Pill or Interruptus? (& 3 Quotes About Church)

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Steve Simms

Let us interruptus in church? Have you ever seen this Scripture obeyed in a church meeting?

Quote 1:  “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” –Paul of Tarsus (1 Corinthians 14:29-31)

Commercial TV continually promotes & pushes pills, but they ignore the most powerful pills–the Gos-pills (Gospels)–Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John!  (Warning: SIDE EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE sudden reorientation, collapsing pride, a troubled conscience, a decrease in self-destructive cravings and compulsions, spiritual heart attacks, awareness of sin, reduced desire to party, ego deflation, inability to sleep, and godly sorrow.)

Although they don’t use the Gospels in their meetings, AA has proven that alcoholics can meet together without a controlling leader, allow open sharing and participation and interruptus from everyone present, and experience life-changing results! (If alcoholics can do that, why can’t church members?)

Quote 2:  “Participatory church gatherings are meetings where individual church members come to minister to each other spiritually, to give as well as to receive.” –Andrew Wilson

Quote 3:  John Drane, in Introducing the New Testament, wrote, “In the earliest days . . . their worship was spontaneous. This seems to have been regarded as the ideal, for when Paul describes how a church meeting should proceed he depicts a Spirit-led participation by many, if not all . . . There was the fact that anyone had the freedom to participate in such worship. In the ideal situation, when everyone was inspired by the Holy Spirit, this was the perfect expression of Christian freedom.”

Posted in Andrew Wilson, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, drug abuse, drug commercials, drug dealers, godly sorrow, Gos-pills, Gospel, Gospel of Matthew, Gospels, Introducing the New Testament, John Drane, medicine, order of worship, organic church, prescription medication advertisemets, quotation, Quotations, quote | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Nashville’s Hands-On, Science-Lab Style, Doer Church

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Doer church? What if a church gathered to let people be doers — to let them hear what the Spirit is saying to them and then actually do it? “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (James 1:22).

Perhaps church meetings are for hands-on, participatory training and practice in hearing and obeying the Spirit of God. As we learn to hear and obey the Spirit in church meetings, we grow in our confidence and in our ability to hear and obey the Spirit in our everyday lives. (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Maybe we could learn from high school and/or college science labs.  Classrooms are lecture based, but labs are participatory.  In class rooms people are mostly passive spectators making little or no difference in the class.  However, in labs people are actively involved and directly influence outcomes.

We live in a highly participatory culture, from social media, to cell phones, to voice activated computers, to internet chat rooms, to talk radio, etc.  Perhaps it is time for the 21st Century church to connect with the times and give people the opportunity to be actively involved in church meetings as the Spirit leads them.

At The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, Tennessee, rather than hearing a one-man-sermon, everyday people show and tell what God has done, as led by the Spirit.  Come visit us in the McFerrin Park Neighborhood of East Nashville one Sunday mornings at 10:45 or Tuesday night at 6:00 — 225 Berry St. 37207.

Doer church at The Salvation Army Berry Street.

Doer church at The Salvation Army Berry Street.

Posted in be doers of the word, East Nashville, McFerrin Park, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, not hearers only, organic church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Tennessee | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

When Church Is Gone With The Wind!

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Steve Simms

The Holy Spirit is like the wind. When believers gather we can build walls to block the wind of the Spirit from blowing away our “order of worship” or we can raise sails and and let the wind of the Spirit blow the meeting wherever He wants.  (Perhaps it’s time for church services to be “gone with the wind”!)

Like a conductor conducting an orchestra, the living, resurrected Jesus can conduct a church meeting (if we let Him).

What would happen if the preacher stepped aside, did away with the program, and let the living, resurrected Jesus Christ lead the Sunday morning church service?   When people are free to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, a church service suddenly comes to life as love flows from person to person filling the room with a beautiful sense of God’s presence!

The Holy Spirit wants YOU to recognize His promptings in your heart and then to courageously obey them.  May the wind of the Spirit be 0% contained, raging 100% free in your heart, in your everyday lifestyle, and when you gather with other believers for worship!

I found this quote on Sid Roth’s “It’s Supernatural” web site:
“One of the greatest needs in the church today, is to teach and show people how to be Spirit led. Even many pastors need to learn how to be Spirit led and be delivered from the fear of losing control. They need to trust the Holy Spirit’s leading and presence in the church meetings. The worship leaders need to learn how to be Spirit led, and stop trying to be in control. If elders, pastors, leaders and worship leaders, keep controlling the meetings and the people, they will never enjoy the real power and presence of the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ will never mature.” –David Walters

Hear the wind blow!

Hear the wind blow!

 

 

Posted in body life, body of Christ, David Walters, led by the Spirit, Sid Roth's It's Supernatural, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-led church, Spirit-prompted, spiritual streaming, The Spirit blows where it will, wind, wind of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Word, The World Cup, & CPR

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps we need more on Sunday mornings than religious education and/or personal motivation. We need the inner transformation that comes from following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ together in a meeting!

I read the Bible almost every day and recently I read this: “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.” (Romans 10:8)  Then I got excited because that confirms what we have seen at The Salvation Army Berry Street for the past 6 years: that ordinary believers have God’s word in their mouths and in their hearts. They just need the permission and the freedom to speak it out! And when everyday Christ-followers are allowed speak the word from their heart, God’s simple eloquence comes flowing out of them and His glory fills the room.

What if a soccer (international football as in the World Cup) team had just one person assigned to stand and cheer and all the other team followers had to just sit quietly and listen to the professional fan? I think there would be a soccer riot and all the fans would demand their right to participate in cheering on the team.  (Perhaps all the Christ-follows in a church meeting could be allowed to participate in verbally expressing their love for Christ and sharing the insights that Christ has given them.)

As the world enjoys the World Cup in Brazil, the church in the Western World needs life saving CPR.
C–Christ: We need to replace our religious programs and protocol with following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.
P–Prayer: We all need to continually engage in passionate, Spirit-led, prayer, seeking God with all our heart.
R–Repentance: We need to turn away from and stop doing every known sin in actions, words, and thoughts.

If you are in the Nashville, Tennessee, USA area, come visit The Salvation Army Berry Street, where ordinary people show and tell what God has done–Sunday mornings @ 10:45, 225 Berry St., 37207.

Posted in Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, prayer, religious education, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, transformation, transformation movements, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Good God! We Miss The Obvious!

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Steve Simms

God’s glory is prominently posted in all parts of the physical world. Yet we ignore Him and call it evolution.

God’s protection has shielded us all through many dangers, toils, and snares. Yet we ignore Him and call it luck.

God’s provision has provided us with innumerable blessings. Yet we ignore Him and call it hard work.

God’s voice continually rings out in our hearts and our conscience. Yet we ignore Him and call it imagination.

God’s high ideals (like liberty, justice, love, human rights, compassion, self-sacrifice, integrity) inspire us. Yet we ignore Him and call it instinct.

God’s attention to detail is demonstrated in the design of our DNA (and our bodies). Yet we ignore Him and call it physiology.

Posted in compassion, conscience, creation, Creator, Divine creation, Divinity, DNA, God's glory, God's presence, God's protection, God's provision, God's unseen hand, God's voice, God-given, high ideals, human rights, ideals, integrity, justice, liberty, love, missing the obvious, principles, self-sacrifice, values | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Open Mic Sunday — A Church Experiment

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Steve Simms

Here is a wonderful experiment any church can try: Take just one Sunday and instead of having preaching, have an open mic service. Let anybody present share what God puts on their heart. If you have never experienced an open mic church service, you don’t know what you’re missing. Why not ask your pastor to have an open mic Sunday and see for yourself what amazing things God will do through ordinary people?

How can we individual Christians ever get the courage to communicate compellingly about Christ to our culture if we aren’t allowed to freely communicate about Christ in church meetings?

“And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” 1 Corinthians 14:31-32

When the parts of a body are unable to function, the body is paralyzed and immobile and no longer living up to its potential and design. However, when every member is free to function in obedience to the head, the body thrives.  The church is “the body of Christ.” To live up to our potential and design, we need every member to function in obedience to Christ our Head. When we meet together, we need to function together as a body rather than depending on one or two leaders to do it all while the rest of us sit and watch.

Here’s an interesting church history fact:  The Protestant Reformation declared the “priesthood of all believers” and then immediately set up a church structure where only one person gets to exercise his calling during church meetings.

The greatest need for the church in the 21st Century is to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” We need to remove the things that we have put in God’s way — ego, tradition, human control, programs, manipulation, disobedience, etc.  We need to clear a path for God. We need to make room for Him to move freely in our meetings and in our lives; and then step aside in surrender to His Presence, His control, and His agenda.

If the Holy Spirit took over a church service (like He did at Pentecost) would we let Him have it and do what He wants with it? Or would we take it back and get it back on track with our programmed “order of worship”?

open mic2

Posted in 1 Corinthians:14, church experiment, church history, experimental church, Head, Head of the church, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit take over, Protestant Reformation, reformation, revelation | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Good news! If you let God light your fuse, you’ll loose your snooze!

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in humor, light your fuse, snooze alarm, snoozing, spiritual, spiritual fire, spiritual formation, spiritual prompting, spirituality, wake up, wake-up call, wisdom, witness, witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tolerance For God? Or Fire Of God?

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

What does this Bible verse (Hebrews 12:29) mean? “For our God is a consuming fire.”

fire of God 2

fire of godPerhaps this:  Unless there is a fire in your heart consuming self-focus and releasing a continual, all-consuming craving for Christ, you’ve stopped short of finding God.

God’s not looking for you to tolerate Him as one part of your busy life. He’s looking for you to surrender 100% of your life to Him.  Nothing less will do.

William Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army, put it this way:

“The greatness of the man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”

Posted in fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fullness, God is a consuming fire., greatness of a man's power, Hebrews 12:29, outpouring of the Spirit, surrender, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quotes & Notes on Spirit-Prompted Church Meetings

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Hear God where you are.  Follow Him to where He is.  D.L. Moody said:  “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.”

Within every person is a spiritual cell phone that can hear directly from God. God, Himself, is ready to teach, guide, instruct, train, and lead each one of us into spiritual battle. Do you hear God’s ringtone?  If we are always listening to men, how will we “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches”?

“To the individual believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit there is granted the direct impression of the Spirit of God on the spirit of man, imparting the knowledge of His will in matters of the smallest and greatest importance. This has to be sought and waited for.” ~G. Campbell Morgan

What would happen if church started with a sincere invitation for God to interrupt and override the order of worship?  “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God” ―Dietrich Bonhoeffer

What if a church service allowed time for the people to listen to God and then to obey what He tells them?  “One act of obedience is worth a hundred sermons.” ―Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“I believe God’s desire to speak through a professional minister is extremely overrated, and His desire to speak through every member of the church body is not valued enough…I honestly believe, if we, the church begin…to allow every member to manifest the Spirit of God for the common good, we will be a stronger, healthier body.” –Bob Kuhn

“People are so prone to lean upon gifted men. And if they cannot have such, they get discouraged and scattered, instead of getting lovingly together and helping one another by their mutual faith.” ~C.H. Mackintosh  (Get together with us at The Salvation Army Berry Street where instead of sitting and listening to one gifted man, ordinary people lovingly help one another with “their mutual faith.”)

“The testimony meetings continue for two hours or more and people are standing waiting to testify all the time.” –from “The Apostolic Faith” (a newspaper published 1906-1908, during the Azusa Street Revival).  Experience testimony meetings every Sunday at Berry Street–where everyday people show and tell what God has done!

“In the early church, there was no distinction between clergy and laity. One entered the ministry by coming into Christ. All believers were priests. There was no special caste.” –Bill & Elaine Cook

“Ninety-nine percent of God’s people attend worship services Sunday after Sunday for years on end, without ever contributing any true spiritual ministry to the body of gathered believers. (However), the New Testament describes the body of Christ as meeting in a manner in which every believer has the potential of contributing to the building up of the congregation in some significant way.” –Brian Anderson

“How about giving every born again believer an ordination certificate. All Christians have a special call on their lives. Let’s recognize that special call and ordain them. Those of you who believe in a clergy/laity distinction, please don’t get upset. I’m not proposing that we honor you less. I’m just saying that we should honor each other more.” –Bob Kuhn

“The Scriptures are given not to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” ~Dwight L. Moody

Visit The Salvation Army Berry Street on Sundays at 10:45 am. @ 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee, 37207.

 

 

Posted in Azusa Street, Bob Kuhn, C.H. Mackintosh, church services, church structure, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, D.L. Moody, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, G. Campbell Morgan, Nashville, Nashville church, ordaination, ordained, order of worship, organic church, out of the box, outpouring of the Spirit, participation in church, participatory church, preaching, priesthood of the believer, religion, ringtone, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, sermon-hearing, sermons, Tennessee, The Apostolic Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

We Don’t Have To Just Watch Church — We Can Do Church!

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Steve Simms

I’ve always found sitting and watching church to be boring (whether on TV or in person). However, I’ve found being actively involved in a meeting of Christians ministering to one another as prompted by the Spirit to be one of the most exciting things I’ve ever participated in.  One of the things that keep us from participating in church is the idea of a special calling into ministry (or a call to preach).

That concept sees two groups of Christ-followers — the called and the uncalled (clergy and laity).   The called conduct church meetings and the uncalled sit and watch.  However, when Christians are trained to always listen to men, how will we “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches”?

Here are a few quotations that refute that concept and make the point that God’s call is to all:

“All Christians are called into ministry because all Christians have spiritual gifts that are to be employed (used) for service to the body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10).” –Lisa Robinson

“‘Not called!’ did you say?  ‘Not heard the call,’ I think you should say.”  —William Booth

“I do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher. I consecrate myself to God to do His will where I am, be it in school, office, or kitchen, or wherever He may, in His wisdom, send me.” ― Watchman Nee

“There is no such thing as a regular person in the kingdom of God. There are only ministers. 1 Peter 4:11 puts it like this; after Peter described regular activities like loving each other deeply and offering hospitality: ‘Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.’ That’s the key word: each. as in, every single one. not just professional Christians. We are all called, every single one of us.” –Michael Kelley

“To be a follower of Jesus means following him in action, not just reading the handbook about the theory.” –Graham Cray

“The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through people. He does not come on machinery, but on people. He does not anoint plans, but people — people of prayer.” ― E.M. Bounds

“Jesus never told us to make converts – He told us to make disciples.” –Michael Marshall

Posted in call to ministry, call to missions, call to preach, called to preach, church on television, clergy, clergy/laity, clericalism, EM Bounds, Graham Cray, laity, layman, laymen, Michael Kelley, Michael Marshall, priest, priesthood, priesthood of the believer, quotation, Quotations, Quotes, TV evangelists, TV ministers, Watchman Nee, William Booth | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments