Tag Archives: church

Perhaps church needs to demonstrate the real presence of the Higher Power (Jesus Christ) by letting ordinary people show and tell what God has done; rather than being confined to a 1-man human presentation and a handy program.

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Steve Simms

Since Jesus said; “Shout from the housetops,” perhaps we could start by allowing people the freedom to share and testify in church.

Posted in 12 step meeting, 12 steps, AA, church in decline, church programs, church services, freedom, Jesus, Jesus Christ, NA, participation in AA meetings, participatory church, participatory sermons, Quotations, Quotes, sermon, sermons, shout it from the housetops, testifying, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

C.H.U.R.C.H — A Poetic Acrostic

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

A poetic acrostic defining church: C — Christ-followers H — Hanging out together U — Under the influence of the Spirit, R — Responding directly to His promptings, C — Celebrating the glory of H — His holy Presence! Check … Continue reading →

Posted in acrostic, C H U R C H, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church services, church structure, definition, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit promptings, organic church, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Conversermons — Spirit-Led Conversations About God

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

The concept of conversermons is based on the idea that you can hear talk after talk about God; but you will never really know Him until you experience Him for yourself.  Transformation is more important than theology. Rather than a … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, church services, conversermons, internet, Louis L'Amour, participatory church, participatory sermons, preach without words, preacher, preaching the Word, quotation, quote, Quotes, radio, sermon, sermon-hearing, sermons, spiritual formation, TV, Yaholo Hoyt | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Quaker Style Meetings In The Salvation Army

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Steve Simms

The early Quakers believed that the living, resurrected Jesus was present with them when they met together in His name and that He, Himself, could lead the meeting without the need for a human leader or a human program. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, church format, church programs, church services, denominations, Friends meeting, George Fox, God with us, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Nashville, Nashville charity, Nashville church, nineteenth century, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quakers, quotation, Quotations, Quotes, real presence, Richard Munn, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army General, Salvationism, Salvationists, Society of Friends, W.T. Stead, Wilfred Kitching, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Mystery? A Thriller? Church?

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Steve Simms

People like a good mystery — a good thriller!. Perhaps a church service should be a mystery.  Who will God speak through? What will He do? What gifts of the Spirit will flow through you? Maybe God is like a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 wood, a good mystery, a good thriller, Christmas lights, golf, piercings, piereced and tattooed, tattoos, tennis, tennis balls | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Pre-traditional Church

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

Tradition (even church tradition) has not always existed.  The Christian church began as a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit with no tradition.  It was led by the Spirit rather than contained by tradition. The New Testament was written during the pre-tradition … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Robert Kennedy’s “Ask Why? . . . Ask Why Not?” Applied To Church

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

I like to apply the idea from Bobby Kennedy’s “Ask why? . . . Ask why not?” quote to church.  Here goes: “There are those that look at church as a programmed religious service and ask why?  I dream of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1968, American history, Back to Methuselah, background, Bobby Kennedy, British history, dream, famous speech, history, I dream of things that never were, Irish history, Irish parliament, media, movie, organic church, President Kennedy, presidential campaign, quotation, quote, Quotes, senator, Shoeless Joe, speech making, speeches, W.P. Kensella | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Wanted: Pioneers To Blaze A Spiritual Trail

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Steve Simms

Pioneers Wanted To Blaze A Trail Into God’s Spiritual Frontier. . . * Hearing God’s voice and doing what He says; * Permitting believers to minister to one another; * Considering others better than yourself; * Allowing Christ, Himself, to … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative to preaching, God's voice, hearing God, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Nashville news, Nashville projects, new frontier, new kind of church, New Testament, one another, one anothering, one anothers, organic church, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, Salvationists, selfish desires, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual adventure, spiritual church, spiritual disciplines, spiritual discovery, spiritual experience, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual leaders, spiritual prompting, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spontaneity, The Salvation Army, wagon train, ways of doing church, worship, worship leader, you can all prophesy | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

“No Conformity To Any Church Forms Shall Hinders Us!”

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Steve Simms

Quotes from:  The History of The Salvation Army, Volume One, by Robert Sandall “We have been trying and, we thank God, with no little success, to break loose from all the trammels of custom and propriety which may in any degree … Continue reading →

Posted in Bramwell Booth, creativity, Elijah Cadman, quotation, quote, Quotes, Robert Sandall, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

A choir is more than only one person singing. Perhaps a church service should be more than only one person speaking. (See 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Steve Simms
Posted in church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, church structure, one person singing, participation, participatory church | Tagged , , | 3 Comments