Tag Archives: religion

Church — A Bottled Water Plant? or A Mighty, Whitewater River

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Steve Simms

Church — A bottled water plant? or A mighty, whitewater river? Contemporary church is too often like a bottled water plant. People sit passively, like flimsy plastic bottles in a row, hoping to receive a single squirt of water from … Continue reading →

Posted in bottled water plant, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christianity, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church seating, church services, church structure, Holy Spirit, house church, How is water bottled?, institutional church, Nashville adventure, Nashville charity, Nashville church, Nashville news, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, plastic bottles, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual church, spontaneity, spontaneous church, whitewater river | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Organic Church — Spirit-Led Assembly Required!

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Steve Simms

Love is not taught by a sermon or a lesson.  Love is caught when hearts are in Spirit-led connection. Church — Spirit-led assembly required!  A church meeting should be a spiritual people-mover — connecting people to God and to one … Continue reading →

Posted in assembly, Christianity, Christianity with Power, church leadership, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, God, led by the Spirit, organic church, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationism, simple church, Spirit-led | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

“Hot. Cool. Yours.” Sochi’s Silly Olympic Slogan — What Does It Mean?

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Steve Simms

“Hot. Cool. Yours.” (It’s not just a silly slogan for the Sochi Olympics.) * “Hot.” — Heat up God’s fire in your heart and spread it everywhere until you become an ever-burning, flaming torch for God. * “Cool.” — Cool … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, cool, courage, faith, fight the good fight of faith, holiness, Hot, Olympic events, Olympic slogans, Olympic spirit, self-help, self-improvement, spirit, spirit fire, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, Train yourself unto godliness., training, Yours | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

3 Categories of “Church” in the 21st Century

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Steve Simms

3 Categories of “Church” Services in the 21st Century1) “Church” services that deny God’s existance (“atheist church”);2) Church services that present programs & talks about God;3) Church services that depend on and actively demonstrate God’s real presence and power.#s 1 … Continue reading →

Posted in atheistic church, church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church services, deny God, types of church | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Purpose of Church — Running Religious Programs or Connecting People With Christ?

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Steve Simms

The purpose of church is not to run religious programs.  The purpose of church is to help people connect with, follow, and daily obey the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. When people begin to listen to Jesus and do what He … Continue reading →

Posted in church format, church meetings, church program, church programs, church structure, organic church, prompting of the Spirit, promptings, purpose of church, simple church, Spirit-led interaction | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Curriculum-Free Sunday School

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Steve Simms

Curriculum-free Sunday school?  Yes!  Why has church bound the Bible to Sunday school curriculum booklets, when it can speak directly to & through ordinary people? For years I have led curriculum-free adult Sunday school classes.  When this concept is first … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Bible study, book, booklet, curriculum-free, Ephesians, Holy Spirit, interactive Bible class, participatory Bible study, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Sunday school classes, Sunday school ideas | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God is not a seasoning to occasionally sprinkle on your life. God is the source of and the reason for your life — a 24/7/365 necessity.

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in 24/7/365, Christ's presence, Christianity, faith | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Mother Teresa Called Abortion “War Against The Child”

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

Mother Teresa once spoke at a Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC.  As Vice President Al Gore was seated on one side of her and President Bill Clinton and Hillary on the other, she said this: “I feel that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Gore, Bill Clinton, DC, hate, hatred, Hillary Clinton, Joseph M. Stowell, Meister Eckhart, President, pro choice, pro life, prochoice, prolife, quotation, quote, Quotes, right to life, rights, Washington | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Pope Francis & Participatory Church

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Steve Simms

Pope Francis has made several statements that indicate that he wants church meetings to be more than passively listening to sermons. We need to allow the living, resurrected Jesus to come out in church meetings and use ordinary people. Pope … Continue reading →

Posted in Bergoglio, Bergogolio, Chris Lowney, clergy, clericalism, dialogue, God's surprises, Jesuit Pope, Jesuits, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Nashville, organic church, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Roman Catholic, Rome, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermons, simple church, Tennessean, witness, witnesses | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Non-Charismatic Seminary Professor Speaks Out For Participatory Church

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Steve Simms

Charles H. Kraft, professor of anthropology and intercultural communication at Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, California speaks out for participatory church.  In in his book, Christianity With Power:  Your Worldview and Your Experience of the Supernatural, although he says that … Continue reading →

Posted in anthropology, California, Calvin, charismatic, Charles H. Kraft, Christianity with Power, Holy Spirit, intercultural communication, interpretation, Luther, Nashville, Nashville church, Nashville tourist attractions, non-charismatic, Pasadena, quotation, Quotations, quote, reformer, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, speaking in tongues, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Tennessee, the Reformers, worldview | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments