What The Church Can Learn From Restaurant Concepts

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Steve Simms

When someone wants to open a new restaurant, she/he must first think of a concept. Restaurant concepts are various ways and means of operating restaurants. The term restaurant concept means the service style, operational strategy, theme, cuisine, and culture of a restaurant. The goal is to create a comfortable climate for dining. New restaurant concepts sometimes completely redefine the idea of eating out. (For example, fast food in the 1950s & 60s.)

There are many different kinds restaurant concepts.  Examples include fast casual, buffet, fine dining, fast food, cafe or bistro, ethnic food, theme cuisine, food trucks, family style dining, casual dining, etc.

So why not various church concepts? Why are so many churches set up and operated on the same 1-man sermon concept? Why do churches tend to get “lost is a sea of sameness”?

“Many restaurant owners try to appeal to the greatest audience, but in doing so, the concepts become too general and possess no unique competitive edge. The restaurant gets lost in a sea of sameness.” –Danny Carberry

restaurant concepts

* Perhaps it’s time for churches to break out of the 1-man sermon concept and climb out of “the sea of sameness.”

* Churches need to “embrace new trends while remaining faithful to their strategy and core values.”

* Churches need to get a hold of the idea, proven by the restaurant industry, that inspired innovation can change our culture.

One fresh church concept is participatory/organic church, where instead of a one-man sermon, everyday people are allowed (as inspired by the Spirit) to share testimonies, Scriptures, prayer needs, short teachings, exhortations, gifts of the Spirit, confessions of sin, prayers, etc. according to the biblical commandment in 1 Corinthians 14:26.

To experience the participatory/organic church concept for yourself, visit The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207 on Sundays at 10:45 am.

Other What The Church Can Learn From posts include:

What The Church Can Learn From Basketball Officials

What The Church Can Learn From Country Music, Yall

What The Church Can Learn From Smartphones

What The Church Can Learn From Facebook

What The Church Can Learn From The NFL

What The Church Can Learn From YouTube (Live, It’s Sunday Morning!)

Posted in bistro, buffet, cafe, casual dining, Danny Carberry, ethnic food, family style dining, fast casual, fast food, fine dining, food trucks, fresh expressions, owning a restaurant, quote | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why should the Holy Spirit be restricted to speaking through only one man in a church service? (Is there any Scripture to support that limitation on the Spirit?)

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Steve Simms
Posted in mutual ministry, open church, organic church, restricting the Spirit, simple church | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Guess Who Came From Arkansas 2 Visit Nashville’s Berry Street?

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Steve Simms

A Facebook friend, William Pratt, wrote this about his visit to a participatory worship service at The Salvation Army Berry Street:

Last fall my wife and I had the privilege of visiting a church in Nashville, TN on a Sunday morning. The entire service consisted of one testimony after another. The pastor delivered a very short message then turned his microphone over to anyone who wished to testify or bring forth an insight from scripture. Instead of a single sermon delivered by the pastor, we heard a dozen sermons about living the Spirit life on the streets, at work, in homes, schools and neighborhoods.

That church is Berry Street Salvation Army and the extraordinary pastor who encourages congregational participation is Steve Simms. He is to be congratulated for taking a church that was losing membership and community influence and turning it into a beacon for the lost, lonely, disenfranchised, abused and hurting. Through the participatory church format immense strides have been made to bring relevance into the lives of many who could otherwise have been lost and wasted.

I remember approaching the pastor of a church we attended not long ago about inviting more participation in the worship services and his response amazed me. He believed the people were not ready for it. He was concerned about losing control and having all sorts of unbiblical messages coming forth. Yet, Pastor Simms at the Berry Street church leaves everything in the hands of the Holy Spirit and nothing happens that is not Spirit controlled.

Let’s encourage our pastors throughout Christendom to bring back Testimony Time. For those whose churches never left it, bravo to you. Then, of course, we must be ready to give testimony of all that God is doing in our lives. Testimony time is important and we must not allow it to become extinct.

(Visit us one Sunday morning at 10:45 — 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.)

Posted in alternative church, church, Nashville tourism, participatory church, visiting Nashville | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Participatory church creates a climate contagious with Christ!

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Steve Simms

Catch Jesus! Catch His love fire burning in your heart. Get so infected with Jesus that you are continually overwhelmed by His awesome power and majesty. Revival is when multitudes in a city, area, or country catch such a case of Jesus that they are so transformed and set free that they are never the same again.  We need an epidemic of people passionately pursuing Jesus!

But how? How can people catch Jesus?

Spirit-led sharing and testimonies in participatory church creates a climate contagious with Christ!

contagious Christ

Looking for a place to catch on fire with Christ? Visit The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee 37207 on Sunday mornings at 10:45.

At Berry Street
You see Christ in each face
And feel His presence in the place.
Because the focus isn’t on
One man’s point of view
But on the presence
Of Christ living in you!

Posted in Berry Street, burn for God, contagious Christian, God's fire, Nashville, organic church, outpouring of the Spirit, revival fires, Salvation Army, Spirit-led | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Top 10 March Madness Thoughts

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Steve Simms

Here are my Top Ten March Madness Thoughts:

March Madness Thought #10:  A basketball team with one superstar and all the rest bench warmers, will never make the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

March Madness Thought #9:  What tournament officials can teach pastors — “Be a guide on the side, not a sage on a stage.”

March Madness Thought #8:  Not one NCAA Tournament team has ever been named after a basketball official. So why are so many “ministries” named after preachers?

March Madness Thought #7:  “March Madness, we don’t mind being the Cinderella.” –Tony Skinn  (God can use anybody for His glory, even the humblest, weakest church member. So perhaps we should give everybody the chance to speak out in church meetings.)

March Madness Thought #6:  “Every year there seems to be a ‘Cinderella’ team that the whole country cheers for. The atmosphere is wild and makes for some memorable moments.” –Noel Jameson  (When the humblest and weakest church members are allowed to speak in a meeting, it creates some of the most meaningful and memorable moments!)

March Madness Thought #5:  March Madness is unpredictable. Nobody knows what is going to happen ahead of time. Why should church be any different?

March Madness Thought #4:  “You’ve got to show up and play hard. It’s like March Madness!” –Arne Krogh  (Perhaps Christ-followers could learn something from that quote!)

March Madness Thought #3:  “Teams are more effective and productive when everyone contributes.”  (Could that also be true about church meetings?)

March Madness Thought #2:  NCAA = Now Christ’s Always Alive!

And my #1 March Madness Thought is:  All my brackets say “Jesus” — He’s the only real champion!

march madness

Experience a church service based on these March Madness thoughts every Sunday morning at 10:45 at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207.

Posted in Arne Krogh, Christianity, church, Cinderella team, coaching, faith, humility, Noel Jameson, Quotations, superstar, teamwork, thoughts, Tony Skinn, Top Ten | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why not schedule a “Jesus 12” in your church service?

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Steve Simms

12 minutes

Why not schedule a “Jesus 12” in your church program?
–A “Jesus 12” is 12 unprogrammed minutes during a church service where the living, resurrected Jesus is allowed to be the leader and people are free to go to an open mic and share what Jesus puts on their heart.
–You could fit a “Jesus 12” in something like this:
Order of Worship
–Call To Worship
–Songs of Praise
–Offering
–Scripture Reading
–Jesus 12
–Message
–Benediction

So why not?  Why not just give 12 minutes of your church service to Jesus? It’s really very simple. If no one talks, Jesus will make His presence felt in the silence.

12 minutes 2

open mic testimony

Please don’t just write this off as a crazy idea.  If Jesus is alive, as we proclaim, then surely He can manage 12 minutes.  So give Jesus a chance to show your church what He can do. Why not give Him 12 minutes this next Sunday.

For the past 7 years, I have led a church where we have no program at all.  We sing some worship songs and then we turn the meeting over to Jesus.  It’s been amazing to watch the incredible things that He does in and through ordinary people.  If you are ever in Nashville, come and see for yourself at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., 37207 at 10:45 am.

Once you try a Jesus 12 in your church, please leave a report in the comment section of this post!  Can’t wait to hear what Jesus does in your church!

Read more in my book: Beyond Church — An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible,  available at Amazon.

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Posted in 12 minutes, Easter, Follow Me, I am the way, making church more organic, making church more participatory, organic church, organic church in institutional church, putting Jesus in the church program, resurrection, testimonies in church | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

How is Jesus like a pianist?

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Steve Simms

How is Jesus like a piano player?
Even the world’s best pianist can’t play a piano with stuck keys.
–Even the living, resurrected Jesus Christ can’t move his body if the members are so stuck that they won’t obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit!
–Don’t be a stuck piano key! Learn to obey the Spirit’s promptings with us every Sunday at 10:45 am. at 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207.

pianist

Learn to play the keyboard in your mind.

Posted in Middle Tennessee, Music City, Nashville, organic church, Salvation Army, simple church, TN | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Abortion = Prenatal Domestic Violence

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Steve Simms

Abortion is
Prenatal domestic violence.
When domestic violence
Is approved against
Human life in the womb,
How can we stop it
Anywhere else?

Mother Teresa quotes on abortion:

mother teresa on abortion

“If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?”

“Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants.”

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

“America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts — a child — as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered dominion over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters. And, in granting this unconscionable power, it has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners. Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign.”

Posted in America, fatherless society, fathers' rights, human rights, human trafficing, parent rights, poverty, prochoice, prolife, Quotations, right to abortion, right to choose, right to life, stop domestic violence, violence, violence against children | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

got conscience? — A Poem & Some Quotes About Conscience

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Steve Simms

I wrote a poem about conscience:

Are You Unconscience?

Conscience is
The inner call
To think, say, and do
What is right
And what is true.

To be unconscience
Is to be
Captured and controlled by
Cravings and compulsions.

If you don’t listen to
And obey your conscience;
Your life will consist of
Constant inner clashing
And continual outer crashing!

Quotations by: Douglas Horton, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr. Mahatma Gandhi, and Leo Tolstoy

conscience 2

conscience einstein

conscience king

conscience gandhi

conscience tolstoy

Posted in evil, happiness, human conscience, inner voice, morality, Quotations, right and wrong, taking a stand, voice of conscience, what is conscience | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Do You Have The Tolerance To Step Outside The Humanistic World View & Watch An Amazing New Movie With A Spiritual World View?

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Steve Simms

do you believe

In a society where the majority of people pray, but Hollywood movies almost never show anyone praying, Do You Believe? connects with the real world of conscience, meaning, and spirituality that most people grapple with at some points in their life.  For decades now, spirituality has been kept out of theaters and off of main stream television. Spiritual people who want to watch movies have had to be tolerant and to settle for movies that contradict their world view.

However, the stories in this movie match the spiritual way I live my life — striving to follow and obey the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.  And it is so refreshing to see people with my worldview, portrayed on the big screen in an artful and quality way.

I’ve watched movies from a secularistic worldview all my life.  Now will the secularists who cry out “tolerance” be tolerant enough to watch Do You believe?  I doubt many will.  I’ve read several reviews in secular media blasting this movie.  But don’t believe them.

Do You Believe? is beautifully written, produced and acted; powerful; amazingly complex; gripping; entertaining, and anointed.  Go see it, regardless of your worldview!

Posted in 12 stories, Chicago, christian movies, faith-based, God's not dead, PureFlix, secularism, spirituality, urban life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments