Tag Archives: religion

What You “Like” Says What Kind Of Person You Are

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Steve Simms

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart” and the things I like on Facebook “be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.”

Posted in Christian values, Christianity, compromise, compromised, conviction, conviction of sin, meaning, media, media circus, popular culture, positive thinking, post-Christianity, thoughts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Church? Prevading Presence or Prearranged Program?

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is the powerful and permeating Presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ; not just the mere presentation of a prearranged religious program. Church is a group of people actively engaging God; not a group passively listening to a talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, church structure, conformed, contemporary, contemporary society, corrupt culture, countercultural, do church, Do not conform, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, kingdom values, lecture, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, power, religious innovation, resurrection, sermon, sermons, Spirit-led, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual power, the way we do church, values | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Imitator or Radiator? (Awash In The World or Aflame For God?)

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Are you a radiator spreading the presence and power of Christ to the people around you or an imitator following the influence of popular culture? Are you transforming your friends, neighbors, coworkers and community by godly influence or are you … Continue reading →

Posted in aflame, alternative lifestyle, apologists, awash, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, belief, belief system, biblical, burning heart, change agent, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, comfort zone, complacency, contagion, contemplation, controversy, conversion, convert, corrupt culture, countercultural, current events, fire of the Holy Spirit, imitator, Jesus, Jesus Christ, meaning, media, media circus, ministry, mission field, missional, missionary, moral principles, morality, obedience, obedience is better than sacrifice, obeying orders, popular culture, radiator, sales, salesperson, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, testimonies, thermometer, thermostat, values | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Are You Ready For Some Bordom Bustin’ In 2013?

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

Begin 2013 by busting out of your boredom box; rerouting the routine of your rut; surpassing the same ole, same ole! Do something new and different for the kingdom of God today. No need to repeat what isn’t working. Step … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013, biblical, Biblical concept, bored in church, boredom, Catherine Booth, cross, crucified with Christ, crucify yourself, deny yourself, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, obedience is better than sacrifice, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the world for God, theology, truth, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

iChurch or GChurch?

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Steve Simms

iChurch or GChurch? iChurch is self-focused. Does it meet my needs? Does it make me happy? iChurch is controlled by human leaders, programs and agendas. GChurch is focused on God. Is the attention on God? Is God, Himself, in charge? … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, church, iChurch, innovation, The Salvation Flag | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Steve Jobs Of Religion? — Come On Church, Innovate!

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

An Eric Weiner quotation from the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, December, 2011: “We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Apple Computer, being religious, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Catherine Booth, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, creativity, East Nashville, environment, freedom, Holy Spirit, humility, improv, improvisation, insight, interactive, intuitive, Mr. Job's, Music City, non-church, open church, operating system, organic church, participatory church, questions, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, speak the truth in love, spiritual innovation, straight forward, support group, unencumbered, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Are You A Sold-Out Copycat?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

Copycating contemporary culture — shouldn’t we take a higher view than monkey see, monkey do?  Rather than taking rides on society’s hot and trendy tides, shouldn’t Christ’s followers be on His side and go against the tide? According to Jesus, … Continue reading →

Posted in against the tide, American, American church, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, compromised, conscience, contemporary, contemporary society, controversial, controversy, countercultural, courage, cultural taboos, culture, current condition, current events, darkness, dishonesty, disrespect, Do not be conformed to this world, Do not conform, feelings, followers, followers of Christ, godly sorrow, hypocrisy, monkey see monkey do, personal pleasure, persuasion of media, philosophy, politics and religion, post-Christianity, pride, profanity, promiscuity, Quotations, quote, real world, renewing your mind, right and wrong, right living, righteousness, self-destruction, self-focus, selfish desires, society, sold out, spiritual transformation, television, temptation, values | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Church is doing daring deeds; not contentment with comfortable creeds.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is Christ indwelling, not institutional selling — His holy Presence, not human hype. Church is not laid back religion; but dynamic interaction with the living God! Come and do daring deeds with us As we come together in Jesus’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christian, Christian community, church, church meetings, church program, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, spiritual athletes, spiritual disciplines, spiritual skills | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Religion Is Ritual — Faith Is Fire (How John Wesley Caught On Fire For God))

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Religion is routine ritual, faith is flaming fire.  “I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.”  –John Wesley The fire that burned in John Wesley sparked the Holiness Movement that changed nations and led to many … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, change, Christ, Christianity, conversion, convert, conviction, denominations, doubts, England, English, evil, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fuel, God, godliness, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, holy, I set myself on fire, inner peace, inner rivers, intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Nazarene, pentecostals, recovery, red hot, relevation, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, saved, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Optimize Your Faith With Participatory Church

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Steve Simms

Faith can be enhanced or it can be diminished.  It is the responsibility of each individual to cultivate, nourish, and grow her/his faith or to allow it to wither away and possibly die.  Jesus illustrated this principle in the Parable … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, corps, encouragement, faith, faith-based, followers of Christ, freedom, honesty, Houston, improv, improvisation, insight, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, organic church, participatory church, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, spiritual athletes, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual training, spiritual warfare, testimonies, testimony | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments