word of the Bible):
–“Jesus’ preaching of the coming of the kingdom included His preparation of the little group of believers as the new congregation, ‘the ekklesia.'”
–“Within nearly every existing Christian communion (denomination) there is a growing challenge to complacency with the existing forms and traditions . . . This opens the way for a radical self-criticism (an internal reformation) on the part of every existing church.” –Daniel Day Williams in “What Present-Day Theologians Are Thinking” 1952

Let’s all proclaim what God is doing! Check out my post 14 bold suggestions for the National Religious Broadcasters.

proclaim16-sqr-504

Posted in blog, Christian blogs, Henry Coles, Holy Soup, interview, Pat Boone, podcast, Thom Schultz, Uncategorized, War Cry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It doesn’t take an Einstein to experience ekklesia

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

einstein

You don’t have to be an Einstein to experience ekklesia. Ekklesia is: Two or more Christ-followers meeting under Christ’s control!
–E = MC2– [E (ekklesia) = M (meeting under) C (Christ’s control) 2 (two or more Christ-followers)]

We 21st Century Christ-followers could greatly benefit from the simplicity of the Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia. Perhaps, before Christ-followers can change the world, we must change the church into the Greek New Testament model of ekklesia based on the 50+ NT “one another” commands and on 1 Corinthians 14:26 — surrendering our human control, agendas, and programs and allowing the living, resurrected Jesus Christ to personally control and direct the meeting when we gather in His name. More at this link:

If you are ever in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, you can experience ekklesia for yourself. Visit The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center any Sunday morning at 10:45, 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.

Are you ready and willing to go beyond church? You’ll be glad you did! Here are three quotes I found that might encourage you:

“There have been a lot of people in history who were done with the way we do church.
Martin Luther was done.
The Pilgrims were done.
John Wesley was done.
William Booth (co-founder of The Salvation Army) was done.
Martin Luther King Jr. was done.
And long before all of them, Jesus himself was done with the way worship was being conducted in his day.
–But they didn’t leave. They didn’t give up. They stood up and changed things.” –Karl Vaters

“The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.” –Albert Einstein

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” –Albert Einstein

Are you curious and questioning? Are you ready to be in awe at the beautiful, mysterious experience of seeing the living, resurrected Jesus Christ personally lead and direct an ekklesia meeting?

Posted in awe, awe in church, Berry Street, curiosity, ekklesia, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, mystery, Nashville, organic church, Salvation Army, simple church, the Pilgrims, two or three in My name, Uncategorized, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Defeated Christians are not part of God’s plan

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Steve Simms

Defeated Christians, overcome by the world and caught up in ungodly cravings and complusions, are not part of God’s plan. We can only be defeated when we walk away from God’s will. However, in the 21 Century, many of us who call ourselves Christian are defeated and overcome by discouragement, fear, worry, addiction, anger, lust, unforgiveness, divorce, pride, envy, and many other sins.

Perhaps we need to use God’s three steps in Revelation 12:11 — confession/repentance, personal testimony; and self-denial, by:
1) Applying the blood of Jesus through continually confessing and turning away from all of our sins;
2) Applying the word of our testimony by openly sharing with other people what the living Jesus is doing in our lives;
3) Applying self-denial by following and obeying the risen Jesus and dying to our own will, program, agenda, and comfort zone.
“And they overcame him (‘the accuser of the brethren’) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

You can’t obey Revelation 12:11 while passively listening to a sermon (and without obeying this Scripture we won’t overcome).
–To obey this requires participatory ekklesia where everyday people are allowed to openly confess their sins, to publicly share their testimonies, and to follow the promptings of the Spirit beyond their comfort zone.

Perhaps it is time to for church to change our method and to begin to embrace God’s fresh, creative way of the Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia! Ekklesia is a priesthood of the believer gathering where everyone present is free to minister to one another in the gathering as they feel led by the Spirit.

So how many people are qualified to speak in a church service?
Church tradition says: “only one; the pastor;”
The Bible says: “everybody present” (see 1 Corinthians 14:26).

–Yesterday the Spirit prompted me to open up a book that I had never read before. He quickly led me to these words that help clarify the Greek New Testament concept of “ekklesia.”
-“The contemporary Christian church is in trouble . . . The churches have accommodated to their culture–becoming intorverted, complacent, irrelevant . . . The acceptance of God’s agenda and the entrance into Christ’s mission has drastic structural implications . . . The congregation (ekklesia) is like a boot camp, training the recruits in Christ’s army. It is a place that provides a context in which to practice Christian living, to take the risks of openness and honesty that the exercise of Christian freedom requires . . . There is no room for passengers in such a community.” –George W. Webber in “Theology & Church in Times of Change” 1970

Ekklesia is rising around the world. Christ-followers are coming together to confess, to testify, and to get out of their comfort zone. Learn more about ekklesia in the new book: Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia available on Amazon at this link.

They overcame -- Revelation

Posted in Christian community, Christian living, comfort zone, community, Confess you sins, confession, confessional, defeated Christians, deny yourself, depression, freedom in Christ, holiness, overcoming depression, overcoming evil, overcoming obstacles, overcoming setbacks, overcoming temptation, personal testimonies, priesthood of the believer, Quotes, repentance, self-denial, sin, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

14 bold suggestions for the National Religious Broadcasters #proclaim16

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Steve Simms

Here’s an open letter to the National Religious Broadcasters who are holding their convention, Proclaim 16, in Nashville beginning Tuesday, February 23.

Dear NRB Delegates:

A warm welcome to Nashville! Thank you for what you do to present Jesus Christ in and to our culture through various forms of media. And thank you for gathering together in Nashville seeking to find ways to be more effective in reaching people for Christ. I know that you have many great sessions to attend and speakers to hear, so I will briefly share 14 things that might make us more effective as media proclaimers of Christ. I will use the form: “what we need more of and what we need less (or fewer) of.”

  1. More salvation testimonies; less expert instruction.
  2. More interaction and meaningful participation; less audience passivity.
  3. More focus on the presence of Christ; less on hosts and guest stars.
  4. More Spirit-led and anointed worship, less showmanship.
  5. More Bible words and quotes, less human ideas and elaboration.
  6. More words from ordinary people, fewer from Christian celebrities.
  7. More heart-felt sharing; less smooth programming.
  8. More humility and brokenness; less pride and expertise.
  9. More proclaiming of the name of Jesus; less of famous minister’s names.
  10. More sowing “seed” of the living Word burning in people’s hearts; less asking people for “seed faith.”
  11. More challenges to obey Christ; less Christian entertainment.
  12. More prompting by the Holy Spirit, fewer elaborate props and human prompts.
  13. More of God’s creativity, less of our repetition.
  14. More of God’s fire, less of our fancy. (Help people go beyond church, surrendering control to the living, resurrected Jesus Christ!)

Sincerely,

Steve Simms, #proclaim16

proclaim16-sqr-504

 

Posted in blog, blogging, books, bookstore, Christian, Christian media, Christian meetings, film, media, movies, radio, social media, speakers, televangelists, television, Tennessee, testimonials, testimonies, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

6 shake up your religion quotes (from a retired Nazarene minister’s library)

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Steve Simms

Here are 6 explosive quotes I stumbled upon while browsing through a retired Nazarene minister’s library:

“The church today is lamentably weak and therefore Christian homes are lamentably weak.” –Alan Redpath, Blessings Out Of Buffetings, 1965 (A weak church desperately needs to surrender control to the presence and power of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.)

“We believe the way in which religious services are now conducted is a is a hindrance to the revival of religion and the salvation of man.” –Silas Henne, The Way Of Faith (Perhaps it is time to get back to the biblical instructions for doing church in 1 Corinthians 14:26.)

“Paul had no thought of restricting the speaking to an ordained ministry, much less of keeping the service within any prescribed liturgy. The service resembled the Quaker form more nearly than any in existence today, not because of the stress on silence, but because every member was free to speak as he was moved by the Spirit. There was only one restriction: everything should be done for mutual edification and nothing as private exhibitionism.” —The Interpreters Bible commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:26  (Why shouldn’t we do church that way?)

“The Holy Spirit may be understood as the chief executive officer of the church . . . The Holy Spirit is the divine personal agent by whom Christ as Head of the church communicates and activates the authentic work of the church.” –Robert Wade, Founded With Power, 1995 (So why have so many churches made the pastor the CEO of the church — if not in name, at least in function?)

“The witness of the Spirit is the spiritual birthright of every obedient Christian. The witness of the Spirit is crucial to the renewal of the church.” –Jerry Mercer, The Word & The Doctrine, 1965 (Since every Christian has the “birthright” to hear the witness of the Spirit; when we gather for church, why don’t we allow everyday people to listen to the Spirit and then share what He tells them?)

“The testimony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit.” –John Wesley (Wesley, one of the greatest preachers of all time, knew that something much more than sermons is required for people to be passionate and obedient Christ-followers. He knew that people need the direct witness of the Holy Spirit to their spirit. Isn’t it time for church to train people to directly hear from the living God?)

If you like these quotes, you will love my new book: Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible, available through Amazon at this link.

shelfie

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Alan Redpath, Blessings out of Buffetings, Founded With Power, Holy Spirit, house church, Interpreters Bible, Jerry Mercer, John Wesley, listening, organic chruch, Robert Wade, sermon, sermon material, simple church, Uncategorized, witness of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beyond predictable religion to unpredictable, untamed ekklesia (quotes)

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Steve Simms

Church is caught in continual predictability, perpetually presenting the same basic program week after week. That’s one reasons millions of people are leaving church and calling themselves “Dones.”

However, the Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia is never the same from week to week. Ekklesia knows that life’s most predictable moments are seldom inspiring; and that life’s most inspiring moments are moments are seldom predictable. If it’s ekklesia it can’t be predictable; and if it’s predictable it can’t be ekklesia. Check out these unpredictable quotations:

“Jesus Himself was untamed.” –Mark Batterson (So why should we maintain such tame sameness in church services?)

“Christians should be ready for a change because Jesus was the greatest changer in history.” –Ralph Abernathy  (So why not open up church and allow the living, resurrected Jesus Christ to change it?)

“The beauty of inspiration is its unpredictable timing.” –T.F. Hodge (Predictability tends to reduce inspiration to boredom.)

“I’m reminded today how unpredictable God can be.” –Francesca Battistelli (So why don’t we allow God to be unpredictable when we gather in His name?)

“God is predictably unpredictable.” –R. T. Kendall (That may be why we have made church so predictable — to avoid God’s unpredictablity.)

“Jesus says God isn’t like a gumball machine; He’s more like the wind: unpredictable, uncontrollable.” –Skye Jethani (So why do we often portray Jesus as bland and predictable?)

“God’s word is unpredictable in its power… The church has to accept this unpredictability of the word.” –Pope Francis (Amen, Pope Frances. Let’s go beyond church as usual and allow church services to flow in Jesus’ unpredictablity.”)

“I looked at mass like a puppet show with a totally predictable story line.” –Frans de Waal (Isn’t it time to allow the living God to personally write and direct the “story line” when we gather in His name?)

“Be unpredictable, be real, be interesting. Tell a good story.” –James Dashner (What a challenge for churches. Perhaps having the same man speak the same length of time each week is too predictable and partly responsible for the ongoing decline in church membership in the 21st Century.)

“There was nothing about it that was as I expected, nothing was predictable . . . Every time I thought they were going one way, they went another.” –James Woods (This quote makes a beautiful description of the Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia.)

“I do find a certain fascination with the unpredictable.” –Gordon Parks (So it seems do most people, except, perhaps, the highly religious.)

“As soon as things become predictable, they become boring.” –Hunter Parish (Exactly. Would you want to watch a sporting event where they handed you a bulletin that told you ahead of time, everything that was going to happen in the game? So why do we do that to people in church?)

“Once you become predictable, no one’s interested anymore.” –Chet Atkins (Now that’s some real wisdom from Nashville and Country Music! Church could learn a lot from Chet.)

“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.” –Eleanor Roosevelt (If that’s true about life, perhaps it is also true about church services.)

“Love withers with predictability; it’s very essence is surprise and amazement. To make love a prisoner of the mundane is to take its passion and lose it forever.” –Leo F. Buscaglia (Perhaps church also “withers with predictability.” The very essence of the New Testament ekklesia “is surprise and amazement.” Check out 1 Corinthians 14:26 and see for yourself.)

“One of the things I love is books that surprise me, that are not predictable.” –George R.R. Martin (Perhaps people would also prefer surprise and unpredictability in church.)

Would you like to go beyond predictable church to unpredictable ekklesia? If so here are two suggestions:

  1. If you are ever in Nashville, Tennessee visit the ekklesia meeting at The Salvation Army Berry Street on Sunday mornings at 10:45 — 225 Berry St., 37207 — where instead of a one-man sermon, ordinary people show and tell what God has done as they feel prompted by the Holy Spirit.
  2. Learn to experience exciting ekklesia (in your city or town) where everyday people enthusiastically proclaim (as prompted by the Spirit) the exhilarating things that God has done by getting (and reading) my new book Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia available on Amazon at this link.

predictable

 

Posted in Bible, Catholic mass, Chet Akins, church, country music, ekklesia, Eleanor Roosevelt, Francesca Battistelli, Frans de Waal, George R.R. Martin, Gordon Parks, Greek New Testament, house church, James Dashner, James Woods, Jesus Christ, Leo F. Buscaglia, Mark Batterson, Nashville, New Testament, organic chruch, Pope Francis, R.T. Kendall, Ralph Abernathy, simple church, Skye Jethani, T.F. Hodge, Uncategorized, unpredictable | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Salvation Army’s “Southern Spirit” reviewed “Beyond Church”

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Steve Simms

The Salvation Army’s Southern Spirit reviewed Beyond Church. Here’s their review:

New book explores true meaning of what ‘church’ is

In his new book, Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible, Sergeant Steve Simms writes about the original term, ekklesia, used for the word church and how Christians can experience the power of Christ’s presence when they gather together. “In his letter to believers in the former city-state of Corinth, Greece (then under Roman rule), Paul describes the early Christian ekklesia like this: ‘When you come together, each of you has a hymn or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.’ (1 Corinthians 14:26).” He goes on to describe a meeting of Christians who listen together to what Jesus is saying, let go of self effort and give Him freedom to work.

“An ekklesia is an outpost of Heaven. It creates an atmosphere where people can come together in humility, listen to God, and obey His will,” he wrote. Through his own experiences and that of the corps he leads, Sergeant Simms paints the picture of what church can look like when God’s people pray, listen and respond. Using Scripture and theological study, Sergeant Simms not only helps readers re-define the word church; he also provides a ‘how to” manual for the practice of it in group settings and everyday life.” To obtain a copy (go to Amazon or click here).

beyond church southern spirit

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, books, Christian books, house church, organic church, participatory church, rechurch, rethink church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvation army officers, simple church, Steve Simms, Uncategorized, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Going (gone) with the wind of the Spirit . . .

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Steve Simms

me and the wind

A church cannot program the Holy Spirit. So why do we try? Why do we try to direct the Holy Spirit when we gather for worship, rather than humbly allowing the Spirit to direct us? The Spirit is free like the wind and blows where He wants, not where we want.
–Perhaps time for us to give up our Sunday agendas and allow the Spirit to move and direct us when we gather in His name? How can we learn to go beyond church and be blown by the wind of the Spirit?

Here are some quotes that can help. Also check out my new book: Beyond Church An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia available at this link.

“We have a right to ask the Holy Spirit to lead us and to expect His gentle guiding.” –Curtis Hutson

“Some rely only on their own preparation and look for nothing more.” –Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“The root-trouble of the present distress is that the church has more faith in the world and the flesh than in the Holy Ghost, and things will get no better till we get back to His realized presence and power.” –Samuel Chadwick

“There is a very real danger of our putting our faith in our sermon rather than in the Spirit.” –Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“We may love to say many things, but if these are not uttered in the Holy Spirit it is better to say nothing.” –Watchman Nee

“The church that is man-managed instead of God-governed is doomed to failure.” –Samuel Chadwick

“The Holy Spirit will prompt us in the right direction as we learn to hear His voice and respond in obedience.” –Crystal McDowell

“If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.” –A.W. Tozer

“It is in vain for man to endeavor to instruct man in those things which the Holy Spirit alone can teach.” –Madame Guyon

“If revival is being withheld from us it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because we still refuse to face the unchangeable truth that, ‘It is not by might, but by My Spirit.'” – Jonathan Goforth

“How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound Him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in a corner while they do the work themselves.” –C.T. Studd

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” –Jesus (in John 3:8)

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.” –Acts 1:1-4

Posted in A.W. Tozer, Acts 2, as many as are led by the Spirit, Be filled with the Spirit, C.T. Studd, coming of the Holy Spirit, demonstration of the Spirit, discerning of spirits, don't put out the Spirit's fire, filled with the Spirit, fire of the Holy Spirit, flow of the Spirit, flowing in the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, Gone With The Wind, hearing the Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, Holy Spirit teaches, How to be led by the Spirit, how to flow in the spirit, how to grow spiritually, I will pour out my Spirit, in step with the Spirit, in the Spirit, led by the Spirit, Madame Guyon, mighty rushing wind, Samuel Chadwick, Second chapter of Acts, the wind blows where it will, Uncategorized, Watchman Nee, wind of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“I’m a good person,” is a stealth oxymoron

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Steve Simms

Are you a “good person”? According to Jesus the phrase, “I’m a good person,” is a stealth oxymoron. Jesus said; “No one is good–except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)

In fact, Jesus calls 3 groups of people “evil” or “wicked:” 1) His disciples, 2) a Judean crowd, and 3) a group of Pharisees (who were religious leaders). Check out these three verses in Luke chapter 11:

1) In verse 13 Jesus says to His disciples: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
2) In verse 29 Jesus says to a Judean crowd: “This is a wicked generation.”
3) In verse 39 Jesus says to a group of religious conservatives; “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.”
–Why would Jesus tell people we would consider “good people” that they were wicked? Because as long as we think we are good, we have no need of a Savior. It is only when we fully realize that we are evil that we acknowledge our need for someone to save us from our sins. Do you?

secrets of the heart exposed

So how can we see the wickedness in our own heart? 1) Begin to read the New Testament as a love letter from God. In the light of God’s love your heart will be gradually exposed and you will begin to see how your sin has separated you from Him. 2) Experience the New Testament concept of ekklesia (a gathering of Christ-followers where people are allowed to share from their heart as prompted by the Spirit). “If an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in (to ekklesia) while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'” (1 Corinthians 14:24-25)

Learn more about ekklesia in my new book Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback at this link.

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Posted in 1 Corinthians 14, all have sinned, Beyond Church, Bible, ekklesia, evil, good person, greed, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judge, judge not, judgment, Luke, Mark, New Testament, oxymoron, Pharisees, problem of evil, Savior, sin, sinfulness, source of evil, there is none righteous, Uncategorized, wickedness, worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment