Tag Archives: preaching

Would God Tell A Preacher To Stop Preaching?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Steve Simms

I love to preach, however a few years ago God told me to stop preaching and instead,  to let ordinary believers show and tell what God has done! So I stopped, yet still I greatly miss it.  By the time … Continue reading →

Posted in by the word of their testimony, church format, church leader, church leadership, church program, church services, dream, homiletics, ministers, ministry, motivational speaker, oratory, pastor, preacher, preaching, preaching the Word, prompting of the Spirit, public speaking, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army officer, teaching, testimonies in church, testimony | Tagged , , , , | 11 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

Quarterback Preacher & Handoff Church

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Steve Simms

Is it time for a handoff or a pass to Jesus?  Football season is upon us and the quarterback’s job is to get the football to a playmaker, either by a handoff or a pass. I believe that a pastor’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Final Four, handoff, Jesus Christ, Nashville, open mic, open mike, playmaker, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sports, Super Bowl, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Frustrated With Preaching? Try Sermon-Free Church

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Steve Simms

I (the sermon-free church guy) love to preach. I miss preaching. I preached regularly on Sunday mornings for about 10 years. However, I got frustrated with preaching because I was growing spiritually, but I didn’t see much spiritual growth in … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church leadership, church meetings, church services, faith, faith-based, God's power, non-traditional church, organic church, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual formation, spirituality, the power of God, witness | Tagged , , , , | 13 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

The Worst Religious Advice I Was Ever Given

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

The worst religious advice I was ever given came when I was a student at Memphis Theological Seminary.  A professor in a preaching class said:  “You need to spend one hour of study for every minute you preach.” Since then … Continue reading →

Posted in academics, Bible study, burning heart, change, change agent, Christ followers, Christian, epidemic, expect change commercial, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory days, God, how you catch the flu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, kingdom values, Memphis Theological Seminary, moral failure, moral foundations, morality, Music City, religious academics, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, study one hour for every minute you preach | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

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

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

Incarnation Is Not A Flower (But God With Us)

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Steve Simms

Incarnation is not a flower, but like a flower it is beautiful and glorious — the life of God animating physical matter.  Describing Jesus Christ, John the Beloved said:  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  God didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church, church structure, East Nashville, glory, God, guidance, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John the Beloved, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, religion, revelation, simple church, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are Sermons Effective?

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Steve Simms

Have you ever tested the effectiveness of sermons? I did. I was a brand new pastor in my first church — Mayfield Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Mayfield, Kentucky. After finishing three years of seminary, I had been preaching for about … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christianity, church, Cumberland Presybterian Church, East Nashville, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, kingdom of God, lifestyles, movement, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, organic church, praise and worship, religion, sermons, simple church, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, values, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments