Tag Archives: church

Making Music With Body Parts (God’s Symphony)

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

This blog is not about finger snapping, hand clapping, knee slapping, toe tapping, and/or armpit playing.  It’s about the church, the body of Christ, functioning as God’s symphony. The New Testament teaches that the church is like a human body … Continue reading →

Posted in armpit, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, biblical Christianity, Biblical concept, church meetings, church services, clergy, conductor, finger snapping, God, God's symphony, hand clapping, instrumental, instrumental music, instruments, knee slapping, musical solo, New Testament, organic church, paralyzed, pastor, prayer, preacher, priest, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, solo, song, symphony, toe tapping | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The church is the body of the broken; the face of the forgotten; and the house of the humble.

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

The church is the body of the broken; the face of the forgotten; and the house of the humble.

Posted in Christian, Christian community, Christian values, Christianity, humility, service, serving others | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Believing Outside The Box — Creativity In Church

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Steve Simms

Thinking outside the box is a popular phrase.  Taco Bell even played on it in their commercial by encouraging people to think outside the bun.  Creative, out of the box thinking, has brought tremendous advancements to society.  However one group … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, alternative lifestyle, alternative names, biblical, biblical Christianity, Biblical concept, Christianity, established procedure, imagineering, innovation, Nashville, nonconforming, novel ideas, order of worship, ordinary, organic church, reinvent, reinventing, religion, religious innovation, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual innovation, Taco Bell, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, think outside the bun, visionary, Walt Disney | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

What The Church Can Learn From Basketball Officials

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Steve Simms

From preschool to the NBA Playoffs — from high school to March Madness — basketball officials could serve as great examples of an alternative way for pastors to conduct church services. Rather than being the center of attention and running … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, church structure, clergy, creativity, high school basketball, innovation, Nashville adventure, Nashville events, Nashville projects, officials, organic church, participatory church, pastor, simple church, spiritual growth, spiritual innovation, spiritual leaders, spiritual life, sporting event, sports, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Holy Spirit Surfing–A Fresh Wave Of Churching

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Steve Simms

Holy Spirit surfing is a fresh, creative way of doing church — an innovative style of churching.  However, it’s not new — it was written about in the New Testament (see 1 Corinthians 14:26) and was the common practice of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church structure, churching, contemporary churches, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, liturgical churches, morphed, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, new wave, non-liturgical, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, Protestant, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, religious innovation, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual waves, The Salvation Army, wave of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Searching For A Different Way Of Churching? (Try Facebook-Style Church)

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Steve Simms

Think Facebook is exciting? You should try Facebook-style church! You’re not on Facebook so you can hear from only one person . . . You’re on Facebook so you can connect with and hear from many different people. You’re on … Continue reading →

Posted in Facebook-style, like, Music City, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville events, Nashville projects, Nashville tourist attractions, new kind of church, open church, order of worship, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, searching, share, simple church, social media, spiritual church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Church is a gathering of people who are captured by and caught up in the current flowing of the Holy Spirit, not a group of people who are passively watching a religious program.

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is a gathering of people who are captured by and caught up in the current flowing of the Holy Spirit, not a group of people who are passively watching a religious program.

Posted in captured by the Spirit, caught up with God, church program, church services, current flowing, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, God, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual fire, spiritual flow, spiritual formation | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Men Gone Wild (Or Are They Just Free In The Spirit?)

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

Recently six men gathered in Nashville, Tennessee and were overcome by  spontaneous praise, worship, celebration, dancing, and prayer; for more than two hours.  Had these men gone wild?  Or were they just free in the Spirit? They were experiencing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts of the Apostles, Bible, New Testament, praise and worship, praying, praying community, radical, radical obedience, rare form of Christianity, real presence, religious ceremonies, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Church — Massaging the Mind Or Harvesting The Heart?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

Jesus taught that spiritual inspiration (revelation) is the harvest of the heart.  He said:  “Out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”  (John 7:38). The purpose of church (of believers gathering together) is to release the inner … Continue reading →

Posted in flow, flow of the Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 7:38, massage, mental messages, message, mind, opinion, organic church, out of your innermost being, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious talks, sermon, sermons, simple church, What is church?, What is the true church? | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is The Church Trying To Teach People To Swim Without Letting Them Get Wet?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

I heard a very good sermon today.  But while passively sitting and listening to the sermon, I began to think my own thoughts instead. I pondered to myself:  Which is more effective in changing lives —  studied and prepared sermons … Continue reading →

Posted in attention holding, challenging, God, gripping, Holy Spirit, informative, inspirational, instructive, learning to swim, life transforming, living words, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relevation, religion, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments