Tag Archives: church

Founder Of The Salvation Army Believed In Participatory Church

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Steve Simms

William Booth, co-founder (along with his wife) of The Salvation Army, believed that church meetings should be participatory and not just involve one person running the meeting and doing all the ministry.  Here’s what he said: “Some murmurs have reached … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church history, church leader, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, organic church, preaching, sermons | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Use Words! Talk About Religion! Testify!

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is not carefully crafted and controlled ceremonies.  It is a symphony of spontaneous, heart-felt testimonies.  It’s not what we’ve planned, learned, and memorized; but what we have seen and heard! Unfortunately, the work of the living God in human … Continue reading →

Posted in If necessary use words, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, living out the Gospel, power, preach without words, preaching, preaching the Word, prompted by the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious talks, religious tradition, ritual, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, shout it from the housetops, speaking out, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, story, testimonies, testimony, TN, What I tell you in secret | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

AA Church

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Steve Simms

An Innovative Idea For Sunday Morning Church — Function Like An AA Meeting! Here’s a description of a typical AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting from the AA of Australia web site: “AA meetings are very informal. Just take a seat and … Continue reading →

Posted in 12 step meeting, 12 steps, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, order of worship, organic church, participation in AA meetings, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, telling their stories, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Church gets exciting when God takes the reins and redirects routine religion!

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church becomes powerful when passive people become participatory and begin to passionately pursue and obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit! Church gets exciting when God takes the reins and redirects routine religion!

Posted in church buildings, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, God takes the reigns, religion, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious innovation, religious tradition, routine, routine religion, simple church | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Faucet Faith? vs. Free-Flowing Faith

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

Faucet faith is turned on and off as needed, but is mostly shut down and ignored. Free-flowing faith flows freely from the heart 24/7/365. Church based on 1 Corinthians 14:26 (open sharing and Spirit-led testimonies) releases a spiritual contagion factory … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 24/7/365, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, faucet, order of worship, organic church | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Where’s Jesus?

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Steve Simms

People sometimes ask:  “Where’s Waldo?” and search for him in the popular book series.   But we often neglect to ask:  “Where’s Jesus?” and to search for Him will all our body, soul, mind and strength. Tomb empty, Body gone . . . … Continue reading →

Posted in church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, opportunity | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

One Anothering

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

God’s love we discover When we minister to one another. Church is not sitting in a pew, It’s doing what we do . . . One anothering; we’re one anothering. Singing songs to one another; Confessing to each other; Encouraging … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, church meetings, church program, church services, compassion, Love one another, organic church, pray for one another | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

What Is “Effective Preaching?”

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Steve Simms

Information:  A message prepared and delivered by a mind, reaches a mind. Inspiration:  The testimony of a burning heart reaches a heart. God is looking for a burning heart; not for doctrinal charts. “I would rather teach one man to … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Spurgeon, Come Join Our Army, Crest Books, doctrinal charts, early Salvation Army, exhortations, how to pray, how to preach, information, inspiration, inspirational, learning to pray, mind, prayer, preaching the Word, R.G. Moyles, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, sermon series, testimonies, testimony, USA, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is church . . . An agenda or an awakening? A program or His Presence? A tradition or a transformation? A teaching or a testimony? A sermon or signs & wonders? A duty or a delight? Religion or revolution?

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church without the real presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ is like an unplugged blender. It looks nice, but it’s not going to produce any smoothies.

Posted in agenda, Christianity, religion, signs and wonders, tradition, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Could a sleeping church fall into a sinkhole?

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Steve Simms

Is the church Asleep on a mattress Over crumbling earth That’s about to collapse Into a huge sinkhole?

Posted in asleep, Christianity, huge sinkhole, mattress, passivity, repent, repentance, state of religion, wake up, wake-up call | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment