Tag Archives: organic church

Following The Holy Spirit To Where You Don’t Want To Go

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Who wants to go where you don’t want to go?  Jesus told His disciple Peter, that Peter would be led “where you do not want to go.” (John 21:18)  Are you willing to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, brokenness, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, comfort, comfort zone, conviction of sin, crucified with Christ, deny yourself, devotion, disapproval, discomfort, faith, faith-based, followers of Christ, friendship, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, humility, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 21:18, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, loneliness, move of God, movement, non-church, Peter, preference, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, Protestant, rejection, religion, religious ceremonies, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, self-denial, selfish desires, simple church, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, testimony, uncomfortable, where you do not want to go | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Have You Ever Been To Church?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is more than a structured meeting. Church is spiritual life flowing through a room – Something you and everyone present can feel.   Church is electricity in the air, An inner tingling, A sense of awe. A keen awareness … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, denominations, disciple making, disciples, electricity, faith, faith-based, fire of the Holy Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, God's government, Holy Spirit, house church, hymn, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, ministry, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, people of God, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, psalm, relational church, relevation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, The Salvation Army, worship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Should We Settle For Sunday Morning Mediocrity?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

For generations people in the Western world have settled for church as usual — Sunday morning mediocrity (SMM).  However, this has not always been the case. For the First Century believers, church was anything but mediocre.  Gathering with other followers … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, community, conviction of sin, East Nashville, ekklesia, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, filled with the Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, Nashville, non-church, normal Christianity, order of worship, participatory church, post-Christianity, religious ceremonies, service, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

The Next Time Someone Says “C.I.B.” Check This Out . . .

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

The next time someone says; “Church is boring,” bring them to 225 Berry Street in Nashville, 37207.  They will change their mind. *  There’s no sermon to fall asleep in . . . Instead people excitedly and spontaneously show and … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bulletin, change, change management, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, faith, faith-based, free will, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, giving, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, movement, mystery, mysticism, non-church, normal Christianity, offering, organic church, participatory church, podium, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, pulpit, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, supernatural | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Perhaps Church Is Much Simpler Than We Think It Is . . .

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Maybe church is much simpler than we think it is? Perhaps church is just two or there or more believers gathered under the actual leadership and direction of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ in our midst? (In Matthew 18:20, Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, bored in church, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, Christianity, church, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciple making, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, Matthew 18:20, move of God, participatory church, presence of Christ, presence of God, relational church, religion, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sermon-Free Church Spread Across America In 1857-1858

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Spirit-led, sermon-free church meetings spread across America in 1857-1858.  Jeremiah Lanphier started a prayer meeting on September 23, 1857 in New York City.  Six men showed up.  In the next few months 10,000 people began meeting daily for prayer in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, American, American church, American history, Americans, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, business men, Charles Finney, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church structure, conversion, East Nashville, ekklesia, England, good sermon, Great Britain, history, humility, interdenominational, Jeremial Lanphier, lifestyles, missional, move of God, movement, Music City, mysticism, new birth, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, participatory church, prayer, preaching, quote, Quotes, repentance, revelation, revival, salvation, sets the captives free, simple church, spiritual, spiritual awakening, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, United States | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

A Video About How Church Can Be Like A Beach Party

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Beach parties are fun.  Why do people love them so much?  Perhaps there are things the church can learn from a beach party . . .

Posted in beach, Beach Boys, Beach Boys songs, beach party, beach songs, Berry Street, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, faith-based, gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, Nashville, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, relational church, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, the way we do church, What is church? | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Alternative Names For Organic Church

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the last few years, many books have been written about organic church by people like Neil Cole, Milt Rodriguez, Tony and Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Wolfgang Simpson, Jon Zens, and many others.  I have read many of the books.  … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, faith, faith-based, flag, Frank Viola, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improv, James H Rutz, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jon Zens, King James Version, Milt Rodriguez, Music City, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, prayer, prayer walking, Quakers, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, sermon, sermons, show and tell, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual awakening, support group, tag team, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tony and Felicity Dale, tradition, unprogrammed church, Western religion, What is church?, Wolfgang Simpson | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Churches Are Shrinking–Is Christianity Fading Away Or Will It Come Roaring Back In A Creative Way?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the Western world churches are shrinking.  A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that Millennials (American’s in their twenties) are increasingly turning away from religion.  More and more writers and experts are saying that America is now … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, East Nashville, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I Corinthians 14:26, McKay Bookstore, Mike Bickle, Millennials, Music City, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, post-Christianity, prototype, religion, simple church, spiritual awakening, the way we do church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

2 Ways Of Having Church (One Widespread & The Other Very Rare)

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Steve Simms

There are thousands of brands of Christianity (called denominations).  However, if you look closer at all the denominational and non-denominational churches in the world, there are really only two ways of having church:  1) Spectative church & 2) Interactive church. … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, brands, China, Chinese, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church, church history, church roles, church structure, denominations, East Nashville, Holy Spirit, Music City, Nashville, organic church, relational church, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments