Sin will seize us and freeze us as hard as ice. Only Jesus melts our hard heart and frees us!

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in born again, change, change agent, Christ, Christ in you the hope of glory, Christ's presence, confession of sin, conversion, convert, converts, convicted of sin, conviction of sin, deliverance, Jesus, Jesus Christ, presence of Christ, salvation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How To Make Church Exciting: Let God Run It!

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Steve Simms

Too many people find church boring.  But, hey, it’s not their fault.  It is not people’s responsibility to sit in a boring church service and make themselves excited.  Christianity, the most exciting facts in the world, should never be presented in a boring way in the first place!

So why is church so often boring to so many people?  Perhaps that’s because church services are almost always run and directed by humans and we humans have a difficult time conducting a program about the invisible God in an exciting way.

So, maybe we should just give up.  No, I don’t mean “give in” to boring church services; but “give up” the idea of a human controlled church services and instead allow the living, resurrected Jesus, Himself, to personally direct and control church meetings.  After all, all Christians at least say that they believe that Jesus is actually present in the meeting when they gather in His name.  So why not let Jesus take the wheel?

Let’s just take the old religious bumper sticker slogan and have the preacher sit down, be quiet, and literally release the church meeting to God’s control — “Let go and let God.”  There is a scene in the Max Lucado movie, The Christmas Candle, where this actually happens and when it does, excitement fills the room as ordinary people begin to show and tell what God has done.

The early Methodists did this in their class meetings.  During the Layman’s Prayer Revival of 1857 spontaneous, Spirit-led meetings broke out all across the USA and the UK bringing an estimated two million people into a relationship with Jesus.  The early Quakers (Friends) did church this way and spread around the world.  The early Salvation Army meetings were also usually Spirit-led and participatory.

So why not nowadays.  If the living Jesus could personally lead meetings in the past, why not nowadays?  (The Bible says that He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.)

Of course Jesus can still directly lead church meetings.  We just don’t allow Him to.  So why not give it a go?  Gather two or three (or more) people and have them all listen to Jesus and then say and do what He tells them to.  It’s that simple.  (If you are a pastor you can stand up on Sunday morning and do the same thing with the entire church.)  The results will amaze as regular people share profoundly through the inspiration of the Spirit.

We’ve met this way for 6 years at The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville and no two meetings have ever been the same (or boring).  It is always amazing.  Come see for yourself on Sundays at 10:45 — 225 Berry St., Nashville, 37207.

Posted in bumper sticker, Christian, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, class meetings, Friends, Jesus Take The Wheel, Layman's Prayer Revival, Let go and let God, Max Lucado, Methodism, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, presence of Christ, presence of God, programmed, programmed from the front, programming, purpose of church, Quaker meetings, Quakers, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Nashville, The Christmas Candle | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Church? A Preacher Performing or People Participating

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Steve Simms

Should there be more than one way to hold a church service? Perhaps we should allow many ways of having a church meeting; instead of the one (almost universal) way of church based on sermon-hearing.

Christians invite people to church so that they can hear one man perform and talk about Christ. However, what if we created an environment where everyday people could actively participate in interacting with the living, resurrected Jesus Christ?  What if instead of a preacher performing church was people participating?

“There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.” –Warren Bennis,

“Engagement explodes in meetings when people are listened to and acknowledged.” –D. Sibbet

“The wise leader stays in the background and facilitates other people’s process.” –John Heider

Participatory church permits many ways of doing church. It doesn’t force the meeting into a rigid format; but rather allows various and creative expressions to come forth each Sunday. Week after week, participatory church is never the same format. (In 6 years of doing participatory church at The Salvation Army Berry Street, every single Sunday has gone a different way from all the other Sundays.)  The variety of ways of doing church is truly amazing! Try participatory and see for yourself.

You can experience participatory church in Nashville at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., 37207 on Sundays at 10:45 am. and Tuesdays at 6:00 pm.

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church meetings, church services, creating an environment, interactive church, John Heider, multi-voiced church, Music City, Nashville, Nashville church, organic church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, religious meetings, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvationism, sermon-hearing, Spirit-led church, unprogrammed church, Warren Bennis | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

5 People In 1 Minute Tell About The Salvation Army Berry Street

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Steve Simms

The Presence of Christ is sweet when we meet at Berry Street.

Check out The Salvation Army Berry Street on Sunday mornings at 10:45, 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church, community, religion, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Broom Church or Single Straw Sermons

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

Which is more effective at releasing the Holy Spirit’s power and presence — broom church or single straw sermons?

All our focus on one straw can’t sweep a floor clean; but many straws, led together as a broom, can transform a room!

All our focus on one man talking week after week has been tried for centuries and has left our churches dry; but many men and women, ministering to each other as led by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 14:26), can release the cleansing presence of Jesus into a room and sweep a church, a city, and a country with spiritual revival fires! (Perhaps we should give it a try.)

broom churchsingle straw

So let the Lord sweep up your heart; VBS — Visit Berry Street (The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center) on Sundays at 10:45 at 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee 37207.

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, church structure, house church, multi-voiced church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, order of worship, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, sweeping, worship, worship center, worship gathering, worship service | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Simple Church & Everyday People

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

Everyday people are eloquent when they are allowed in church to express their heart-felt excitement about and experiences with the everlasting God!

Simple Church” — To encourage the congregation to listen to Jesus and then allow them to say and do what He tells them to. (It’s amazing what happens in Simple Church.)

Simple Church works like a support group, where ordinary people encourage, love, and support one another.  Experience Simple Support-Group Style Church at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday mornings at 10:45 and Tuesday nights at 6:00.

Simple Support-Group Style Church

Simple Support-Group Style Church

 

Posted in church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church speakers, one another, one anothering, one anothers, open church, open sharing, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, witness, witnesses | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

When you hear the word, but then don’t do it; you never know how tremendously powerful it is!

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps a church meeting should be like a joyful song, with many notes sounding out together. I dream of churches letting all of God’s people openly share the notes that He has put on their hearts!

Since 1517 Protestant church services have focused on “hearing the Word.” However, the Bible says that we should be doers of the word and not just hearers.   When you hear the word, but then don’t do it; you never know how tremendously powerful it is! 

Perhaps the 21st Century church will make the shift from “hearing” church services to “doing’ church services, where everyday people are free to obey the New Testament “one anothers,” such as, “instruct one another,” “carry each other’s burdens,” “exhort one another,” and “encourage each other.”

Perhaps church should be a gathering where ordinary people can say and do!  James 1:22 clearly states that we should be doers of the Word and not just hearers. We strive to obey this verse at The Salvation Army Berry Street.

Every Sunday morning we give people the opportunity to obey that Scripture. Rather than requiring that people just sit and listen to one man speak, we allow anybody present to do and to share whatever the Holy Spirit prompts her/him to.  Check it out — 10:45 am., 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.

Frank Viola puts it this way:  “The church is called to gather regularly to display God’s life through the ministry of every believer. How? Not by religious services where a few people perform before a passive audience. But in open-participatory meetings where every member . . . functions, ministers, and expresses the living God in an open-participatory atmosphere.”

Posted in house church, how to do church, how to get involved in church, James 1:22, not doers only, open church, order of worship, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, what to do in Nashville, why go to church, worship center, worship gathering | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The NFL Draft

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Steve Simms

Perhaps the church can learn from the NFL Draft!

The NFL Draft is not looking for passive spectators to sit around and listen to the coach every week; but for game-changers who get off the bench and make plays!  (To see the importance of having a team full of play-makers, watch the movie Draft Day staring Kevin Costner.)

“The church is called to gather regularly to display God’s life through the ministry of every believer. How? Not by religious services where a few people perform before a passive audience. But in open-participatory meetings where every member . . . functions, ministers, and expresses the living God in an open-participatory atmosphere.” –Frank Viola

Let the living God draft you!  Experience open-participatory church at The Salvation Army Berry Street every Sunday at 10:45 am. at 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.

Posted in Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participators, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, religion, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army Nashville, Salvationism, Salvationists, simple church | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What If Church Tore Up The Sunday Program And Just Followed The Living Jesus Christ?

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Steve Simms

When Christ is present, church needs no program.  Jesus said: “Follow Me,” (not: “Follow a program,”). He also said: “I am the way,” (not: “A program is the way,”). And His mother said: “Whatever He says to you, do it,” (not: “Whatever a program says, do it,”),

If a gathered group of Christ-followers
Would each one say and do,
Just what the Holy Spirit
Prompted them to,
The presence of God 
Would become so clear,
In ways that no man
Could engineer.

Image

 

Participatory church is God’s variety pack; new and fresh every meeting as the Holy Spirit prompts ordinary people to show and tell what the living, resurrected Jesus is doing in their lives.

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Should Church Services Train People To Be Passive Or Active?

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Steve Simms

Some people say that church services (and how we behave in them) are not important. They say that what matters is not church meetings, but what believers do in everyday life (being the church in society). 

However, there are three problems with this view: 1) The New Testament instructs believers not to give up meeting together; 2) It also tells believers to minister to one another when we meet together (see 1 Corinthians 14:26); and 3) When we are trained to be passive spectators about our faith in church services, we will be passive spectators about our faith in everyday life.

Let me say that again:  If church meetings continually train people to just sit back and be passive about their faith during church meetings, people will learn to just sit back and be passive about their faith during daily life.

However, if church services would begin to train people to actively stand up and boldly proclaim and demonstrate their faith during church meetings, people would actively stand up and boldly proclaim and demonstrate their faith during everyday life.

Just as a magnifying glass bends many rays of light to one point, releasing so much intensity that it can start a fire; in the same way, Spirit-led, participatory church that actively involves everyday believers; focuses many hearts on the living, resurrected Jesus Christ, to the point of igniting life-transforming spiritual fire in the meeting.

Through out the New Testament we are commanded to minister to one another in various ways. So perhaps, our focus in church meetings should not be on just passively sitting and receiving ministry, but on listening to God, hearing how He wants us to minister to others, and then taking obedient action. (Not on “being fed” but on feeding others.)

Experience participatory church every Sunday morning at 10:45 at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37207.  

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