Tag Archives: Christianity

Are You A Sold-Out Copycat?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Copycating contemporary culture — shouldn’t we take a higher view than monkey see, monkey do?  Rather than taking rides on society’s hot and trendy tides, shouldn’t Christ’s followers be on His side and go against the tide? According to Jesus, … Continue reading →

Posted in against the tide, American, American church, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, compromised, conscience, contemporary, contemporary society, controversial, controversy, countercultural, courage, cultural taboos, culture, current condition, current events, darkness, dishonesty, disrespect, Do not be conformed to this world, Do not conform, feelings, followers, followers of Christ, godly sorrow, hypocrisy, monkey see monkey do, personal pleasure, persuasion of media, philosophy, politics and religion, post-Christianity, pride, profanity, promiscuity, Quotations, quote, real world, renewing your mind, right and wrong, right living, righteousness, self-destruction, self-focus, selfish desires, society, sold out, spiritual transformation, television, temptation, values | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church is a furnace — a gathering for igniting and spreading the contagion of spiritual fire; not an ice maker — a synchronized “service” dropping cool ideas on to cold hearts conformed to contemporary culture.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Daring deeds, not comfortable creeds!

Posted in church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, contagion, contemporary, corrupt culture, creeds, deeds, fire of the Holy Spirit, fire place, fire walk, furnace, ice maker, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quantum Church Is A Leap Into Another Form Of Reality

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Quantum church, like quantum mechanics, is a leap into another form of reality.  Quantum physics studies the subatomic world of infinitesimally small particles and waves. The subatomic, quantum world operates differently than the world of clearly defined matter that we … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, angels, belief system, Bible, Biblical concept, brokenness, Catherine Booth, Catholic mystics, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, devotion, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, guidance, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, inner peace, insight, inspiration, interactive, international movement, invisible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyles, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, nature of God, non-church movement, non-material reality, non-traditional church, order of worship, particles, quantum mechanics, Quantum physics, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, relevation, religion, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, revelation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, self-denial, sharing, simple church, soul, soul food, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual warfare, spooky action, subatomic, submission, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, The Voice, Uncategorized, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How Did You Choose A Church?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

People choose churches for many reasons — because of:  the building; the youth program; the pastor; their comfort level with the sermons; the friendliness of the people; the popularity (coolness) of the church; the size of the church; the influence … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, church meetings, church program, church services, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Should church services consist of humanly planned and directed programs or be supernaturally led by the Holy Spirit?

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

Should church services consist of humanly planned and directed programs or be supernaturally led by the Holy Spirit? Experience Spirit-led, participatory church where people show and tell what God has done at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., … Continue reading →

Posted in church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, Nashville, Nashville projects, participatory church, submission, surrender to God, Tennessee, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Which Burns In You — Hellfire Or Holy Fire?

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

Which burns in you, hellfire or holy fire? Hellfire — the burning passions of pride, cravings, compulsions, anger, addictions, revenge, lust, greed, guilt, vulgarity, violence, insecurity, disrespect, hatred, selfishness, shame. Holy fire — the flaming light of insight, revelation, love, … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, addictions, attitude, compassion, compulsion, conviction of sin, cravings, deny yourself, disrespect, ethics, evil, evil entities, evil spirits, feelings, fight the good fight of faith, filled with the Spirit, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, godly sorrow, guidance, guide, harmful thinking, hate, hdden sin, holy, Holy Holy Holy, inward change, justice, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, love, lust, meaning, meaninglessness, mercy, moral failures, obedience, partying, philosophical, philosophy, pull of evil, rebellion, reconnect, recovery, red hot, religion, repent, repentance, revelation, revival, sacrifice, seduction, self-control, self-denial, self-destruction, self-focus, self-inflicted, self-produced, self-respect, self-will, selfish desires, sin, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual growth, surrender, surrender to God, thinking | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Trying To Understand Hell

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Popular writer, Rob Bell, wrote a book called Love Wins where he gives his views about Hell.  I’ve not read Rob’s book, but here are my views of Hell uninfluenced by Mr. Bell. I believe that Hell is a spiritual … Continue reading →

Posted in Americans, answer to God, Baghdad, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, books, choice, Christian, Christian values, conscience, deterrent, eternal life, evil entities, evil spirits, fear, fire, fire insurance, God, God calling, God's authority, God's government, harmful habit, harmful thinking, hate, Heaven, hell on wheels, hellfire, How Evil Works, judge, judgment, judgments, justice, Katrina, looting, missional, moral failures, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morality-phobic, morals, mystery, New Orleans, omnipresent, Quantum physics, self-destruction, self-focus, self-inflicted, selfish desires, sin, soul, spiritual, suffering, unhappiness, views, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Write Your Wrongs & Move On In Peace (A Message Of The Christmas Season)

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

We are about to enter the Christmas season; known by retailers (and shoppers) as the make or break Christmas shopping season that begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  So what’s the real reason for the season?  God’s love … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian values, Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas traditions, confession, confession of sin, conscience, conviction, conviction of sin, creativity, deliverance, followers of Christ, forgiveness, freedom, guilt, hdden sin, holiday, holidays, inner peace, insight, inspiration, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, live to please God, makes change, moral failures, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, Nashville, naughty, opportunity, peace, peacemaking, prayer, presence of Christ, purpose, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, revelation, right and wrong, right conduct, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sin, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, Unconditional, unforgiveness, values | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Poem — Feel The Real Deal Thrill . . .

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

When you know that Jesus is real There’s a never-ending thrill, No matter how you feel. You can’t stand still Or follow the seductive appeal Of popular culture’s deal, Because your heart is full of passion and zeal To hear … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christian, conversion, mystery, mysticism, salvation, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, surrender, surrender to God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment